New French E-Bike Has A Frame Made From Recycled Materials

Ultima’s new Multipath puts a whole new spin on going green.

By: Enrico Punsalang

May 2, 2023 at 1:14pm ET

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Most electric bicycles are considered as “green” alternatives to driving a gas-powered car on a daily basis. While this is indeed true, the materials that go into producing electric bikes – metals, plastics, rubber, and not to mention the batteries – can be very resource-intensive, and may not necessarily be produced in a very environmentally friendly way.

That being said, we’ve seen a lot of sustainability-focused e-bikes from a variety of European manufacturers. For example, we previously talked about the Jean Fourche e-bike that makes use of a design incorporating completely replaceable parts. This time around, yet another French e-bike specialist has developed a new e-bike with a frame made entirely of recycled materials. Ultima is a relatively young e-bike specialist with an eye on sustainability. The newest model is called the Multipath, and it makes use of a unique injection-molded composite resin.

Said resin is composed of a combination of recycled plastic and alloy. This results in a carbon-like material that’s much lighter than steel, yet significantly more durable. It also gives the Multipath a very sleek and seamless look. The bike’s step-through frame is characterized by a thick down tube, flanked by stylized chainstays and a split head tube mount. This makes it look as if the top tube and down tubes meet seamlessly and flow towards the bottom of the bike.

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Unique styling aside, the Ultima Multipath makes use of some impressive technology. For starters, it makes use of a Valeo Smart e-Bike System. The mid-drive setup is mounted in the bottom bracket, and consists of a 48-volt, 250-watt electric motor. Meanwhile, a seven-speed adaptive gearbox from Effigear allows you to pedal seamlessly alongside the motor. Battery-tech consists of a 500-watt-hour power pack that’s claimed to offer up to 43 miles on Eco mode. A Long-Range version is also available, and it comes with a 630-watt-hour battery pack that’s good for up to 65 miles per charge.

On the technology front, the Ultima Multipath is equipped with a torque sensor, as well as Bam City shock-absorbing handlebars. It rolls on Mavic 700c wheels shod in Hutchinson tires. The bike comes to a stop with Magura hydraulic disc brakes, which are more than capable of putting the bike’s 25-kilogram curb weight to a secure halt. When it comes to pricing, the standard version retails for 3,449 Euros, or about $3,797 USD. Meanwhile, the long-range variant will set you back 3,699 Euros, or approximately $4,072 USD.