The press release is keen to stress how the new “electric hyperbikes” are very much McLaren and not some rebadged catalogue frame. “Designed by the same teams responsible for supercars like the electrified lightweight McLaren Artura hybrid supercar, the first-ever McLaren e-bikes embrace signature McLaren attributes such as carbon fibre construction and next-generation electrification to deliver an authentically McLaren high-performance experience.”
We’ve asked, but so far there’s no word on such trivial details as what motor it uses, how big the battery is or how much it weighs. McLaren didn’t send any geometry numbers, sizes or prices either. McLaren would say the bikes feature hand-laid carbon-fibre frames and “five” power settings: Off, Eco, Trail, Sport, and Race – okay, four power settings if you don’t include “off”. The full-suspension Extreme model has a 29” front wheel, 27.5” rear wheel, 145m of rear travel, and 160mm of fork travel. The Sport model is a 29″ hardtail (which could be a little spicy with 825 W of power).
But the weirdest feature is surely the bulbous one-piece cockpit with integrated light and display. The press release says the graphics “mimic those of the cars’ driver displays. Ensuring maximum rider engagement and user-friendliness, telemetry information including speed, battery life and range is shown on a full-colour integrated LCD panel on the handlebars.” I’ve never been in a McLaren car, but I’m guessing their driver displays look a bit less Fisher-Price.
There are four models in total – Extreme 600, Extreme 250, Sport 600, and Sport 250 – where Extreme is the full-suspension version shown, Sport is the hardtail and the number refers to the (nominal) motor power. I’d guess the 250 models use a standard Bosch or Shimano motor.
From the photos, we can tell the Extreme model uses a Horst-link suspension design and has a removable battery. It’s running SRAM Transmission gearing with a RockShox Lyrik fork and Deluxe shock.
The rider in these photos is clearly a shredder, but it always looks to me like he’s going to the shops.