pedal-assist
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Jeep's monster off-road e-bike starts shipping in early September
Jeep’s full-suspension off-road e-bike with insane amounts of power and an equally ludicrous price tag will finally start shipping in “early September,” according to manufacturer QuietKat.
NYC’s mayor has a plan to get e-bikes on city roads
San Francisco and other cities around the US have been rolling out pedal-assisted e-bike sharing programs to help decrease street traffic and air pollution. Now New York City's Mayor Bill de Blasio has directed his city's Department of Transportation to start making rules that allow pedal-assist bicycles on the streets. Throttle e-bikes that can travel faster than 20 MPH, will not be included in the legalization effort, however. Pedal-assist bikes have been illegal to operate under the current administration due to safety concerns.
FlyKly's Smart Wheel snaps onto your bike for 20MPH pedal assist
In retrospect, lower Manhattan probably wasn't the safest place to try the Smart Wheel for the first time. Thankfully, the prototype wasn't operating at top speed when I hopped on, for that very reason. The sensation's a bit weird for those unaccustomed to riding with a pedal assist, kicking in only when you actually start pedaling and gradually reaching the speed you've entered in the app. In its final version, that speed will max out at 20 miles an hour, for up to a 30-mile range. The motor weighs about nine pounds, snapping onto the rear wheel of most bikes without much in the way of installation. Also of note is the ability to remotely lock the wheel using the app to prevent someone from riding off with the bike -- and if they do, you can track the thief on your phone. All of this is still early stages. The motor you see above is still a prototype. The final version will be offered in a number of different sizes and colors, assuming the company is able to hit its $100,000 Kickstarter goal. A $550 pledge will get you the Smart Wheel, along with FlyKly's Smart Light (which you can get as a standalone for $49). The light holds and charges your phone (via USB), while leading the way in the dark with an LED bulb. The company will also be opening up the app's SDK for use with additional hardware like the Pebble smartwatch. Check out a quick video of the above after the break.
Kalkhoff's pedal-assist electric bicycles now available in North America -- cruisers unite!
Europeans have been cruising around on Kalkhoff e-bikes for millenniums now, but ye old Americans have been forced to either walk, pedal similar two-wheeled machines with our own energy, or fire up the HEMI-based Charger while throwing a finger up at Ma Earth. Thankfully, Portland's own Greenlight Bikes is doing what no one else would: importing these beauts for enjoyment here on US soil. What's most interesting is that the company's range of pedal-assist electric bicycles (or pedelecs, for those "in the know") don't look much different than the Schwinn Windwood Cruiser that your dad still uses to fetch the mail with, but believe it or not, an electric motor is included in order to "supplement the power a rider applies to the pedals, providing a smooth, predictable boost." Too bad that extra oomph won't be yours without spending between $2,499 and $3,399.
