People like sit-down scooters because they have comfy seats, and they're easy to get on and off of. People also like suspension mountain bikes, however, because they're smooth-riding. Florida-based startup Monkey Faction has attempted to combine all of those qualities in one retro-looking bike, known as the Capuchin.
Named after the capuchin monkey (as opposed to the Capuchin order of friars), the bike's scooter-like features include a long padded seat, a 7000 series aluminum step-through frame, and a fully-upright feet-forward riding position.
Its mountain bike-like features, on the other hand, include an RST coil spring suspension fork and 20 x 4-inch tires. It also has mechanical disc brakes and a Shimano 7-speed drivetrain.
The whole thing weighs 36 lb (16 kg) in the L/XL frame size, and can carry up to 350 lb (159 kg). It's currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, where a pledge of US$349 will get you one – when and if it reaches production. The planned retail price is $449.
Hopefully for its makers, it will do better than the similar but unsuccessfully-funded Moox. And if you're liking its 1970s minibike look, but wishing it had a motor … well, you might want to check out the Super 73.
Source: Kickstarter