To a large extent, yes. Once you find the right combination of settings and cadence, cruising down the street feels just like it does on any other bike. It’s impossible to tell that all your legs are doing is driving a generator and sending signals to a sensor or two.
But it didn’t take much to uncover behavior that felt very different. On a normal bike, a sudden mash on the pedals can often produce a short burst of acceleration followed by a spinout while shifting. On the TM-B, the software adjusts the resistance from the generator nearly instantly so it becomes much harder to pedal, all while boosting power to the motor.
Much of the TM-B’s behavior is defined by its electronics.
Credit:
John Timmer
In short, it did what I normally would have by shifting gears and adjusting cadence and force—and it did so very quickly, without requiring any intervention. It was a bit like having an automatic transmission on a bike.
The TM-B also avoided a problem I occasionally have on normal bikes: shifting into a gear my legs weren’t ready for. As soon as I started easing off the force I was supplying even slightly, the hardware responded by making it somewhat easier to pedal.
That doesn’t mean you can forget about shifting. There are two ways to set the assist, each with 10 settings. I didn’t have enough time to fully explore how they change the ride, nor did I run the battery flat to experience what Also calls “limp” mode, where you’re directly powering the motor with no battery assist. There’s still plenty to cover in the review.
Still, I came away with the sense that Also has put a lot of thought and effort into the TM-B, resulting in one of the most distinct riding experiences I’ve had, easily surpassing the continuous variable transmission bike I tested last year. And at least on an initial ride, it doesn’t feel like a case of Silicon Valley reinventing things that didn’t need it. The goal isn’t to replace every bike, and the design does seem to offer some real benefits.
In a field where most changes are evolutionary, it’s nice to see a company do a more fundamental rethink.