Harley-Davidson captures the imagination of bikers and even non-bikers everywhere. The movie, Easy Rider, brought these bikes to the masses and when people think of motorcycles, Harley-Davidsons immediately come to mind. Now, the company wants to enter the electric bike market with Project Livewire. Starting next week, Harley-Davidson plans to tour the country with its electric bike, giving some lucky riders the chance to test it out. They haven’t released any specs yet, but would they really build a bike that put-puts along? Nah.
Visiobike: Not Your Grandmother’s Electric Bike. Because She Didn’t Own One.
Rides By on Jun 10, 2014
Technology will change the world with spaceships to Mars and the discovery of alien life forms who turn out to be EXACTLY LIKE US, but oddly shaped with arms for legs and vice versa. Guess they won’t be like us that much after all. It doesn’t matter because you’ll probably not live to see all that, or at least you’ll just see the tail end of it.
However, you WILL get to see electric bikes. Lots and lots of them. Manufacturers seem to pump a new model out every month. Like the Croatian company that wants to put out this Visiobike ($5,300). There are electric bikes and then there’s this.
Right now, this bike still hangs in the crowdfunding stages. If produced, it’ll have a plethora of features. First, it hits a top speed of 45 km/h. That’s almost 28 mph! It uses a fancy transmission to do so and no, that’s not all. A carbon fiber frame for a light weight, smartphone integration and a camera in the saddle to give riders video of what’s going on behind them.
No skimping on the disc brakes either, those are high end. Visiobike also includes a fancy accelerometer so if you crash suddenly, it dials out to emergency services via smartphone.
It’s no flight to Mars, but we hear it’s hot there this time of year anyway.
LEAOS Electric Bike
Rides By on Apr 7, 2014
You have style and your electric bike should as well. LEAOS gives you the LEAOS Electric Bike, a carbon fiber bike modeled after Vespa scooters. This beauty hits almost 30 mph and has features galore, including Nuvinci automatic shifting, carbon fiber mudguards and integrated displays on the handlebars. All LEAOS Electric Bikes come designed and handmade in Italy and we all know how great Italian fashion and manufacturing are.
Vintage Bicycles Gussied Up With That Newfangled Electricity
Rides By on Feb 10, 2014
Oto Cycles have taken electric bikes forward by taking them back. These may look like 1950’s vintage bikes. But they’re fitted for the future with LCD displays, Brooks saddles and 750w motors for speeds up to 34 mph. Yowza!
Every model comes handmade in Barcelona and buyers have free rein when it comes to customization. Choose bike colors, tires, saddles, motors, batteries and other components. To infinity, and beyond!
Xkuty Electric Bike: Paradise By The iDashboard Light
Rides By on Oct 8, 2013
If you’re so addicted to your iPhone that even a 20-minute bike ride is too long to be away from your precious device, the Xkuty electric bike (2800 euros) is the pedal-pusher for you. With a free app, you can use your iPhone as the dashboard, offering a way to see your speed as well as the bike’s battery life. Thanks to the iPhone’s gyroscope, it can also sense when you’ve taken a nasty spill, and it then dials 911 for you. The bicycle itself goes as fast as 22 mph and boasts hydraulic brakes. Not too shabby.
Stromer ST1 Electric Bike: Pedal When You Feel Like It
Rides By on May 13, 2013
Blending versatility and chic styling, the ST1 Electric Bike ($4,000) from Swiss manufacturer Stromer makes your urban commute more doable than a tipsy Christina Hendricks. You can pedal if there’s an Egg Mcmuffin you need to burn off, or you can let the rear-mounted 500-watt motor get you up to 30 mph with a range of 50 miles. With Magura MT2 disc brakes, Schwalbe BigBen puncture-resistant tires, and Shimano drivetrain components, you’ve clearly got a better alternative to the No. 12 bus.
EMX Electric Motocross Bike: Get Dirty With Clean Energy
Rides By on Apr 26, 2013
The off-road version of the all-electric EMX ($7,640) reaches speeds up to 50 mph, making it very tempting to ditch your car and take your ol’ lady on a cross-country trip. Unfortunately for her, she’ll have to sit on the handlebars. Crafted by a team of knowledgeable and passionate dudes in an Austrian garage (think I saw a Cinemax flick like the other night), the EMX also comes in a street-legal flavor that lets you do 16 mph while not having to fret with pedals, chains, or gears. All you need is the 1.5-kwh Panasonic lithium-ion battery pack and you’re ready to take your dame on one of the most precarious-yet-environmentally-sound journeys ever seen.