Foldable bike

Gocycle will debut the GXi at the 2019 Cycle Show this week. It features a frame-integrated battery, auto-inspired lights, and folds in 10 seconds.

​Many workers are now leaving the car at home and commuting by bike. Little wonder then that the auto and bicycle worlds often merge for two wheel designs. Back in February, General Motors launched its first folding e-bikes, and now a former Jaguar Land Rover engineer has unveiled the Flit-16.​

​Back in 2014, Bulgarian architects Mihail Klenov and Martin Angelov introduced the Halfbike, a minimalist stand-up trike designed for short commutes. That was followed in 2015 by the improved Halfbike II. Now, they've upped their game once again, with – you guessed it – the Halfbike 3.

When we've attended the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in the past, we've always been on the lookout for things that weren't just plain ol' bikes. Well, this year's show didn't disappoint, with Bilenky Cycle Works showcasing a semi-recumbent creation that really caught our eye.

After teasing its first line of e-bikes in November last year, General Motors has today gone for the full reveal, showing off a pair of compact two-wheelers powered by an in-house purpose built electric motor.

​It was back in 2009 that we first heard about Karbon Kinetics Ltd's Gocycle, an e-bike with a seamless injection-molded magnesium alloy frame and an enclosed chain-drive. Other models followed, and now the company has announced the fast-folding Gocycle GX.

​Cargo bikes may be handy for schlepping stuff around, but they're also rather long and ungainly to park, store, or use as regular commuters. That's why German product design student David Maurer-Laube created the Convercycle – it's a standard-length e-bike that folds out to haul cargo.

Stark Drive has launched a Kickstarter for a folding e-bike called the Mini, which can throttle up to 15 mph for 9 miles or can go for 25 miles per charge in pedal assist. Interestingly, the company says that one of the flavors on offer can save you on taxi or shuttle fees when you travel by air.

​A couple of years ago, we told you about Moto Parilla's radical Carbon off-road e-bike – it certainly made a visual statement. Well, now the Italian company is back with the Parillino, a fat-tired folding bike/e-bike that's also pretty eye-catching.

A follow-up to the "world's lightest folding bike," the Hummingbird Electric is billed as the world's lightest folding e-bike. With a weight of just 23 lb (10.4 kg), it doesn't need the biggest motor in the garage to flaunt its power-to-weight ratio proudly.

​Taiwan-based Tern Bicycles has revamped its Vektron folding e-bike range, making these convenient commuters lighter, stronger, quieter, more comfortable and more practical than ever, with a modest price drop to boot.

​If you've ever tried taking a bicycle on an airplane, then you'll know what a hassle it can be to pack the things. Having a folding bike helps, although cyclist Bert Vermeulen found that even on that front, there was room for improvement. That's why he developed the ultra-flat-packing Alpaca Bike.