Hero Cycles has unveiled a new brand Lectro in India. Under Lectro brand, Hero Cycles launched range of electric assist bicycles at a price point between Rs. 40,000 – Rs. 80,000 and it will be available sometime in January, 2017. For your information, the Lector is Hero’s electric bicycle brand in Europe and in India it offers a range of EPAC’s (Electric Pedal assisted cycles) in India. Above all, Hero owned Lectro was first launched in Birmingham earlier this year and was showcased at the Eurobike 2016 held in Germany in September.
The electric pedal assisted cycles comes in various body styles and it can be used by children or adults. The new Lector bicycle will feature a 250-watt electric motor in the rear hub wheel and a 48-volt or 36-volt battery pack. The 48-volt battery pack is mounted on the lower tube on the frame while the top of the line model will have an inbuilt battery pack inside the rear hub.
Hero Bicycles claims that most of these most of these bicycles will offer a range of just 50 kilometres on a single charge. The Lectro range of bicycles comes with detachable battery and it can be charged in home pretty easily, although it takes 4 hours to charge the battery. The three point led indicator displays the charge level of the battery. Above all, the bicycle can be charged marginally if you reverse pedal.
Some of the highlights of the Lectro range of bicycle are fat tires, including the big bouncy 4’’/10cm wide Kenda fat-bike tires on the Renew model, and suspension front forks.
The company plans to introduce the four models in Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai and NCR in the first phase and then across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra by the end of the year.
Commenting on the launch, Mr Pankaj Munjal, Chairman and Managing Director of Hero Cycles said:
“EPAC is a nascent segment in the Indian bicycle market. Even as the premium bicycle segment has shown strong growth over the past few years, the EPAC segment has only recently started and has huge potential in the country. Lectro was designed and developed for the European market where EPAC’s are a major draw, with a consistent growth of over 25%, in India, Hero has taken the lead to build and create this category. With Lectro, we are aiming at bringing about a shift in the consumer behavior and give a boost to the EPAC segment.”
Adding further, Fitness trainer Vesna Jacob, said:
“Cycling is one of the best cardio exercises for people of all age groups. It helps burn calories, helps build stamina, strengthens muscles and helps prevent osteoporosis. It is not just a healthy way of commuting; it is also a highly environmental friendly mode of transport, especially suited to the needs of highly polluted urban centres. In many countries across Europe, a shift to cycling culture has helped radically bring down carbon emissions, and EPAC’s have played a prominent role in this. According to World Health Organization guidelines, adults aged between 18–64 years need weekly aerobic exercise of 150 minutes, and cycling every day is a wonderful way of achieving this target an Internationally acclaimed Pilates/ Multi functional fitness expert who has made India her home for the past 10 years.”
The Lectro range in India starts with the Ozone, which cost Rs. 42,050. Some of its salient features:
- Li-ion, 36v 8.8Ah, Panasonic cells
- Bafang- RM G10.250D, 36V, 250W, 40 Nm, 36H Rear Hub Motor
- LED display
- 1-5 PAS Modes
- F-white Reflector, Rear Reflector
- Cadence Sensor w/o Torque
- Motor Power cut-off upto 25kmph
- Range/Charge 45km
- AL Alloy frame material
- Front Fork: zoom- CH-389A, 650 B suspension adjustable pre load, with mechanical load and Disc mount
- Promax Mechanical Disc Brake, 160mm
- 36V/2A charger
- Dimension (cm): 139×22.5×75
- Bicycle weight (kg): 22.6
The Spark cost Rs. 81,150 and some of its salient features:
- Li-ion, 30v 5.3Ah, Boston Power cells
- Bike All in one rear Hub Motor (Battery, Controller, Motor all integrated)
Smart Phone Connectivity - 0-100% Pedal Assist Mode
- F-white LED Lamp 6V, Powered via Dynamo Hub
- Cadence & Torque Inside Hub Motor
- Motor Power cut-off upto 25kmph
- Range/Charge 45km
- 2-3 hours charging time
- Front – Shimano 3 Spd, FD – M390, Rear – Shimano RD – M390 with 1-speed
- AL Alloy material
- Suspension Fork Assy. (26T) 140 HT B class with ED coating thread less type, C.D. 125mm
- Promax – Front Disc-DSK 31O 0 16O, Rear V-Brake
- 30V/2A battery charger
- Dimension (cm): 139×22.5×75
- Bicycle weight (kg): 19
The Renew cost Rs. 83,050 and some of the features are:
- Li-ion, 48v 11.6Ah, Panasonic cells
- Bafang- RMG06 350D, 48V, 250W, 80 Nm, 36H Rear Hub Motor
- LCD with Head Lamp Control
- 1-5 PAS Modes
- F-white LED Lamp 6V, R-Red LED Lamp, 6V (Brightness change)
- BB axle Torque Sensor + Cadense
- Motor Power cut-off upto 25kmph
- Range/Charge 50km
- 3-4 hours charging time
- Derailleur: Rear – Shimano 7 speed RD-M310
- AL Alloy frame material
- Mozo, 26″ suspension with mechanical lock out
- Tektro, Hydraulic disc brake, HD-E530, 160mm with brake sensor
- 48V/2A battery charger
- Dimension (cm): 155x32x80
- Bicycle weight (kg): 31.6