We announced the Ride Expo in the San Francisco Bay Area on October 20th! Register now for a $10 ticket. https://lu.ma/yvv4158o

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

03:40 More consolidation coming to the world of shared micromobility?

08:46 Trek or Giant to buy Vanmoof?

11:23 How journalists are covering traffic violence against ebike riders

17:15 Mayor of Boston offering free bike lessons for kids

18:30 Vehicle Launches

21:42 Meet Keith Simon from Waev and new GEM line!

Show notes:

Is more consolidation coming to the world of shared micromobility? Rumor has it that two of Europe’s largest electric scooter and bike operators, Tier and Voi, are exploring the possibility of a merger. https://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/handel-konsumgueter/tier-und-voi-e-scooter-marktfuehrer-spricht-mit-wettbewerber-ueber-fusion/29285566.html

Relatedly, industry analyst Augustin Friedel offers a strong testimony that the shared market is still growing rapidly. (NYC, Paris) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/friedel_sharedmobility-micromobility-bikes-activity-7093903247832145920-n67y?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

As part of her effort to make Boston one of the top U.S. cities for raising children, Mayor Michelle Wu is providing free bike lessons for children between the ages of four and thirteen, calling cycling as a “crucial life skill.” 300 students, 15 schools. How much does this cost?

https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/2023-07-19-boston-mayor-wu-announces-free-citywide-bike-riding-lessons-for-kids

Interesting eBike deals - VanMoof is accepting suitors (Trek, Giant, KKR).

James and Micah discuss NYT victim blaming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5ItDY0rIb4

Vehicle Launches

Kawasaki appears to have begun production on its first two electric motorcycles, the Ninja e-1 and the Z e-1. Last year, the company announced the vehicles’ development, and while it appears that some of the specs for the production bikes will be slightly different than anticipated, Kawasaki is still set to become the first large motorcycle manufacturer in Japan to go electric.

https://electrek.co/2023/08/02/kawasaki-says-its-first-electric-motorcycles-are-ready/

Crowdfunding for the new WAU CYBER “Unleash the Beast” 5000W ebike is still live on Indiegogo for one more day. This self-proclaimed “Sur-Ron Killer” has an ultra sleek body and tops out at 55 mph - currently, 23 of the early bird models remain to be claimed.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/wau-cyber-unleash-the-beast-5000w-powerhouse-ebike#/updates/all

Aventon is launching the Soltera.2, a new, Class 2 ebike with 46 miles (74km) of range, a removable throttle, and pedal assist, to name a few of its features. Building upon the lightweight aluminum frame of the original Soltera, the new model aims to bring the latest technology at an affordable price.

https://www.aventon.com/products/soltera-2-ebike?variant=42472444920003

Lámpago’s new electric trike design is certain to turn heads on your morning commute. The Turkish three-wheeler has two seats, a 25-45 mile (40-72km) range, and a top speed of 28mph (45kph). Did we mention that, because it lacks a roof, it is technically classified as a moped and requires a helmet to drive? https://lampago.co/en

We have Keith Simon from Waev on Ride On!