Folding Electric Bikes Are Brilliant. Here’s Why

Eliott Wertheimer July 9, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

There’s never been a better time to get a folding electric bike. As a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and convenient mode of transportation, they’re perfectly suited to urban living. In this post, you’ll see how much better a folding e-bike makes it to commute, run errands, and generally get around town.

Getting Around Town Is No Sweat

Riding an electric bike is a great way to burn off excess calories without breaking a sweat. Pedal away as much as you want to get your heart pumping; when you need to take a break, simply let the electric motor do the work. You’ll especially appreciate this every time you commute or ride to a social event as you won’t need to shower or change clothes when you arrive at your destination.

You’ll Be Riding Up That Hill With No Problems

You shouldn’t have to choose between struggling to pedal up a hill as your legs and lungs beg you for mercy or getting off and walking your bike up, which can be a hassle in itself. Your e-bike’s motor can power you up hills; you’ll also have a less strenuous ride when you’re carrying your rucksack, bags of groceries, or anything else you need to transport by bike.

Get Up To Speed Easily

There are times you need to accelerate from a dead stop quickly to keep up with traffic, both on roads and bike lanes. Your folding e-bike’s motor takes care of this for you instantly, giving you added peace of mind at intersections. Additional power can also benefit you when you need to overtake – just as long as you’re doing so with total awareness of what’s going on around you. After all, with extra speed comes extra responsibility!

How Convenient

Lightweight and foldable, yet incredibly durable, folding electric bikes are easy to store and carry. If you need to use public transport during your travels through town, you can quickly fold up your e-bike and carry it on with you. Because it takes up no more room than a large piece of luggage, your folding electric bike is far less of a bother to transport than a regular bike.

When you get to your destination, you can keep your bike with you and store it without obstructing others. This beats locking it outside or putting it somewhere that’s going to annoy the people you live or work with. Since you can store your foldable electric bike indoors, you don’t need to worry about bike thieves taking off with your ride – in essence, your bike comes with a built-in security system.

No Room Too Small

For the growing number of people living in micro-homes, storage space is a serious issue. No matter how small or big your home may be, folding electric bikes help you maximize your available space. You can store it pretty much anywhere – in a closet or corner, under a table or bed, or on a balcony or a hook in the foyer.

This advantage extends to car storage – when you want to take your e-bike with you on a road trip, fold it up and pop it in the boot. You no longer have the hassle of affixing your bike to a roof rack or folding down the back seat to fit your bike into your car. Bringing your own foldable electric bike also spares you the expense and risks of renting a bike during your travels.

Become An Eco-Road Warrior

Well, maybe not a warrior, we just like the way that sounds. The point here is that more bike riders mean less air pollution. Folding electric bikes are as environmentally friendly to ride as push-pedal bikes. They also happen to be a convenient, healthy, and fun way to get around.

Explore Your Options

To get a better idea of how much a folding electric bike can bring to your life, check out our Furo X. This popular e-bike fuses style, performance, and practicality – plus an abundance of extra features – to give you a riding experience that experts are raving about. If you’re looking for something that’s even lighter but still a dream to ride, take a look at our eTura.

We’re always available to answer your questions and help you choose the right folding electric bike for your needs, so get in touch with us.

Why Folding Electric Bike Sales Are Booming in 2020

Eliott Wertheimer June 19, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

Our city streets have gone electric. If you’re living in an urban centre or been to one recently, you’ve probably noticed the increasing number of eco-friendly vehicles like folding electric bikes and scooters zipping to and fro. This electric bike sales boom shouldn’t really come as a surprise, as conditions are ideal for growth.

We’re going to see a lot more electric bicycles on the roads; Deloitte predicts that global ebike sales will skyrocket to 130 million over the next three years. There are many factors contributing to the rapid, and ongoing, growth of the personal transportation industry. We’re going to take a look at a few of the more significant ones.

Electric Bikes Make It Easier to Get Around in The New Normal

The novel coronavirus has forced us into “The New Normal”, where “normal” means lockdowns, remote working, social distancing, and facemasks. COVID-19 has also prompted a surge in bicycle sales in part because they make it easier to adhere to social distancing rules.

With an electric bike, you save yourself the stress of sharing public transport space with other commuters. In addition to minimizing the risk of exposure to the coronavirus, commuting on an ebike also means no more cheek-to-jowl rides on crowded busses or subways during peak hours.

