Unno has teased its next electric mountain bike, and it looks as though the boutique brand will be one of the first third-party bike manufacturers to use DJI’s lightweight Avinox motor.
Shared to Unno's Instagram reels, a short riding shot catches a glimpse of a touchscreen display closely resembling DJI’s integrated into the unreleased bike’s top tube.
Another clue is the wireless dual-remote control seen on the handlebar, a key indicator of the Chinese motor manufacturer's system.
We’ve yet to see the DJI Avinox M1 Drive System used on any bike apart from the brand’s own Amflow PL Carbon, which has impressed us in testing and served as a proof of concept for the new motor.
With the brand already teasing the motor, it could be that we see it hit the market before the much-rumoured electric Forbidden Druid, which is expected to be announced at Sea Otter in April.
A card up its sleeve
Unno is different from most bike brands, functioning less like a manufacturer and more like a design studio.
The company was founded by former downhill pro, Cesar Rojo and is known for its high-end mountain bikes with low-production numbers.
Rojo is also behind CERO Design, a separate studio that has also collaborated with larger brands, helping to design bikes for Intense and Mondraker in the past.
Unno has two electric mountain bikes in its line-up already, with the full-fat Mith featuring Bosch’s Performance Line CX Race motor and the lightweight Ikki using TQ’s HPR50.
Being a boutique brand has helped Unno jump onto the Avinox platform early, with the frames designed and made in Barcelona, resulting in a quick adoption of the new system.
The new Avinox motor has been said to blur the lines between the current electric bike motor categories, offering full-fat levels of power and range while weighing close to lightweight motor systems.
It looks set to be a game-changer, with our technical editor-in-chief, Rob Weaver, concluding it's "like looking into the future".
The motor's time-limited ‘Boost’ mode produces 1,000W of power and 120Nm of torque, a set of stats unrivalled by other motor manufacturers.
Even in its lower-powered Turbo mode, the 850W and 105Nm of torque produce performance above any other motor system.
It's safe to say the motor came out of the blue for most in the cycling industry, with DJI better known for its drones and camera technology.
Unno has been reserved when acknowledging comments on the Instagram reel, and we've asked the brand for a comment.
