With the Passione CF Disc Tyrolean brand Vivax wants to offer invisible support for all riders who love the classic look of traditional road-bikes but still want to have up to 120 W of support at the touch of a button. Did this discrete innovation manage to impress us?
There’s a ghost in town…
The ghost comes from deep inside the mountains of Tyrol and loves hanging out on group rides teasing your riding buddies — especially on the most challenging climbs of your local mountain. “Why are you never looking at the mountain? “Why do you look so fresh after such an exhausting climb?”. All of a sudden the astonishment gives way to disbelief. The ghost strikes again, invisibly and almost without a sound. The motor churns out up to 120 W of power and hides right inside the seat tube, helping riders to relieve their battered legs. A lot has happened since the system was first launched for serial production in 2007. With the current system update “n. 4” customers can choose between two versions — the 4.75 and the 4.90. The extension after the comma refers to the cadence at which the system automatically activates the support.
One feature makes the system truly special: it doesn’t require a separate display nor a huge battery. This means that the Vivax can maintain a relatively sporty look compared to some of the electric racing bikes from the competition and also that the system can be installed as a retrofit-option on nearly every racing bike. The retrofit-system can be used for racing-, mountain- and trekking-bikes and consists of a motor, a battery and a control unit.
Once you activate the control unit via the power button the system will automatically activate the support when you reach the predetermined cadence; if you decide that you no longer need the support you just press the button on the bar-plug and turn the system off. A shaft connects the motor with the cranks and is responsible for the “mysterious propulsion”. Depending on which battery you’re running the Vivax Ghost will assist you for up to 100 minutes before disappearing into the mist. The system weight of just 1.8 kg is one more advantage all potential E-Race riders will appreciate. Weight-weenies might find this incredibly exciting news but on the other hand this category might not even be interested in this type of system. But if you want to keep up with your stronger riding buddies or simply want to enjoy the beauty of racing-bikes without the pain, the Vivax Assist product-line represents a good alternative to some of the clumsy-looking racing bikes from the competition.
Vivax Passione CF – Concept and spec
For our test Vivax sent us the Passione CF Disc model — a complete carbon racing-rig with an already built-in Assist system. Our test-ghost also features a Shimano ULTEGRA 6800 groupset which delivers DURA-ACE shifting performance at a reasonable price. The hydraulic Flat-Mount- Shimano ULTEGRA brakes run 160 mm discs front and rear and perfectly harmonise with the mechanical groupset. A set of Shimano RX wheels with 23C Continental Ultra Sport tires transfers the braking power onto the road. In addition the Passione CF Disc comes with 12 mm Thru-Axles — a size that seems to be asserting itself in the otherwise heterogeneous world of standards. The cockpit is a mix of Ritchey Comp aluminium components and is both solid confidence-inspiring.
Shifting Shimano Ultegra 8000
Wheelset Vivax
Brakes Shimano Ultra hydro
Tires Continental Ultra Sport 23c
Weight 10.3 kg
Price € 5,949
A power switch replaces the right bar-plug and allows you to activate the system. However the switch is discreetly placed and you won’t even notice it unless you’re really looking hard. An in-house seatpost rounds off the spec and hides all the battery-cables while holding in place a Selle Italia X1 saddle. The complete Vivax Passione CF Disc is available in six frame sizes – 45 to 60 – and costs € 5,949. The Vivax online-configurator allows you to add an Invisible-Performance-Package and a carbon seat to the spec. The Invisible-Performance-Package includes a battery hidden inside a bidon which in turn sits in the seat tube bottle-cage. The “Genie in the water-bottle” uses an LED system to provide direct information about the battery’s charging status.
only the memento at the seat tube could spill the secret engine
According to the manufacturer the Vivax Assistant-drive concept can easily be retrofitted to any existing racing-, trekking- or even mountain- bike. The concept makes sense and seems to have finally reached the e-bike sector. But enough with all the theory — let’s see if the people at Vivax can also build fun, efficient racing bikes.