Governments Are Making it Better to Bike

To reduce traffic congestion and air pollution that comes with population growth and increasing urbanization, our governments want us to cycle.

To encourage us to ride our bikes in town, all levels of government are investing in cycling infrastructures, with a focus on creating dedicated lanes. For instance, the UK has committed £250 million to the construction of new bike lanes and safer junctions. With a budget of €300 million, Paris is building 400 miles of pop-up bike lanes and transforming the city’s biggest cross-city through route into a bike-only highway. Local governments are also offering subsidies and other ebike incentives to drive adoption and push eco-friendly initiatives.

These programs and incentives have helped spur electric folding bike sales globally, especially in Western Europe, the US, China and Singapore.

Clean Transportation for Clean Air

Even without the threat of coronavirus and other airborne illnesses, more people are enjoying the fresh air and personal space they get when getting around town on an electric bike. While “fresh air” doesn’t immediately come to mind when talking about urban centres, lockdowns have resulted in less congested streets, which has caused a drop in pollution levels.

The rise of the electric bike can also be attributed to more environmentally conscious consumers. As they reduce their personal carbon footprints, they’re preserving the huge improvements in air quality that cities across the globe have experienced during COVID stay-at-home orders and business closures.

A Quicker, Cleaner, More Comfortable Commute

With all the improvements cities are making to their cycling networks, commuters have even more reasons to buy eco-friendly folding electric bikes. If, like most of us, you travel to and from the office during peak hours, bike lanes keep you out of gridlock, enabling you to travel more quickly than you would in a car or bus.

More commuters also see the value in riding a bike that is less physically demanding. As an e-cyclist, you put in less effort than a regular cyclist, so you’re not going to arrive at work sweaty and in need of a shower and a change of clothes. On commutes where the motor does all the work, you simply need to expend a few seconds of energy unfolding and folding your electric bike at the start and end of each ride.

Electric Bikes Are for All Fitness Levels

The opportunity to enjoy the health benefits of cycling at a comfortable pace, regardless of fitness level, has also contributed to the ongoing surge in ebike sales.

Because they require less physical effort to use than a normal bike, electric bikes make cycling appealing to those who might be concerned about overexerting themselves. So if you feel like you could be in better shape, a folding electric bike is a great way to start exercising. You can let the motor do the work when you need to, such as when you’re going uphill, riding into headwinds, or transporting something heavy.

Electric Bike Technology Keeps Getting Better

Continuous innovations are also helping drive new and upgrade electric bike sales. The lithium-ion batteries that power them are lighter, cheaper, and more powerful than ever. Many use the same cells used in the Tesla Model S, and some include a USB output so you can charge your smartphone, tablet, or any other device while you’re riding.

Technological advances also include safety and comfort features that are important to riders. For instance, integrated wireless turn indicators, bright front and rear LED lights, and onboard computers give you peace of mind and convenience that help ensure a great riding experience every time you hit the road.

Advances in the construction of the bikes themselves have also increased their appeal. E-bikes made of carbon fibre are both lightweight and robust. Easy to fold, unfold, carry, and store, folding electric bikes are especially popular among RV owners and people who live in small spaces.

Electric Bikes Are Trending, Not Trendy

E-bikes and other modes of electric personal transportation are riding a rising wave of popularity. With increasing awareness of the benefits they bring to air quality and quality of life, more people are opting to get around town on folding electronic bikes. Governments are giving us even more incentive to become a part of this rapidly growing trend.

While the tech is improving, ebikes are getting more affordable. For instance, our Furo X offers premium features at an accessible price. If you’re looking for something even smaller, our eTura is an ultra-compact folding electric bike that you can carry and store pretty much anywhere. If you’d like help choosing your ebike, we invite you to get in touch with our helpful team!

Electric Delivery Bikes: The Future of Logistics?

Eliott Wertheimer May 5, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

Delivery bikes have become a common feature of our city streets. Ideally suited to densely populated urban areas, bikers deliver everything from takeaways to medical supplies. The addition of an electric motor only serves to increase their functionality, and the likelihood of them being an integral part of tomorrow’s logistics system. In this post, we will outline the role of eBikes in modern urban areas, and the advantages they hold over current methods of transport.

The problem with vans

In spite of a decline in private car ownership, urban congestion has increased over the last decade.

