Product news: With the Overdrive, the Swabians from Centurion added a light bike with Fazua drive to their already extensive e-bike portfolio some time ago. The newcomer was initially only available with a drop bar and with gravel or road tires, but from now on there is also a variant with a flat bar for city and leisure with the Centurion Overdrive City.
E-bikes are a great thing. The support provided by the motor makes the ride less strenuous, more comfortable and the hurdle to getting on the bike is lower. Especially commuters or those who want to get from A to B quickly in the city appreciate the additional watts of the electric drive. However, not everyone needs the full power of a powerful mid-engine and its huge battery. While this combination delivers plenty of power and range, it also makes the bike pretty heavy. So it's no wonder that the Bavarian manufacturer Fazua, with its lightweight drive, has become an integral part of the e-bike market. Although the compact drive unit "only" delivers 55Nm and the battery only has a capacity of 250Wh, Fazua bikes are significantly lighter overall and can therefore be pedaled very comfortably with less or no support at all.
Flatbar overdrive for the city
With the Overdrive, Centurion also jumped on the Fazua bandwagon this spring. The sporty racing bike, which is also available with Gravel tires as an alternative, comes with a discreetly sporty seating position and a complete bike weight from 13,7 kg (carbon model). For the 2020 model year, the southern German company is supplementing the Overdrive series with the Overdrive City: The frame is based on the well-known Overdrive, is made of aluminum, but is combined with a flat bar handlebar at the front. In combination with the optionally available full equipment (mudguards, luggage rack, etc.), the e-racing bike becomes a veritable city runabout.
In its basic features, overdrive remains overdrive: Even in the city version, the Fazua drive delivers up to 60Nm of torque and is powered by a compact 250Wh battery. In the front is a rigid fork made of carbon. However, so that comfort is not neglected, Centurion uses 42mm wide tires whose volume irons out vibrations and small potholes. The weight is also noteworthy: at 15,3 kg (manufacturer information) in its "bare" version and 17,1 kg with the full equipment, it is only slightly above what a conventional trekking bike weighs. New for the 2020 model year is the Fazua remote integrated into the top tube, which replaces the well-known, bulky and not very ergonomic remote control on the handlebars.
Fully equipped for a small surcharge
Initially, the Centurion Overdrive City will only be available in one trim level. In addition to a Sram Apex 1 gearshift, there are hydraulic disc brakes from Tektro and wheels from Alexrims. The new Centurion E-Urban Bike is priced at 3.499 euros - the EQ version with Racktime luggage rack and Hebie mudguards costs 150 euros extra. This puts the Overdrive City at the level of comparable Fazua bikes such as the Bergamont E-Grandurance or the Corratec E-Allroad.