It goes without saying that Bosch has been at the forefront of electric bicycle technology for many years now. Its e-bike systems are found in a breadth of models suited for all sorts of applications. From city commuters, to cargo bikes; performance-oriented road bikes to all-terrain e-MTBs, Bosch has the tech to supercharge every cyclist’s ride.
The German brand’s most recent innovation comes in the form of the Performance Line SX, its lightest, most compact e-bike system to date. Designed for use on lightweight electric mountain bikes and gravel bikes, we’re beginning to see some of the first production models to be equipped with the new groundbreaking motor. The newest of which comes from German brand Nicolai, in the form of the Saturn Swift series.
The Bosch Performance Line SX-powered Saturn Swift series comprises two models – the Saturn 11 Swift and Saturn 14 Swift. Both models feature a full-suspension frame, and are designed to be light – both physically and visuall. The difference lies in suspension travel, with the Saturn 11 Swift featuring 120 millimeters of front and 106 millimeters of rear suspension travel. The Saturn 14 Swift, meanwhile, gets an all-mountain configuration with 150 millimeters of travel up front and 130 millimeters of travel at the back.
On both bikes, the Bosch Performance Line SX motor is mated to a Bosch Compact Tube 400-watt-hour battery pack. In total, the entire e-bike system weighs in at just four kilograms – more than a kilo lighter than the Performance Line CX setup. The SX series is further amplified by its impressive 55 Newton-meters of torque, as well as the integrated Bosch Purion 200 control panel complete with a 1.6-inch color display.
According to Nicolai, the Saturn Swift range of electric mountain bikes is perfect for riders looking for an agile, lightweight e-bike that handles more like a standard, non-electric mountain bike. Indeed, this is also the demographic Bosch has in mind for its Performance Line SX motor, making the collab between the two German companies a match seemingly made in heaven.
On the pricing side of the equation, however, Nicolai’s Saturn Swift range of e-bikes commands quite the premium. The Saturn 14 Swift comes in three trim options – HLS for 8,999 Euros ($9,836 USD), TNS for 10,999 Euros ($12,022 USD), and HRZ for 11,999 Euros ($13,115 USD). The Saturn 11 Swift, meanwhile, is packaged in a fancy cross-country setup, and retails for a whopping 14,999 Euros ($16,400 USD).
