Go Chainless!
Join CIXI at Eurobike 2026
By CIXI Team5 min read
Go Chainless!Join CIXI at Eurobike 2026
By CIXI Team5 min read
ANNECY, France | June 10, 2026 | As bicycle manufacturers and fleet managers face the operational challenges of modern active mobility, more and more brands are breaking free from the century-old constraints of mechanics and digital technology. They leap and Gooooo Chainless!
(Picture Eurobike banner Go Chainless)
At Eurobike 2026, French active mobility manufacturer CIXI will demonstrate why ditching the chain is the crucial first step to unlocking connected, profitable, and scalable fleet operations. CIXI will showcase a diverse range of Active Vehicles—spanning from handbikes to intermediate vehicles, as well as pedelecs, trikes, and cargo bikes—all powered and connected by the PERS Chainless Pedaling System.
In the face of a prolonged post-pandemic overstock crisis delaying the cycling market's recovery[1], major brands are turning to leasing and corporate fleet models to secure stable, recurring revenue. Corporate bike leasing is growing, for instance in the French market [2]. However, the profitability of these fleets heavily relies on mastering the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Traditional mechanical drivetrains remain the primary driver of high maintenance costs and vehicle downtime, a challenge amplified by the shortage of bike repair infrastructure across European markets [3]. This creates an operational bottleneck, as highlighted in Shimano’s "State of the Nation 2026" report, which notes that 121 million Europeans ride less due to the significant difficulties and costs associated with bicycle repairs [4]. In high-utilization fleet models, traditional drivetrains make vehicles too complex and expensive to maintain.
Replacing these mechanical drivetrains is a major challenge for bike manufacturers and leasing companies alike—and CIXI’s chainless solution directly addresses this imperative.
[1] Show Daily / Bike Magazine reports on market overstock and recovery delays: Show Daily 2025 Market Analysis & Bike Magazine Market Crisis Context.
[2] Transition Vélo on the transformation of the French market through bike leasing (vélo de fonction)
[3] Cycling Electric on the hidden bottlenecks in Europe's cycling rates due to repair shop availability
[4] Shimano State of the Nation 2026 Report on European cycling maintenance barriers
[2] Transition Vélo on the transformation of the French market through bike leasing (vélo de fonction)
[3] Cycling Electric on the hidden bottlenecks in Europe's cycling rates due to repair shop availability
[4] Shimano State of the Nation 2026 Report on European cycling maintenance barriers
CIXI's solution: A software-driven chainless architecture
Featuring a universal hardware core (the PERS crankset) alongside tailored battery and motor specifications, PERS kits adapt to any vehicle configuration.
(Picture Rage of PERS kit from catalog) + (CTA to catalog)
To give manufacturers, fleet operators, and dealerships a reliable pathway to profitability, at EUROBIKE 2026, CIXI focuses on three core pillars:
1. Low Maintenance (Lowering Fleet TCO)
The PERS Kit removes high-wear mechanical components, chains, cassettes, and derailleurs and replaces them with a clean, electronic generator system. This structural shift removes up to 20% of the components typically managed in a drivetrain. For fleet operators and dealerships, this translates to predictable maintenance, drastically fewer mechanical failures, and a significantly lower TCO.
2. Fluid Usability
Without the geometric constraints of a chain, the PERS system allows manufacturers to build entirely new types of active vehicles. For the rider, the experience is highly intuitive. The system offers natural pedaling resistance and adapts instantly to your riding style, with no gear shifting required. Furthermore, riders can activate regenerative braking simply by retropedaling, improving haptic feedback, extending battery range, and reducing brake pad wear.
3. Connectivity Made Really Easy
The PERS is a software-defined, natively connected product. Equipped with an embedded IoT box (4G and Bluetooth), it serves as the digital backbone of the new Active Pilot ecosystem. This allows every chainless-powered vehicle to access digital services, over-the-air updates, and preventive maintenance, ensuring the product gets better over time.
Active Pilot: Connecting the Entire Value Chain
Every manufacturer that equips its bikes with the PERS system, and every user who rides one, gains instant access to the complete Active Pilot digital environment.
Active Pilot is an open ecosystem—it is far more than just an app. It is designed to connect all industry players and their riders around the PERS system.
- For manufacturers: unprecedented, direct communication with all their users. Access to a data lake tracking bike usage and after-sales service, with the ability to interact with all ecosystem data in coordination with their dealers and maintenance shops.
- For Dealerships: online technical support (ticket creation and tracking), direct exchanges with manufacturers and end-users, as well as free software update tools.
- For fleet managers (Active Fleet): whether managing a small rental shop or a corporate fleet of over 100 vehicles, the centralized dashboard ensures real-time management and tracking (digital key management, geolocation, predictive maintenance, vehicle status, and usage).
- For end users: the Active Pilot app delivers an enhanced experience and security through anti-theft features, digital sharing, advanced bike control, statistics, and online support.
This Active Pilot ecosystem is accessible via APIs, a web portal, and the dedicated mobile application for end users.
