I’ve been looking for the solution to the problem of how to bicycle with my family. I suppose for most people, that solution would be “get a bike”. But peddling around up grades makes me tired, sweaty and bitchy.
My sister has convinced me that electric bikes may be just that solution. Except I don’t want a scooter like hers (it’s not quite “bicycling with the family”). Instead, I’d rather have a bicycle that gives a little help from an electric motor. I’m not infirm – I can still pedal a bike. I just want the effortlessness a middle aged north american comes to expect.
The problem – they ebikes tend to look like shit. Bulky franken-cycles with massive ugly batteries. And they’re heavy (50 or 60 lbs heavy) because of the electric add ons. I absolutely do not want to have to deal with storing one of those in the house.
Much research later, I decided an electric Brompton folding bicycle would do the trick. A nice small fold that I could leave in the front hall without it getting in anyone’s way. The battery in a bag – so not obvious or ugly. Something like the ones NYCe Wheels will put together. Stupidly expensive however.
But then I heard that Brompton would be coming out with their own eBrompton. I was curious to see their solution so I’ve been holding on, waiting for announcements. Eurobike? Nope. Interbike? Nope. Finally they gave a teaser announcement (no prices, no specs) that the bike will be available in limited numbers in the UK and Germany in 2012, with full-roll out everywhere else expected in 2013 – including a retrofit kit.
2013? Aw come on!
