In an increasingly competitive e-bike market, bicycle manufacturers face a strategic challenge: how can they differentiate their products not only through frame design, geometry, and components, but also through their electric drive system?
Established drive-system suppliers benefit from strong brand recognition and extensive marketing activities. Bicycle manufacturers, meanwhile, must find ways to stand out while delivering the performance, integration, and riding experience their customers expect.
Preeto offers an alternative approach. Its private-label drive systems allow manufacturers to build on an existing technology platform and adapt it to their product requirements and brand identity.
Established platform with room for customisation
Preeto offers a portfolio of mid-drive motors for different applications. The P60 targets urban and lighter off-road bikes, the P90 is positioned for e-MTBs with 90Nm of torque, and the P110 delivers 110Nm for applications such as e-SUV and MTB e-performance bikes. The portfolio also includes batteries, displays, controls, and other drive-system components. The company states that development, testing, production, and quality assurance are handled in-house.
“For bicycle manufacturers, this provides a starting point for product development rather than a blank sheet of paper. Depending on the selected platform and project requirements, the system can be configured to suit the intended bike category, performance targets, and design concept,” explains Jürgen Ludwig, managing director Preeto Europe.
Customisation can include selecting the appropriate motor characteristics, matching battery capacity to the intended range and available frame space, and choosing display and control solutions that complement the bike's design and user interface. The scope of customisation is defined in close collaboration with the Preeto team, based on the manufacturer's requirements and the technical possibilities of the selected platform.
Keeping the bicycle brand in the foreground
The opportunity goes beyond placing a different logo on a motor. A private-label system gives manufacturers greater freedom over product naming, presentation, and communication, allowing them to integrate the drive into their own design language.
Different bike categories and target groups demand different solutions. An urban bike designed for hilly cities may require a different balance of torque, range, and weight than a lightweight model for everyday mobility. An e-MTB designed for recreational riders may have different priorities from one built for demanding trail riding. The motor characteristics, battery capacity, displays, and controls can be configured to reflect these requirements.
“The aim is not customisation for its own sake. It is to make the technology serve the product concept and give the bicycle manufacturer greater ownership of the finished bike's identity,” Ludwig explains.
Access to expertise without building everything from scratch
Developing an e-bike drive system requires expertise in mechanical engineering, electronics, software, testing, and system integration. Manufacturers must also consider quality assurance, production, supply chains, and long-term technical support.
Building these capabilities internally demands significant investment and resources. Working with a specialised development and manufacturing partner offers another route: manufacturers can focus on their core competencies while drawing on an existing technology platform and engineering expertise.
The aim is to make the technology serve the product concept and give the bicycle manufacturer greater ownership of the finished bike's identity”
For product managers, the key questions are which components can be selected from the existing range, which parameters can be adapted, and what additional development work is required. This helps define the right balance between standardisation and customisation for each project.
From concept to bikes on the market
The private-label approach is already in practice at Preeto. The company has successfully completed its first projects with bicycle manufacturers, and bikes equipped with the company’s systems are on the market.
For manufacturers evaluating a potential partner, the decision goes beyond motor torque or battery capacity. Integration, riding characteristics, user interface, system compatibility, quality processes, service arrangements, and long-term component availability all matter when assessing the complete solution.
A development partner, not just a motor supplier
Preeto invites interested bicycle manufacturers to visit its development facilities and production operations in person. These visits offer first-hand insight into the company's engineering capabilities, manufacturing processes, and approach to product development, as well as an opportunity to discuss individual requirements directly with the team.
“For bicycle manufacturers looking to differentiate their products, the question is no longer simply which motor to choose, but how to make the drive system an integral part of their own brand proposition,” Ludwig concludes. “We are continuing to develop our product portfolio, working on new solutions that will give manufacturers more options to tailor their drive systems to specific applications and market needs. The objective is to expand the possibilities for individual e-bike concepts while building on an established technology platform and existing development and manufacturing expertise.”
This article is sponsored by Preeto.
