Smart e-car booth, also shows us the e-bike

[SHiFT]

Just more glimpses of the e-bike they've planned.

http://www.gizmag.com/smart-for-us-on-display/21052/

 

[Hillhater]

Nothing very radical about this..
not even a shock fork !

 

[liveforphysics]

There seems to be a trend in designing bicycles that are terrible structural designs, but appeal aesthetically to some idiotic industrial designer who thinks bad engineering looks neat.

 

[Jason27]

Let me guess.. the bike has a 24 volt battery and cost 3k?

 

[mabman]

No cargo capacity whatsoever.

 

[Miles]

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21855

Why are white and pale green de rigueur for almost all "designer" bikes?

 

[etard]

I'll have to disagree with you guys, I don't see any structural problems with the bike, everything is hidden away, the battery is accessible, its a nuetral design that would appeal to the target crowd: trendy hipsters. It will probably be priced fairly lofty though, much like the Smart car itself. I would ride that bike and pick up chicks that recycle at the local coffee haunt. :wink:

 

[MadRhino]

I'll have to disagree with you guys, I don't see any structural problems with the bike...

I see a weak design for the rear end, don't like the wheel lacing that is more appropriate for a lightweight road bike, and lack of suspension.
Then, it looks green but if you want to pick up the granola chicks, you'd have to let them walk behind. :wink:

 

[Lebowski]

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21855

Why are white and pale green de rigueur for almost all "designer" bikes?

I think it's an Apple thing

 

[miuan]

nice fenders.
but whoever thinks he can let a green chick ride this bike, with the seat mast this high, is likely wrong.
no even enough room for a shockpost.

 

[Jethro56]

Perfect for those who feel making a political statement is the reason for owning one.

 

[Ypedal]

i dont think it looks terrible, belt drive it seems, for a 250w getup it's ok imo.. pass. ( I mean, i'll pass... i got better machines in my living room )

 

[dogman dan]

Perfect for office decor for the executive. Nobody needs to know he's got a hummer in the parking garage.

It's all about looks, so that market segment won't give a rip about the price, and won't ever ride it far enough to bend a wheel.

They know what they are doing, but what they are doing is not making a practical ebike for the masses. Fortunately we have an ES member from the netherlands here that is. Quajochem.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=34085

 

[Ykick]

Once again people designing something they have NO direct personal knowledge about. Theory, and "book smarts" seems to be the main prerequisite as opposed to how the hell do I get to work?

 

[dogman dan]

They don't care. The market segment they are after is only concerned with how cool it will look leaning against the office wall. Think of it as a piece of sculpture.

Ever watch a smart car drive over potholes or bumps like a manhole cover? The driver whacks thier head on the roof, with the golf cart grade suspension at work. Imagine 200 miles in one. Oh, my L3!

 

[TonyReynolds]

There seems to be a trend in designing bicycles that are terrible structural designs, but appeal aesthetically to some idiotic industrial designer who thinks bad engineering looks neat.

While I would generally agree with some of the other comments made, as an industrial designer (no experience in bikes) I gotta say you use very broad brush...

 

[SHiFT]

Your comments have me thinking along the lines of the old trend, mostly in the 90's, when car manufacturers made mountain bikes to match their cars. It seemed every luxury brand had to have at least one overpriced MTB. I never "got it."Even as a teen it just seemed so stupid. The bikes were not particularly special, yet cost 2 to 3 times the price of an actual great bike.

Smart could just be following that same logic. Call it merchandising? It's as if, right next to the bike display at the dealer, they have a rack of SMART keychains and catalogs of mail-order clothes and other crap.