The Spoke Word: E-Bikes Coming Into Their Own
Interesting story from CNN today about the booming market for electric bikes. There were 200,000 of them sold in the U.S. alone last year. We still haven't caught up to Europe, where e-bikes are reportedly the fastest selling category in bike shops, or China, where there are 100 million of them in use. But 200,000 in one year is impossible to ignore.
Based on visits to a few bike manufacturers this summer and the Interbike trade show last month, I can say e-bikes are a constant topic of conversation in the industry. Major brands like Trek, Giant, and Schwinn all have electric lines now, and they're being joined in the U.S. market by new and established e-bike manufacturers like Sanyo and Kalkhoff.
Is there an e-bike in your garage or in your future? Yes, they can look a little clunky sometimes. But they don't have to. The photos below are of a working prototype I saw at a Trek dealer event this summer, styled to look like a pre-1910 Harley Davidson—right down to analogue gauges and a "gas tank" to conceal the battery.
—John Bradley
Twitter: johnwbradley
Comments
Excellent concept bike. The e-bike market is heating up, which will bring many interesting prototype designs to gauge what the prospective buyers will respond to. I like the way the battery is wrapped to look like a gas tank. I'll bet you can take off the cap to plug it in for a recharge. Once you're moving at about 20mph, it'll be a good idea to have some decent braking power. Though it can't be seen, I'm hoping there's a real good disc brake in the rear, because it doesn't seem like there is any braking power in the front. I'd give it high marks for creativity. Please also check out the VeloChef electric bike blog community - it's new and about to take off so pls RSS or sign up for email heads-up on new posts - http://velorep.com/velochef
Flag This