One Ride Away: From Bosch to Cannondale

Once upon a time – well, 2010 to be exact – a small group of designers and engineers from two curious companies put their heads together and set themselves a somewhat crazy challenge.

In 12 short weeks they would set the wheels in motion for a whole new category of bikes, creating something both groundbreaking and radical in the process. With vision, innovation, and a chainsaw (yes, seriously) the team engineered something special: The building blocks for all modern electric bikes as we know them today.

The Journey Begins

Bosch of course is now famous for their e-bike motors. But back in 2010 they’d never put their tech anywhere near a bicycle frame before. And what started out as a “What if...” saw Cannondale’s design team collaborating with Bosch to bring about something wildly futuristic for the time. But also something totally rideable and realistic.

The ingredients that the engineers challenged themselves to include back then – integrated display, removable battery, integrated lighting for example – were technologies that simply didn’t exist at the time. But they were features that the team saw as fundamental to the future of e-bikes.

Teamwork makes the e-dream work

That same spirit lives on today in e-bikes such as the Cannondale Tesoro. Sina Bohn, Product Manager UX at Bosch and Karl Friedrich Edel, Senior Design Engineer at Cannondale jumped at the challenge to saddle up and put the bike through its paces on a one-day, 185km ride together.

Setting off from Bosch’s e-bike innovation center south of Stuttgart and riding all the way to Cannondale’s engineering hub in Freiburg, the duo set out to showcase the partnership that has made the Bosch-powered Tesoro possible, while having a ton of fun doing it.

Luckily, Tesoro riders can ride comfortably with the knowledge that a single charge can carry them up to 185km and allow them to adventure from sunrise to sunset.

Says Karl, “There was a reason we plotted a route for the day as close to 185km as we could make it, with the bike and battery taking it all in its stride, even having some juice left up its sleeve come the end of the day.”

For Sina and Karl, the route that they followed through the Black Forest provided excellent opportunities to see what this modern e-bike makes attainable for anyone. An incredibly rewarding ride, celebrating an incredibly rewarding partnership between Bosch and Cannondale.

And a nod to the where things will lead us in the future, as technology continues to evolve and innovation continues to fly along as quickly and as quietly as Bosch’s power units enable.

Range Confidence

Tesoro may look like an urban e-bike on the surface. But underneath lies the adventurous heart of a capable, multi-terrain trekking bike. Powered effortlessly by Bosch’s power unit, it’s designed and built to turn longer-distance rides into memory-making adventures. Which is exactly what Sina and Karl set out to do.

Says Sina, “We set off pre-sunrise and post-oatmeal... heading towards the Black Forest, mile after mile of stunning single-track gravel and multiple photo stops and excuses to take in the view along the way.”

Thanks to Tesoro’s always-there power, they found themselves flying up 2,000+ meters of elevation with ease, easily holding a conversation when the views weren’t leaving them speechless.

Enjoy The Ride, Savor The Journey

Whether you’re escaping the city or redefining your commute, Tesoro does it with ease. And puts a smile on your face while it’s doing it.

If you’re inspired by Sina and Karl’s adventure and keen to get out there yourself, check out our full selection of range-confident e-bikes here or visit a dealer for a more hands-on look. And we’ll see you out there!