Market / Cycling: The case of Femke van den Driessche made waves at the Cyclocross World Championships at the weekend. Even if the exact circumstances are still unclear, it is now certain that the 19-year-old's paddock contained a bike equipped with a hidden motor. The first reports reminded us of the Vivax assist drive, which we already mentioned reported several times had. Today we had a brief opportunity to talk to the Austrian manufacturer.
Vivax Assist – what is it?
Vivax Assist is the name of the drive from the manufacturer Vivax, which not only stands out from other drives on the market in terms of size, shape and weight, but also in the area of application. The bare drive without battery weighs just 730g and is mounted in the area of the seat tube or bottom bracket. The Vivax Assist can be retrofitted to many bicycle frames by a specialist dealer. The only requirement is a straight seat tube with a diameter of 30,9 or 31,6mm. Mounting in carbon frames is not a problem.
Depending on the capacity and the driver's preferences, the battery of the Vivax Assist is either in a small saddle bag or in a 'water bottle' – the latter cannot be seen from the outside, even at second glance. The motor has an output of approx. 100 watts and is only switched on when required via a small switch on the handlebars. It should compensate for differences in performance in groups or enable sporty riders to go on a tour that may include this one climb that you can't (yet) master on your own.
Unfortunately, the Vivax Assist is therefore also predestined for so-called engine doping. An unpleasant situation for the manufacturer - what to do if your own product is misused for fraud? Today we had a brief opportunity to talk to the manufacturer about the problem.
Velomotion in conversation with Vivax Marketing employee Ulrike Treichl
Velomotion: How did you perceive the unpleasant events at the Cyclocross World Championships over the weekend? You are already in a special position on the matter.
Ulrike Treichl: It's a great pity when cycling is in the headlines with doping (of whatever kind) instead of outstanding sporting achievements. Of course our phones have been running hot all day. Above all, you can feel the disappointment of many enthusiastic fans that cycling is again making negative headlines.
Velomotion: Thankless question, I know - but it's quite likely that the system under discussion is a Vivax drive, isn't it?
Ulrike Treichl: Yes, it is reasonable to assume that it is a vivax assist, since we are the only manufacturer on the market with this type of electric motor for bicycles. There are always different people trying to modify our version (motor in the saddle tube, battery in the saddlebag or alternatively in the drinking bottle and on/off button on the handlebars). For example, to bring the battery in the frame as well. A series-ready solution has not yet been developed.
Velomotion: All of this is both a blessing and a curse for you. On the one hand, it shows what can be possible with your drive, on the other hand, it is of course bitter that it is used as a means of fraud. How do you deal with it?
Ulrike Treichl: It is always disappointing when a product that is of great benefit to many customers is used as a means of fraud. With the vivax assist, we have brought a very light motor onto the market that is intended to encourage people to enjoy movement and sport. By installing the motor-gear unit in the seat tube, the bike retains the usual center of gravity and clean look of a conventional bike. The 110 watts are ideal for eliminating performance differences between couples and groups and making cycling together possible where nobody is underchallenged and nobody is overwhelmed.
The system is not intended for use in competitions and is also not in the spirit of the inventor. We would like to emphatically state that we condemn the use of the vivax assist in competitions and do not actively support it under any circumstances. We welcome the controls of the UCI and very much hope that there will be a rethink in competitive sports and that fairness will once again be in the foreground. The vivax assist is and remains the ideal solution for hobby athletes and leisure cyclists who use an additional aid if necessary and on steep climbs to avoid overexertion.
Ulrike, thank you very much for your time and continued success!
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