only a sleek-looking ma- chine, but can go from zero to fast in one gear. They also look nearly identical to a traditional ride, hosting a battery pack and motor in place of the powertrain.
Because motor-
cycles are small and ef- ficient, they don’t require heavy battery packs, and can be plugged into any home outlet to charge. Most will run for about two hours, or 40 to 50 miles on a charge. A federal in- centive of a 10 percent tax credit helps with the purchase price, along with state incentives active in California, Col- orado, Georgia and South Carolina and pending in many other states (update at
ZeroMotorcycles.com/it/incentives). Examples at
Brammo.com; Ri-
deMission.com (Mission Motors). For more information see Popular Mechan- ics’ Electric Motorcycle Guide, tinyurl. com/3ddeej6.
ELECTRIC DIRT BIKES: Nature lovers may recoil at the idea of gas-powered dirt bikes or motocross bikes tearing around trails, but in designated spots, they can provide the thrill riders seek, minus the noxious exhaust and noisy, revving engines. In fact, Dirt Rider Magazine says of the all-electric Zero X dirt bike: “Utter silence... is the inevi- table sound of the future of off-road motorcycle riding.” Its battery charger plugs in to any standard outlet, and all of the com- pany’s lithium-ion power packs are re- cycled. While the battery-powered Zero can reach off-road speeds of up to 47 mph, the company Razor also designs scaled-down electric motocross bikes (and quads and scooters) for younger enthusiasts that are built for fun, with speeds of up to 14 mph for up to 10 miles on a single charge. Examples at
Razor.com and
ZeroMotorcycles.com (search Dirt).
LONGTAIL AND CARGO BIKES: Longtail, or cargo, bikes are designed for carting everything from groceries to kids. An extended mount for the back tire gives riders extra space to use as a long,
June 2011 23
flat seat for kids to straddle, with space on either side for saddle- bags (called panniers) or other bucket- or basket-type attach- ments. It has a bit larger turning radius and two kickstands for keeping the bike upright when stationary. With a base price often up-
wards of $1,000, cargo-oriented riders may wish to opt to convert an existing bicycle into a longtail with a backend attachment like the Free Radical from Xtracycle,
which can be bolted on to provide two deep compartments for hauling up to 200 pounds of carry-ons. Madsen bikes come equipped with a large, sturdy bucket that supplies a fun ride for young ones—or for packing beach gear or shopping bags.
Examples at
MadsenCycles.com, Surly
Bikes.com and
Xtracycle.com.
BALANCE BIKES: Pedal-less or “walk- ing” balance bikes (also known as run bikes) are all the rage in kids’ bicycles today, and a quick perusal of YouTube videos of kids riding them shows why. Because little ones are able to use their feet to push off the ground, then lift their feet as the bike rolls for- ward, even tots as young as 2 or 3 can do some serious cruising. Not only can they go somewhat faster than they would with a hard-to-accelerate tri- cycle, they also learn how to balance themselves,
facilitating a quicker transition to a larger bike with- out train- ing wheels when
the time comes. Examples at
Access.Kettlerusa.com/ retail,
LikeABikeusa.com, MyStriderBike. com and
Runbikes.com.
BIKE ACCESSORIES: Rock the Bike, a collaboration of inventors and advo- cates in Berkeley, California, wants to make bike riding a fun, community- centered, mainstream activity with citizen advocates everywhere. Products offered by Rock the Bike are designed to make daily commuting and night riding easier, including cargo bikes designed for hauling heavy stuff; the Biker Bar, which allows several riders to produce clean energy from pedaling together (providing a steady 200 watts of power); Bike Blenders, which let riders pedal their way to tasty smoothies; and The Down Low Glow multi-colored neon lighting for bike frames that provides better nighttime visibility. Information at Rock-
TheBike.com. Brita Belli, the editor of
E – The Environmental Mag- azine, is a regular contribu- tor to Natural Awakenings.
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