The genesis
June 22th, 2025 - Guilhem
It all starts in August 2017.
A few months earlier, I’m wrapping up a one-year motorcycle road trip around the world. Back in France, the desire to leave again is still there. So, I hit the road once more for an epilogue of a few days, heading toward the Spanish Pyrenees. It’s there, under pouring rain, lifting my 200 kg motorcycle for the umpteenth time on a soaked trail, that I tell myself:
“What if I could keep exploring in a different way? Still on two wheels for the freedom, but with less weight, less impact… and no noise.”
That idea never leaves me. A few days later, I try out an electric mountain bike. It’s a revelation! Nimble, light, dynamic… with the feeling of having superpowered legs. Energy-efficient, yet it still encourages physical effort. Exactly what I’m looking for!
So, I decide to design my own electric bike, starting from a bare frame. It becomes my daily ride and travel companion. But soon, I notice a limitation: once loaded, the bike loses much of its agility. To travel without needing to recharge everyday, I carry 2 spare batteries along with my gear. And that weight makes itself felt.
That’s when I realize what I’m missing: a cargo bike the size of a mountain bike, that still allows for real riding pleasure, on and off-road. That’s how Zag is born!
Before
End of 2022, the project begins with paper and pencil; then I surround myself with an engineering firm (Antidotes Solutions) and an industrial designer. As an engineer, I quickly realize the importance of collaborating with experts. I also partner with Milc, based in the Pyrenees, for the frame manufacturing.
After
Today, after 2 prototypes built and tested over more than 5000 km, in all conditions, it’s the end of the first stage and the beginning of a new adventure: the launch of a pre-series of 10 units!
ZAG is a special bike, true to the initial vision: less than 2 meters long, capable of carrying 60 to 80 kg in addition to the rider, while remaining agile. It fits on a car’s bike rack, in the entrance of an apartment, or upright in an elevator. And above all, it is just as nimble in the city as it is on mountain trails.
It’s designed to last: a though chromoly steel frame with anti-corrosion treatment, interchangeable motor/battery plates to remain compatible with future technologies – without relying on the goodwill of motor manufacturers. Currently equipped with the excellent Shimano EP801, it will be able to accommodate a new motor (or a traditional bottom bracket) and a new battery in the future, simply by swapping the plates.
Offering a bike built to last, rather than one you’ll need to replace every 3 to 5 years, may not be the most common business model – but it’s the very heart of this project !