VIDEO: Optibike OB1 lets you use the force
The folks at Optibike have been building electric bikes for a few years and that experience now manifests itself in their ultimate creation, the new OB1. It takes the signature Optibike part, the patented Motorized Bottom Bracket (MBB) that uses a derailleur system to give you the optimum gear ratio and mates it with a 850W continuous brushless DC motor powered by 20ah of lithium ion batteries housed inside an aluminum monocoque frame. Add to that handlebars, brakes, derailleur, chainring, and cable ferrules made of carbon fiber. Suspend it with Fox Racing shocks and forks connected to TAG Dupont resin wheels and let it light up the night with twin 10W halogen lights. All done? Not even close. It has a fully integrated wireless PDA to monitor things like battery state of charge, motor temperatures, and expected range. You won't need to worry about getting lost either since there is also GPS satellite navigation.
According to their website "Your OB1 will be custom painted to your specifications by an artist at Gunslinger Custom Paint and the entire bike is covered by a 2 year full warranty". The battery is covered for 3 years or 30,000 miles and the wheels, frame, and Chris King Headset are guaranteed for life. Every flight of fancy has its price and the OB1 will set you back $12,995 if, of course, you act fast enough because quantities are very limited.
Optibike has a range of models besides the OB1 that are more than adequate for us mere mortals. Hit the jump for some videos of them in action doing craziness like traversing Breckenridge and climbing Pike's Peak.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rgseidl 9:37AM (4/28/2008)
This electric bike has many excellent features: monocoque frame containing battery pack, powerful motor in the bottom bracket, chain guard (albeit partial), multi-speed transmission, computer control, headlamps, mudguards and, full suspension.
However, it's a mountain bike for poseurs. Much like luxury SUVs that could play in the rough, it's far too fancy to risk actually taking it there. Enduro looks, racing shocks, resin wheels and carbon fiber thingamagicks may make this popular with young Turks on Wall Street, boy genius web entrepreneurs and the media elite's assorted alpha males - but in unit numbers, that amounts to a tiny market.
In terms of garden-variety utility, there is no baggage carrier, kickstand or rear light. Crucially, there's no obvious place for a plain old lock, something I'd definitely want on a normal bike - never mind one that costs a mind-boggling $13k. Which brings me to my main complaint: why can't any manufacturer come up with an electric city bike with similar design concepts and functionality but made from durable regular materials and off-the-shelf components? At one-quarter of the price of this model, such an electric city bike would make sense for residents of cities with scarce parking - or indeed, anyone who wants to opt out of owning a car.
Reply
Domenick Yoney 9:51AM (4/28/2008)
@rgseidl:
In the videos after the post (as well as many more on the net) you can see riders putting their Optibikes their some pretty hard riding. As a fan of off-road biking, I'd love to try one of these out.
The price is high for the OB1 but there will only be a couple dozen made. The company does have relatively more reasonable prices on the other bikes in their line-up and many of the same features. Still $5,000 is a lot for a bike.
Oh, and I believe they come with a lock.
Reply
rgseidl 10:14AM (4/28/2008)
@ Domenick -
I've seen videos of Porsche Cayennes in Siberia as well. That doesn't mean the overcompensating men and scrawny blond trophy wives that drive them in the real world will ever actually take their precious wheels off road. Same with this bike.
Reply