14’950 CHF | Manufacture’s Website
A new brand, but far from a blank sheet. TWINNER is the latest creation from Swiss manufacturer Thömus, who have already put a number of smart S-pedelecs on the road under the Stromer brand. And this concept has real tailwinds in Switzerland in particular. The legal framework for S-pedelecs there is far more relaxed in the rest of Europe.
With the T1 Pro, TWINNER want to show what urban mobility of tomorrow could look like. The bike features a futuristic design that would not look out of place in a Tron blockbuster, paired with premium-grade high-tech. The frame, fork, cockpit and wheels are all made from carbon. Despite these high-end materials, however, the bike tips the scales at a hefty 40 kg, which is a lot even for an S-pedelec.
To make sure the heavy bike still gets up to speed with ease, TWINNER rely on what is currently the most powerful hub motor in the S-pedelec segment, combined with a huge 1,638 Wh battery. The Swiss manufacturer charges accordingly. Retail prices for the TWINNER T1 Pro start at 12,750 CHF, while our fully-specced test bike costs 14,750 CHF. If that’s too much to pay upfront, TWINNER also offer a leasing option from 222 CHF per month, including insurance. We put the S-pedelec to the test to see whether it is worth the money, or whether you would be better off buying a Dacia instead.
Back to the Future: The New TWINNER T1 Pro S-Pedelec in Detail
Right from the start, the first question is which of the four available colours the new two-wheeler should come in. The options are Black Satin, White Satin, Petrol and Ice Blue. We opted for the dark blue Petrol version, a well-judged balance between understatement and standing out. After all, the TWINNER’s design language is already a statement in its own right. That’s underlined by the striking “T” set within a hexagonal frame on the head tube, which, by the way, is permanently illuminated.
On the TWINNER, the top tube and downtube merge into a massive central spine, which bulges significantly around the bottom bracket area to house the 9-speed Pinion gearbox. This is paired with a Gates belt drive, which requires far less maintenance than a conventional chain. Towards the rear, the structure tapers off again.
The TWINNER T1 comes with a permanently-installed rear rack, featuring two rails for attaching the bag supplied with our test bike. An essential detail if you plan to use the TWINNER as a replacement for a motor vehicle, after all your shopping, laptop or everyday gear has to go somewhere. The rear lighting is also neatly integrated into the rack and positioned at a good height, ensuring you are not overlooked by other road users. Up front, the proven Supernova M99 PRO 2 provides powerful illumination, complete with high beam.
Marty McFly Style: Which Components Does the TWINNER T1 Pro Bring to the Party?
As part of the TWINNER’s standard spec, you get not only the 9-speed Pinion gearbox and a Gates belt, but of course a motor, too. Or rather, a time machine? The heart of the bike is a transverse flux motor from GKN, delivering 70 Nm of torque and up to 1,600 W peak power. Impressive figures on paper, and we were keen to see what this little flux capacitor could really put down on the road. Powering the DeLorean… sorry, the TWINNER is a removable 1,638 Wh battery, finished in glossy red. To remove it, you turn the handlebar fully to one side, which opens a hatch in the head tube hiding the battery inside. Fancy stuff.
The motor is controlled via two remotes and an integrated display that sits directly in the stem and visually blends into the bike. The display shows the key ride data and indicates which of the three support modes you are currently using. With the left-hand remote, you can change assistance levels, switch between dipped and high beam and also operate the horn. The integration is just as futuristic as the display itself and results in a pleasingly clean look.
To make sure Marty McFly can bring his TWINNER to a safe stop, the bike uses an ABS system paired with TRP’s CR2.3 brakes, a powerful four-piston setup with 203 mm discs front and rear. On top of that, the bike recovers energy while braking, feeding it back into the battery via regeneration. Automatic recuperation can be switched on or off in the menu via the TWINNER Smart Hub display. When active, the motor already starts recuperating energy with just a light pull on the brake lever. Only when you squeeze harder do the mechanical brakes step in. This interaction is efficient, saves energy and reduces brake pad wear. At the same time, the transition from regenerative braking to mechanical deceleration is anything but trivial. Even in the automotive world, getting this balance right is no walk in the park. Whether TWINNER have nailed it will be revealed in our real-world test.
