I absolutely love all things cycling, and recently, that's included "e-bikes" or electric bikes. Compared to the smooth aesthetics of classic bike frames, today's e-bikes tend to be clunky on the down tubes (where extra large batteries are fitted) and overall, look ugly.
@quan gave me a test ride of one of the early builds of the Karmic Koben a few months ago and it was hands down, one of the most delightful (and exciting) rides I've taken on a bike. A few "ahas" from the experience:
1. It was the first time I rode an e-bike. The bike is heavier than others I've ridden (whether that be a road or a commuter) but it's not terrible.
2. The thing is FAST. I rode around downtown SF and cruised to ~26 MPH without pedaling hard. It's a great way to get around town.
3. It's crazy fun.
Great question Walter! We're bike enthusiasts first and foremost, so our bikes are pedelecs, or European style pedal assist only. It's easy enough to add a throttle, but that changes the whole experience and it doesn't quite feel like a bicycle anymore. We think that pedal-assist is much more natural and fun.
I only rode this for a few blocks, but I can say unequivocally: it's impossible to ride this without grinning like an idiot.
I can hardly wait to get my hands on this,—and I live in the relatively flat Oakland.
@willimholte Thanks Will! People associate ebikes with hilly terrain, but as you've experienced, it's awesome for flat areas too. We like to say it shrinks your city!
I had the pleasure of riding this bike a few weeks back and instantly fell in love. I wasn't sure what to expect as this was my first e-bike and was blown away. It just felt right.
For @quan: What are your next steps?
@650redhair We're still working on our battery design, but will be launching a Kickstarter soon so people can start ordering a bike, and we can kick off production in the next few months.
Super stoked for you @quan! I'm an owner of an OG Karmic bike (a non e-bike) and really love his passion and dedication around the biking experience. We bonded over startup tees a few years ago and it's been fun to see the gears in his mind literally shifting towards this space. He definitely has that surprise and delight mentally with his customers.
@wtrsld Hi Josh, we're still working on final production spec, and the parts selection & order volume affects the final price.
Our goal is sub-$2k retail, and our Kickstarter price will be less than $1500 just to get production going. Let me know if you want to demo it!
Hi 'Hunters,
I'm certainly biased, but I love Karmic Bikes and want everyone to love bikes as well. Let me know if you have any questions. There are a few details left out of the TC article/video so I'm happy to fill in the gaps if anyone is interested in learning more about what we're making.
@quan let me test ride this as well. It was a fantastic experience! Felt like riding a bike but without any difficulty whatsoever. Super easy. Great for a commuter.
First of all, the experience of riding one of these bicycles is an absolute JOY. I'm super excited for Hong's vision for the future of bicycling to be realized. Better cities, better humans, better world. Rock on!
Sweet! Question: can you use electric to drive the bike like a motorcycle without pedaling, or does the electric only assist you when you are pedaling?
@maroun Thanks Maroun! We've gotten a lot of requests for a kit, so it's definitely something we'd like to do. The complete bike is our priority, so we'll launch that first, but the motor and battery does make for a good kit.
The name comes from the Danish word "København", for the capital city we know as Copenhagen.
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