Comment by mvdwoord
19 hours ago
It seems to me this is a product for almost no one. Inefficient delivery of power, bulky, "smart" detection in stead of reliable operation and most importantly, the only target market I could imagine cannot use it. Not sure about other places and climates, but over here, most bicycles have fenders.
Bicycles without fenders are typically used for specific recreational activities and those sure as heck do not want this clumsy thing attached.. If they want any form of electrical assistance they would want it a lot more sleek and efficient.
Other than that, it reminds me of the Spartamet, a Dutch piece of tech from 1985 which added a small combustion engine to an otherwise regular city bike.
> Bicycles without fenders are typically used for specific recreational activities
I'm guessing you are European? Bicycles in the US almost never have fenders except for old timey / retro style models. Fenders fell out of style in the 1980s and never really returned. People who do have them usually install them themselves as an upgrade.
Speaking as an American who owns a basic beach cruiser bicycle and
- puts less than 50 miles on it per year
- has zero desire nor space for a full electric bike
- would never use their bike in any kind of inclement weather
- would never use their bike for anything other than leisure
I think it might be aimed towards my demographic specifically?
Like this thing seems pretty neat, just strap it to my bike and go? Sign me up.
> Bicycles in the US almost never have fenders except for old timey / retro style models. Fenders fell out of style in the 1980s and never really returned.
Counterpoint: Portland OR, where I live — enormous bike city (in some rankings, the highest in the country) — and most have fenders due to the rainy climate much of the year.
If you use your bike for 50 miles a year, why do you even need that thing?
I don't. I don't need a bicycle at all.
The only reason most Americans outside NYC and Chicago ride a bike is leisure. Well, that or too many DUIs if we're being honest.
Ideally though if I had something like this it would encourage me to use my bicycle more.
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If the road is even little bit wet like after rain or morning mist, the dirt from the road ends up in your backside without fenders unless you drive very slowly.
Find a bicycle without mudguards and ride very slowly, or just ride on clean roads on a sunny days.
When it's wet, the engine will have less traction too.
I can see one audience: someone with a bike they already like who only occasionally needs assistance and wants the whole thing removable
Once you try a (good!) electric bike, you don't really want to go back. Life is just so much better. For urban commuting, you no longer think about heat (getting sweaty), distance, inclines, wind, etc.
Obviously I'm talking about good electric bikes, with mid-mounted engines that detect pedaling strength. These feel great, unlike electric motors strapped to bikes, which feel like, well, electric motors strapped to bikes.
On the other hand, a motor you can strap can also be unstrapped, and then you can use the bike as a normal bike. When you have an electric bike, it is usually too heavy to work comfortable without battery (ime).
I am not sure if this is enough argument for having this instead of having a decent electric bike plus a normal bike, but it is an argument I guess.
There are cases one may not want to use an electric bike, eg when going out for a coffee, a drink etc and you may not want to carry the battery or risk theft, in contrast eg to biking for 40 minutes every day for work each way.
How do you get exercise without sweating. Or asked another way, of you don’t get your heart rate up while riding, what’s the point.
Or put a different way: I use electric Lime rental bikes all the time, it’s super fast and convenient. But I’m keenly aware they don’t give me any exercise, so I do want to go back to unpowered bikes as much as possible.
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