The 29-inch carbon wheels are another in-house development from TWINNER, and our test bike rolls on 2.6-inch Schwalbe Johnny Watts tires, designed to deliver a decent level of comfort.
In the seat tube sits a KS eTEN dropper post, which offers 100 mm of travel and can be operated by a lever positioned directly beneath the saddle nose. Even in theory, that sounds less than practical, as you have to take a hand off the handlebar to get a foot comfortably on the ground. How that feels on a 40 kg bike is something we will cover in the ride impressions.
Connectivity features of the New TWINNER T1 Pro: A Reversing Camera on an S-Pedelec? Why Not!
With TWINNER, you can control your T1 Pro via the brand’s own app and access a wide range of advanced functions. The S-pedelec features a permanently installed SIM card, allowing you to track the bike via the app and lock it remotely. The lock can then also be released directly on the display using a code.
On top of that, you can opt for additional packages, as we did with the Care + Commuter kit. These are made up as follows:
CAREFREE SMART PACKAGE – 1.250 CHF
- The digital package includes five years of SIM card usage and connectivity, a smartphone app, remote access, tracking and theft protection. It also covers over-the-air updates and an extended warranty of four years.
COMMUTER PACKAGE – 750 CHF
- This package is aimed at everyday riders and year-round commuters. It includes heated grips, a rear-view camera, carbon mudguards and the TWINNER backpack, which can also be used flexibly as a pannier.
The New TWINNER T1 Pro S-Pedelec Out on the Road
Pow, boom, bang. That’s exactly how it feels the first time you climb aboard the futuristic-looking TWINNER T1 Pro. The riding position strikes a successful balance between sporty and stretched out on the one hand, and comfortably upright on the other. It makes tackling commute routes both relaxed and fast.
The moment you set off, it immediately feels like you’re sitting on a small electric motorcycle. The TWINNER comes across as muscular, modern and highly technical. The display, app and feature set make that impression tangible straight away. The heated grips are a particular highlight. They can even be pre-heated via the app, so you do not start cold winter rides with icicles for fingers. During our late-summer test rides around Brixen we made less use of this feature, but just the thought of warm hands during winter commuting is enough to spark anticipation. The grips do take a little time to reach full temperature, which is why you can set schedules in the app. Perfect if you want to roll off in the morning with a pre-heated cockpit. Even in summer, they can be a blessing on chilly late-evening rides home.
What we don’t like as much is the seatpost. We hardly used it, as handling a 40 kg S-pedelec is already more demanding than a regular eBike. If you want to drop the saddle briefly at traffic lights to put a foot comfortably on the ground, or lower it for more control on fast descents, you have to take one hand off the handlebars. That’s something you would rather avoid at 45 km/h. Our tip is to go for a dropper post with electronic actuation, such as the RockShox Reverb AXS. By contrast, the Pinion gearbox is a real blessing at traffic lights. You can shift while stationary, making it easy to pull away in a light gear, even if you forgot to downshift as you rolled up to the lights.
Tuning tip: Fit an electronic dropper post
Our first few metres take us onto a gently descending gravel track, where the biggest comfort weakness unfortunately becomes apparent straight away. The carbon frame, carbon fork and carbon wheels turn the TWINNER into a very stiff machine. The only components meant to generate real comfort are the tires, and they only do so to a limited extent. On rougher gravel they generate good grip, but the rattling remains. Kerbs and potholes should therefore be approached with caution rather than at full speed. On tarmac, the S-pedelec feels far more at home, riding securely and with plenty of stability. It can handle gravel too, but with a noticeable buzz through the backside. Quite literally.
