Electric Bike Hopes to Revolutionize Eco-Travel

Biking is a huge solution for so many of the increasingly troublesome problems we face: urban traffic congestion, obesity and pollution... just to name a few.

And yet, almost all of us rely strictly on automotive transportation because it’s seemingly so much easier, more reliable and ingrained in our culture as Americans. Bicycling is huge in other countries, but less than 1% of the trips we take in the U.S. are currently by bike. Well, one of the aims of the founders of Gi-Bike are to change that.

The Gi-Bike, currently trying to raise $400,000 on Kickstarter, features an innovative design that couples a GPS tracking system, an electric motor (or conventional 100% human powered version), cool mobile technology features and single-motion folding capabilities into one smart design.

Well, those are actually just the biggest selling points, in my opinion. But this new bike-slash-mechanical-revolution actually touts a whole host of other cool perks as well – an integrated anti-theft lock, side LED lighting on both the front and rear wheels, and a mobile app that provides real-time statistics on calories burned, speed, mileage, and much more.

Needless to say, this crew of developers really has reimagined a transportation staple that’s been otherwise untouched for roughly 200 years. And, in doing so, they’ve made it considerably more accessible to the 21st century individual. With the Gi-Bike you can bike to work without getting all sweaty. You can take it to the gym and easily fold it into your locker (it takes literally one second!). Or you can rely on it for that tradition workout, but get reliable metrics on just how well you’ve performed.

Of the various videos and articles you can read about this phenomenal solution, this one from the Sea Otter Classic is certainly the best. Left solo, secret cameras caught industry experts giving it some serious love.

But is this futuristic concept really a viable business? Many, including myself, would argue “yes” not only because of the health appeal, but also because of rising fuel costs and an increasingly competitive market. Earlier this year, Daimler automotive released its Smart e-bike. And there are a number of other, smaller ventures pushing the concept wholeheartedly, including Evelo, eZip Trails and Faraday Porteur.

In the US, more than 50,000 electric bikes were purchased last year, according to data from Navigant Research. That same study suggested the US electric bike market will flourish in value to $10.8 billion by 2020. Europeans are already attracted en masse to the solution en masse. In Germany alone, roughly 600,000 were sold last year.

So, are you interested in the solution that combines more futuristic perks than any other? For $3,390 (or more), you can be the owner of a brand spanking new 2014 Electric Gi-Bike, which is $200 less than the anticipated retail price.

However, if you’re not quite ready to jump on board with that kind of investment, consider pledging $100 for a package that includes a Gi t-shirt and original artwork from the design of the Gi Bike signed by one of the founders.