David Brown, CEO of Go-Ahead London (one of the companies that manage the capital’s buses), stated that traffic has increased by 14% across UK cities. This is likely a result of the rise of the ‘light commercial vehicle’; according to The Guardian, van journeys have increased by 25% in the past decade, due in part to a boom in online shopping.

And they’re not just clogging up our roads, but also our lungs. Statistics from the Department of Business, Transport, and Industrial Strategy show that in 2018, the average emissions for vans were 262gCO2/km compared to 140gCO2/km for a diesel car, and 154CO2/km for a petrol car (ref. 1)

Greener, free-flowing roads

It’s clear, then, that vans are bad news. eBikes, on the other, could be the solution. Not only do they take up less space on our roads, but they also don’t emit greenhouse gases.

They’re also more than capable of dealing with the delivery capacity of vans. The Bicycle Association reports that as much as 30% of van deliveries could be shifted to eBikes right away, and this is only going to increase with changes in how cities are designed and how delivery companies operate. Rather than having large, out-of-town distribution centres, many online retailers will have smaller warehouses that are closer to densely-populated areas (Amazon already does this). The future of inner-city logistics is therefore likely to be built on a ‘micro’ network, with orders being fulfilled and delivered at a short distance from where they’re actually placed – ideal for electric delivery bikes.

Saved costs

Those opting to use electric bikes for their deliveries will also save money. Aside from not having to pay certain costs (including petrol, insurance, and license fees, to name just a few), eBike riders don’t have to stump up the ‘congestion charges’ that are imposed in various cities around Europe. It’s also worth noting that eBikes can be significantly cheaper to buy than vans and other modes of delivery transport, and are often quicker to repair.

Flexibility

Electric bikes can be used for delivery across numerous sectors. A study by The University of Antwerp has highlighted all of the possible market segments of e-cargo bikes for more sustainable distribution in the future:

The gig economy – To deliver app-based services such as those provided by Deliveroo, JustEat, and UberEATS.
Courier services – To deliver individual packages from A to B, for a single client.
UCC partner – As mentioned, to deliver packages from urban consolidation centres (UCCs) to nearby consumers.
Postal – To fulfil postal deliveries, working as subcontractors or integrators of services.
Service vehicles – To act as the principal means of transport for small-scale service providers, such as plumbers, electricians, or bike repair technicians.
Delivery services – To deliver the products of SMEs, such as flower shops, bakeries, and grocery stores.

Electric bikes have multiple uses. Alongside helping to improve our commutes and keep us fit, they can actually be used to deliver items to our homes and workplaces. As a cheaper, greener alternative to vans and cars, and more in-line with the way cities are developing, electric delivery bikes are only going to become more popular in urban areas.

If you’re looking for the next generation of electric delivery bikes, then consider FuroSystems. Inspired by the precision engineering of aeronautical design, our ebikes offer unrivalled performance and riding experience – whether they’re being used for work or play. The Furo Sierra can take on mountain paths as well as city streets, whilst the Furo X is one of the lightest folding eBikes on the market.

References:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/726911/2018_methodology_paper_FINAL_v01-00.pdf (pages 38 and 54)

Urban air quality after the lockdown: How eBikes can help

Eliott Wertheimer April 29, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

Over the past few weeks, the world has been on lockdown. Travel has been restricted, restaurants, cafes, and other public places are closed, and the streets are virtually empty. It’s a strange and stressful time for most of us, but there is one silver lining of being forced to stay at home. Less activity means less pollution, and the air quality of major cities has been drastically improved. Not only does this give the Earth a welcome respite, but it could also lead to a drastic change in attitudes towards emissions and our common modes of transport.

Changes in air quality

In London, Birmingham and other large urban areas in the UK, nitrous oxide (NO2) and tiny particle pollution have dropped by approximately 33%, with some areas seeing drops of up to 50%. London’s air quality, in particular, is now at the lowest level since the year 2000 when the population was 2 million less than it is today! Nitrous oxide and tiny particle pollution are “the two air pollutants that have the biggest health impacts on people”, according to the National Centre for Atmospheric Science. Poor air quality is estimated to cause 110 premature deaths every single day, and that’s just in the UK.

It’s not just the UK that has seen improvements, the air quality in major cities around the world is strikingly better. Cities like Milan, New Delhi, and Jakarta are enjoying noticeably better air and clearer skies, which can be seen in these side-by-side images. Perhaps the most striking outcome is that the Himalayas are now visible from 125 miles away in parts of India for the first time in 30 years!

