Rose City Recumbent Cycles out of Portland, Oregon, has launched the Roselandia on Kickstarter, a funky ebike with a slanting seat tube that pushes the mid-drive pedal-assist motor forward for a more comfortable ride.
Said to merge BMX, modern crank-forward and cargo bike designs, the ebike is described as "comfortable, easy to ride, simple to operate, and adjusts easily for different rider heights."
Rose City says that its ebike is built to last, with components that can be easily serviced by a bike shop near you, instead of having to seek out specialist help. Its 6061 aluminum one-piece frame has a 25-inch step-over height, and the crank-forward design means that when riders come to a stop, they can put their feet almost flat to the tarmac while remaining fully seated in the ergonomic seat.
The Roselandia tips the scales at 49 lb (22.2 kg), including the battery locked into the cargo rack to the rear. The battery pack and Bafang M400 motor combination could power the ebike for up to 60 miles (96.5 km) of pedal-assist riding, depending on rider weight, ride style and other factors – though electric assist can be disabled for normal riding.
The ebike is reported compact enough to fit in a car with the seats folded down, for between ride transport, but the creator has opted not to make this ebike a folder, "in order to preserve the solid and safe feel of a full size bicycle."
Elsewhere, the Roselandia rides on 20-inch 406 wheels wrapped in Schwalbe Big Apple tires, and stopping power comes courtesy of TRP Spyke dual-piston mechanical caliper brakes.
In development since 2017 and the subject of rider testing and fine-tuning since, the Roselandia is now ready for production. The bike shop has launched on Kickstarter to get at least the first 100 ebikes into the hands of riders and dealers. Pledges start at US$2,400 and, if all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in December of this year. The video below has more.
Source: Rose City Recumbent Cycles
