pedal power

[mercalia]

A new e-bike mentioned in an article in the London Evening Standard

Click to enlarge

[Chris the Sheep]

A reasonably positive article - but as usual the only ebikes that grab the press's attention are the outlandish / gimmicky / branded-by-a-car-maker ones. There are loads of really good quality ebikes out there that are more like conventional bikes - just as cheap and easy to maintain, as long as the motor unit doesn't fail - and that's pretty unlikely. Shimano Steps (like my Scott), Bosch etc - that's where the future is for ebikes.

[661-Pete]

Positive article? There's so much I find wrong in it!
"Banana bread and .... avocado oil" Don't know what those are. I'll have a slice of wholemeal, please!
"Sticky underarms" We have a shower. 'nuff said!
"James Bond style puncture-proof tyres" - specify (if you can!)
"GPS-Enabled smart lock ... once you're 10m away" Oh yeah! I had plenty of fun with that nonsense on an American car I'd rented.
"Top speed 15mph" - OK, yes I believe it is the limit for electric-assists, but even a slowcoach like me can get faster than that using human power alone, on the flat.
"Doesn't come cheap ... wlll set you back £1289" Perhaps he should check out the prices of middle-to-top range road or MTB bikes?
"Chris Evans ... is a convert ... BMW and Audi ..." Say no more!
At least the final paragraph redresses the balance. As I see it, why is the article entitled "Pedal Power" when that's exactly what it isn't?

To be fair, I don't see anything wrong in electric bikes. It's the way they're presented in this article that seems so wrong.

[[XAP]Bob]

But this is "designed to be a tax free scooter"
So 15mph is what you'll get...

[mercalia]

I had a look at the website and it looked a neat machine - unlike the heavy monsters I often see near where I live

[MikeF]

To me that article is a piece of stupid journalism, but it did prompt me to check out what it was talking about so perhaps it has succeeded.
This is the machine it's describing.
An interesting design, but I wonder if the manufacturer is concentrating on gimmicks rather than practicalities. Nothing wrong with a belt drive, but I ride a bike in long trousers and a "greasy chain" without problems. Unlike this bike I also have mudguards, which keep my clothes fairly clean. That's a very strange looking minimal spoke wheel design; is it strong enough? Is this a design by someone who has never ridden a bike? It's main feature is that it's a folding electric bike - maybe there's a market for that? But it would be absolutely useless for shopping as there aren't carrying facilities.

[MikeF]

"..Carefully challenging every aspect and design of the traditional bike" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7nullChir4 Nothing wrong with that principle; that's probably why we ride safety bikes instead of ordinaries. However I now need to lower my saddle so my knees are nearer my chin.

[mercalia]

To me that article is a piece of stupid journalism, but it did prompt me to check out what it was talking about so perhaps it has succeeded.
This is the machine it's describing.
An interesting design, but I wonder if the manufacturer is concentrating on gimmicks rather than practicalities. Nothing wrong with a belt drive, but I ride a bike in long trousers and a "greasy chain" without problems. Unlike this bike I also have mudguards, which keep my clothes fairly clean. That's a very strange looking minimal spoke wheel design; is it strong enough? Is this a design by someone who has never ridden a bike? It's main feature is that it's a folding electric bike - maybe there's a market for that? But it would be absolutely useless for shopping as there aren't carrying facilities.

ah an eletric Brompton? A folding elctric bike? I think there would be a good market for that with commuters who see a bike as just a getmetowork device with no sweat - take it to the desk and plug it in ready for the home trip.

[gaz]

ah an eletric Brompton? A folding elctric bike? I think there would be a good market for that with commuters who see a bike as just a getmetowork device with no sweat - take it to the desk and plug it in ready for the home trip.

Conversion kits are available e.g. http://www.nanoelectricbikes.co.uk/