I got the chance to get a preview of the new A2B Electric bicycle/moped from Ultra motors over at Soundspeed Scooters. I’ve been riding gas mopeds for years, so I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical.
When I first laid eyes on it, I wasn’t sure what it is: an electric bike? a moped? an exercise bike? a futuristic BMX?
For real, its an electric bike. Powered by lithium batteries, the thing is just so light. I could easily hop on it, and pedal around without even using the battery. Since its a bike, I could pedal it right down a bicycle trail easily.
Then of course the real test: flipping the throttle and using the electric assist. The power of the lithium batteries made the bike take right off! Top speed is 20 MPH. This is actually a requirement of DOT: a bicycle with electric assist by law can’t go faster than this (I’m sure some gear head will hack this to go faster)
I was curious with apparently the question everyone eventually asks: “…what is the range?”. With the stock bike, the unassisted range is 20 miles. That means that if you don’t pedal the bike at all, the battery alone with take you 20 miles. The A2B is slick because you can add a second battery on the back of the bike, and increase your range by another 20 miles to get a total of 40 miles of unassisted range. Add in pedaling, and you’ll go even farther.
What really stands out about this bike is how light it is. With a full set of gears in the rear, I could easily pedal this bike all day without even using the electric assist. When I get to a Seattle hill, I can fire up the electric and zoom right up it! Add a set of panniers, and you could get all your shopping done without a drop of oil!
Check out what the guys are doing down at Soundspeed Scooters, they’re doing a great job getting people into electric bicycles, scooters, and mopeds – electric vehicles that you ride today! (as opposed to waiting for the detroit big three).
Soundspeed Scooters
132 N Canal Street (Fremont on Burke Gilman Trail)
Seattle, WA 98103
206-632-2699
i just read another review saying this bike is impossible to pedal without elec assistance for >1-2 blocks!
and how reliable is this bike? it costs 2-3x what similar ebikes cost. is it 2-3x better?
i’d like to see a review from someone who actually owns and uses this bike regularly, not someone who took a shop bike out for a one-time trial. that doesnt tell you much.
Nice review. If you’d like a NYC perspective on the A2B, feel free to check out this new review – http://1greenproduct.com/2009/07/03/a2b-electric-two-wheeler/
- Aaron Dalton, Editor, 1GreenProduct.com