Conscious Commuter has come up with a bike that brings together the compactness of a folding bike, the extra oomph provided by an electric bike, and a hat-tip to the classic step-through frame.Gabriel Wartofsky of Conscious Commuter has spent 2 years worth of nights and weekends working on come up with a design that is both functional and looks wonderful -- none of the clunkiness that so many electric bikes are burdened with, and less of the kids'-toy look that many folding bikes have.
Here's the slick video showing how the bike folds and unfolds:
From the bike's blog: "Our Prototype #001 was outfitted with a LiPo 36 volt, 10 ah battery, capable of 15-20 miles per charge. it had a 350 w motor, and a throttle assist system. We are discussing the possibility of offering an initial internal battery with the bike, with the option to outfit the bike with auxiliary external batteries for long distance hauls."If you think this bike design is as rad as I think it is, you can check out the Kickstarter campaign through which the designer is trying to raise $25,000 to get the bike beyond prototype, taking it to the next level of design -- which will be crowdsourced!
I'm looking for crowd-sourced input on options, configurations, colors, names and styles - be part of the product design / development process! Want to be on the inside of live product design sessions? You'll have the opportunity to participate in live on-line planning meetings -- available to all $10+ backers!
The bike is not just an interesting idea, it is also a tribute to Wartofsky's mother who encouraged the family to travel by bike since the family never owned a car: "I want people to experience again the magic of the bicycle my mother lived by for most of her life. My design challenge was to design an e-bike that will enable commuters to re-acquaint themselves with the hidden magic that surrounds daily travel. An easy, fun way to get around. And I can't do it without you."