New stuff coming out of the cycling wonderland of Bentonville, Arkansas! Friday, Viral Bikes launched a new bike that’s the first of its kind for the brand. Introducing the Wander-ee, their first e-bike entry into the market. This titanium gravel bike combines the Mahle X20 Motor System with Pinion Smart.Shift technology.
Pinion Smart.Shift is an electronic shifting system that draws power from the e-bike battery and reduces additional wiring. The Smart.Shift integration enables automatic shifting features, too, like the pre-select and start-select modes.
These two modes can automatically shift to your preferred gear when stopping. You can’t use this system on Viral’s non-electric models due to the absence of speed sensors.
The Wander-ee builds on the foundation of Viral’s Wanderer but adapts to gravel-specific requirements dictated by the Mahle system’s hub specifications (142/12 rear, 100/12 front).
“We set out to make a very capable bike first, and an e-bike second, and the MGU is just too heavy and too robust a design for the Wander-ee. It’s better suited to a full suspension platform or larger cargo bike,” says Steve Domahidy, Viral’s founder and owner. “We wanted the Wander-ee to be light, agile, and enjoyable to ride, and the Mahle X20 system delivers all of that in a very well-designed package. The hub motor is smaller than the Gates belt cog we put on the back, and we use a pretty small cog!”
Active & Passive Suspension
The Wander-ee’s front suspension is provided by the Cane Creek Invert CS suspension fork, which comes standard. It provides a chatter eliminating 40mm of travel, and the frame geometry was specifically designed around this fork choice.
The rear suspension is a little less noticeable and is a carryover from the Wanderer, and was developed by Domahidy. It’s a simple system where the seat tube is not welded to the top tube, but rather ‘suspended’. It uses a titanium flex plate designed to allow for the seat tube to dampen vibrations coming up from the axles and through the frame.
Another thing Viral adopted from the Wanderer is its focus on techy terrain. It offers substantial tire clearance as well. Up to 29 x 2.1 inches, to be exact. It also has a slack head tube angle, making it feel more stable at speed. This approach provides rider comfort enhancement without complex pivots or high-maintenance components.
The Launch Edition Wander-ee is Special & Expensive
Retail: $14,500 (Launch Edition)
The Launch Edition Wander-ee includes several extras not found on the standard model: a range extension battery, Mahle’s Hub system, a wireless SRAM AXS dropper post that features a custom-made activation button from Zirbel that mounts under the TRP brake hood, and a complete set of Tailfin bags for cargo hauling.
Pre-orders are available on Viral’s website with a 50% deposit required. Get all the details about the Wander-ee at the link below.
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