Fazua Ride 50 Evation
As seen on Pinarello, Pivot and Vitus bicycles, among others
The Fazua system is unique in incorporating both the battery and motor in a single removable unit. This assemblage then slots into the bike’s down tube to drive a differential-type unit that applies power directly to the cranks (much like the Bosch system). As such, although the battery is in the down tube, the Fazua is still considered a mid-drive unit.
‘This is a huge benefit because it lets us retain the characteristics of a road bike as you’re not loading the rear of the bike as you would with a hub motor,’ says Vitus’s road product manager, Jodie Shann. ‘Another big factor behind choosing Fazua was the torque.’
Shann is alluding to the support the Fazua offers in terms of torque – high enough to assist at low cadence, yet not so high as to produce unnatural levels of thrust.
‘To get the most out of any system you need to be within a certain cadence range. When the rider drops the RPM, the system has to work harder and it becomes less efficient. So a higher-torque system gives you more efficient assistance at lower cadences,’ says Shann. Consider how your pedalling slows as you struggle uphill. For this reason, even fitter riders can benefit from a little extra torque in certain situations.
‘It’s also not just about power, it’s about how smoothly you can introduce that power,’ says Shann. ‘We think the Fazua helps retain that feeling of riding a road bike.’
A further advantage with this system is that because the battery is removable from the overall drive unit, you can carry a spare battery with you, and it also doesn’t interfere with removing wheels – a benefit in the event of a puncture or the need to transport the bike.
‘Another consideration was people’s desire to upgrade or swap their wheels, which you lose out on with a hubbased system,’ adds Shann.
Once integrated into an oversize down tube, Fazua components are moderately inconspicuous, while at the same time being removable, allowing the user to detach the battery and drive unit for charging.
A tertiary benefit is that a Fazua equipped e-bike can also be ridden without the battery and motor attached, meaning they can be ridden in sportives or events restricted to conventional bikes.
The ease with which the Fazua drive detaches also makes for easy servicing and, on the off-chance you do have a problem that requires serious maintenance, the system’s design means motor problems are unlikely to totally incapacitate your bike because the unit can often be sent off separately.
All in all the Fazua seems to be the most popular system for mid to high-end gravel and road bikes and, as you might expect, it can also be controlled and tweaked using the companion app.