The future of bikes is on display this week in a resort town in New Jersey, and GearJunkie is on hand to check out the latest innovations in this growing category.
E-bikes have taken Europe and China by storm, proponents cite, and the debut Charged Up event is a chance to corral a few players in the category in one place here in the U.S.
That place is Hamburg, New Jersey, where at the Crystal Springs Resort here “the latest in electric bike innovation and active outdoor technology” is on display, all hosted by the organizers of two of the largest retail-sports trade shows in the world, Interbike and Outdoor Retailer.
While still relatively uncommon in the United States, with less than 50,000 sold domestically, bicycles with electronic-assist motors have sold more than 30 million units in China and Europe, according to Charged Up organizers.
GearJunkie got a look at a few of the bikes yesterday, and some, such as a full-suspension mountain bike with electric-assist by Haibike, look impressive and fun.
According to Charged Up, the e-bike category could gain traction in the U.S. as millions of baby boomers consider the genre. Millennials, too, are a target — this generation has fewer driver’s licenses and own fewer cars; they seek alternative forms of transportation, and e-bikes might fill that niche.
Today we’ll have a chance to go for a spin on a few of these bikes to see what all the fuss is about.
Some of the participating brands include BionX, Prodeco, Pete’s Electric Bikes, Currie Technologies (izip, eflow, Haibike, Lapierre), as well as non-bike brands like Leatherman, LedLensor, Ascent Solar Technologies/EnerPlex, GoalZero, D.Light Designs and Celliant.
Check back for details on some of the interesting e-bikes we demo and other technology from Charged Up. We’re off to “e-pedal” now on some trails here at the resort.
