WTF: The 100 km/h Electric Bike

Up until a couple of hours ago, no one at Singletrack had heard of a brand called Alpha. And that’s fair enough, given Alpha is indeed a motorcycle company. However, it appears that Alpha is planning to make some inroads into the bicycle market too. After we were sent through a press release about Alpha’s 32-gram carbon disc rotor, we started doing some digging around on the company’s website.

A Spanish-based manufacturer, it turns out that Alpha actually has quite a long history of producing motorcycles, having first been founded in 1924. But after disappearing from the scene back in 1957, the name was brought back a couple of years ago with a plan to start a new chapter in the company’s history as a manufacturer of motorcycles and……electric bicycles?

In early 2016, images appeared of Alpha’s planned prototype e-bike, appropriately called the ‘Wildcat’. Following a similar recipe as other super-dooper-ridiculously-high-powered electric bikes such as the Stealth B52, Alpha stated that the Wildcat would be available in several different versions, including a model with a 5000-Watt engine and the ability to reach up to 100 km/h. So, still not quite as fast as the current record holder then.

By definition, that capability makes it an electric motorcycle, and not an e-bike. Yes it has pedals, but they’re more for decoration. According to Alpha’s website, there is a function that will limit the Wildcat to 25 km/h, but who in their right mind would do that when you’ve got a 5kW engine between your legs?? And so in that case, just like a motorbike, you’ll need a motorcycle license, a motorcycle helmet and everything else required to ride such a thing legally in most countries.

Anywho…Whilst perusing the Alpha website when checking out the company’s carbon disc brake rotors, we stumbled across an updated version of the Wildcat that appears to be a little more streamlined than the prototypes first shown;

Depending on the accuracy of the renderings and the specs listed on Alpha’s website, there are some curious things we’ve spotted that we’re not entirely sure of. Firstly, there’s a DNM dual-crown fork on the front, which has a RockShox sticker attached to it for some reason. We also see Avid X0 dual-piston disc brakes, which we’re not convinced will be capable of slowing a 55kg bike + rider down from 100 km/h. And anyway, shouldn’t they be using their own carbon rotors? Also of interest is the wheelsize, which on the Alpha Wildcat Enduro RR, will be 19in, so smaller than a BMX. More supermoto than super-enduro then?

According to Alpha’s website, there will be several Wildcat models available with various power outputs and weight differences. The lightest model will purportedly weigh 45kg and only get up to 80 km/h. Pffft, what’s the point? Really, you want the full-noise model with these specs;

• Frame: Steel
• Wheels: 19in x 2.5in
• Drivetrain: 7-speed
• Front suspension: DNM USD-8 model
• Rear suspension: DNM 220 -RC model
• Brakes: 203mm Discs
• Engine: 72v 5000w hub
• Battery: 72v 20ah lithium lifepo4
• Display: LCD
• Charger: 72v 6a 100-240v
• Electric range: 60km
• Assisted pedaling: More than 80km
• Max speed: 100km/h
• Weight: 55kgs
• Start up: Key

Oh and if you decide that you’re not quite ready for a bicycle-shaped-object that travels at 100 km/h with bicycle disc brakes to slow it down, then you may be more interested in Alpha’s actual motorbikes, like the ‘Guzzi Rocket’ shown here. We don’t know much about motorbikes, but that thing looks absolutely insane!