The YikeBike could more appropriately be called the YikesBike. The small front wheel, upright position and hands-behind stance all say one thing: pothole-faceplant.
The little electric penny-farthing (or P-Far, as the Bike Snob would call it) is on display at the Eurobike show right now, and looks like a lot of fun. It has a 1kW motor driving a 20-inch front wheel, and the carbon-fiber body means that it weighs just under 10kg (22 pounds) — good for acceleration and also good when you carry it, for the YikeBike is a folder which ends up not much bigger than the wheel. One charge takes around a half hour and juices you for a 7-8km (5 mile) run at up to 20 kph (12 mph).
Downsides? For something designed as a traffic jam beating runaround, it looks a little top-heavy. All your weight is above the wheel, raising the center of gravity. It looks easy to jump off in and emergency, though. Also, once the battery dies, you’re carrying it. At least an electric bike can be ridden home when the power runs out.
We dig it, though, and we can’t wait to see Woz on one, playing YikeBike Polo. There’s one more thing that might make you say “Yikes!” The price, when it ships next year, will be €3,500-€3,900, or $5000-$5570.
Product page [YikeBike]
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