Finne Mountain Range - biking with the HNF UD3 All-Terrain

Saturday, 05 September 2020 20:17
Written by Portal Editor

Finne is a mountain range up to 370 meters high and around 23 km long in the Burgenland district in Saxony-Anhalt, which we had already hiked through several times.

This time it should be a tour crossing the Finne mountain range, where the UD3 All-Terrain e-bike made by HNF Nicolai should be used and tested.

Whether as a practical urban e-bike or a smooth-running trekking bike - the UD3 offers maximum power and range with the latest Bosch drive technology with a large 625 Wh battery, as the manufacturer promises. Thanks to the practical low entry, it combines the performance of a scooter with the handiness of a bicycle. Perfectly equipped for city and touring and without a top tube, the low step-through is valued by men and women alike, as there is no need to climb over the high frame tube, which can be helpful at least if there is a risk of falling in off-road terrain, as it makes getting off the bike easier. The torsion-resistant hydroforming frame, the day-bright Supernova lighting system and the hydraulic disc brakes made by Magura should make the UD3 one of the safest e-bikes ever, one more reason to test it extensively up and down the Finne mountain range.

But first of all some information about the tour region

Finne - partly located in the Saale-Unstrut-Triasland Nature Park - together with the Schmücke mountain range in the west-north-west, Hohe Schrecke in the north-west and the Hainleite on the other side of both, delimits the north-eastern part of the Thuringian basin. Finne is located between Burgwend in the north-west, Billroda, the somewhat distant Bad Bibra and Wischroda in the north-east, Rastenberg and Bachra in the south-west and extends from the north-west from Eckartsberga to Bad Sulza an der Ilm (Saale tributary). Not far to the northeast of the Finne, the Saale tributary Unstrut flows.

In the past, Finne was seen as the core mountain range, which splits into the other two mountain ranges roughly beyond the line Burgwend - Langenroda, whereby its highest mountain would be the 370.1 m high Wetzelshain and its area would be about 140 km².

Today, however, the wooded parts of the rump plateau are at the Hohe Schrecke nature reserve, which is why they are usually assigned to that partial mountain range on maps.

From a natural point of view, the Finne - in the Lower Unstrut mountain and hill country - is part of the red sandstone hill country of the Hohe Schrecke-Schmücke-Finne natural area. At the Finne there is a retention basin directly east of Bachra and several ponds are located in the forest east-southeast of Rastenberg. The forest swimming pool, which unfortunately will close again in a few days, is fantastically beautiful too.

HNF UD3 All-Terrain - safely to your destination even on gravel

The Enviolo manual transmission from Fallbrook Technologies is already the standard when it comes to stepless gear shifts for bicycles or e-bikes. As the successor to the NuVinci N380, it offers ideal comfort for every driving style and every terrain with a wide gear ratio of up to 380%, which we learned to appreciate on the gravel roads up to the ridge of the Finne.

In keeping with the philosophy of HNF-Nicolai e-bikes, the Enviolo gearshift is also completely maintenance-free. In contrast to conventional gear hubs, it can be shifted at any time. So even under load on gravel or sand or when standing in front of an obstacle. With these advantages, the Enviolo TR is a very good choice for the majority of all e-bike pilots. The Enviolo TR is installed as standard on the UD3 All-Terrain, unless the customer requests a different transmission. And like every e-bike from HNF-NICOLAI, the UD3 also offers maximum comfort with minimal maintenance, including in the area of power transmission. So what could power an e-bike better than a technology that originated in motorcycles with high horsepower? No! And that's why the Gates Carbon Drive was chosen for the development and production of the HNF-Nicolai e-bikes. Because the Gates Corp. belt drive is a high-performance technology that has been perfected for e-bikes. It consists of two metal pulleys and a high strength belt embedded in carbon fibre ropes.

And the best for everyday cycling: the carbon-reinforced belt drive is practically maintenance-free. Every now and then a little water to wash off the off-road dirt - let's go on. In addition, the polyurethane coating guarantees absolute resistance to rust. The stretch-free carbon fiber technology makes the belt 20% lighter and lasts up to 10 times longer than any chain. With this belt drive, your e-bike is absolutely reliable, silent and clean. With an 11 mm pitch, the Gates CDX belt drive meets every requirement. The patented system ensures that the teeth mesh smoothly and smoothly - for a powerful and efficient driving experience. Whether powerful acceleration on inclines or steady driving in city traffic.