Ultima Multipath is the first ebike made from recycled plastic and alloy

Highly configurable ‘smart’ electric bike adjusts assistance level for you

This competition is now closed

By Jack Evans

Published: April 25, 2023 at 11:28 am

The Ultima Multipath is claimed to be the first electric bike with a frameset made from recycled plastic and alloy.

In partnership with car-body manufacturer Protoform, Ultima has harnessed monocoque-injected technology first developed in Formula One racing.

This sees a resin injected into a mould to create a structure from a single piece of material. The lack of joins is intended to reduce weight and increase safety in case of a crash.

Ultima claims the one-size-fits-all frame can accommodate riders between 140cm and 190cm tall.

The Multipath uses the Valeo Smart eBike System. Valeo says this is the world's first ebike system to combine an electric bike motor and adaptive automatic transmission.

The 48V mid-drive motor provides 130Nm of torque, according to Ultima.

Valeo says the transmission system, which sits in the bottom bracket, analyses data from the wheel speed, cadence, torque and gradient sensors with predictive software. It then adjusts the assist level, gear and cadence to best suit the rider's behaviour and environment.

On the handlebar display, you can control the electric bike motor and its integrated lights. If the bike is in manual transmission mode, you can select the assist level yourself. The screen displays speed, battery percentage and assist level.

Three buttons on the remote control alter the assist and transmission (for example from manual to automatic) settings. A throttle engages the walk assist or boost mode. Its USB-C port can charge a device, such as a mobile phone, on the go.

Safety features include a GPS tracker, available through the Ultima app, and the Neutral gear setting that locks the cranks when the bike is stationary.

The Multipath can be customised for different uses, with a choice of three forks in addition to the stock one. The stock and Flex fork use the same monocoque-injected technology as the frame.

Ultima says its Mini Cargo fork transforms the Multipath into a compact electric cargo bike. This fork comes with a kickstand and side basket.

The Family Cargo fork can hold a child seat, with handrails for your little one to hold onto, over the front wheel. It also includes a kickstand.

The Flex fork is a single-sided suspension fork designed to make gravel riding and urban escapades more comfortable, according to Ultima. This fork is only available on the Long Range build.

The Ultima Multipath Standard and Long Range builds start from €3,449 and €3,699 respectively.

The Multipath is made in France with "100 per cent European material, partners and technology" according to Ultima.

The Standard model is only available in a grey colourway. The Long Range version also comes in light brown, indigo and purple.

The battery is integrated into the down tube.

The 500Wh size on the Standard Multipath has a range of 80km in Eco mode, 65km in Predict mode and 65km in Turbo mode, according to Ultima.

The Long Range sizes up to a 650Wh battery, which is claimed to achieve 105km in Eco mode and 85km in either Predict or Turbo mode.

There's a choice of the stock, dual-piston Magura brakes or stoppers from Hope.

The Long Range Multipath's cranks and handlebar are claimed to be foldable.

Hebie supplies the mudguards or fenders, the pedals come from Look and the Mavic wheels are shod with Hutchinson tyres.

The Multipath has integrated Busch + Müller front and rear lights and a Selle Italia saddle.

Depending on the build, the Ultima Multipath has a claimed weight of 20 to 25kg.

Digital Writer

Jack Evans is a digital writer for BikeRadar.com Jack learnt to ride on rough Cotswold trails before switching to tarmac in his teens. Gravel riding and cyclocross racing (badly) has since taken him back to his roots. Most at home scaling south Wales climbs, Jack more commonly escapes his home in Birmingham via the lanes and bridleways of Worcestershire, riding either his Canyon Ultimate road bike or Canyon Grail gravel bike. He wishes he was as good at riding as he is drinking espresso. But he has completed the 296km Dragon Devil sportive in under 10 hours and finished in the top 100 at the 2022 UK National Hill Climb Championships. Jack is an NCTJ-trained journalist and a former press agency hack with bylines in The Times, Daily Telegraph and Daily Mirror. He was once electrocuted for a Sun frontpage exclusive and taste-tested camel milk for The Times.

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