Electric Bike News Week of 2-7-11

It’s time for an electric bike news recap from the week of February 7, 2011!  As usual there is a lot of cool electric bike happenings in the world.  This week there were a lot of videos.  Check it out!

And now…the e-bike news!

How would you like to ride a wireless electric bike?  Sounds cool to me.

I really like this idea: testing an electric bike for a two week trial period to “test before you invest”.  That is what the community group has put together.  I have found that it takes an e-bike test ride for people to really “get” how convenient and fun an electric bike can be.

The Green Effect, an e-bike store in Dublin Ireland, is promoting electric bikes by leaving electric bikes at hotels and hostels in the city centre, and offering tourists a full day’s travel for €25.  They also operate sponsored electric tricycles which provide an ideal marketing platform for businesses.  I really like these creative ways of getting the word out about electric bikes!

Checkout the Pedego tandem electric bike on The Prices Right!  Its’ about 8 minutes into the video.

This is a video from Spencer Ivy electric bikes showing peoples reactions after riding an electric bike.  It’s a short fun video worth a watch 🙂

Electric bikes were useful during the recent flooding in Australia.

Here is an interesting one: How higher gas prices will be good for us.

NYCEWheels is at it again with their folding electric Brompton e-bikes.  Here is the story and below is a nice video they put together:

Here is a guest post from Nina at Reef Bikes of Australia about how electric bikes can be a part of Sydney’s sustainable transport plan.

The Grace electric bike makes another appearance.  Kind of an industrial design; Grace calls it an e-motorbike.  Here is the techno video for it, I think the rider could use a helmet!

I can’t remember if I mentioned this electric bike conversion kit that you can add to your mountain bike before, but here it is.  Downhill mountain bikes are usually heavy and inefficient to pedal up hills so most people shuttle their bikes up in a car, truck or ski lift.  The Ego-Kits could eliminate that shuttling stuff.  Of course it may stir up an interesting debate about electric powered mountain bikes on hiking/biking trails.  Here is the extreme video!

Speaking of mountain bikes, here is a $33,500 electric mountain bike? Um, WOW!  It is called the Beast from M55 electric bikes.

February is Bike Wise month in New Zealand.  I like this quote from the article “I just turned 65 in January so I got a bike as a present to myself,” she explains, then smiles happily. “As I said to someone the other day: `I feel like a teenager again with the wind in my face’ – I just love it.”

This is my interview with Norbert Haller, a German electric bike designer and bike commuter.

Whoa! Check out this crazy electric trike concept!  I just bring it up because it is supposed to be positioned somewhere between a bike and a car.

The City of London Police are testing electric bikes!  I really like this idea; another way that e-bikes are proving themselves as great light weight electric vehicles.  Here is a quote from one of the sergeants “Our experience has been extremely positive. The Wisper covers ground more quickly, which allows instant access to areas usually inaccessible by car, such as narrow alleyways and footpaths. The extra power of the e-bike allows an officer to move quickly and definitely fits with our objectives; helping us to cut crime in the Square Mile”

Well, that about wraps it up.  Please share any electric bike news that you have come across in the comment section below.

Thanks!

-Pete

P.S. Don’t forget to join the Electric Bike Report community for updates from the electric bike world, plus ebike riding and maintenance tips!