Aug

Go From A2B on An Electric Bike, Praying The Battery Doesn’t Die.

Posted by admin Published in Two Wheels, Transportation Alternatives

Behold the A2B, an electric bicycle so named considering it gets you from Point A to Point B - at least until the battery dies. next you’re sitting on a 73-pound bicycle even Kristin Armstrong would bust a quad riding.

The A2B is Ultra Motor’s entry in the growing peloton of electric bicycles, even whether the company calls it a light electric vehicle. Whatever it is, you can ride it like an seven-speed bike or turn on the 500-watt electric motor and cruise along at 20 mph. “It’s basically a bike on steroids - in a good way,” says chief executive Chris Deyo.

With a $2,500 price tag, the A2B is nearly as expensive as it is portly but Ultra Motor says it’s competitive with high-end bicycles and still cheaper than getting around with fossil fuel.

The few bicycle bits listed on the specs aren’t poor — Shimano Alivio derailleur, Hayes disc brakes and full suspension with an aluminum frame — but you’re clearly

shelling out the big bucks for the proprietary motor and 36 volt lithium ion battery.

Ultra Motor says the A2B is better than other e-bikes considering it was “built from the tires up for superior performance.” Those tires, by the way, are 3 inches wide. The battery provides just 20 miles range — you can add another battery to double that — and, according to one review, requires three to five hours to charge. Ultra Motor notes the U.S. station of Transportation says nearly half of all trips public take each day are less than 3 miles, so it clearly thinks the A2B has sufficient range for most humans. whether it doesn’t, you’ll get a hell of a workout.

Look for the A2B in bike and scooter shops next month.

Photo by Ultra Motor.