New High End Electric Bike

Intex

Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2008
100
0
2009 Optibike OB1 is on sale now -- Designed by award winning bike designer Jim Turner, this lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid features a GPS, fully integrated PDA (to keep track of the vehicle's performance), two hours of battery life, and -- for those of you who like to kick it old school -- pedals. You know, for pedaling. Be sure to order yours now -- only twenty-four OB1s will be manufactured this year.
 

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Intex

Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2008
100
0
I guess alot of new entrants into e-bikes.....

Looking for an electric bike that does the pedaling for you? You have plenty of choices, particularly if you're willing to drop over $2,000, but finding one that uses regenerative braking to extend the life of its meager on-board batteries isn't so easy. Panasonic's Vivi RX10S is about your only choice until February, when Sanyo's new eneloop-branded bike is set to start pulling weak (or just lazy) Japanese riders up up inclines before recharging itself on the way back down. On a hilly course a charge is said to last about 35 miles without braking, 46 by charging only when braking, and 62 miles in "auto" mode (charging on downhills, too). If you live in Japan it'll be yours for 136,290 yen, about $1,450 US -- but if you live around here we'd recommend not canceling your spinning class just yet, because while Sanyo pledges to ship this elsewhere in the world "at some point in the future," it could be awhile before this thing starts hitting the diamond lanes near you.
 

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keithhazel

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 1, 2007
997
0
2009 Optibike OB1 is on sale now -- Designed by award winning bike designer Jim Turner, this lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid features a GPS, fully integrated PDA (to keep track of the vehicle's performance), two hours of battery life, and -- for those of you who like to kick it old school -- pedals. You know, for pedaling. Be sure to order yours now -- only twenty-four OB1s will be manufactured this year.
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they not what i would call "pretty"............or is it just me.. haha
 

dazzie

Pedelecer
Jul 16, 2008
129
0
Both look nasty imho.

Quotes from the optibike site:

"I try to live my life with as small a carbon footprint as possible. I have 2 Prius's (his and hers), 2 Segways (his and hers) and 2 electric bikes"

LOL.

"Owners also get their choice of 3 custom paint designs"

Er? Not exactly custom if you don't actually get to specify the design is it?

Oh and I love how if you go to the menu 'OPTIBIKE MODELS' and then select '2009 OB1' from the drop down menu that you get:

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Top stuff. :/
 

dickndoris

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 23, 2008
11
0
The best electric bike by FAR! And it works and goes fast and goes off road! It drives through the gears too! Lets face it-the electric bikes out there are all ugly in comparison.
Got a KTM exc 250 at a fraction of the price mind:)
 

torrent99

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 14, 2008
395
36
Highgate, London
The best electric bike by FAR! And it works and goes fast and goes off road! It drives through the gears too! Lets face it-the electric bikes out there are all ugly in comparison.
Got a KTM exc 250 at a fraction of the price mind:)
That is one of the ugliest bikes I've ever seen! (and it would last precisely 20.3 seconds before it was nicked in London).

In fact I think the only reason the OP hasn't been drummed off the site yet for his blatently commercial postings is that we haven't stopped laughing at that bike yet!
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,284
30,660
Not new, been around for seemingly ages, grossly overpriced and not what I'd call a bicycle.

"Only in America" as they say. ;)
.
 

Footie

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 16, 2007
549
10
Cornwall. PL27
I know my MTB style electric bike has a bulky frame but there’s bulky (but nice) and then there's this thing (2009 Optibike OB1). I wouldn’t want one.
It's certainly an eye catcher - but for the wrong reason - bloody ugly :eek:
.
 

Intex

Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2008
100
0
Hey, I have nothing to do with the site! I thought it might interest everyone here. What interested me, is the size of the battery, speed, duration of the battery time, and 3 year warranty, all in a bike about the same weight as a Pro-Connect that I have ordered, and the price on the base model, is almost the same as a pro-connect, after it gets here to the U.S.
 

Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
Hey, I have nothing to do with the site! I thought it might interest everyone here. What interested me, is the size of the battery, speed, duration of the battery time, and 3 year warranty, all in a bike about the same weight as a Pro-Connect that I have ordered, and the price on the base model, is almost the same as a pro-connect, after it gets here to the U.S.
The cheapest one is £5000 and comes with a one year warranty and an Ni-MH battery, the one you mentioned is $13000 with a 2 year warranty. I don't see how any of that is comparible with a Pro-connect. :confused:
It seems to market itself as high performance but I have a high performance bicycle which is much cheaper and more exiting than that, it's made by Yamaha and takes petrol. ;)
 

Rad

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 16, 2008
285
0
I'm also a fan of the optibike, I think it looks great and I'd love to give one a spin. But there's no way I'm dropping £2k+ Shipping on a bike.