London's Gocycle has announced an update to last year's GX urban ebike, with riders promised a smoother 10-second fold, cleaner lines, flagship components and an overall weight saving of 10.5 oz compared to its predecessor.
"The fast-folding GX has been a phenomenon since we launched it last year, meeting the needs of savvy urban commuters across the globe," said company founder Richard Thorpe. "But our no compromises mission to build the best urban electric bikes on the planet continues.
"With constant refinement, we are continuously working to make improvements however large or small. Feedback from our customer base has been at the core of our focus this year.The 2020 GX is a truly compelling proposition with its fast-fold and industry-leading ride and comfort levels making it the most versatile urban e-bike on the market today."
The 2020 GX features a hydroformed 6061 T6 aluminum alloy frame with a 3-speed Cleandrive system, and apart from a single thin cable, no external wires are showing for a clean look. The ebike's battery is seamlessly integrated into the frame, with riders able to pop it out when the frame is folded for charging at home or at work.
The 13.7-Ah/22-V Li-ion battery should be good for around 40 miles (65 km) per charge, depending on rider style and motor use, and remaining charge can be checked while on the move thanks to a mid-handlebar LED status indicator. Meanwhile, the 500-W or 250-W front hub motor (depending on region) enables a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h) – or less in Europe.
There's torque-sensing, direct mechanical shifting and, like other models from the company, the 2020 GX comes with electronic traction control. When a loss of traction is detected in the front wheel, motor power is automatically reduced until traction and control is regained. Gocycle has also wrapped the 20-inch PitStopWheels wheels in its own all-weather tires, which are puncture resistant too.
The front fork has trickled down from the top of the range GXi for the promise of a more engaging ride and improved comfort, stopping power comes from hydraulic disc braking front and rear, and Lockshock rear suspension with 25 mm of travel should help smooth out some of the bumps along the way. Users can customize riding modes using a mobile app running on a Bluetooth-paired smartphone, as well as dive into ride stats and more.
All of the updates to the GX have allowed Gocycle to shave 300 g (10.5 oz) off the overall weight, making the 38.6-lb (17.5-kg) ride less of a chore to haul on and off public transport or up the stairs to the office between rides. And when folded down to 32.7 x 15.3 x 29.5 in (830 x 390 x 750 mm) dimensions, the rider can roll the collapsed ebike along on the side-by-side wheels.
The 2020 GX is available now in a choice of three colors for a suggested retail price of US$3,299. Accessories like lights, fenders and front pannier are also available as optional extras.
Product page: Gocycle GX