New Chainless E-Bike Set for European Release in 2013

Photo Credit: www.mandofootloose.com

Chainless bikes are not relatively new. The innovation has been around for quite some time already. A hydraulic bicycle for example uses the manual power given to the pedals to pass liquid to a hydraulic pump, which is then connected to a mechanism that drives the wheels of the bike.

But despite the perceived prevalence of chainless bikes, there are still a few types that are not as common as others. Multiple, or hybrid drive system chainless bikes for example, are something that would be not really considered that usual. That is probably why we found this new chainless e-bike quite notable, and we’re about to find out more about its innovative designs and capabilities.

The Footloose is a new hybrid drive system chainless e-bike that was developed by the South Korean-based auto part maker Mando. As an ordinary bike, you can pedal it around while you travel across town, but if you want to change power sources, you simply switch it to its electric drive mode. It would then be powered by a lithium-ion battery much like a regular e-bike. The overall concept of its hybrid drive system is actually more of a moped or a light e-scooter, but instead of getting energy from other sources, it just conveniently stores up the energy that you used when you manually hit the pedals.

When the battery is fully charged, it can run on electricity for at least 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) before it requires pedaling. Since the energy produced from pedaling can greatly vary depending on speed and intensity, there are no definite figures on how much pedaling is required to fully charge the battery.

Of course, as it is a 21st century machine, it is also equipped with different electronic equipment and sensors (called the Electronic Control Unit or ECU) to provide you with real-time information about its performance and surroundings. For example, it can check the current terrain traveled by the bike, allowing its own correction system to make certain adjustments to the motor’s power output to maintain a smooth and steady ride.

Eco Note:
Aside from the concept of its drive system the design of the bike itself is also quite innovative. The white, curvy, minimalist design of the frame, when matched with the equally ergonomic wheels gives a sense of style that is only seen and perfectly appreciated in our modern 21st century. Some enthusiasts of the invention even compare it to the same stylish minimalist external features of the iPhone, and with its cool eco-friendly features, they usually dub it as the “iPhone of bicycles“.

Finally, what makes it even more convenient to use is that it is foldable. That’s right; you can simply tuck it away like a specialized hiking bike. You only need to fold, bend and twist a few components and it will reduce the space that it takes up to about 60%.

Already interested in purchasing one? Unfortunately we’re still many months away from its official release in 2013. And even if it were already available, you’d have to be from Europe in order to easily get one.

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Christian Crisostomo (251 Posts)

Christian Crisostomo is just your average tech geek that loves to see man's newest and most recent technological exploits. He holds great interest in the potentials of green technology, and is enthusiastic about the continuous development of environment-friendly alternative energy.

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