Change in attitudes

These improvements in air quality show three things. Firstly, it very clearly shows just how polluting our current methods of transport are. Secondly, it shows that our cities (and the wider planet) can recover very quickly if we stop adding pollutants to the air. And thirdly, it shows that we need to seek alternative methods of personal transport for the masses because our current methods (specifically cars) aren’t sustainable in their current form. Something needs to change, for the sake of our lungs and our planet. It’s a sentiment that’s shared by Dr Benjamin Barratt of King’s College London.

Electric bikes could be the solution we’re all looking for, and we aren’t just saying that because we make them!

Electric bikes are an emission-free mode of transport, and they’re more accessible than regular bikes thanks to the motor’s assistance. Those who may not feel fit enough to complete their entire commute by bike, or those who may have felt vulnerable while cycling on roads, can now enjoy the pleasure of riding a bike without having to solely rely on their own power.

Ebikes are still an excellent form of exercise, with studies showing that an ebike has a comparable effect on the rider’s heart rate and calories burned as a regular bike. With more people riding eBikes, there’ll also be less congestion in cities during rush hour (since a bike takes up far less space than a car). Not to mention how much cleaner the air can be, especially in major cities like London. You can read more about the benefits of electric bikes here.

We hope that the recent improvement in air quality leads to a change in attitudes toward electric bikes. We hope that more people see the benefits of these brilliant machines, and what they can do for our cities and our health.

If you want to be a part of the future of transport today, then check out our range of electric bikes. They’re all emission-free and road legal in the UK, making them the perfect way to get around the city. Our Furo X is one of the most powerful folding eBikes you can buy, making it fun, fast, and practical. Perfect for commutes, leisurely weekend bike rides, and everything in between.

How old do you need to be to ride an electric bike?

Eliott Wertheimer April 20, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

For many people, riding a bike as a child is one of their fondest memories. The freedom, the speed, the excitement! The only thing that could possibly be better than riding a bike is riding a bike with an electric motor. Nowadays, it’s not just a childhood fantasy – electric bikes are real and becoming more and more accessible. However, before you go rushing to buy an electric bike for your child, it’s important to consider the legality of riding an electric bike at certain ages. Here we discuss how old a person must be to ride an electric bike.

Electric bikes are classed as Electronically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPCs) by authorities. The current UK law surrounding EAPCs states that riders must be at least 14 years of age when using them on the roads. Therefore, it’s illegal in the UK for children under 14 to ride electric bikes.

People have considered ways to get around this law, such as by riding the ebike with the battery switched off. This, however, is illegal. Once a battery has been fitted to a bike, there’s the potential for it to be turned on and used, so children under 14 years of age still aren’t allowed to ride.

What about riding off-road, such as on bridle paths in the countryside? There’s currently no law regarding the use of electric bikes on bridle paths, but the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRE) states that there’s a tacit implication that people should comply with the road laws whilst on bridle paths.

Children under 14 are, however, allowed to ride electric bikes on privately-owned land, at the owner’s discretion. Private land isn’t subject to the Road Traffic Act, so this is one way to allow children to enjoy ebikes. We would recommend, however, that you use good judgement to determine whether it’s actually a good idea to allow your child to ride a power-assisted bike. Regardless of the law itself, there is a safety concern for young riders – ensure they’re skilled and responsible enough to ride, even if you do have permission to use private land.

Reason for the law

You may be surprised by this ruling, given that EAPCs are treated the same as regular, non-powered bikes in the eyes of the law. Children under 14 are allowed to ride bikes, so why not electric bikes? According to the Department for Transport, it’s all down to safety.

There’s a level of skill and responsibility required when riding a power-assisted vehicle, and the more powerful the vehicle, the more skill and responsibility required. The minimum age at which people can ride a moped is 16. “This was reduced to 14 years old for EAPCs” due to their lower power and less risk involved compared with mopeds (and other powered vehicles). Additionally, the youngest riders of powered vehicles are statistically the most at-risk of injury, so these laws are in place to protect young riders.

What is the punishment for riding an electric bike while underage?

Being caught riding an electric bike whilst under the age of 14 carries a fine under the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a relatively minor offence, but the fine is enough to make parents and guardians abide by the law.