The geometry of the Vivax Passione CF Disc
| Size | 45 | 48 | 51 | 54 | 57 | 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tube | 515 mm | 525 mm | 540 mm | 550 mm | 575 mm | 590 mm |
| Chain Stay | 405 mm | 405 mm | 405 mm | 405 mm | 405 mm | 410 mm |
| Head angle | 72,5° | 72,5° | 72,5° | 73° | 73° | 73° |
| Head tube | 95 mm | 95 mm | 120 mm | 155 mm | 190 mm | 215 mm |
| Seat angle | 75° | 74,5° | 73,5° | 73,5° | 73° | 73° |
Vivax Passione CF – Review
Let’s get straight to the question: “But does it actually ride?”. And the ghost inside the Vivax responds with consistent support. The thrust is noticeable but by no means excessive — which is often the case with other eBikes. Straight from the start-up the motor lends the bike a very sporty character which becomes evident in the acceleration. Depending on the selected mode the motor will start supporting your legs at either 75 or 90 rpm; the system relies on a shaft that connects the motor in the seat tube directly to the cranks. Since the support doesn’t just suddenly “kick-in” you’ll feel as your legs are working exceptionally well rather than realising that you’re sitting on an e-bike. The riding position on the Passione CF is pleasantly relaxed and upright — that’s what you would expect from an endurance bike after all. The wide Ritchey handlebars with Ergo-Drop-Shape make for a comfortable riding position even on longer rides.
Once you get up to cruising speed the 10.3 kg Vivax Passione CF cruises along at leisurely pace whilst maintaining good directional stability. Only the very thin tires and stiff wheelset stop you from switching to full “cruise-control”. The Vivax feels generally stiff and uncomfortable which is surprising considering we’re talking about an endurance rig. The stiff fork combined with the aluminium cockpit, thin tires and stiff wheels make every larger pothole feel like lunar craters. Both the front- and rear-end can’t really cope with surface imperfections — the thin tires, stiff wheels and very stiff seatpost provide anything but a smooth ride. We assume that the extensive electric wiring that hides inside the seat tube and feeds the motor is responsible for the larger seatpost diameter; unfortunately the combination of the seapost’s width and material make sure every small vibration from the road is passed directly onto your backside — not really the way you want an endurance bike to feel.
But the problem is not just in the details. The Passione’s smooth and predictable handling doesn’t seem to like fast direction changes — you’ll notice this particularly when riding tight corners. In this case you’ll need a lot of strength to keep your ideal line through bends. A predictable and good-natured handling doesn’t always rule out the liveliness of a bike. But in this case the Passione CF is happy to just inspire confidence with its handling — especially with inexperienced riders. Nevertheless the docile character seems to perfectly suit the overall concept of the Vivax Passione CF. The Tyrolean eRacer doesn’t claim to be a mean sport-machine but rather wants to cater for the needs of those riders who just entered the racing-bike game — or those who haven’t been riding for a long while.
And this is our biggest concern: The “endurance” label and the battery in the bottle cage. Sure you can stick the battery in your saddle bag too but this option won’t allow you to store all of your riding essentials under the saddle. But let’s talk about the version on our test bike: in this case the battery hides inside a bidon and the cables are hardly visible on their way from the holder into the bottle. This solution looks incredibly sleek and discreet and also gives you the option of carrying all of your essentials in a saddlebag; on the other hand with this setup you’ll have to leave your second water bottle behind. We strongly advise against filling the remaining volume of the battery-bottle with water or isotonic-drinks — the Genie in the bottle won’t like that! If you really want to ride with both water bottles and still carry a saddlebag with all your tools you’ll have to ride the Vivax without using the motor — unfortunately this setup will leave no room for a battery. And that’s when you really start feeling the weight of the Passione CF — when you ride without a motor! All of a sudden the lively character and good acceleration turn into a tiresome, sluggish drag and the bike’s sporty character fades away in the distance. The extra weight might come in handy on downhills but really drains your legs when you want to ride uphill without the support of the motor — or when you’re trying to maintain your speed with nasty headwinds. When the motor is turned-off you’ll hardly notice it but when you spin the pedals backwards it causes a high, very irritating drag.
So you’re left with two options: either you go for shorter rides or you leave your tools and spares behind — or your second water bottle. As a third alternative you can stuff everything in the good old racer-trunk, your jersey pockets! We would have loved a more user-friendly and elegant solution for this.
Conclusions
The Vivax Passione CF is a good option for all eRacebike beginners and for all of those who want to keep up with their fitter riding buddies. It certainly is a great alternative to some of the very clumsly-looking e-Racebike models that are currently on the market. The idea of a hidden motor is great but it still lacks love to detail. If you already have a good racing bike and want to upgrade it the Vivax Assist might be the better option — the Passione CF still lacks some passion.
Pros
– safety inspiring handling
– good directional stability
– very well hidden engine and battery
Cons
– slow and sluggish without the motor
– uncomfortable frameset
– thin tires and stiff wheelset
– details need some work
You’ll find more infos at: vivax-assist.com
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Words: Photos: Valentin Rühl
