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Pedego Interceptor TandemElectric tandem for twice the fun, half the effort. Probably.
We've a bit of a tandem theme running on the site at the moment, and we don't mean "Daisy, Daisy etc etc". There's an interesting machine that's just come to our attention, a unique electric tandem from Podego.
Opinion is always going to be divided on electric bikes in general, with a slight snobbishness meaning that many cyclists look upon them as "not real bikes" and riding them as somehow "cheating". We're not going to get embroiled in this argument here and are siting firmly on the fence with the opinion that they certainly have their place in the grand scheme of two wheeled things.
And none more so than in the case of a tandem. One of the areas in which electrc bikes excel is in helping less physically fit or capable riders to get out and enjoy riding along with everyone else. A standard tandem is a tricky proposition for someone (or a pair of someones) who aren't entirely up to happily riding a "normal" solo bike, so a tandem that can allow, say a slightly infirm older couple to go pedalling off for an afternoon with reduced effort has got to be a good thing. It's easy AND sociable.
The Pedego Tandem is actually a good looking bike too, with a step-through design and stylish curves more reminiscent of a Dutch cruiser than a traditionally quite clunky electric bike. It comes with wrap around handlebars, kevlar lined balloon tyres on its 26" wheels, front disc brakes and rear hub brakes and adjustable suspension seatposts for added comfort. It comes with a detachable Lithium Polymer battery, that with a full charge should drive the 250 watt electical motor to give 25-35 miles of cruising depending on rider weight and terrain. The motor's variable speed is controlled by pedal power output.
The basic electric tandem package costs £2100.
We're wondering if these would have been allowed at the now-cancelled Tandem World Champs.........
Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling.
Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other.
She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting.
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6 comments
A better bet would be fitting an electric wheel to something like the Circe Helios - thats my next choice when I sell our Electric Yuba
An electric tandem - Just right for when neither of you can be arsed to pedal.
I'm not snooty about electric bikes, I just think the majority of them are so embarassingly, eye-wateringly ugly I wouldn't be seen dead on one. This at least has some style, though it's not the sort of thing I'd go for. It looks reminiscent of a Laurent and Klement motorcycle. The price is a little high but then low volume production always is.
The problem is (as for the motor industry) the sheer weight of storage medium required to provide a significant level of assistance is punitive. This sort of caper might work well in the Fens or Holland, but as any tandem crew will attest, as soon as the road goes up, the all up weight kills you, be that chunky riders, equipment or even excessive volumes of liquid (never quite got why owners of touring tandems feel the need to use every single bottle cage boss when out for a day ride in England). Nice try, but it's a gimmick, & that sort of money could be better used on a pretty high spec conventional tandem.
MercuryOne I like your style
A relative gave me a go on their electric folding bike the other week. It was heavy so I'm
not sure how favourable the power/weight ratio was - especially on the hills - but twist the handle on the flat and it was like free wheeling at 15mph with a hearty tail wind. Guilty pleasure or what! Urban legend suggests it can be de-limited and achieve 30mph. Whether it would be clever to take corners at 30mph on what is really a Raleigh Shopper with a quick release hinge in the middle is debatable..
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