Bicycles

Specialized's workhorse ebikes incentivize bike rides over car rides

Load up all your favorite cacti (or something that makes sense to carry on a bike) and hit the city streets via ebike instead of motor vehicle
Specialized
Load up all your favorite cacti (or something that makes sense to carry on a bike) and hit the city streets via ebike instead of motor vehicle
Specialized

One of the world's largest bicycle companies is looking to up its ebike game with a dedicated brand that encourages commuters to ditch the car and saddle up on an electric bike. Specialized announced today that it will add Globe as a new electric bike and accessory business unit. From the first photo it released with the announcement, we can see that at least part of the Globe product line will comprise electric utility bikes capable of carrying all kinds of everyday essentials around town.

Specialized is no stranger to the ebike market, having a full decade of experience selling its own ebikes. Some of those electrified bi-wheelers have ranked among the lightest, sleekest electric road bikes and fastest, most powerful electric mountain bikes the world over. Few of them would be what we'd call "affordable."

We don't know if Globe bikes will be truly affordable for the average cyclist or commuter, but Specialized does stress attainability as one of the corporate cornerstones of the Globe brand. That attainability should apply to both price point and bike availability.

"Globe will harness the power of the Specialized ecosystem to provide everyday riders with the widest nationwide network of sales and service opportunities," Specialized explains. "Globe will serve riders with a growing number of everyday high-performance EVs and the accessories that go with them."

Specialized also specifically mentions a commitment to "lifetime value and affordability." What it doesn't mention is any model descriptions or specs, leaving those details for later this year when it will start taking orders.

The initial photo shows an absolute mule of a rig with a heavy-duty frame, fat tires, cargo buckets hanging off both sides of each wheel, a rear hub motor and a rather extensive selection of gears. Specialized also talks about moving "you, your family and your things," so it's clear that a good part of Globe's focus, if not its entire focus, will be on cargo and utility bikes capable of transporting more than just the rider.

It's hard to get too excited for a new ebike brand when, in place of a complete bike, most of what we see are fierce, flesh-hungry cacti (odd photo choice), but it's easy enough to reimagine those buckets carrying groceries, tools, school books and supplies, sports gear, or whatever other large, hefty daily cargo one usually transports via car. Clamp a seat or two down on the rear rack, and it could easily drive the kids to school or daycare.

Specialized ultimately hopes Globe's purpose-built product line, along with outside factors like the high cost of gasoline and desire to avoid traffic, will lead more people to choose ebike trips over motor vehicle trips ... or perhaps even ebike ownership over motor vehicle ownership.

Globe products will be available exclusively in the US at launch, and Specialized plans to deliver the first products in early 2023. Those interested in updates can sign up at Specialized's Globe page.

Source: Specialized

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4 comments
BlueOak
Not sure Specialized will be the one to finally do it, but good to see volume bike producers in eBikes… hopefully leading to more solid, supported eBikes for less than US$1,000. Benefitting from volume production costs and economies of scale.
minivini
I see these cool looking open-air sky bike evtol vehicles and cringe a little at the prospect of a low speed crash. I see this thing carrying all those cacti, and I think, “Same.”
TechGazer
If you're going to use it to transport stuff that is breakable/spillable or, as the photo suggests, dangerous, a third wheel (delta or tadpole configuration) would be a good idea, and probably not raise the production cost all that much. It would also allow the bike to be useful in slippery conditions. Here in Alberta, I'd have to put a two-wheeler away for nearly half the year, due to ice or slippery mud.

Price is important to me too. I'm not going to spend several thousand dollars to save a few litres of fuel per month. I expect someone will be able to produce a decent utility bike for under $1000.
Claudio
who's not carrying cacti on an e-bike nowadays?
LOL