Yes, this is another concept bicycle project, but this time there's a difference. The designer, Vojtěch Sojka, has actually made a working prototype, and it looks pretty sweet.
Working at the University of Technology in Brno, Czech Republic, Sojka developed the electric bike with Czech bike company Superior. From a distance, it looks like a cross between the Specialized Stumpjumper and a BMX. Step a little closer and you see the usual additions beloved of concept-bike designers.
The brakes are disk brakes, the handlebars and stem are annoyingly melded into one hard-to-replace unit and the battery is hidden away inside the seat tube. But there are also some rather practical design decisions.
While the fork gets some internal suspension, the rear relies on fat tires for rider-comfort. Unless you have some pressing reason for long-travel suspension, fat tires and sprung saddles are probably the best (and most maintenance-free) way to go. Next up is the position of the electric motor. It's inside the bottom bracket, keeping the weight in the center of the bike. Finally, the Shimano Alfine hub on the rear wheel keeps the lines clean and the gearing simple.
The most interesting part of the bike, though, is the omission of seat-stays. This was done to make it easy to fit the carbon belt drive. As carbon belts can't be broken and relinked by chains, you usually need an opening section in the seat stay to fit the things. Sojka's design obviates that need. It also means the entire weight over the rear wheel is borne by the chainstay/bottom bracket joint, which worries me.
Why not use removable, bolt-on seat-stays like you find on many old Dutch Bikes?
Still, Sojka's bike is one of the better concepts we have seen, and gains extra marks for actually existing in a real, rideable state. I'd totally take it for a spin.
City Electric Bicycle by Vojtěch Sojka [Bicycle Design]
See Also:
- Even The Laziest Rider Could Use this Electric Commuter Bike …
- Zaaf's Concept Bike As Fragile As the Granny That Would Ride it …
- Rael Concept Bike With Rear-View Camera
- Cannondale Concept Cross-Breeds Bike and Shopping-Cart
- City Concept Commuter Bike for Non-Cyclists
- Scary-Looking Concept Bike is All Corners
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