Several readers have noted that we neglected to mention the Strida folding bike in our folding bike round-up. The Strida is a unique bike designed to take a commuter a few miles to the train or bus. It has an extremely quick folding action: it takes about seven seconds to fold one up. Here’s a video of the folding action: (more…)

Folding bikes are particularly efficient when used in conjunction with public transit. Unlike regular bikes, they can be taken easily on buses, trains or ferries. In fact, some transit systems will only allow folding bikes to be taken on board. I recently reviewed the Best Folding Bikes of 2008. An efficient addition to these bikes is an electric motor. For a little extra weight, you get the benefit of going up hills easily, and this is often very important to commuters who do not work up a sweat before getting into work. Let’s take a look at one of the better folding electric bikes out there: a Dahon Mu P3 custom-fitted with a BionX electric assist motor. (more…)

A trailerbike is a one-wheeled bike extension that attaches to the back of your bike. They are an efficient way to bring your child on a longer bike ride. Your smaller companion can assist you with pedaling, while you control the steering and speed. This allows your child to become familiar with the process of riding a bike, and they can relax if they feel tired. The original trailerbikes were introduced into the market by the Adams company in 1986. They were marketed under the name “trail-a-bike”, and this is now their trademarked term. Most trailerbikes also include adjustable handlebars and seats that accommodate a growing child. See a our roundup of trailerbikes on Optimal Ride.

Folding bikes are useful for anyone interested in taking their bike on a bus, train or ferry. They can also be packed in a car, stowed on a plane, or stored indoors securely. Many owners bring their folding bikes into an apartment or store them under an office desk. Most folding bikes have 16″ or 20″ wheels, but you can also find full-sized bikes that fold. Bikes by Brompton and Dahon fold into very compact packages — they are ideal if you are traveling by train or bus and want to bring the bike on-board. If you are looking for a high-performance road bike check out the Airnimal or the Bike Friday. These bikes are used worldwide for long-distance travel. Many cyclists who have tried these bikes found them to be an ideal mixture of performance and convenience.

See our round-up of the most notable folding bikes on Optimal Ride.

Longtail bikes! They are becoming quite popular as people become more interested in carrying things on bikes for commuting, touring or running errands. Some bike pundits are predicting that longtails may become a standard bike style in the near future.

Longtail bikes are feature a long wheel base for more space on the rear luggage rack. They usually have a strong frame and wheels to carry more weight on and around the rear wheel.

Longtail bikes offer better handling than bike equipped with bike trailers or panniers (side saddles for bikes) — they do not fall over as easily because they are designed to have a low center of gravity.

Here’s a round-up of some of the longtail bikes available today: (more…)

Based in British Columbia, OHM Cycles make high-end electric bicycles that feature 38V lithium-ion batteries, regenerative braking and powerful BionX motors. The company offers two styles of electric bike: one built for the urban rider, and one suited to rugged terrain. (more…)

Russ Roca has posted a great review of the Bilenky cargo bike on his Bike Commuters site. After 300 miles of test riding, he says the Bilenky is better than the Xtracycle or LongJohn cargo bikes.

The most efficient land vehicle goes well with spring.

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Straight out of the heart of Copenhagen, comes the Triobike, an innovative cargo bike, that can transform itself into a regular bike and a stroller. It’s no surprise that this bike comes form Copenhagen — the city is filled with urban bikers. With the Triobike, you can transport your kids to school in the cargo bike, then, instead of riding the cargo bike around all day you just pull out a front wheel from under the cargo bay, put it on the front forks. You can then ride a regular bike or use the cargo section as a stroller. (more…)

^{eZee’s Torq II electric bike.}

A to B Magazine is a comprehensive electric bike review magazine published in the U.K. Here’s their electric bike review page, where bikes are rated on a five star scale. Unfortunately, all of their 5 star bikes are only available in Europe. One brand that got a 4 star rating is the eZee electric bike range from South Africa, and these bikes are available in the U.S. from NYCEWheels.

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Schwinn’s new range of electric bikes are finally available. These innovative bikes have electric motors and batteries integrated seamlessly into their design. Schwinn claims that the four pound Protanium® lithium polymer battery included with these bikes is the lightest and most durable on the market. One charge will last 40-60 miles. The battery also charges faster than those found on most electric bikes — they become fully charged in less than four hours. (more…)

There are only a few electric mountain bikes on the market, but electric motors can certainly assist with  off-road riding. You can also build you own electric mountain bike by installing an electric motor kit onto an existing mountain bike. There’s also the Biontague, which is a mountain bike that has a electric kit pre-installed.

