Bicycles

Volta e-bike doesn't look like it's electric

Volta e-bike doesn't look like it's electric
The Volta from Pure Cycles offers four electric assist modes
The Volta from Pure Cycles offers four electric assist modes
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The Volta from Pure Cycles offers four electric assist modes
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The Volta from Pure Cycles offers four electric assist modes
The Volta's front and rear lights come on automatically when daylight starts to fade
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The Volta's front and rear lights come on automatically when daylight starts to fade
The Volta's 250 W rear hub motor should help riders pedal their way up to 20 mph without breaking a sweat
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The Volta's 250 W rear hub motor should help riders pedal their way up to 20 mph without breaking a sweat
The Volta's built-in lights to the front and rear automatically illuminate when daylight starts to fade
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The Volta's built-in lights to the front and rear automatically illuminate when daylight starts to fade
The Volta offers up to 40 miles of electric assist for every 2 hour charge
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The Volta offers up to 40 miles of electric assist for every 2 hour charge
The Volta electric assist bike comes in belt- or chain-drive options
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The Volta electric assist bike comes in belt- or chain-drive options
Then the rider hits the Tektro disc brakes, the taillight activates and the motor assist is disabled
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Then the rider hits the  Tektro disc brakes, the taillight activates and the motor assist is disabled
View gallery - 7 images

Pedal-assist electric bikes come in all shapes and sizes, in basic or feature-packed flavors and with price tags to suit trendy rich kids and penny-pinchers alike. But many look more like bare bones electric motorcycles than classic bicycles. The latter aesthetic is what California's Pure Cycles aimed for when designing the Volta.

In development since 2014, the Volta – which recently launched on Kickstarter – offers up to 40 miles (65 km) of electric assist for every 2 hour charge of the Li-ion battery hidden away in the top tube of the aluminum frame. That battery feeds a 36 V/250 W rear wheel hub motor, with riders able to choose from four power modes to help pedal their way up to 20 mph (32 km/h) without breaking into a sweat.

Regen braking could help get a few more miles of assist between recharging stops, but if the bike does run out of juice during a trip, the rider can use good old-fashioned leg power to get home.

The Volta's 250 W rear hub motor should help riders pedal their way up to 20 mph without breaking a sweat
The Volta's 250 W rear hub motor should help riders pedal their way up to 20 mph without breaking a sweat

Speed and battery information is displayed on a touch-enabled LED screen up front, and built-in lights to the front and rear automatically illuminate when daylight starts to fade. Also, when the rider hits the Tektro disc brakes, the taillight activates and the motor assist is disabled.

For piece of mind, Pure Cycles has cooked GPS tracking tech inside the bike, with location and tamper alerts pushed to a mobile device running the companion Volta iOS app. The app also includes ride and health tracking capabilities and power level controls.

The Volta comes in belt- or chain-drive options (the chain version sports an SRAM 8-speed derailleur and trigger shifter), features 20-inch wheels with 22/1.5 tires, a proprietary saddle atop an adjustable seat post and has a handy basket to the front in case you have more gear than your backpack can cope with. And it tips the scales at just 35 lb (15.8 kg), which means that taking the stairs to the office or apartment shouldn't prove too much of a trial.

The black or white Volta is expected to retail for US$2,499, but before that happens the company has launched on Kickstarter to fund production. At the time of writing, pledges start at a fairly wallet-friendly $1,499. If all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in August, though early adopters are being offered the chance of delivery in May. The entertaining pitch video below outlines the campaign and shows off the e-bike.

Sources: Pure Cycles, Kickstarter

Volta - This is more than your average electric bicycle

View gallery - 7 images
5 comments
5 comments
Augure
Seriously how do they come-up with this overpriced electric bike which not only offer nothing near the value priced but also don't innovate shit or even include, I don't know, a self-recharging dynamo in 2017?
JoelTaylor
@Augure ?? a dynamo, wow ignorance is bliss I guess. Any possible gains by putting one on the bike would be wasted by the extra resistance ending in a net loss reducing range.
What you are paying a premium for on this bike is it's weight and the tracking. At 35 lbs it's about 1/2 the weight of most e-bikes, that typically range from 50 to 70 lbs. At the "official" retail price of $2,500 it is very over priced, but the kickstarter price of $1,500 is only a little high for it's specs compared to other e-bikes in that range.
slarmas
I was thinking 500 to 600 bucks but when he said 2500 I almost fell over laughing. 2500 is NOT cheap.
rhY
iOS app? Barf. Looks cool, but the price is too high, and iOS app? Only tech ignoramuses use Apple stuff. Apple is always 2 years behind the top Android stuff. So, they're marketing this tech gadget to people who aren't tech-savvy? That seems like a losing strategy.
PAV
I had a bit of interest until the 20" wheel specification kicked my interest to the curb. At $1500 reasonable, however a non-removable battery has its minuses, especially if you like to bring your batter inside for a charge and cannot bring the bike with it.