I have a friend, Chris, who lives in France. He was visiting family and friends in July and we had a chance to meet up and catch up on old times and what we've been up since his last visit. It turns out he's working at a bike shop in France. I asked him what type of bikes sell well in France. Well, he said his shop sells lots of trikes but he's seeing a big rise in electric bike sales. I've seen electric bikes at my LBS, but they seem to be pointless. I guess Ford sees E-Bikes as a via market if their working concepts.
At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford unveiled their 5 lb, 15 mph motor bike. It can go about 53 miles on one charge. That's about the round trip distance to my work and then back home. Where's my wallet!
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"The recent Frankfurt Motor Show played host to some innovative new concept cars featuring eco-friendly powertrains and advanced in-vehicle communications. And among the advanced concepts on display was Ford’s first foray into the world of bicycling.
The E-Bike Concept demonstrates how Ford’s automotive design language
can translate to a bicycle. The bike’s frame is made from aluminum and
carbon fiber and weighs just 5.5 pounds. It also features a carbon fiber
Giant SLR stem, Selle Italia SLR XC saddle, Mavic Elipse wheels,
Shimano Alfine 11-speed internal gear hub and Shimano Rapidfire
shifters.
Tthe E-Bike is far from a conventional bicycle, despite some pretty conventional hardware. It’s powered by a a front-wheel, hub-mounted motor that produces 350 watts and features a 9.3 amp-hour lithium-ion battery. Ford says the E-Bike will cover 53 miles on a single charge and reach a top speed of 15.5 miles per hour. A handlebar-mounted display provides trip information and allows the rider to select from three support modes – Economy, Comfort and Sport."
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