In the pursuit of a smoother transmission

As long as there have been machines with wheels, inventors have sought ways to make them move more efficient. One such pursuit was the dream of seamless gear shifting—a way to transition smoothly between speeds without the clunky jumps of traditional gears. This vision gave rise to Continuously Variable Transmissions, an idea that dates as far back as Leonardo da Vinci, whose sketches from the 15th century hint at early concepts of CVTs. For a long period, CVTs were largely theoretical or experimental — until the 20^th and 21^st century, when engineers began developing them for real-world-use.

Our pillar technology, the Continuously Variable Planetary (CVP) was born in the early 2000s. It was invented by Donald C. Miller, in California, taking inspiration from the original CVT from five centuries before. It was based not on belts or pulleys, but on a set of rotating balls, held between input and output discs. It was commercialized by Fallbrook Technologies as NuVinci CVP (a “tip of the hat” to Leonardo da Vinci), and first saw its application in automotive, energy turbines, and bicycles — namely the Ellsworth 'The Ride' handcrafted bike. 

First pedals into the bicycle industry

In 2007, Fallbrook launched the NuVinci N170, the first CVP hub designed specifically for bicycles. It allowed for stepless shifting, meaning riders could dial in their cadence without thinking about gears or steps. Unlike traditional derailleur systems, the CVP could shift while stationary, under load, or without pedaling — an ideal solution for urban cyclists, cargo haulers, and e-bike commuters. Since 2007, the CVP and several bikes were recipients of multiple awards. Earlier awards included a 2007 R&D 100 Award, a 2007 Popular Science Best of What’s New, 2007 Technology of the Year and Bike of the Year in The Netherlands, and the iF Design EUROBIKE Gold 2008 Award.

Over the following years, Fallbrook released new, more compact and efficient models, and eventually an automatic shifting system as well. Between revolutionary innovation and trial and error, we have persisted in improving these products, perfected over several generations.

A new identity and a smarter way to shift

In 2018, Fallbrook Technologies spun off its bicycle division and Enviolo is founded. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Enviolo is a new chapter with the mission to Move People Better solely via bicycles and e-bikes. With e-bikes becoming more popular in Europe and North America, rider expectations evolved, especially with electric assistance. Shifting needed to be more dynamic as riders moved faster, carried more, and encountered frequent stops. We realized, automatic shifting and e-bikes were a perfect match. The launch of the AUTOMATiQ in 2019 marked the third generation of our automatic shifting. This compact system integrates seamlessly with e-bike motors like Bosch, Bafang and more, adapting to terrain and rider behavior. Over-the-air updates ensured continuous improvement.

Enviolo’s automatic shifting system offers smooth, effortless rides. Boosting confidence, relieving stress, and enhancing focus and the sense of freedom of its riders. It’s available on bikes from well over 100 global bike brands. It makes e-bike cycling faster, more accessible and enjoyable. 'Never Shift Again' is our promise — not just a product, but a call to embrace automatic shifting as the future standard of e-bike commuting.

Photo: Specialized Turbo Vado