{{Short description|A folding E-Bike}} thumb|right | alt=YikeBike with rider. | YikeBike with rider.The '''YikeBike''' is a folding E-Bike announced at Eurobike 2009 that went into production in mid 2010. The YikeBike was invented by Grant Ryan, one of the founders of Eurekster and designed by a team in New Zealand over 5 years.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 September 2009 |title=Kiwi Inventor Gives Bicycle Radical Redesign |url=http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/kiwi-inventor-gives-bicycle-radical-redesign/5/22894 |access-date=2 September 2009 |publisher=Voxy }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> It was sold in over 40 countries.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Radical bike redesign |url=https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1467-radical-bike-redesign |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Science Learning Hub |language=en}}</ref> Up to December 2019, 2000 YikeBikes were sold.
The bike when folded, it is small enough to fit in a carry bag, so it can be transported in an urban bus.
== History == The development of the YikeBike started in 2004 and was partly funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Science and Innovation.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/videos/770-the-yikebike-story |title=The YikeBike Story |language=en |access-date=2025-03-04 |via=www.sciencelearn.org.nz}}</ref> In September 2009, the YikeBike was presented to the public at Eurobike in Germany by Project Garlic Ltd.,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-08-31 |title=EUROBIKE {{!}} Routefinder by Messe Friedrichshafen - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/messe-friedrichshafen/docs/eb09_routefinder_web |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=issuu.com |language=en}}</ref> shortly after YikeBike was ranked 15th on Time magazine's 50 Best Inventions of 2009 list.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 2009 |title=The YikeBike : 50 Best Inventions of 2009 |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1934027_1934003_1933960,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091115062402/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1934027_1934003_1933960,00.html |archive-date=November 15, 2009 |work=Time Magazine}}</ref> The bike was compared to the Segway, by the international press.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Klapprad für Tretfaule |url=https://www.derstandard.at/consent/tcf/story/1254311698192/klapprad-fuer-tretfaule |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=DER STANDARD |language=de-AT}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-09-04 |title=Cyclo-therapy: Enter the YikeBike – the extraordinary lovechild |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/cyclotherapy-enter-the-yikebike-ndash-the-extraordinary-lovechild-of-a-segway-and-a-penny-farthing-with-dwarfism-1780658.html |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> In 2010 the bike was awarded a Guinness World Record for the "most compact electric bike" at the time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/94209-most-compact-electric-bike | title=Most compact electric bike }}</ref> In 2011 beside a carbon version, costing around $3,800 an aluminum version named "Fusion" was released with a price of around $2,000.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GELlOaYIpEA |title=Folding Electric YikeBike Ignores Conventional Design |date=2011-06-10 |last=Bloomberg Originals |access-date=2025-03-04 |via=YouTube}}</ref> By May 2011 250 carbon YikeBikes were sold.<ref>{{Cite web |title=YikeBike pedalling new product |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/5003415/YikeBike-pedalling-new-product |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref> In 2013 a third version called "Synergy" was released.<ref name=":1" />
YikeBike featured on Discovery Channel's Daily Planet show.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 2009 |title=YikeBike featured on Discovery Channel's Daily Planet show. |url=http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/#clip245274 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529105243/http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/#clip245274 |archive-date=2010-05-29 |access-date=2009-12-13 |work=Discovery Channel}}</ref> Stephen Fry tested the YikeBike in season 1, episode 1 of ''Stephen Fry's 100 Greatest Gadgets.'' In 2017 YikeBike presented an electric skateboard, with up to 30 km/h (or 24 km/h)<ref>{{Cite book |last=Yikebike |url=https://archive.org/details/yike-board-information |title=Yike Board Information |date=November 2017}}</ref> that would be founded via Kickstarter but failed their goal.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnKJIGhWTkM |title=YikeBoard Kickstarter |date=2017-09-11 |last=yikebike |access-date=2025-03-04 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-04 |title=Yike launches electric YikeBoard |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/yike-launches-electric-yikeboard/XITYW2EA4YDNKUVYCGCYO5IWBQ/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}</ref> Up to December 2019, 2000 YikeBikes were sold. Since December 2019 the owers wants to sell the company but up to March 2025, could not find a buyer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-30 |title=The world's first super light folding electric bike {{!}} YikeBike |url=http://www.yikebike.com/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230065300/http://www.yikebike.com/ |archive-date=30 December 2019 }}</ref>
== The Bike == The YikeBike looks like a mini version of a penny-farthing. It has a maximum Speed of 23 km/h (14mp/h) folds to 15x60x60cm (6x23.6x23.6 in) and weighs 11 to 14 kg (24.7 to 30.9 lb. The vehicle has no chain, pedals, gear box, mechanical brake, cables or levers. These functions are provided by a {{convert|0.2|kW|hp|abbr=on}} electric motor and controller. The bike has regenerative electronic anti-skid brakes. The tires are 24" (507mm) in the front and 12" (203mm) in the back.<!-- Mesurements are correct in inch and mm for bike tires. See articles: Bicycle tire & Bicycle wheel § Sizes --> There are also built-in lights, indicators and horn for safety.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-01-23 |title=Specifications {{!}} YikeBike - The world's first super light electric folding bike. |url=http://www.yikebike.com/faq/full-spec-sheet |access-date=2025-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123070911/http://www.yikebike.com/faq/full-spec-sheet |archive-date=23 January 2012 }}</ref> One charge has a reach of 6 miles (9,7 km)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-02-03 |title=The Commuter Bike Redesigned and Electrified |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/03/the-commuter-bike-redesigned-and-electrified/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Pogue's Posts Blog |language=en}}</ref>
== Legality == In Europe the YikeBike would not be classified as a bicycle but as an E-Scooter in some countries. In some countries like Germany or the UK the YikeBike would not be legal to drive on public roads.<ref>{{Cite web |title=E-Bike Rules and Regulations |url=https://sensitivus.com/insights/eu-rules-and-regulations-e-bikes/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Sensitivus |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-08 |title=Country overview: E-scooter regulations in Europe |url=https://www.evz.de/en/travelling-motor-vehicles/e-mobility/two-wheelers/e-scooter-regulations.html |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=www.evz.de |language=en}}</ref> In New Zealand the YikeBike got declared as a non motor vehicle in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yike Bike (Declaration Not to be Motor Vehicles) Notice 2014 - 2014-au5811- New Zealand Gazette |url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2014-au5811 |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=gazette.govt.nz}}</ref>
== Awards ==
* 2010: Supreme Award for Product Design<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Advantage |first=Pure |date=2011-08-29 |title=YikeBike |url=https://pureadvantage.org/yikebike/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Pure Advantage |language=en-NZ}}</ref> * 2010: Gold Award for Consumer Product * 2010: International Design Award “Urban Sustainable Design” category * 2011: iF product design award * 2013: Champion Canterbury award<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harvie |first=Will |date=2013-11-18 |title=Start-up veteran works on hunches |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/small-business/9410335/Start-up-veteran-works-on-hunches |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref>
==See also== *Electric motorcycles
== Weblinks ==
* [https://www.yikebike.com/ Official Website]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.yikebike.com/ Official Website]
Category:Electric concept cars Category:Bicycles Category:New Zealand design