This year I decided to focus a bit on the Electric Bikes at Interbike. There are brands that sell only electric bikes exclusively as well as electric bikes being introduced by makers of regular bikes. How popular and viable will this form of transportation be in the US? Who will sell and support them? There are many questions surrounding ebikes, as they are called, but I figured it time to have a close look at some of the products out there.
This model is a folding electric bike from Kilowatt Bikes, who brought their "A" game to the show. The battery is in the frame. I think there is a lot of interesting possible uses for folding lightweight eBikes. They can be carried along with other kinds of transportation like in the trunk of a car, in an RV, on a boat, in a train, etc. They can fill a gap in areas with limited mass transit, like in our home in Southern California. You could park a long way from a destination where parking is difficult, possibly getting free parking, then ride the rest of the way on the ebike.
Kilowatt makes this daring carbon fiber electric bike, including a carbon fork with a front mounted hub motor. I say daring because I am willing to bet most consumers don't realize carbon can be used to make a super strong frame. This would be a no-no with any off the shelf carbon frame/fork. "Beefy carbon fiber" is not a phrase you usually hear, but that is what this bike is. And in case you couldn't tell from the picture, that is a bamboo top tube. Very earth friendly.
I have seen a lot of A2B on the road and they are expanding their line this year. In addition to the bikes they are known for, they are introducing some 26" wheeled versions. Here you also see some accessories.
By making some simple changes to their existing bike they were able to make this electric scooter - almost anyway. You dont have a complete flat deck to put your feet on like a scooter, but it is close. If you don't pedal anway you can loose all the weight and complexity of the pedal drivetrain.
My favorite electric bike at the show was the Kona "Electric Ute". The bike is not released yet. The name alone practically wins it for me. The "Ute" (as in short for Utility like Sport Utility Vehicle) has been in Kona's line for a few years. It is almost like they named it in anticipation of a future electric version. The extra long cargo format of the bike and big bags make its purpose clear: carrying all the stuff you need to get your errands, commuting, etc. done. The small thumbnails below are clickable for higher res images.
The bike has no throttle, it is pedal assist style. This little handlebar mounted unit controls it and displays more than just the time when it is working.
The internal cable routing is a nice touch. Just be careful to attach a snake and leave it in the frame when removing cables for maintenance.
Bionx is a perennial favorite in the eBike world, it was great to see them at the show.
Madsen does not make an electric bike, but their cargo bikes are innovative and would make a nice electric bike platform. It is not like I spoke with them and got some inside info, I just saw them, liked them and took some pics. The tub option on the back is huge. The possibilities are endless.
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