Electric bike age limits in Europe

How does the UK’s approach compare with the rest of Europe? Interestingly, there are no age restrictions on the use of ebikes in the EU. However, this doesn’t mean we recommend you take your child abroad to ride to their heart’s content. Exercise good judgement and ensure anyone under 14 years of age (or any age for that matter) is proficient and comfortable enough on a traditional, non-power-assisted bike before they upgrade to an ebike. Safety first!

The UK’s law against minors riding ebikes exists for a reason – safety. Electric bikes are tremendous fun and one of the best ways to get from A to B. They’re fast, emission-free, and a great form of exercise. Check out our very own Furo X, one of the most powerful ebikes on the market – you won’t find a better way to get around town.

eBike modifications – The do’s and don’ts

Eliott Wertheimer April 16, 2020 1 Comment Uncategorized

Once you’ve got your hands on a brand new electric bike, you’ll want to explore everything it can do. Whilst it’s already amazing straight out of the box, you might start tinkering around with it to get the ride you’re looking for. In this post, we tell you what to think about when proceeding to ebike modifications.

eTuning

The lithium batteries used for electric bikes pack a serious punch. Whilst they’re intended to only provide assistance as you’re pedalling, they’re capable of much more – but this doesn’t come without significant risk.

Manufacturers of eBikes limit the output of batteries to 250 Watts and place an automatic cutout on the motor assistance as soon as the speed of the bike surpasses 25 km/h (15.5 mph).

Certain devices, however, are able to bypass these restrictions in order to reach higher speeds. One such device is attached between the wheel magnet sensor and the bike’s computer unit, and it essentially manipulates the speed at which the bike believes it’s travelling. This prevents it from cutting out at the legal limit of 25 kph and allows the motor to push the bike too much faster speeds.

As fun as this might sound, there are a number of problems with this particular eMod. The first is that it’s illegal; electric bikes are currently classed as Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPC) in the eyes of the law, and the speed limit of 25 km/h is a strict condition for this classification. Anything faster, and the bike would be classed as a scooter for legal purposes, with everything that entails – licences, insurance, safety etc.

Tampering with the battery’s limits may also invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty. If anything else on your bike goes faulty and you’ve tried to tamper with the motor’s limits, then you won’t be covered.

Our advice is – if it’s speed you’re looking for, pedal harder or have a go at an e-bike mountain trail. You don’t want to ruin your electric bike (or your criminal record!) by messing with the motor.

Fat Tyres

A much more doable modification is to add fat tyres to your eBike. If you’re a regular biker, you may have noticed these whilst out and about on mountain tracks. They’re thick, almost-comically large tyres intended to help the grip of the bike and make the ride feel more ‘floaty’. Although they were originally designed to help bikes ride over snow, they’ve gained something of a cult status these days – they seem to be as popular in the city as they are up in the mountains. In any case, they can be added to your electric mountain bike to help you duck and weave your way down those highland trails, or the rush-hour traffic.

Gears

Another aspect of your eBike you can customise is the gears. Whilst many out-of-the-box eBikes are perfectly fine to ride with the gear setups already installed (Furo’s Sierra has an impressive 9 speeds), there’s always the possibility to change it to suit your own riding preferences without comprising the assistance given by the electric motor.

One idea is to change the gear ratio between the front and back of the bike. As a general rule, the more gears you have at the front, the harder pedalling will be but the faster you’ll be able to go. More gears on the back of the bike, on the other hand, makes riding easier in general, but harder in reaching faster speeds. Most eBikes will be able to handle either setup and the battery-powered motor will assist when needed.

Alternatively, you could even transform your eBike into a fixed-gear bike. A hipster favourite around the streets of London, a ‘fixie’ relies on only one gear and has no freewheel. The result is a bike which has a minimalist look but can be more difficult to ride at times (especially uphill). With a little nudge from an electric motor, however, you can look cool and get from A to B without breaking a sweat.

Once you’ve had your eBike for a little while, you might want to customise it to make it stand out on the road. If you’re looking to add a personal touch to yours, we’d recommend keeping away from the electric motor and instead focusing on other parts like the tyres and gears.

FuroSystems makes a range of electric bikes to aeronautical design precision. Our eBikes offer commuters a fast, efficient, and green way to travel to-and-fro. Check out the Furo X – the first-ever full-carbon folding electric bike.

Tag: light foldable ebike