Commuting to work via bicycle is one of those noble ideas that very few of us ever get around to executing.
It’s not so much the exercise that keeps us off of the bike, and it’s certainly not that we enjoy sitting in traffic. It’s the sweat, stench and general unslovenliness you have to deal with once you get to the office. Electric bicycles were supposed to solve this problem, but thus far, most of the bodies have been heavy (blame the battery), pricy and, to be frank, kind of ugly.
That’s what makes the Volta, a new e-bike concept, so damn appealing. Volta comes from the cycling enthusiasts at Pure Cycles. These guys have been making solid, approachable bikes for the better part of a decade in Los Angeles, where drivers would sooner run over a cyclist than a pothole. You can bet your bottom dollar they’ve thought hard about what they want out of product. And it shows (watch the video above). The bike is kept lean (35 lbs.) by housing the battery in the back part of the frame, generates power from use of the brakes (just like a Prius) and can give you power assistance for up to 40 miles.
The bike also features GPS-enabled anti-theft tracking that is becoming requisite in large markets like L.A. Headlights, taillights and automatic brake lights are all integrated into the futuristic looking frame as well. They’re offering it on Kickstarter for $1,499, a grand less than their intended retail price, and they’re guaranteeing a 2017 delivery (bold strategy).
You don’t need to be a mathematician to know that this bike could save you way more than its price in commuting costs.
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