Azreal911

This was on our folding bike forums but I don't see it here yet and it's electric.

https://www.yikebike.com


I looks very futuristic and funky.
not sure if i want to be seen with it in public. but yeah at around 5k USD it's for the very eccentric to ride such a thing.

no details on the range though which can make or break it cause you can't really pedal your way home if the battery dies.

nwmtnbkr

I'm not sure this device very practical and, at least for the US, it probably wouldn't be street legal in most states. (Most states require front and rear reflectors, if not lights for night riding; it looks like it would be very difficult to add those to this thing.) This is more of an expensive toy and I wonder how long they be produced, given the state of the economy, worldwide.

recumelectric

It appears to have a range of 7-8 km. So between 4 and 5 miles. Not so good.

Plus, I didn't see any real carrying capacity. I couldn't commute on it.

adamtki

Nice, but the range is too small (7-8 km). Also, there's no option for pedalling. (so I guess it's not really an e-bike).

recumelectric

Yeah, I couldn't tell about the pedaling. It looks like it might have something resembling pedals, but the guy in the video never used them.

Maybe this is a glorified Segueway?

crackerdog

It is just a sit down Segway. I don't see much use for it since you can't pedal it. The ad implies that no one will steal it because it doesn't have pedals I guess. This isn't a bicycle and should be in some motorcycle forum somewhere. If it goes slow, it should have pedals so you can get exercise and increase the range of the batteries.

Azreal911

7-8 km is a really crappy range! Even the cheapest ebike goes further, seems like I can't even make it to work on this cause any hills will drain the battery even faster. Oh yeah as for lights the handle bar ends have two front headlights while the rear has brake lights have turn signals. So at least they thought about that already else it'll be really hard to install them anywhere at all.

donob08

I think this bike is kinda neat. No, it is not an electrically assisted bicycle by anyone's law. Yes it's meant to just move between buildings in New Zealand cities where the laws must be looser. And yes it has lights, reflectors and skid controlled electric brakes. A lot of tech stuff, but a LOT of money.

What I would buy, if I were a city person is an IF-Reach-DC-Folding bike described on the page below.

https://ridethisbike.com/2009/07/if-r...irst-ride.html

It IS a real electrically assisted bicycle, 250 Watt motor with torsion sensing,Lithium Ion battery, has 20 inch wheels, uses its 8 speed deraillieur system to transmit motor and leg power, weighs 42 #, but folds to 36 * 16 * 26 inches and is wheelable folded. It is fully suspended. Its listed price is $2,500.

In a further review the 30 mile range is sited.
https://ridethisbike.com/labels/IF-Reach-DC.html

ridethisbike.com is presently a dealer for the IF-REACH Folding bicycle. The electric version arrived in US in July 09. I expect they will become a dealer for it as well. I have no connection with them. I just think the bike is neat, especially the BB-Motor. The IF-REACH comes in an 18 speed 'Sports' version for $1824.

Also see https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/531040-electric-pacific-if-reach-dc.html in the foldable forum for more.

Stormsteed

It's a high-glorified uncomfortable electric wheelchair with lights for able-bodied people who can balance on two wheels and have lots of money to buy a gimmicky thing like this. Try riding 7-8kms in that weird hunch-back position with your hands clenched at your side, no back support and no suspension on that tiny backwheel and see what your butt, your back and your shoulders think after that. How are you going to hold your laptop and attache? Around your neck? No thanks.

Allen

It is the first time I've seen a hubless wheel actually work.
I'd call it a mini-farthing-scooter and a nice study in design, but not a practical vehicle.

Azreal911

If they sold this for 1K usd you'll start to see people buying it as a quick alternative to get around the short jaunts of the city. But at this price it's going to fall into the same fate as the seqway another overly expensive toy for the rich and eccentric that never took off and just disappear out of existence from the public eyes.

Allen

I don't think so. It's too odd of a design to appeal to more than just a few people. Pretty, but not entirely practical.

sgeralnik

I know it's not for sale yet and I'm not even sure it can be considered a real bike but I thought this was an interesting concept. https://www.yikebike.com/
Whoops! I guess I should have done a better search. Currently being discussed at https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=581052



S. Geralnik

nwmtnbkr

In the US, it wouldn't be street legal in most states since it doesn't appear that required minimum safety equipment could be mounted, like front reflectors. This seems to be an expensive toy and the timing's probably all wrong for a launch of something like this. The global economy still isn't doing too great and I just don't see many people buying this thing.

Allen

It seems to have a complete set of lights.
The front lights are mounted on the bar ends.

stapfam

But think of the market it is aimed at- Train commuters into a city and just a short trip to the office from the station. Recharging is quick so no problem on getting it charged for the trip home at night.

nwmtnbkr

I wonder if you could legally ride it on public roads anywhere in Europe. They wouldn't be street legal here in the states. Looks like an expensive toy to me and I just don't see them selling in this economy.

twentysixtwo

Super cool and neat looking......TOY

Less practical than a Segway except that it's light enough to lift up stairs and the like.

Still can't beat the smaller electric scooters like this

https://www.amazon.com/Razor-E125-Ele...2008131&sr=8-2

Just retrofit a lithium pack and you're good to go.... I guess it doesn't look as cool of course...

formerly RE

I looked around at the ad. It says it can be charged in 20 minutes. I guess it would work if you had a bunch of short trips with wait time and the ability to charge in between.

...But there is no way that my butt would be liking that seat.

Azreal911

changing the seat there doesn't look like an option at all from the design of that seatpost.

FlatSix911

Recently posted on Engadget by by Tim Stevens Sep 3rd 2009

https://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/v...ota/#continued

Gallery: YikeBike

Biont

It did not seem to me practical at all. arms necessarily clenched down, fixed riding position, short range, low speed, less stability than a normal bike, unknown and suspicious performance on rough or different surfaces.

The only apparent plus side seems at first the ingenious folding concept but again there are lighter bıkes that fold smaller and get carried in better ways such as rolled on the ground, backpacked, held aloft, held squeezed between body and arm, put in a Ikea bag, packed in a suitcase or a dedicated bag, or in a light bag.

To me this is a concept product that might find its way to a market success only if there are enough people that might just spend that sum of money for its inital wow factor expected by the onlookers.

donob08

Biont

I agree that the yike is only pracitcal for a small group of people. It works if a person needs to go only a short distance between stops without bike storage, probably a city. I'm don't think there are enough city dwellers in New Zealand to make this a go. Your comment about the WOW is apt. The yikes web page https://www.yikebike.com/ is a classy sales pitch matched by few bikes. WOW is US. Great song and singer.

But your comment:
"arms necessarily clenched down, fixed riding position, short range, low speed, less stability than a normal bike"
Doesn't work for me. The rider looks to be in a position (with regard to arms) much like me on my under seat steering SWB recumbent. I love that posture for riding. Come to think of it the yikes stability might well be like my SWB too. A lot of SWB's are on the road regularly.

Don

Biont

Don, I might be wrong in my negative expectation for the riding position since I have never ridden a recumbent let alone one with a similar "guidon" that fıxes the arms down. However it looks to me that thıs arms position also does not let the rider to reposition his torso and neck to get rid of stiffness that one might accumulate around the spine and neck in prolongued fixed postures. Well maybe this will not be the case due to shorter rides targetted by the Yike.

Yacht people would love it I guess

LesMcLuffAlot

you can't pedal it........