Ever wondered why Europeans seem to be in so much better shape than us Americans? Well, instead of driving everywhere, they bike around town. The good news is that one of their secrets, the eZee electric bicycle, is now available in the U.S.
eZeebike USA announced Wednesday a major expansion of the eZee brand of electric bicycles into the American market. The eZee brand is already popular in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
eZee bicycles are just like regular bikes except they're equipped with an electric motor that helps power the vehicle to ease the pedaling during long rides or rides on rough terrain.
Each e-bike has a rechargeable battery that takes about five hours to fully power and then has enough juice to run the bicycle at around 20 mph for a distance of about 20 miles. Of course, you can always turn this off and power the bike by yourself, the traditional way.
eZee bicycles are obviously not for hardcore cyclists. ... Read More
Schwinn adds electric assist components to a standard bicycle frame.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)The Schwinn Tailwind is one amongst a large number of electric bicycles available today, a segment gaining popularity due to interest in transportation alternatives to the car. But don't expect to sit back and let the Tailwind whisk you along--the electric motor on this bike merely provides assistance; the rider still has to pedal.
We found the Tailwind works largely as advertised, with a nice assist while riding around town and a battery with a high capacity that recharges quickly. On our test bike, the front brakes were too grabby, and we wondered why such an expensive bike wouldn't have disc brakes. And the price of the Tailwind, above $3,000, puts it far beyond the realm of people who may just have a casual interest in an electric bike.
Design
The frame for the Schwinn Tailwind's electric gear is built for urban and suburban riding. The aluminum frame, along with the upward curved handlebars, creates an upright sitting position.
The electric drive system is integrated with the bike through a drive motor in the front wheel hub, a battery that slides into a special luggage rack over the rear wheel, and a control unit tied to the left handlebar. The gear shift for the rear hub is integrated with the right handlebar grip. The control unit is easy to use, with thumb buttons to activate the electrical system and change the amount of assistance from the electric motor. Graphics on the control unit illustrate going up hill, riding on a flat surface, or going downhill. Red LEDs show which mode you have selected and indicate how much charge the battery has left. ... Read More
(Credit:
Crave Asia)
What do you get when you decide that a bicycle needs only one main wheel while declaring that the seat and handles are useless? You get the Magic Wheel, which functions like a foot scooter but looks a little like an Andy Warhol installation.
We first spotted this odd conveyance while on our way to lunch, and our initial thought was that this was a little late for an April Fool's joke. But shockingly, we found out it's an actual product.
Despite its unusual design, the distributor claims that it takes only a couple of hours to master the Magic Wheel. At $229 a piece, it costs as much as a full-fledged mountain bike and a lot more than a skate scooter. Though it doesn't look as irritating (or deadly) as Heelys and takes up less space than a bicycle, we'd rather take a pair of rollerblades anytime.
(Source: Crave Asia)
(Credit:
Pocket-lint)
Although automobiles have countless safety devices and technologies, there are relatively few for bicycles by comparison. And that makes little sense when you look at the global trends, which will only increase in coming years with the growth of green initiatives.
That shortcoming inspired London design student Michael Chen to come up with a concept for a jacket he calls the "Reactiv" (that's right, there's no "e" at the end--it's not at typo or some weird British spelling). Using an accelerometer to track movement, the high-tech garment has LEDs on the sleeves that change colors depending on the cyclist's actions--such as green for acceleration, red for braking, and flashing amber for turns, according to Pocket-lint. The design has won a James Dyson Award from the foundation of the same name that's dedicated to inspirating design innovation.
The Reactiv jacket is only a concept at present, but Chen hopes to make a reality in production. In the meantime, there's always the "Bicygnals."
(Credit:
Bicygnals)
As we were just saying, bike technology is doing its best to catch up with car equipment, especially where LED devices are concerned. "Bicygnals" are no exception, and they provide important safety features to boot.
No ordinary turn indicators, these ultrabright front and back LED units are connected wirelessly by radio waves so they'll blink simultaneously as needed, according to Shiny Shiny. The absence of wires comes in handy for another reason: It's easier to pull them off the bike to take with you.
We applaud the effort, but we'd still like to see a version with emoticons.
(Credit:
Thera-P-Cushion)
At first glance, this bike may look more like a fashion statement than an environmental one. But its wheels, which resemble spinners adorning the tires of some inner-city SUVs, are actually circular solar panels soaking up energy from the sun's rays.
The "E-V Sunny Bicycle," which claims to be "the first all solar electric bike," generates enough natural power to charge the batteries that run a 500-watt motor attached to the front wheel with a top speed of 19 miles per hour, according to OhGizmo.
The price of this 75-pound bike is fairly steep at $1,290, but there's also a kit to convert a conventional bike for $795. And if a wild mood strikes, you can even shut off the motor and pedal the old-fashioned way.
(Thanks, Reuben)
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