Active Pilot APP
It is the primary touchpoint for end users.
The Active Pilot app offers industry-standard digital features, such as geolocation, basic statistics, and real-time diagnostics.
On top of this, the Active Pilot app adds three major user benefits, exclusive to our connected chainless technology:
Anti-theft
Full pedaling lockout when the vehicle is locked, and automatic activation upon unlocking. Motion alerts, proximity authentication, real-time geolocation, and the ability to change your PIN code to manually unlock the bike.
Full pedaling lockout when the vehicle is locked, and automatic activation upon unlocking. Motion alerts, proximity authentication, real-time geolocation, and the ability to change your PIN code to manually unlock the bike.
Sharing
Share up to 5 digital keys with family & friends, or temporarily rent one or all the bikes in your garage.
Share up to 5 digital keys with family & friends, or temporarily rent one or all the bikes in your garage.
Wellness
Boost your physical and mental well-being and track your journey toward a more active, balanced lifestyle. Beyond distance, speed, duration, and routes, energy can be precisely measured by tracking your battery consumption, regenerative braking input, and your own physical effort.
Boost your physical and mental well-being and track your journey toward a more active, balanced lifestyle. Beyond distance, speed, duration, and routes, energy can be precisely measured by tracking your battery consumption, regenerative braking input, and your own physical effort.
The app is designed to manage multiple vehicles from different brands powered by PERS chainless technology. Each user can add up to 10 vehicles, accessible via the "Garage" tab. Beyond this volume, users can leverage the Active Pilot web portal or APIs to integrate these features into their own management system.
Real-world testing of the Active Pilot ecosystem
PERS-equipped bike fleets already on the road in 2026 and on display at Eurobike 2026.
This year, CIXI is demonstrating the real-world use cases of this connected, chainless ecosystem with the first fleets powered by PERS technology already in circulation [5]. In collaboration with Ultima Mobility, CIXI has delivered a fleet of PERS-equipped bikes to the Grand Annecy urban community (Vélonecy). This pilot project allows for extensive mileage, proving in the field that this technology reduces maintenance costs while ensuring fleet availability. Additional fleet rollouts are planned for this year, including an upcoming delivery to Vitalliance in Paris, a leading company in home care and support services.
Join Us at Eurobike 2026
While the Active Pilot app is scheduled for release on the App Store and Google Play at the end of 2026, you will have the opportunity to test it firsthand at Eurobike 2026. You can also catch a glimpse of the web portal, connected live to the bikes operating throughout the trade show.
"We want to make cycling practical, accessible, and easy; that is the promise of Active Pilot: technology making it easier to adopt a healthier lifestyle."
Carlos Torres, Head of Design at CIXI.
Eurobike 2026 is the perfect opportunity to discover what future product lines and last-mile logistics operations will look like once powered by the PERS system and fully connected to the Active Pilot ecosystem. GO CHAINLESS!
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About PERS: The PERS chainless pedaling system converts human power into bicycle propulsion via electricity, enabling the rider to control speed and braking intuitively by pedaling. The system automatically adjusts the pedaling cadence to maintain a smooth and natural feel at any speed. Pedaling backward activates regenerative braking, extending the battery range and reducing brake pad wear. By eliminating the traditional transmission, PERS requires zero grease, minimal maintenance, and opens up new possibilities for bicycle ergonomics, comfort, and design.
For more, visit cixi.life/pers-technology
About CIXI: CIXI aims to transform the 'passive' journeys of our busy days into moments of conscious effort toward a more active, healthier lifestyle. The patented PERS Chainless Pedaling System is an important step in making it possible. Our active vehicle, the VIGOZ, is an everyday, weather-protected vehicle that lets you pedal safely up to 120 km/h. CIXI is a team of 100 employees from around the globe who design and assemble products at our factory in Annecy, France.
For more, visit cixi.life/about-us
About Active Pilot: Active Pilot is an open digital ecosystem that connects the entire Active Mobility value chain, from manufacturers and fleet operators to everyday users. Accessible via APIs, a dedicated web portal, and a mobile app, it combines the hardware performance of the PERS Chainless Pedaling System with smart vehicle management. The platform enhances the end-user experience with advanced anti-theft security, including complete pedal deactivation when locked, digital key sharing for up to five users, and comprehensive vehicle status tracking. For professionals, it offers centralized, real-time fleet monitoring, predictive maintenance, and online technical support, ensuring long-term vehicle availability and profitability.
For more, visit active-pilot.com
About VIGOZ: VIGOZ is our vision of Active Mobility. Capable of pedaling up to 120 km/h safely and intuitively thanks to our PERS chainless technology, it defines a new category of mobility. Standing at the crossroads between the car and the bicycle, this human-electric hybrid is designed to turn daily commutes into a moment of pleasure and movement. Last year, VIGOZ generated strong interest from the international press. Today, we are building a solid foundation for the company through PERS sales, which enable us to secure the resources for the next chapter of the VIGOZ journey.
For more, visit cixi.life/active-vehicle-vigoz
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