Rapture eBike

[Dan77]

What do people think of this?

https://crowncruiser.bike/

They have received funding from Innovate UK to setup an operations and assembly centre in Sheffield, working in partnership with Sheffield City Region to build, promote and sell the Rapture.

They have also designed Swap-and-Go battery stations to be located around cities so that Rapture users can switch a depleted battery for a fully charged power unit in 12 seconds. They say this will make eBike usage more accessible and agile for commuting, exercise and leisure.

My opinion. The bike itself is rather different from what many of us want from a bike but anything that makes cycling more accessible is a good thing. More people cycling leads to better cycling infrastructure, less congestion and improved safety. We need more sustainable innovation to help make our towns/cities cleaner and help more people transition to active transport.

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

They have also designed Swap-and-Go battery stations to be located around cities so that Rapture users can switch a depleted battery for a fully charged power unit in 12 seconds. They say this will make eBike usage more accessible and agile for commuting, exercise and leisure.

They would need a huge share of the eBike market, and many riders who feel the need to re-juice before they get home, for this to be commercially viable.

 

[fossyant]

I have a feeling the bike may cost the price of a small second hand car ! That isn't a cheap looking bike.

 

[T4tomo]

Is it intended to be a city hire scheme, as I can see that type of Boris bike on steroids, working for that, although late to the market. Or is it for selling to individuals? The chances of you being near a battery exchange when you need more juice is very slim, and given it looks like its weighs 30kg plus, I wouldn't want to cycle it on no battery.

I'm out.....as they say.

 

[Sharky]

What are the wheels? Are they disc wheels and I don't mean the brakes. If non spoke type wheels with a solid frame as well, they are going to be lethal in a cross wind of any strength.

Looks nice though.

 

[TissoT]

In another 10yrs when the body has given up

I may put a deposit down.

 

[Dan77]

Is it intended to be a city hire scheme, as I can see that type of Boris bike on steroids, working for that, although late to the market. Or is it for selling to individuals? The chances of you being near a battery exchange when you need more juice is very slim, and given it looks like its weighs 30kg plus, I wouldn't want to cycle it on no battery.

I'm out.....as they say.

I honestly don't know. That was my first thought too, that it was a scheme starting in Sheffield and would be similar to Boris Bikes/Beryl. It appears that they want to sell them though. I guess you wouldn't want to supply a carbon fibre bike as a city rental because people would treat them terribly.

Founder of CrownCruiser Motors and brainchild of the Rapture, Adebola Adeleye, said: "This moment is many years in the making, driven by a deep passion to develop an eBike that would revolutionise sustainable transport. With the Rapture, we will bring a design and quality of materials that has never before been produced at such an attainable and affordable pricepoint. To achieve that, we are harnessing some of the UK's best design and engineering expertise to bring the Rapture vision to life. With the help of Innovate UK's funding, we are on track to make this vision a reality."

Sheffield seems like a great place to set up to me. Big city. Very positive about cycling. Lots of hills which would put lots of less able people off cycling without the assistance of battery power.

 

[Salad Dodger]

It looks far too posh to be a general hire Boris bike type product. I can't see it lasting 5 minutes once the general public get their mitts on one.
Sorry, but I'm out.......

 

[cougie uk]

Does look very premium. I'd have thought cheap and cheerful would do.

The Santander bikes have been a huge success in London without them being the best bikes to ride ?

 

[Drago]

Over complicated, over engineered, over designed.

What specific market are they aiming at? Have they even proven that the niche within that market exists? How do they intend to make a profit at the price they'll need to sell to hire scemes at it at cos there won't be many buyers with pockets that deep? What use is a lifetime guarantee when the comlany folded 6 months after launch?

Looks to me like multiple problems looking for solutions, and multiple ways that it'll sink without trace.

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good afternoon,

Does the educational and commercial experience of the guy in charge https://uk.linkedin.com/in/adebola-adeleye-29404b98 make you wonder if this is just a bit of a laugh at the tax payer's/investor's expense?

Although it does look wonderful, I wasn't sure about how much is real or mock up.

Then I started to wonder about practical things like where you put any luggage or mount a rear mudguard so that you can use it in the rain.

Even if when you pedal do you legs rub against the frame as the frame is almost as wide as the saddle?

If you look at the position of the saddle in relation to the bottom bracket it looks like a bike not really intended to be pedalled at all.

If you then look at the pedals in relation to the wheels it is starting to look very long.

I couldn't work out if it had gears for the pedal part of the drive system as it has a rear hub motor.

The web page has 4 bullet points about the bike, two of which are about your mobile phone.

Is it really a small electric motor bike in all but name and hoping for a law change?

Yes, I am being negative again.

Bye

Ian

 

[Dan77]

I share these concerns. Innovate UK would have needed a substantial application in order to offer funding. I do worry though that these type of things are often more about knowing how to get the application to be successful than they are about the necessary innovation and likelihood of it becoming a successful venture.

I do hope it is successful but I feel it's unlikely to be.

 

[snorri]

No mudguards, no guard for the belt drive, no luggage rack, a stand would be handy too!
There seem to be a lot of options on the Touch Pad, I wonder if it has gps to help with route finding?
We don't know if the pic is an artists impression or a likeness of an actual machine.
I'll keep an open mind at this stage.

 

[Cycling_Samurai]

It is predicted in ancient literature that the Rapture would come one day.😳

The design looks nice. Missing a rear fender. Not for riding in bad weather. Glad the phone is right in front. We need more distracted drivers on the road. The target group appear to be those who commute. Not for exercising. Let's give it a go shall we?

 

[Cycling_Samurai]

No mudguards, no guard for the belt drive, no luggage rack, a stand would be handy too!
There seem to be a lot of options on the Touch Pad, I wonder if it has gps to help with route finding?
We don't know if the pic is an artists impression or a likeness of an actual machine.
I'll keep an open mind at this stage.

Hard for me to use a bike without a stand. Have mounted one on every bike I bought. I don't care what other road cyclists think about it. "Well the extra weight"