Arriving at work sweaty and having to change from cycling gear to office attire is one of the problems with bike commuting. If your lucky, your office will have a place to shower and if your unlucky you will be left with that horrible sticky feeling all day. Electric powered motor bicycles may be one solution to this dilemma. One such electric powered bike is the Gocycle:
I know what your thinking. Your thinking: now I finally know what the result would be if a folding bike and a motorbicycle got drunk together and had a one night stand. So what is so special about the Gocycle:
- It can be taken apart in less than 1 minute. When your living in a city, such as London, you can store it easily.
- The chain is enclosed so you won’t get your favourite suit caught in it or oil stains.
It has a “turbo boost” button that will make you think you are starring in the movie too fast too furious. Well, not quite. It can do around 15mph (24km/h) which can help on a daily commute when going up hill or whenever extra power is needed.- The battery can recharge in 3.5 hours and gives you an estimated 20 minutes worth of boost.
The price? Nearly £1,200. The good news is that through the cycle to work scheme you could get the bike for around £600.
Is it worth it?
I am very split. From the point of view of a keen cyclist I’m quite happy doing some exercise and I don’t see the need to cycle in my suit. From the point of view of a first time bicycle commuter I can see how this could be an option. You save on sweat and get to your destination faster.
If you are solely interested in the motorbicycle idea; then this has been around for a while. Just do a quick search for “electric motor kit” and you can fit your own.
To find out more there is a video review on the Times Online and the official website is Gocycle that has more information about making the bike affordable using the bike to work scheme.
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