As soon as you turn onto a straight and let the motor do its thing, the TWINNER flexes its muscles. The motor output is immense yet pleasantly quiet. The flux capacitor… sorry, the motor delivers its power smoothly in Eco and Tour mode, becoming noticeably more lively in Boost mode, but never unruly. Even steep climbs are negotiated effortlessly, especially at lower speeds. Feed in a bit more input and the TWINNER surges forward with impressive authority. The three assistance levels also suit different traffic situations perfectly. A gentle, well-controlled start so you do not lose your line in a roadworks slalom, a harmonious Tour mode for cruising comfortably through 30 km/h zones, and pure acceleration in Boost mode when you want to make a Renault Twingo look a little slow.
Despite weighing just over 40 kg, the bike remains surprisingly easy to manoeuvre, even at low speeds. The geometry works well and prevents the weight from feeling cumbersome or sluggish. Instead, the TWINNER conveys an almost sovereign calm, which is very welcome in city traffic. App-based connectivity, including locating and locking the bike, also works reliably and makes everyday use more convenient.
Stop. The TWINNER relies on a blend of conventional disc brakes, ABS and recuperation for braking. The ABS performs reliably in slippery conditions, but on steep descents its intervention could be earlier and more forceful. That would shorten the effective stopping distance, which is very relevant at 45 km/h. Automatic recuperation is, in principle, a very sensible feature, both in terms of energy efficiency and reduction of hand fatigue. However, the transition between regenerative braking and the friction brakes, known as brake blending, is not always perfect. If you start braking lightly and recuperation kicks in, but then suddenly need to slow down hard, the friction brakes require a lot of force to bite. This doesn’t happen all the time, but it occurs often enough to warrant critical mention. Manual recuperation is very pleasant on long descents, as it slows the bike evenly and gives your hands a break. The intensity, however, needs to match the gradient, otherwise you end up going too slow or too fast. You can switch between three recuperation levels while riding. The downside is that if you want to re-engage motor assistance, you have to hold the plus-minus button for three seconds, which feels unnecessarily fiddly.
If you feel like it, you can also ride downhill using recuperation and pedal in between to bring the TWINNER back up to speed, while simultaneously recharging the battery more effectively.
When it comes to energy consumption, the numbers are impressive. On a 17 km test ride with 360 metres of climbing, we used 21% of the battery in Boost mode, averaging 33.4 km/h with the heated grips switched on, at an outside temperature of 9 °C. That puts the specific consumption well below that of comparable full-power e-bikes with 800 Wh batteries, translating to a projected range of around 80 kilometres at full assistance. Remarkable.
Who Should Take a Closer Look at the TWINNER T1 Pro S-Pedelec?
The TWINNER T1 Pro is aimed primarily at Swiss riders, as the manufacturer currently sells its S-pedelec exclusively in Switzerland. According to the company, international expansion may follow in 2027. Stay tuned.
The target audience consists of commuters and tech enthusiasts who genuinely want to replace their car and will be riding their S-pedelec mainly on tarmac. For riders who value well thought-out technical solutions and modern drive technology, the TWINNER offers plenty of interesting details away from the mainstream.
One important note. Depending on the laws in your country, it’s essential to clarify the legal situation for S-pedelecs in advance. Put those considerations aside, and the TWINNER is a thoroughly enjoyable commuting companion.
Conclusions about the TWINNER T1 Pro
Dr Emmett Brown may have invented the flux capacitor and time travel, but with its transflux motor, TWINNER have perfected silent gliding on the road. This futuristic S-pedelec rethinks the way we look at the mobility of tomorrow. It’s easy to live with too, thanks to the belt drive and Pinion gearbox. With features such as heated grips, ABS and energy recuperation under braking, the S-pedelec has not only arrived in the future visually. The lack of comfort on rough roads and gravel tracks is something you should keep in mind, though. But if you live in Switzerland and are well and truly done with cars, this might be exactly what you are looking for.
Tops
- Immense motor power
- Futuristic design
- Heated grips
- Connectivity
Flops
- No suspension comfort
- Currently only available in Switzerland
More information at TWINNER.ch
Words: Robin Ulbrich Photos: Lars Engmann
