Handmade in Dieburg - the main assembly of the R.X275 in Dieburg
Terms such as "handmade", "engineering" or "manufacture" have a significant influence on the purchasing decisions of many end consumers. These attributes also shape our work every day: from the design and the initial idea for a bike, to its development and deep into production. In the second part of our little manufacturing story about the R.X275 we would like to explain in more detail what "Handmade in Dieburg" means.
Part 1 about the production of the R.X275 you can read here.
Dieburg as the location of the ROTWILD Manufaktur.
Our lightweight trail bike with eAssist attracts attention at bike events, trade shows and in bike stores. In conversations with our customers, one question comes up again and again: "Where do you build the R.X275?" We can confidently give the answer: In Germany. Our company headquarters are in Dieburg in southern Hesse. Our origins as a German engineering company, the pursuit of innovation and the consolidation of our location are very important to us. That is why we have made our idea of Manufaktur a reality in the heart of the Rhine-Main area.
Well prepared it goes into the main assembly
You remember the first part of our manufacturing story? Preparation is everything. We prepare the assembly of the R.X275 at several workstations. So that at the end of the day, 12 units are safely packed and waiting to be shipped to retailers. Everything begins with the comprehensive quality inspection of the frames and the "marriage" of frame and serial number. The battery finds its place in its down tube. The remaining space is taken up by the wiring for the gears, brakes, seatpost and battery. Our production people mount the shock, seatpost, saddle, rear derailleur, speed sensor and rear brake to the frame and prepare the handlebars.
The cockpit of the R.X275 as the heart of the control system.
Then it's time for the main assembly of the control center of the R.X275 - the cockpit. Here it is particularly important to thread the cables and wires - such as for the boost button or the display - accurately through the cable routing in the head tube. This makes subsequent assembly much easier. In addition, the production people - as with all screw connections on the bike - must always pay attention to the appropriate torque. In the union of handlebar and stem, it is six Nm. Sequence and distances play a major role when attaching the boost button, brake and shift levers, as well as the operation of the seat post. Exciting moment is then when the steerer tube is pushed through the frame from below and the headset is put on it. Everything is ready to finally anchor the unit of handlebar and stem on the suspension fork.
Everything under control with the integrated display
After that, the sensitive hands of the ROTWILD people connect the display to the wiring in the top tube and insert it into the top tube Selecting speed levels and reading off the essential values of the bike - that's what the control unit is made for, which is integrated here in an elegant way. This is followed by the installation of the front brake and the connection of the brake lines to the brake levers. In the process, the ROTWILD experts check whether the full steering angle is guaranteed and whether the pressure point is correct for the brakes.
The driving force in the R.X275 finds its place
50 Newton meters of torque - that's how much the TQ HPR50 motor we use in the R.X275 delivers. This is exactly the right power for our eAssist concept. For its assembly, 2 tolerance compensators, 1 motor cap, 2 M8 motor screws, a cover cap screw and two lock nuts are required. The tolerance compensation is a proprietary development. It ensures that the motor fits exactly without motor play. This has a longer and a shorter side. Accordingly, we make sure that the motor is correctly seated in the housing in the frame so that it can be fastened with the correspondingly long screws. Then we put on the cover. Here again, the torque factor plays a decisive role. The lock nuts of the engine bolts are tightened with 20 Newton meters. Then we mount the left crank on the non-drive side. The chain guide follows on the drive side.
Almost finished: actually only the wheels are missing
Before we can mount the wheels in the bike, we need to prepare them. The rear wheel needs the shift cassette and the brake disc. Then we complete the "legs of the bike" with the tube and tire. For the front wheel, the game is repeated. Without the cassette, of course. Adjusting the gears is also part of the standard production program, so that the riders can easily get going. In the highest gear, the gears are adjusted so that the chain runs cleanly on the smallest sprocket and does not skip. This continues gear by gear up to the largest sprocket. Last but not least, the experts from ROTWILD play the appropriate software for the engine control from TQ on the bike.
At 5 stations and after around 67 work steps, the R.X275 is then ready for final inspection. Securely packed, it then sets off on its journey to the ROTWILD dealers.
You want to know more about the R.X275 in the Pro version? Here you can find all the details about the bike and its specifications.