FAQ : Frequently Asked Questions  

 
D-Ozmoz 60

 
Can it be mounted on any bike?
Yes, on all city bikes, as long as the original carrier has not been soldered on the bike. It is also advisable to fix it on bikes for both, men and women, or on bikes for women in order to step over the bar in the middle easily. 

Why does the box have an egg-shaped form?
At the time of the development, which lasted two years, we had two aims: make not only a solid but also an aerodynamic box. The egg-shaped form was thus obvious. The back side of the box is rather flat for precise reasons, such as capacity.

Which colours are available?
We have to order huge plastic quantities. The first pack is silver blue. The other available colours will be announced on our website gradually.

 
How is the box secured?
The lock is equipped with a key (supplied in duplicate).

 Is it necessary to have a stand for your bike?
We strongly advise you to have one. The best solution is to have a stand placed at the back wheel or a «  moped stand », as for instance, by the D-Ozmoz 135.

 
Do we feel the box when riding?
Definitely not. One should try it to believe it.

 
Does the bike not tend to overbalance backwards?
The centre of gravity of the box is a bit beyond the axis of the back wheel indeed. According to the weight of the bike, the bike, without the cyclist, begins to overbalance backwards by 25 to 35 kg. This is the reason why we advise you not to exceed 15 kg with the D-Ozmoz 60.

 
D-Ozmoz 135

 
Is it easy to handle?
This question is often asked because it is a big bike. But this is similar to a big car: parking is more difficult but the driving comfort is higher. All those who tested our bike could not believe how easy and nice to ride it is.

 
Is it not too heavy and thus too difficult to ride on hills?
The bike weighs 29 kg, or 10-12 kg more than a fully equipped city bike. The frame of the bike weighs 8 kg, the box 5 kg. The reinforced rims, the padlock AXA Defender, the moped stand, the tyres Swalbe Marathon and the other parts of the equipment weigh the rest. Nevertheless, it is very important to keep in mind that the weight of the bike is only one of the elements that has to be considered. The biggest losses happen at the bike level and depend on the quality of the frame, of the bearings, of the bicycle chain, of the tyres and their pressure.
By higher speed, the losses caused by the air are much higher. We carried out some timed tests where we compared some city bikes ridden by the same cyclists. The results exceeded our expectations: the D-Ozmoz 135 is the quickest nowadays.

 
Are we not thrown off balance by side wind? Thanks to both, its egg-shaped form and its low position, the D-Ozmoz 135 remains very steady even by side wind. 

How to maintain it?
The bicycle chain has to be greased once every 3 months and the tubes of the cables once a year.

 
Could we go round the world with the D-Ozmoz 135?
In our view, the solution used by the globe-trotters, that is, bike bags all around the bike (and especially around the front wheel) is quite square when considering our bike.
The D-Ozmoz 135 is the solution to go round the world by bike. The load is in the 135-litre box, at the back, and locked. The gain in comfort and aerodynamic is considerable. Moreover, the bike is extremely strong. 
For those who have more than 135 litres of luggage, there is another possibility: loading the carrier situated on the box.

 
Can we set more than 40 kg of luggage in the box?
Yes, we tested it with up to 90 kg. And the tests were conclusive. Nevertheless, we advise you not to exceed 50 kg.

 
What autonomy do we have with two Lithium Ion batteries?
Each battery has a power of 360 watts/hour. Announcing a precise number of kilometres would be quite absurd since all this depends on the landscape, on the physical condition of the cyclist and his/her weight, on the effort level required from the motor, on the tyre pressure and its quality. This is the way in which some manufacturers increase their profits: their tests are carried out on flat surfaces.
As far as we are concerned, the tests, which we carried out over quite difficult courses (Ardennes), showed an autonomy of 100 km for both batteries (50 km/battery).

 
Can we regulate the power of the motor?
Contrary to many other systems, we chose to use a system where the supplied energy (by the motor) is determined by the cyclist him-/her-self. The cyclist has to turn the lever (situated on the handlebars) more or less.

Why do we call this « a bike with electrical assistance »?
The motor only starts when the pedal and gear mechanism turns.

 
What do the European regulations impose?
Maximum 25 km/hour (by higher speed, the cyclist has to make the effort him-/her-self).
Maximum power : 250 watts.
Sensor on the pedal and gear mechanism: the motor only works if the cyclist pedals.
The D-Ozmoz 135 electro keeps to the regulations.

Do we charge up when going down the hill?
Yes, beyond 25 km/hour the motor acts like a dynamo. Nevertheless, one should consider the losses at the level of the dynamo (motor): only 10 % for our motor with high efficiency and another 20% at the level of the battery charge. When we use this energy, we lose again 20% at the level of the batteries and 10% at the level of the motor.
The total efficiency is thus the following: 0.9 x 0.8 x 0.8 x 0.9 = 52%.
Conclusion: one charges a bit when going down the hills with a minimal speed of 25 km/hour but this remains quite marginal. The real charge is supplied by the local supply area.

 
How to increase the life of the batteries?
Do not leave them flat (if they are not used, they should be charged every two months), and shelter them from the cold and the heat.

 
Will the battery technology continue to improve?
Yes, the development of better electrical vehicles (bicycles, cars) is a worldwide issue. The technology improves constantly: the batteries become lighter but supply the same energy. Their life becomes longer too. 

 
How much does it cost to charge a battery?
Charging a battery of the D-Ozmoz 135 electro costs 0.5 KWH. From the perspective of the price list of electricity, if the batteries are charged at weekends or during the night, this would cost 0.08 EUR in average. One could say that in average, the D-Ozmoz electro costs 0.16 EUR each 100 km, or 0.16 cents the km.

 
I am planning to replace my car with the D-Ozmoz 135 electro. How could I compare the budgets?
A car and the D-Ozmoz 135 have the same life (10 years).
The items for a car are its purchase, the taxes paid to put the car on the road, the fuel, the maintenance, the car insurance, the inspection after 4 years. Over a period of 10 years, we pay generally more than 54 000 EUR.
The D-Ozmoz 135 electro will only cost 2 800 EUR when buying it and a further 550 EUR for a new battery and tyre set after 50 to 100 000 km. Total: over a period of 10 years, you will only pay 3 350 EUR. This means thus a gain of 50 700 EUR in 10 years and this, without considering the benefits of physical exercise for your health.

Moreover, it is also possible to combine the D-Ozmoz 135 electro and the hire of a car for longer and special distances.