The best value for an electric mountain bike is the E-Zip Mountain Trailz Electric Bicycle, made by Currie Technologies. I’ve found that the range of a fully-charged battery is about 20 miles — that’s if you make liberal use of the electric assist. If you just use it to go up hills, the charge will last for about 30 miles. You can also add a second battery for $120 from Currie Technologies, that will double your range (but it will also increase the bike’s weight).

It’s available from Amazon for $368.

The Liberty Stealth Climber Mountain Bike is sold by Liberty Bikes in Pennslyvania. This bike has a 450 watt 36V motor and it’s powered by a lithium-ion battery. Electric-assist is engaged with a throttle, and motor will get you up to 18 mph. If you want to go faster than this, you can provide further pedal power using the 6 speed gears.

Weighing only 68 pounds, this mountain bike comes with our front and rear disk break systems. It also has built-in shock absorbers, and front and rear lights. Charging time is 4-6 hours, and the range is 20-27 miles. The bike is priced at $1275, but it looks like its being sold on eBay for $900.

Link: Liberty Electric Bikes

The Strida was designed from the ground up to be a very low-maintenance folding bike. It weighs 19-22 pounds and folds down in about ten seconds. Once folded, you can wheel it around (instead of having to carry it like most folding bikes). This makes it easy to bring the bike on trains or into the office. In place of a conventional bike chain, the bike has a simple cogged band to turn the wheels. There’s no grease is involved.

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Bike sharing is an optimal method of transportation. American cities and universities, eager for greener solutions to urban congestion, are rushing to set up bicycle-sharing programs similar to those launched in Europe in recent years. Washington DC will likely be the first in the nation to offer two-wheeled transport at various locations for a nominal fee, under a deal with advertising giant Clear Channel Outdoor. (more…)

Scheduled for release in early 2008, the iZip Express is an electric bike that will operate without a throttle. Instead, the bike has a special torque sensor that applies power as the rider requires it. Basically, the harder you pedal, the more the motor assists you. Test drivers have said that this automatic drive system is one of the most intuitive they’ve tried. The bike is said to have a 70+ mile range. (more…)

Brammo Motorsports, a company based in Oregon, will be debut their Enertia Bike at the EVS-23 Show in Anaheim California (it’s an electric vehicle show). The Enertia Bike was designed from the ground up to be a fully electric bike. It has a top speed of 50 mph, range of 45 miles, and can fully recharge via a standard plug in 3 hours. It weighs just 275 pounds, and uses a direct-chain drive for power. Over the fold is a video of the bike in action: (more…)

^{The Go-One Velomobile}

A velomobile is a “bicycle car”, or more officially, a “human-powered vehicle, enclosed for protection from weather and collisions”. They are virtually unknown in the U.S., but a quite popular in some parts of Europe. Velomobiles are highly efficient commuting vehicles, especially when they are equipped with an electric assist motor. Velomobiles tend to attract a lot of attention — many riders devote at least 10 minutes of their day to answering questions from curious on-lookers. Some owners even finance their vehicles by putting advertisement on the sides of their bike. (more…)

Utility bikes or “work bikes” are very efficient vehicles for transporting cargo (and children too). They are quite popular in bike-friendly places like Amsterdam, Copenhagen and China. Bikes can tow a remarkable amount of weight. Loads in excess of 880 pounds (400 kilograms) have been hauled behind bikes along flat surfaces. Generally though, 300 pounds (140 kilograms) is considered the upper threshold for hauling. Full-sized refrigerators or couches that won’t fit in a car can comfortably be pulled behind a bicycle with the right kind of trailer.

Let’s take a look at the various types of bike trailers and utility bikes available:

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This is a new bike from Kona, called the Ute, to be released in 2008. With a cargo rack as part of its design, it will be one of the few bikes designed with the commuter in mind. The bike also comes with two grocery-style pannier bags that include a raincover. You can also opt to get a four bag version. The plastic deck on the rear is machined from 100% post consumer recycled material. The design is similar to the Xtracycle bike extender. Via Bike Hugger

CleverCycles has opened a store in Portland, Oregon. This store specializes in selling bikes that can serve as replacements for cars. They offer Dutch cargo bikes (bakfietsen), city bikes, folding bikes and the Stokemonkey electric assist for Xtracycles (which we featured previously here). Clevercycle says their bikes “feature passenger and cargo capacity, plain-clothes comfort, all-weather readiness, and low maintenance”. They are one of the few companies importing the practical Dutch bakfietsen cargo bikes.