Classified and Parcours, a British company that makes wheelsets, have agreed to work together for the foreseeable future.
The Parcours Alta gravel wheels, as well as the Ronde, Chrono, and Strade lines of wheels will be able to use Classified’s Powershift hubs. The Parcours Monuments collection of wheels has all of these different styles.
The Classified’s Powershift is a two-speed gear system that is built into the back hub.
It works like the front derailleur on a drivetrain that only has one gear ratio. To turn on the system wirelessly, you can either use a modified Shimano 11-speed Di2 shifter or a separate remote that is attached to the handlebar. You can also put the remote on the handlebar.
At the moment, the technology is only available on road bikes and gravel bikes. However, Classified has told the public that it is working on a similar system for mountain bikes and urban bikes.
Parcours has hinted that there will be more news about collaborations and progress later in the year.
Mathias Plouvier, co-founder and CEO of Classified, said, “We have invented technologies that have never been seen in the cycling business before, taking the rider experience to the next level.” We are pushing the limits of what can be done on a bike by using cutting-edge technologies. For the best performance and the next generation of electric mobility, there are a few things that are needed, like the ability to shift when under load and to improve efficiency. With this new money and our desire to shake up the cycling business, we are in a good place to bring our technology to riders all over the world.
Mathias Plouvier and Roll van Druten started Classified in 2019. Both of them had worked in the automotive drivetrain industry before. Classified has made Powershift technology, which is a patented wireless shifting system that lets riders change gears quickly even when they are carrying a heavy load. With the products on the market right now, this is not possible. This new technology is the first of its kind. It makes the bike’s transmission more like the gear system in a car in terms of how well it works and how easy it is to use. The Powershift hub is the first time that Classified has used their technology in a business setting. It is a transmission system that is built into the back wheel and takes the place of the front derailleur (the component that moves the chain from one chain ring to the other when changing gears).
Since it came out in 2021, elite riders have been quick to praise the Powershift hub as a game-changing innovation. As a result, four big names in cycling have invested in Classified and are now promoting the company as brand ambassadors. The governing body of cycling, the UCI, has given the product the go-ahead to be used in competitions, and it has already won some impressive races at the highest levels of the sport. In 2021, Classified’s first product, the Powershift hub, won the Eurobike Gold Award and the Design & Innovation Award. These are two of the most prestigious awards that can be given to a bicycle product. These awards go to the most innovative and high-performing products in the bike business.
Classified works with more than 40 companies now, and the Powershift hub can be bought from more than 25 distributors and 300 dealers in key areas. The extra money will be used to improve business development, with a focus on growing in the U.S. and Europe. Classified will also get into the e-bike market. It will use its Powershift technology to make a lighter, more durable, and more energy-efficient transmission for e-bikes. This will make it possible for Classified to sell their high-tech products to more riders around the world.” Classified is shaking up the bike and e-bike markets with an original and very different product that makes riding a bike a much better experience for everyone “Nick Evans, who runs Active Partners as Managing Partner, said this. “Classified is a big deal in the cycling business.” You only have to try it once to see how it makes a difference. We are excited by Mathias and Roll’s plan to change the future of cycling, and we are looking forward to helping the team speed up their product development, invest in the Classified brand and distribution, build strategic partnerships, and speed up the cycling industry and riders all over the world adopting their technology.
Tom Boonen, a former world champion cyclist who now invests in and promotes Classified, said, “As a professional rider, I was always looking for the latest technology.” When I met the Classified Team for the first time, I was blown away by how creative their products were. So, I decided to invest in the company, not just because they had cutting-edge technology, but also because they wanted to change the industry as a whole, not just how race bikes are made. I’m thrilled to be a part of Classified’s journey, and I’m looking forward to continuing to back them in the future.
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System for changing gears that is new and different
Mathias Plouvier, co-founder and CEO of the company, said, “Our drive technology and shifting systems allow cyclists to shift very quickly and under load, which is key for the best performance, especially for e-bikes.” Because of this, we will put even more money into research and development at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, where we opened a building this year. This building is close to our new headquarters, which also opened this year in Antwerp. Here, we are pushing the limits of what can be done on bicycles.
Mathias Plouvier and Roll van Druten (CTO), who started the company, have both worked in the car gearbox business before. By using what they knew and had learned in the field, they were able to build shift systems for bikes and make transmission easier. Items that are currently on the market can’t change gears while under full load, but Classified’s revolutionary Powershift system makes this possible. When it comes out in 2020, the Powershift hub will be the first thing to use Classified’s integrated transmission system. This replaces the front derailleur, which sits in the front wheel of a bike and moves the chain from one chainring to another. It is kept in the bicycle’s back wheel. Classified got its own wheels in the second half of the year 2020.
Getting more help Parcours is the ninth wheel company to partner with Classified.
In July 2022, DT Swiss, Mavic, Fast Forward, ENVE, Reynolds, Boyd, and Spinergy, among others, said they would start making wheels with Classified.
Classified also sells its own G30 Powershift wheelset for £2,299, which is the same as $2,999 or €2,599. The hub is paired with a 30mm-deep, tubeless-ready hooked carbon rim.
This week, it was said that Rapha’s chairman, Nick Evans, will invest 10 million euros in Classified.
It’s not clear yet if Classified’s new hub-based system can do away with the need for front derailleurs, but the growing number of partnerships and investments in the company suggest that the technology is getting more and more attention.
1x drivetrains are almost the norm on mountain bikes, and many gravel bikes also come with this gearing set up. On road bikes, they are not as common because some riders prefer a wider range of gears with less jumps between each one. This is one of the reasons.
Since the gears are built into Classified’s patented hub, there is no need for a front derailleur. In an off-road setting, this makes the car look better and stops mud from getting in through a possible entry point.
Because of this, new frame designs are now possible because the front derailleur mount is no longer an important part that must be taken into account.