Bicycles

Novel ebike rocks integrated, expandable, hard shell panniers

Novel ebike rocks integrated, expandable, hard shell panniers
The integrated carbon fiber panniers can haul 50 lb of cargo
The integrated carbon fiber panniers can haul 50 lb of cargo
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The Model 1 can comfortably seat two adults or one adult and two kids
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The Model 1 can comfortably seat two adults or one adult and two kids
The integrated carbon fiber panniers can haul 50 lb of cargo
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The integrated carbon fiber panniers can haul 50 lb of cargo
The integrated rear light doubles as a brake light
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The integrated rear light doubles as a brake light
The panniers open and extend to offer up to 80 liters of cargo storage
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The panniers open and extend to offer up to 80 liters of cargo storage
Pre-production Model 1 prototype is readied for a test ride
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Pre-production Model 1 prototype is readied for a test ride
The Model 1's suspension auto adjusts to rider/cargo weight
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The Model 1's suspension auto adjusts to rider/cargo weight
The Model 1 has been designed to comfortably seat two adults
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The Model 1 has been designed to comfortably seat two adults
One li-ion battery pack is good for 25 miles of range, an optional second battery will get up to 50 miles per charge
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One li-ion battery pack is good for 25 miles of range, an optional second battery will get up to 50 miles per charge
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The Model 1 from Civilized Cycles combines scooter, moped, electric bike and cargo bike into one funky-looking ride. Those integrated panniers lock up to haul 20 liters of cargo inside, or pull out to offer 80 liters of extended carrying capacity.

While working at a Vespa dealership in New York, which had expanded its product line to include ebikes, Zachary Schieffelin noted that a bunch of customers were asking for dream rides combining the best of scooters, cargo bikes and Dutch cruisers. Inspired, he got to work on the design of a versatile, connected and durable people and cargo carrier.

Panniers can be easily attached to the rear rack of many two-wheelers, electric or otherwise, but Schieffelin wanted to have his ebike's cargo pods integrated into the actual design. After fine-tuning development sketches, a foam and ply scale mockup was created and after some positive nods from potential customers, the decision was made to build a prototype.

Pre-production Model 1 prototype is readied for a test ride
Pre-production Model 1 prototype is readied for a test ride

Schieffelin jumped into the project full time in 2016, and Civilized Cycles was born. Over the next wee while, the core team worked with suppliers and production partners to refine the original concepts and bring the Model 1 to life.

The first production Model 1 ebikes will be a limited run. The rides are said to seat two adults, or one adult and two kids, comfortably, using a step-through frame fashioned from hydroformed aluminum. There's a 350-W, 500-W or 750-W mid-drive motor (depending on local regulations) that's reported to offer twice the peak torque of a Bosch mid-drive motor. It has a top speed of up to 20 mph (32 km/h) or 28 mph (45 km/h), and riders can choose throttle only, or pedal-assist.

The ebike can motor along for 25 miles (40 km) of per charge range of the Li-ion battery, which sports two USB charging ports for powering devices, or twice that with the addition of an optional second battery pack.

Those eye-catching patented hard shell panniers can carry up to 50 lb (22.6 kg) of cargo, are weather-resistant, lockable and enclose the upper half of the rear wheel. The Model 1 features a novel full Manitou suspension system that auto adjusts to the weight of the rider, passenger and cargo, with 80 mm of travel available to the front and 60 mm at the back.

The Model 1's suspension auto adjusts to rider/cargo weight
The Model 1's suspension auto adjusts to rider/cargo weight

Elsewhere you'll find frame-integrated head- and tail-lights, with the former auto-dipping when oncoming headlights are detected and the latter also serving as a brake light. Stopping power comes courtesy of Tektro hydraulic disc braking, and ebike controls can be accessed using an app running on a Bluetooth-paired smartphone.

The first 40 Founders Team edition's are limited to a small production run of just 40, and are priced at US$5,999 each. Shipping is estimated to start in Q2 2020. The video below shows a Model 1 tackling hills in San Francisco.

San Francisco Hill Climb

Source: Civilized Cycles via The Verge

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3 comments
3 comments
paul314
That hill-climbing ability is what I need. E-bike is pretty much useless in my neck of the woods without it.
PhilippeHolthuizen
Zach did a really good job of documenting the development process, well worth a look: https://civilizedcycles.com/our-story/
NZRalphy
What is that clicking n banging noise on the hill climb....something is about to break?!