New carbon Fiber Sanyo Bike

Intex

Pedelecer
Aug 17, 2008
100
0
Has anyone heard about this bike? Just saw it on Engadget:
Sanyo's new eneloop bike gets carbon fiber frame, traction control brain
by Tim Stevens, posted Jul 27th 2009 at 9:49AM



Carbon fiber, with its light weight and high strength, is the material upon which the modern motorsports world is built. Traction control, which decreases difficulty, threatens to destroy it. However, in the world of the urban commute, traction control is a great thing and carbon is generally unheard of. Not for Sanyo, which will soon introduce the CY-SPK227 eneloop bike with a frame made of the stuff, featuring two wheel drive and traction control. The rear wheel is powered by the chain, the front by an electric motor, and should the rider pedal more enthusiastically than slippery conditions allow the bike will compensate by adding more juice to the front. Total weight is about 43lbs, many times that of the composite wonders Lance straddled in France, but about 7lbs lighter than the company's last entrant. It has regenerative braking, an LED headlight, magnesium suspension, a ¥627,900 price tag (about $6,600), and it releases in Japan in October -- you know, right about when the skies start to threaten snow. A good test for that traction control, then.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Yes, someone posted about it the other day, but it's far too expensive for what it is.

The Wisper 906 is about to be launched here, also with the same type of carbon composite frame and a very high quality Japanese front hub motor, and also with their 14 Ah long range battery. It will be well under half that Sanyo price, and I can't see that the traction control gimmick is worth doubling the price.

Some of the detailing is in the photos in this post.

Sanyo's Announcement extract:

At a separate media event, Sanyo, which supplies batteries for Yamaha's products, unveiled two new products, including the world's first motor-assisted bicycle with a carbon composite frame geared towards enthusiasts. The price tag: 627,900 yen ($6,636)
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