10 years of Uphill Flow

Stuttgart/Reutlingen – Ten years ago, an idea was born that revolutionised mountain biking and changed the entire bicycle industry: Uphill Flow. The term is deeply rooted in the DNA of Bosch eBike Systems and both inspires and drives the company's product development.

Uphill Flow stands for the fascination of exploring the technical possibilities of riding uphill, playing with physics and having fun with the eMTB uphill too.

Claus Fleischer, CEO of Bosch eBike Systems

"Uphill Flow stands for the fascination of exploring the technical possibilities of riding uphill, playing with physics and having fun with the eMTB uphill too," says Claus Fleischer, CEO of Bosch eBike Systems.
He coined the term in 2014 together with ex-trial professional Stefan Schlie. Out of curiosity, the two of them rode technical trails uphill together and quickly realised: "If only a fraction of mountain bikers think it's as cool as we do, it could become something really big."

Uphill Flow opens up new perspectives and possibilities for eMountain bikers, a new riding experience and adventures that go beyond conventional mountain biking. "The 'flow window' is outside your personal comfort zone, so that you are no longer bored, but put to the test. And it extends all the way to challenge sporting ambition, without getting to the point of overwhelm or stress. That's what makes it special, and everyone can feel it immediately. The eMountain bike enhances the flow experience."

A milestone in biking: from the idea to the new MTB dimension

What began as an idea after a day together on the trail has become a success story that has added a significant dimension to the sport of mountain biking: uphill. Uphill Flow has led to an evolution of mountain biking in which the overall experience takes centre stage and not just the descent. "Uphill Flow turned everything that wasn't fun without the 'e' from eMTB into an experience – steep climbs peppered with obstacles, sections laced with tree roots and steps," continued Fleischer. This made long rides in a group more sociable, as you can ride together and chat. And long alpine bike adventures became possible without a shuttle or lift. Fleischer and Schlie have shaped the MTB world with their vision and, with their curiosity, laid the foundation for numerous product developments, bike infrastructure projects in tourist regions and new competition formats.

"Ten years ago, the eMTB was still completely unknown; something completely new that caused a lot of scepticism. But we were firmly convinced and launched the first drive specifically for eMountain bikes in 2015 with the Performance Line CX," explains Fleischer. As a result, the market picked up speed. Subsequently, more and more manufacturers adapted their designs and strategies, offered eMTBs in their portfolio and made the special riding experience accessible to more and more riders. The initial doubts gave way to fascination and took mountain biking to a new level. "The eMTB has changed the entire community," says Fleischer. "For performance mountain bikers and trail riders, they cannot imagine mountain biking without the 'e' from eMTB."

Uphill Flow has also made its way into the event and racing sector: competitions such as the Bosch eMTB Challenge with stages in Germany, Italy and Switzerland inspire participants with special uphill stages and technical sections. The International Cycling Union (UCI) has added the E-MTB Cross-Country and E-Enduro World Cup to its race calendar.

Uphill Flow as a driving force in development

Uphill Flow has become the company philosophy at Bosch eBike Systems. "Innovation comes from inspiration and inspiration comes from curiosity," says Fleischer, explaining his credo. Being curious and mastering gravity: Fleischer and Schlie discovered Uphill Flow for themselves ten years ago with this attitude. Since then, it has been the incentive for Bosch eBike Systems to develop new products with eMountain bikers in mind. "The perfect motor must support you so organically, so smoothly and intuitively that you don't think about it on the trail," reveals Fleischer. "This is the only way to achieve the perfect Uphill Flow."

Drive systems such as the Performance Line CX, Performance Line CX Race and Performance Line SX, the pioneering progressive-dynamic eMTB mode, the Extended Boost and many other technical developments from Bosch eBike Systems have been developed with the aim of enabling this special riding experience on the trail. What began as a vision in 2014 has become synonymous with a riding experience that has positively shaped, expanded and changed the mountain bike world and the entire bicycle industry through innovations.