I was in Palo Alto during the Gran Fondo today and saw a RideKick electric power trailer attached to Ellen Fletcher’s Breezer Citizen!
Ellen is the 80-something year old former vice mayor and Nazi holocaust survivor who still uses her bicycle to get around. “You know breathing is getting a little more difficult for me,” she explained, reminding me that she’s recovering from lung cancer, “so this electric trailer helps me bike a little easier.”
The RideKick trailer attaches to your bike like many other trailers, but this one provides a boost with an electric motor along with some modest cargo capacity. The standard 19 lb 24V 12 AH sealed lead acid battery drives a 500 watt motor, which is governed to 19 MPH. A handlebar mounted throttle controls speed; the battery is removed for charging.
I tried it at Interbike and it works better than I expected. I expected fishtailing and other control issues from the trailer’s push while I rode through a heavy crowd at the Bike Hugger Mobile Social, but maneuverability and control was just fine with the trailer.
For more info, visit RideKick.com.
Brilliant idea especially for Australia where we are restricted to a max of 200 w motors,
I know one has to be sensible when applying watts x but a 500 w as an electric trailer there is bugger all the police who have to regulate stupid rules made up by stupid pollies .
Of course because we are not fighting any wars or civil actions in Australia YET so maybe the pollies will try and close this LOOPHOLE as they have nothing better to do with their time.
I know I know they could be creating sensible sustainable policy’s .
But then again they will more than likely place that in the to hard baskets.