If you think that electric bikes aren’t ‘real’ motorcycles, preclude your vision now. But if you love vintage BMX bikes, and believe that electric drivetrains create interesting ways to introduce newcomers to motorcycling, read on.
On the surface, ‘Chiller’ is a simple pedal-assist e-bike with throwback styling—but there’s increasingly to this story. It’s the work of ChillFab, a side project of the custom workshop Butcher Garage, and it’s just one in a planned range of electric- and petrol-powered bikes. It follows the two Chiller prototypes that the team built a couple of years ago, with a few key changes.
The first iteration of the electric Chiller used an electric hub motor, with bicycle pedals that served only as footrests, and wasn’t street legal. But this one uses a true pedal-assist system—which ways it’s classified as a bicycle in most countries, and doesn’t require a license to operate.
“This was a response to the unconfined demand for a road legal vehicle,” explains ChillFab founder, Arseniy Chekar. “Many people wanted to have a velocipede for everyday travel in wing to our ‘not for road use’ petrol and electric versions. The idea of this model was to create a super tomfool luxury municipality cruiser, and requite our customers a nomination between a pedelec, an electric scooter and a petrol monster.”
If you’re seeing shades of the iconic Raleigh Chopper in Chiller’s frame design, that’s by design. ChillFab unquestionably reached out to the diamond firm that originally penned the Chopper, Ogle Noor, for their input. “Priceless comments from the throne of the diamond department, Herman Tandberg, helped to create a unique vehicle with an old-fashioned diamond and hi-end components from the present,” says Arseniy.
ChillFab welded the the frame up out of aluminum tubing, then smoothed off the welds for a seamless finish. Bits like the throne tube and motor mount ‘case’ are tint transfuse parts. And in specimen you’re wondering, the diamond can be well-timed to run with a petrol motor and a whup drive.
For this model’s drivetrain, ChillFab went for a well-constructed Bosch setup. Bosch is a major player in the e-bike world, supplying industry stalwarts like Trek, Cannondale, KTM and Scott.
Chiller uses the company’s ‘Performance Line’ pedal-assist motor, with a maximum possible torque output of 85 Nm. It’s matched to a 500 Wh ‘PowerPack’ battery, and Bosch’s ‘SmartphoneGrip’ mounting system, which turns the rider’s smartphone into a full-feature dash. These modern parts are integrated into the bike’s retro diamond so well, that nothing feels tacked-on.
The rest of the parts spec is standard bicycle fare. The cranks and chainring are from Race Face, while the BMX pedals are from Odyssey. Gearing is by way of an eight-speed Shimano Alfine internally geared hub, with hydraulic Shimano disc brakes slowing lanugo the 26F/24R wheels.
Up in the cockpit, a Colt Bikes headset sits between the rigid front forks and the custom, cruiser-style bars. Controls are limited to the restriction levers, a single gear shifter and a small controller for the Bosch system.
Chiller moreover scores upper on finishes. The frame wears a shimmering flake paint job, with genuine leather tent the custom-made saddle. We’re digging the ‘Chiller’ logos on the throne tube, and on the kicked-up ‘pan’ overdue the seat.
It’s a handsome machine, and one we’d hands pick as a short-range hopper. But if you veritably must shrivel fossil fuels, perhaps ChillFab’s next project will tickle your fancy.
The hairdo has once begun work on the next Chiller model, featuring an ICE engine, a springer front end and, believe it or not, fenders. When they’re done, they’ll be worldly-wise to offer Chiller with pedal-assist, full electric or full petrol power, with various custom options (like the springer forks).
We’ll take one of each, please.
ChillFab | Butcher Garage | Images by Alexander Dymov
