We are exceptionally pleased to announce that as of today, Stark Drive is officially L1e-A Certified as per the eu regulations which can be found here:

L1e-A Certification Whitepaper

What does this mean for anyone with Stark Drive that was backed with greater than a 250W motor? Quite simply, it means that as long as you have not modified Stark Drive in any way, and depending on your local countries regulations (if they differ with this EU Standard) you are now able to use your bike legally in your location no matter where you are in the EU.

You should be extra aware about your local regulations as in many countries an L1e-A certified bike needs to be registered and insured (be sure to consult your local laws and rules) and with registration comes the security that the bike can be tracked if it is stolen or misplaced. This approval that we have received is European Union wide and even those countries that are not part of the EU but rather EEA do adopt similar regulations in order to keep the market common but you will need to consult with your authorities. We will detail more about the registration process in an upcoming blog post but if you have any questions you can email us and we will respond in kind.

Throttle

we have recently reworked our configuration page so that both throttle and cruise control are combined and with the throttle you can choose if you want to pedal or just move quickly up to speed without needing to pedal whatsoever. This is especially useful when you are trying to move uphill from a standstill.

Configure up to 1000W Motor

Up to today we have been offering up to 500W of power for those that need this extra umph depending on rider weight or terrain but now with up to 1000W soon configurable from our hope page you will have the power you need to handle any situation. Tow loads with Stark Drive, leave the car at home and use pure electric power to bring home your groceries from your local market. Take your kids with you wherever you would like with a cargo carrier.

Lights?

Stark Drive has always included a front head light by default at no charge for safety with the rear brake light being optional for those who needed this. Now we have reconfigured the homepage so that the rear headlight options i clearly visible and available without needing to complicate matters by adding it from our accessories page. We highly recommend a rear brake light no matter what motor you choose for Stark Drive.

Helmets?

We always recommend one wears a helmet when using Stark Drive no matter what motor configuration you choose. You only have one head and these dont heal very well when impacted. This is why Stark Drive is developing and soon launching the ultimate LED equipped helmet which you can read about here: https://starkdrive.bike/blog/eu-batch-2-delivery

Stark Drive delivers worldwide.

Stark Drive currently uses a Cadence Sensor but we are going to be launching a Torque Sensor Model via crowdfunding in 2021 (Subject to Change). But what is the difference between Torque and Cadence sensors?

Cadence Sensor

The basic cadence sensor uses a magnet on the crank, it turns the motor ON when you start pedaling and turns it OFF when you stop pedaling. It works more or less like a switch.

You have to control the boost level and speed by adjusting the assist mode manually up and down. Most basic e-bikes have this.

The advantage it is an inexpensive way to get some sort of pedal assist onto the bike, but the disadvantage is that the pedal assistance can feel jerky, laggy and counterintuitive.

Torque Sensors

The torque sensor is a totally different technology that uses a precision strain gauge. It measures your actual force on the pedal, sampling at 1,000 times per second over the entire pedal stroke.

The harder you pedal, the more power it gives to the motor. If you pedal lighter, less power goes to the motor. It makes this adjustment in real time so it is technically amplifying your every input. It feels like you are bionic.

Most all higher end bikes use torque sensors. The disadvantage is the cost is significantly higher to implement this technology.

Our manufacturing partner and Stark Drive LLC have a frame agreement signed and they are ready to produce as soon as we transfer funds. We update our blog regularly and there you will find the latest information about factory production. Check there first. UPDATE FOR 2020: We have now been shipping Stark Drive for over 3 years and have both custom configurable bikes as well as STOCK bikes which get shipped immediately instead of waiting for a custom bike to be manufactured. The STOCK bikes are optimally configured based on an option popularity algorithm that is continually running for all custom configured bikes.