News: Interview with Gocycle

[Pedelecs]

Richard Thorpe is the design engineer behind Karbon Kinetics, the UK based manufacturer of the Gocycle. Founding the company in 2002, Thorpe had a vision for capitalising on his 25 years’ experience in the motorsports industry to produce an innovative electric bike, the first incarnation of which hit the UK’s roads in 2009.

The Gocycle G1 has since evolved into the G3, still with the frame-integrated battery but now also with internal cabling, torque-sensing motor, a daytime running light for safety and visibility, plus the information display built into the clean lines of the handlebar - along with quick release side-mounted ‘pitstop’ wheels – which need to be removed to fold the bike.

Thorpe’s recent focus has been on taking the Gocycle to America, where he has launched the GS model, a new entry-level version, on crowd-funding site Kickstarter.

With one day to go on the Kickstarter campaign, we talk to Richard Thorpe about Gocycle’s history and plans for the future.

Full story here: http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/news/interview-gocycle/

Kickstarter campaign here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gocycle/gocycle-the-best-folding-electric-bike-in-the-worl

 

[anotherkiwi]

I am missing something here, the GS is launching for the American market but is available worldwide on kickstarter?

 

[Richard Thorpe]

We initially focused the Kickstarter on the US market and Canada. After launching the campaign, we had quite a strong view expressed from our UK/Europe and wider world subscriber base that the GS spec was very interesting. So we made the decision to open the campaign up globally which has been well received.

 

[LeighPing]

We initially focused the Kickstarter on the US market and Canada. After launching the campaign, we had quite a strong view expressed from our UK/Europe and wider world subscriber base that the GS spec was very interesting. So we made the decision to open the campaign up globally which has been well received.

I'm sure that the majority here would wish you every success Richard. It's a brilliant ebike, technologically marvelous, in my unqualified opinion.

Good luck for the future and keep em coming.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Welcome to the forum Mr Thorpe.

Your bike was one of the first that I dreamed of owning when I got interested in pedelecs as a means of transport. Unfortunately it was way beyond my budget. Now with the experience I have gained I can see it is also not up to the terrain I ride on but it is a very well designed bike which would have been perfect in my previous life in the city.

EDIT: Ooops you have been lurking since 2011, my bad...