C.B.T. Italia UB77: Motor assistance according to heart rate

C.B.T. Italia is a bike manufacturer based in Cuneo, Italy, that was founded in the 1950s. The UB77 is the company's new, smart urban bike, which is an e-bike with a 250-watt rear wheel motor. The motor power can either be manually operated with the choice of five support levels, or - and this is the highlight of the UB77 - the rider lets the bike control itself. The bike registers the rider's pulse rate via the included smartwatch and adjusts the support accordingly. Further settings are possible via the C.B.T. app.

The battery has a capacity of 430 Wh and should - depending on the chosen support level - enable a range of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles). The motor also gives no pedalling resistance, which means that you can ride with an empty battery or above the support limit of 25 kilometers per hour (15.5 mph) without any extra exertion. A full charge of the battery should take three hours, and it is removable for this purpose.

The bike has a carbon frame that is said to weigh only 900 grams (2 lbs). Overall, the bike weighs 13.2 kilograms (29 lbs), yet a payload of 120 kilograms (265 lbs) is possible. The 1x9 gears and the disc brake are from Shimano's Afline series. The frame's geometry is reminiscent of a road bike, but the UB77 has straight handlebars. The tyres are 30 millimetres wide and should provide a minimum level of comfort despite the lack of suspension elements.

To increase the bike's practicality in the city, C.B.T provides a luggage rack for the seat tube. Pack bags can be attached to this. Unfortunately, C.B.T. does not provide any further information on the smartwatch, which is included in delivery, as well as the display and charger for the bike. The bike is available on the manufacturer's website at a price of 3900 Euros (~US$4,101).

Check out our full review: C.B.T. Italia UB77 - an e-bike lightweight