Sondors Metacycle

[Rockburner]

https://sondorsx.com/pages/metacycle




Ok - now we're getting somewhere.

Assuming this doesn't just become vaporware, this is looking very positive indeed.

Ok - the range isn't huge, but it's got the capability to reach 'highway' speeds, and can be charged easily, and the purchase cost is LOW: $5000. That's commuter / 2nd bike territory for most.

If Sondors can make this thing work, be reliable, and make enough of them - I can see them, (and others that follow the style/specs) actually being successful and popular.


I'd buy one if I had a mid-range commute, currently I don't, but I'm still tempted!

It DOES need a proper front mudguard though.... (or the access hatch for the removable battery relocating!)

[G.P]

I really like that, it would still look good with big mudguard or hugger on it. They do some funky ebikes too

[Supermofo]

As a commuter that would appeal. I do 60 mile round trip...or I did. But if I do again a cheap leccy bike would be aces. Esp as I could probably charge is at work

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I quite like it, if it were to be a commuter it would need mudguards, and the weird hole could be changed into luggage space to carry a laptop and my lunch, it'd be good if this space was big enough to put a full face helmet in so I wouldn't have to carry a helmet about when I'm not riding it.

Apparently it weighs 91kg, which is pretty fantastic for an electric bike.

[Rockburner]

I quite like it, if it were to be a commuter it would need mudguards, and the weird hole could be changed into luggage space to carry a laptop and my lunch, it'd be good if this space was big enough to put a full face helmet in so I wouldn't have to carry a helmet about when I'm not riding it.

Apparently it weighs 91kg, which is pretty fantastic for an electric bike.

Yeah - there's quite a lot of practicality missing, but being that this is a californian 'startup' design, that's not a surprise.

The fact that someone's prepared to sell that performance at that price is what's going to change things. If they're successful, then others will join in (hopefully), with better, more useful designs.

[The Spin Doctor]

It also needs a ruddy seat!

What is it with this fad for building bikes with razor blades to sit on? Do the ruddy designers never ride them further than a photoshoot?

I owned an NX650, with one of the most uncomfortable seats I've ever used on anything. 50 miles was uncomfortable, 100 miles virtually undo-able. Range anxiety won't be about the battery but about your bum. That nonsense perch looks to have a range of about ten minutes!

[Skub]

A jerry can on wheels!

Quite a well done jerry can though.

[Dodgy69]

Horrible thing.

[Yorick]

They could have a nice drinks cabinet in that bloody great hole

[Mussels]

Big hole in the frame to put your chain through and a removable battery make it very undesirable to thieves, I like it.

[Skub]

Horrible thing.

Mind yer arse on those splinters.

[A_morti]

That gap in the frame tells me this wasn't designed by people who ride bikes. How are you meant to grip the bike? Hopefully they sell it with some kind of luggage box to out there to fix that.

Other than that, looks like a winner to me.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Expect to see more and more odd stuff like this, electric powertrains free you from the constraints of a normal bike.

Does feel like there should be luggage in that hole

[Mr. Dazzle]

Just spotted its a hub mounted motor...that'd explain why there's so much space in the frame.

Interesting choice, looks like quite a sizable lump though.

[Rockburner]

Just spotted its a hub mounted motor...that'd explain why there's so much space in the frame.

Interesting choice, looks like quite a sizable lump though.

I like the idea of that though because it's easy to replace /upgrade. Same with the removable battery obvs.

Plus it's probably one of the reasons they've managed to cut the manufacture costs down.

[Mr. Dazzle]

As we've said before, there are certainly merits to the idea. The downside is you're putting quite a heavy lump inside the wheel and constraining yourself to lower performance motors.

This is only a ~20bhp bike so it's OK, I doubt you'd get a 100bhp in there at a reasonable cost.

[demographic]

There's been severe doubts cast to the range cos it would have to be doing pushbike speeds to get that kind of efficiency from that battery.

[Mr. Dazzle]

It's got a 4kWh battery and you'd get roughly 90% of that as useful power at the wheels conservatively.

The 14.5kW motor could therefore flatten the battery in ~15 minutes. To get the claimed 80 miles in that time you'd have to be doing 320 miles an hour

However...those numbers only apply to having the throttle pinned. The nominal power is 8kW, which would give you nearer half an hour. You'd still need to be doing 160mph.

So yeah...to get 80 miles you'll probably have to pedal They also get kW and kWh mixed up on their site quite a bit.

[Mussels]

Even with the throttle pinned it wouldn't draw much power most of the time. Once up to speed it only needs to use enough power to counteract wind resistance*, I'm not sure what the speed on a bike is where wind resistance becomes a big issue.

* Yes I'm ignoring stuff like hills and traffic lights. Would be nice if it has regenerative charging but I know in ebikes it doesn't do much due to the lack of weight so they may not have bothered.

[Mr. Dazzle]

14kW is 20bhp, so you'd have the throttle pinned a lot!

It probably CAN do 80 miles. Just not in a hurry.