Bringing together the know-how of its local companies, the Cygo union has designed a totally local electric trailer bike, showing that 100% French is possible.
Made in France and reindustrialization is a subject that drives the economy and a lot in mobility. We hear about it frequently when it comes to electric cars (Renault, Stellantis, Toyota), less when it comes to bicycles. However, many brands are already manufacturing in France, and campaigning for the share of blue-white-red to increase in our cycles.
This is particularly the case with the Cygo alliance (Cycles Grand Ouest), which brings together dozens of manufacturers from the three regions of Centre-Val-de-Loire, Pays de la Loire and Brittany. In this movement, it has launched an ambitious project: to manufacture a 100% French electric bike.
6 months of work for the byCygo
It all started on November 15, 2022, when the Minister of Industry Roland Lescure organized the General States of the bicycle and challenged the manufacturers to manufacture on our territory. Thus, 27 members of Cygo took the initiative, on a voluntary basis, to design the show-bike presented at the Pro Days in Paris this beginning of July 2023. The electric bike is therefore the result of 1,000 hours of work spread over 7 months. . “It’s the strength of cooperation and volunteering” expresses the director of Cygo, “normally it takes 18 months including testing and certification”.
The VAE ByCYGO therefore appears as a cargo ship with its trailer, “which is not a detail since a cycle repair shop”. This one is designed by Tout en Vélo and Fleximodal in Rennes, integrating Wello photovoltaic panels.
100% French and almost entirely “Made in Grand Ouest”
The bike is therefore 100% French, and “almost 100% local” coming from the Great West. Because yes, it was necessary to use the Valeo Cyclee engine assembled in Isère, equipped with local Velco connectivity. For the rest, we find the frame manufactured by Cyfac, Hutchinson tires, Aivee wheel hubs, a Vlad battery, a Ticatag smart padlock or the Arcade Cycle basket, among others.
Everything was assembled in the Manufacture Française du Cycle in Machecoul (Loire-Atlantique) producing, for example, Intersport Nakamura bicycles, which brought a fork made of recycled materials, not yet marketed. The ByCygo bike is also not available for purchase. Prototype, or rather demonstrator of what the electric bike industry can achieve, “he opened doors, and we can go even further” concludes the project director, Didier Lecureur.
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