The lazy bicycler

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!