Unusual folding MTB e-bike

morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk


[video=youtube;q-GnEQPs6kU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q-GnEQPs6kU[/video]

$1,260 (£800)... weighs 20kg....only available in States I think.
 

jazper53

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 20, 2012
890
18
Brighton
Looks a very cool Folder, £800 sounds reasonable.
I like the idea of being able to remove battery as a complete unit rather than being built into the frame. 9/10
 
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morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
The Americans seem to have a lot more cool bikes and choice than us in UK :-/
 

12xu22

Pedelecer
Jul 28, 2011
97
0
it is an upside down kudos secret with bigger wheels ... coolest looking folding ebike ever, i want one
 

morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
Definitely not an american bike. It's a chinese bike that exist since almost a year. You can find it here:
Jm-tde-001z Hotsale Folding Bmx E-bike - Buy Bike,Electric Bicycle,Lithium Battery Product on Alibaba.com

You can even hear the guy speaking in chinese... no way it's american :p
Oh i knew it was Chinese but I mean the Americans just seem to have a lot more importers of bikes and more choice than we do over here.. I'm constantly seeing good folder designs in US from China that aren't available here.

Another bike seller in US is Prodeco..they're kinda like a US Whisper, their bikes are made to their own design and spec in China and they service them in US through a network of dealers...they're looking to expand beyond the States and want distributors elsewhere..the bikes are very reasonably priced and reasonably light too.
 
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cwah

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 3, 2011
3,048
179
www.whatonlondon.co.uk
oh ok sorry. I thought you said it was from America. I think what is possible is to directly buy the bike from china. The shipping cost is crazy, but you end up paying the same price as buying it here.

That's what I did with my first bike.
 

morphix

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 24, 2010
2,163
119
Worcestershire
www.cyclecharge.org.uk
oh ok sorry. I thought you said it was from America. I think what is possible is to directly buy the bike from china. The shipping cost is crazy, but you end up paying the same price as buying it here.

That's what I did with my first bike.
I wonder if it would work out cheaper to ship a bike from China than it would from US!? The US shipping rates are crazy, I had a quote for shipping a DownTube folder and the shipping cost was equal to the cost of the bike almost! Then by the time you added on VAT and Duty it's hardly worth it is it. And they add VAT onto the bike+shipping+duty price which has already had tax added..tax on tax! It works out 30% VAT in many cases as HMRC even have a fixed minimum scale on shipping rates they apply to determine the final import value/cost. It just doesn't seem fair to consumers or small businesses.. It's a racket. I've taken this up with my MP and been in discussions with HMRC and Department of Trade, and they claim the VAT rules on imports are set by EU and UK has to follow procedures set down... they have no plans either they said to offer any concessions for e-bike imports for private use on the grounds its eco-friendly transport and in-line with gov's sustainable transport policy.. probably due to EU restrictions again and centralised taxation regulations..

I think it's about time small businesses being excessively taxed on imports like my own, banded together to bring a class action against HMRC or EU Commission! :D What's really annoying too is that they're happy to turn a blind eye to the likes of Tesco, Asda, Amazon and all the big multi-nationals evading VAT using off-shore company fronts in Channel Isles. Those corps are effectively depriving the treasury of hundreds of millions and the gov/EU is squeezing small and micro businesses instead of going after those corps.
 
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Tinker

Pedelecer
Aug 20, 2010
116
2
SA39
I think it's about time small businesses being excessively taxed on imports like my own, banded together to bring a class action against HMRC or EU Commission!
it may be worth investigating the whole import issue European wide. I was speaking to a French e-biker who bought his bike through a club in east-Germany. They get enough orders to fill a container then proceed with the order & manage to pay a lot less than we pay here. All within EU rules.
 

jazper53

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 20, 2012
890
18
Brighton
What's really annoying too is that they're happy to turn a blind eye to the likes of Tesco, Asda, Amazon and all the big multi-nationals evading VAT using off-shore company fronts in Channel Isles. Those corps are effectively depriving the treasury of hundreds of millions and the gov/EU is squeezing small and micro businesses instead of going after those corps.
The real question is why the goverment does not close all these tax avoiding loopholes? Maybe the answer can be found in the last chapter of Animal Farm, by G.Orwell
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,559
30,848
What's really annoying too is that they're happy to turn a blind eye to the likes of Tesco, Asda, Amazon and all the big multi-nationals evading VAT using off-shore company fronts in Channel Isles.
They haven't turned a blind eye though, this loophole, originally intended for small businesses and low value goods has been closed since March for the big boys who've abused it. Information on this link.