British start-up Skarper has taken victory at the prestigious EUROBIKE 2024 Awards, picking up a prize in the competitive ‘Components’ category. Skarper seals the win with its innovative device that can turn a regular bike into an e-bike with a single click.
The device is an ultralight and portable drive system that clicks seamlessly into a bike’s existing rear brake mechanism, thanks to Skarper’s DiskDrive rotor (which replaces the rear disk on the bike), transforming it into a high performance, lightweight e-bike and back again in seconds. This first-of-its-kind, patent-protected disk-brake drive system was invented by Skarper’s co-founder Dr. Alastair Darwood and developed by the company’s team of engineers in collaboration with Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the high-performance division of the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 Team.
Sir Chris Hoy, six-time Olympic champion and founding investor in Skarper, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be recognised by the EUROBIKE judges. This award is testament to a product that will truly revolutionise the cycling sector and benefit riders worldwide. I love the fact I can click Skarper onto any of my bikes, whether that be for the school commute or a ride with friends and I can’t wait for others to experience that feeling with their favourite bikes.”
Recognised for its design and performance credentials, the award-winning Skarper unit measures just 34cm by 16cm by 11cm and contains a 250-watt rated motor alongside a 240Wh battery pack giving a range of up to 50km. The device is ultralight and portable, attaching seamlessly to the proprietary rear disk, with no loss of performance when compared to integrated e-bikes.
Andy Wallis, Co-founder, and Commercial Director at Skarper said: “We are delighted to win this EUROBIKE award. The components sector of the cycling industry is vast and highly competitive. Winning an award in such a category is a real honour for a British startup like Skarper. We look forward to our customers taking delivery and riding their Skarpers later this year.”
Skarper is currently available to order in advance of customer deliveries commencing in Q4.
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