E-bikes have started to blur what was once a clear feature of cycling: you pushed the pedals, which turned the wheels. Now, with throttles, you only need to pedal some of the time. And mid-drive motors take your pedalling force and mix it with motor power for a complex ride.

An electric bicycle startup called Also wants to completely remove that connection. When you pedal its bike, you're turning a generator. The power generated—perhaps topped up by a battery—is sent to a motor which turns the wheels. How much this feels like a normal bike is determined entirely by software, which controls crank resistance and converts your force into motor power.

Also claims their software will make you feel as if you're just pedaling a regular bike most of the time. And when it doesn't feel like that, it's because the software can offer a better experience. During a brief ride on a pre-production version of its first bicycle, the TM-B, Ars Technica found that Most of the time, it felt like a normal bike, but push it harder and it shifted into something radically different—though one that seemed to feel like an improvement.

The company is headquartered near Rivian, the electric car company, with partial bike carcasses scattered around. Saul Leiken, director of product line at Also, mentioned some cross-pollination in battery cells but stressed that the biggest overlap was conceptual. As it stands, this technology heralds a new era for cycling, if not an entirely different experience.