New electric bicycle boasts automatic wheelie mode

The ability of kids to master cycling skills, be it the perfect wheelie or the elusive art of bicycle drifting, is a source of amazement and frustration to older cyclists everywhere, but help is on its way in the form of a new e-bike from Audi equipped with an automatic wheelie mode.

Cyclists wanting pull off the perfect wheelie have to put up with the risk of injury or use a bicycle wheelie bar – an accessory similar to those attached to drag cars to stop them flipping over. However, the Audi bicycle offers a high-tech solution – in ‘wheelie mode’ the rider’s balance is maintained electronically with any wobbles counteracted by the electric motor.

The Audi e-bike features an ultra-light carbon-fibre frame weighing only 1.6kg, a 2.3 kW electric motor and a recharge time of only two and a half hours from a household supply.

The handlebars and seat feature integrated LED lights.

A top speed of 50 mph makes the Audi too powerful to be classed as a bicycle, but a tantalizing glimpse of how e-bikes might one day offer a faster and greener way of commuting than the car.

 

Audi e-bike beats queues
Everyone knows that bicycles cut through congested city roads faster than any other type of transport, but in the right hands, the Audi concept bike is as happy riding over a row of queuing cars as it is zipping between them.

Cycle Insurance

Cycle insurance from the ETA includes new-for-old, third party insurance (in the case of an accident you may need to seek compensation or even deal with a claim by someone else), personal accident cover, race event cover and if you suffer a mechanical breakdown, they will come out and recover you and your bike. Electric bicycles can also be covered. Includes 90 days’ worldwide cover.

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