Latest news with #StephaniePearson
WIRED
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- WIRED
The Mercedes-Branded F1 Electric Bike Looks Beautiful but Is So, So Heavy
As we reported last week, even electric-auto maker Rivian is getting in on that sweet, sweet electric bike action. And at first glance, the N+ Bikes Mercedes-AMG F1 electric bike looks to be another bike in a continuing trend of auto manufacturers making and selling much smaller motor-powered vehicles. But unlike Ford's electric bike, this specific class II ebike isn't made by Mercedes. Even if it has the iconic three-pointed star on the frame (and it is an officially licensed product of Mercedes AMC Petronas Formula One Team), it's designed and manufactured by N+ Bikes, based out of California. The aluminum, fully rigid frame has a sleek, race-car appeal. Its matte black color pops with well-placed Petronas green (aka turquoise) highlights in the interior of the fork and chain stays, a nod to Formula One fans. The bike's cockpit looks like a miniature Mercedes dashboard, complete with two retro speedometers—one for speed and the other for watts. The former tops out at 60 mph, despite the fact that the motor legally has to cut out when speeds reach 20 mph. Still, if you're a Mercedes fan, this will probably matter to you that the bike is Mercedes-branded, not Mercedes-made. Photograph: N+ Bikes Under the Hood What about the stats? E-spec-wise, the bike has a powerful motor for a commuter, 750 watts, that lives in the rear-wheel hub and provides four modes of power from Normal to Race. The 48-volt battery lives in the down tube and offers an advertised range of 70 miles. There's space to store an additional 48-volt battery (sold separately) in the very thick and futuristic-looking seat post. Neither of the batteries are easily removable, making it a challenging bike to charge from the office or to use in a cold-weather destination, where batteries often need to be brought inside. Photograph: Stephanie Pearson
WIRED
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- WIRED
Ford Bronco Fans Can Now Tool Around on a Bronco Electric Bike
The first thing most cyclists do before riding a new bike is to correctly size the frame, adjusting to make sure the standover clearance, seat tube length, and reach are all the right fit. The Bronco has a one-size-fits-all frame advertised to fit heights from 5' 4'' to 6' 5''. My 5' 9'' self was too tall to comfortably pedal, my knees practically hitting my chest on every stroke. When I stopped pedaling, however, tooling around town using only the throttle, straddling the bike far back on the seat like I was riding a Ducati, it was a fabulously fun ride. Beach Burner There is a drawback to a throttle-only joy ride on a Class II bike, however. First, the bike feels like it should fly, but legally it tops out at 20 mph, which is generally slower than pedaling an analog bike on flats. I also quickly chewed through 25 percent of the battery power in less than an hour while riding on steep city streets. (No off-road testing was available due to snowy trails.) Photograph: Stephanie Pearson Cold temperatures are notoriously hard on ebike batteries, so the diminishing battery could be the result of 30-degree and below temperatures on testing days, but I still had to turn back on my intended test route because I feared being stuck out in the dark with a dead battery. The wintry testing conditions weren't optimal, so I tried to give the bike the benefit of the doubt. What's a more perfect scenario for this bucking Bronco? The optimal rider is someone either shorter than 5' 9'', who can extend the battery life with pedaling, or it's a Bronco fan who has a couple grand to burn on nostalgia-provoking toys. Specifically, it's for someone who wants to take the Bronco camping south of the border, where the bike is meant to ride wild and free over stretches of sandy back roads to a local market that sells fresh ceviche and cold beer.
