Electrical mobility units equivalent to e-scooters and e-bikes have just about taken over Europe. Today, you’ll be laborious pressed to not discover an e-bike zipping round any European city, and it’s clear that these items are right here to remain.
Now, you’ll be able to sometimes very simply inform when a motorbike is electrical by merely its body. E-bikes are likely to have cumbersome, beefy frames, the place the battery normally sits in plain view. In commuter fashions, the battery is normally housed within the downtube of the body. In the meantime, in cargo and utility bikes, the battery can generally be noticed hanging out proper behind the seat tube.
However as soon as once in a while, producers roll out tremendous stealthy e-bikes which can be so sleekly styled that they don’t even appear to be e-bikes. Working example: the BER from Danish e-bike specialist Biomega.
The BER was designed by Jens Martin Sibsted, and its complete function was to hide the truth that it was certainly powered by electrical energy. Now clearly, there are fairly a number of the explanation why you’d wish to cover your e-bike’s battery, motor, and different electrical gizmos. For starters, it simply appears to be like cleaner and extra aesthetic. Plus, the truth that the battery and motor are hidden away from view additionally signifies that mud, filth, and water can’t get in as simply as they might if these parts had been uncovered.
And naturally, there’s the enjoyable in deceiving fellow cyclists that you’re in truth not driving an e-bike, and seeing the look on their faces as you are taking all of them the best way to gapplebees and again.
That stated, the BER is sort of a bit extra than simply an train in minimalism. Biomega claims some fairly spectacular figures on this factor, with its 35-pound weight and 70-mile vary being some severely standout figures.
However Biomega didn’t simply accept a streamlined body and hid electronics. It additionally made certain that this factor was simply as practical because it was aesthetic. The bike’s built-in lights and easy-access charging port within the entrance of the body are a testomony to this. And so too is the carbon belt drive that requires nearly zero upkeep.
That stated, there’s a value to pay for all this fancy styling and all these premium options. The BER carries a retail price ticket of $2,500 USD, with an early chicken promo reducing this to $2,000 USD.
However what do you assume? Is that this factor’s price ticket too steep to justify what it brings to the mobility sport? Or does fancy styling and comfort actually come at a premium?
