Electric Bikes (Gocycle, Lexus, HMK, Cytronex, Greyp, etc)

This is proper nerdy but I think it is pretty damn cool.

Saw this and some of you maybe interested, lot of technical stuff about electric bikes etc,

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5652

And a video about the problems he encountered....

Justin - E-bike Ride Across Canada

I still think electric bikes are cheating and kinda missing the point then again I am massive roadie.

Just found this article in the guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog

using a special wheel turn your pedal powered bike into an electric one.
They've got it attached to a fixed bike so I'm wondering whether fixed makes the KERS system its based on more effective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7y3qIQu3Gc

'Controlled by your smart phone' had me panicking.

Is it like normal KERS?

i.e. weighs a ton and randomly catches fire?

(looks interesting tho)

A little bit OT for you guys but I thought this concept looks interesting:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/11/hmk-561-electric-bike-concept-seats-you-on-the-battery-makes-yo/

looks pretty funny, not sure many of them will leave the makers warehouse studio apartment though.
'wins design award' , (rides like a doughnut)
on same topic, tried the new Trek electric bikes the other day,obviously being one of the biggest bicycle manufacturers in the world, they have been ploughing $ into development, with which to capture a big section of the market for bikes who would cycle, but need persausion (because they are essentially lazy arses)
anyway they are power assisted, so the system responds exactly to the amount of pressure you put in to the pedals, thats the smart bit. Pretty amazing power modulation.
they have reduced the battery size and the charge time is 6 hours for little electricity. expensive, but then many who might want one are likely to be rich/ stupid enough to spend that.
you have to be able to ride normally, so they arent good for disabled folks, which is a drawback, but imagine there will be a fair few around this summer. Im not getting one though. btw Trek dont need youre money, but Gary Fisher is cool.
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/electric_bikes/

that thing doesn't have any pedals/drivetrain, hw is it a bike, its a carbon fibre electric scooter surely?

Saw this on my rss feed and the first thing i thought was that it would suck to have your feet dangling constantly while all your weight was on the crack in your ass.

Further investigation has led me to find that no, your legs aren't dangling, but they're up really high on two pegs, so it looks as if your knees would be up against your chest.
Comfy..

what a fugly creation

Gah.

What next?

A LI-PO LO PRO?

The underground fixed drag scene in Japan?

Tooo fast tooo funny?

For fuck sake, a prototype!

I think it's a shame manufacturers entertain these thoughts.

Not really green design is it. A massive Lithium Polymer battery.

That took a lot of money and waste to make.

Highly flammable and indesposable.

Ok, it might make fat people cycle.

Until they get bored.

4 wheels = cars. Looks quite funky though.

Not even cycle.
Its a segway shaped bike.

Bike shaped segway..

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/lexuss-hybrid-bike-20100428-tqmv.html

LOL @ STI shifters

Looks OK, in a Starwars sort of way. Really is a good idea if it gets people out of cars and onto two wheels. Just think of the fun you can have drafting them.

... if you're not in a hurry. :)

I doesn't appear to mention speed, but there's no reason it should be as slow as the current efforts.

the British offering of the GoCycle looks less shit and is probably cheaper.

electric bikes are about convenience and short trips round town for people who don't want to change clothes / get hot etc - the the lexus one looks too serious for that. if you're serious about your cycling you're going to have a normal bike.

I had a go on one of the bikes from http://www.cytronex.com/ at an 'eco transportation expo' last year, it was a lot of fun to ride around a carpark on, and didn't look any different from a normal commuter bike except for the massive front hub.

They're not my cup of tea, but for elderly/partially disabled, even lazy people! I think they're a really good idea.

whats the point in it having small wheels if it doesnt fold. Put some regualr 26 or 700c's on it, move the black box to the middle of the frame and lose the sti levers on bullhorns (URGH!) and it'll still be shite...

I like the look of it, it has a really nice cyberpunk Moulton look to it that makes it nice and distinctive.

But then I like a lot of what I see in concept bicycles. I think it's great that people take the time to see how such a traditional design can be rethought without suffering a compromise in capabilities or changing the capabilities to acheive the same ends.

I'd love to see more of this stuff bought to market and would love to have the chance to test and even purchase some of these designs. I'm not that interested in an electric bike at the moment though.