Introducing the Kinazo E1 from Bratislava. A full suspension e-mountain bike that’s been 3D printed. How much future can you handle?

>>> The best electric mountain bikes

Kinazo E1 need to know

• 3D printed aluminium e-bike
• Direct Metal Laser Sintering technology (DMLS) printing technology
• 160mm travel front and rear via 4-bar design
• 65.5° head angle
• 74.58 seat angle
• 440mm reach on a Medium
• 250w motor
• 500-650 Wh battery
• Full-run internal cable channels
• 27.5+ tyre size
• Claimed weight 20 kg
• Price TBC (GE.com state it as $23,500)
• kinazo.com/e1/

We’ve had 3D printed grips, part 3D printed carbon and titanium bikes and even a bloke who 3D prints his own carbon bikes. But this is the first time we’ve seen 3D printing an e-bikes together.

The Kinazo E1 was made – printed – in a partnership with VW. It was made with one of the largest 3D printers currently available. The snappily titled Concept Laser X 2000R, which has a maximum build space of 2.5ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft. Not massive but big enough to build an e-bike’s down tube within.

The current asking price is extremely high (at least two to three times as much as a regular full sus e-bike) but Kinazo predict that the price for such 3D printed bikes will come down significantly over the next few years.

Why 3D print at all? Custom geometry and customisation. Kinazo explain: “3D printed Kinazo E1 offers wide options of customization like geometry modified to body of rider, specific design, shape, reinforcement or even material microstructure.”

One of the aims of the Kinazo E1 is to hopefully offer a totally bespoke e-bike “to take into account factors such as arm and leg length, weight and balance … [we] can print the frames with differences in size, wall thickness, inside structures or other specifications.”