Could the days of putting a plastic bag on a bike seat to keep it dry in the rain be coming to an end? The solution could be a new electric bike called the AllWeatherBike that comes with an integrated roof.
New Atlas reports this fully functional prototype comes from a German cyclist and entrepreneur named Tom Eisner.
It doesn’t look like your average bike with two curved aluminum beams arching over the rider. If weather begins to turn sour, the rider can pull a sheet of transparent plastic out of a roll in front of the handlebars and be shielded from precipitation in three seconds.
The sheet latches to a rear crossbar and can be detached and returned to the front once the rain ends. As long as the rain is coming from the front, a rider’s legs should stay dry. Eisner also claims the plastic sheet can withstand strong winds.
As far as the electric aspect of the bike, it includes a Bosch bottom bracket motor. The motor can hold a pair of 75-Wh Bosch frame-integrated lithium batteries. According to Eisner, it allows the bike to travel a motor-assisted range of 62 miles.
Other features of the AllWeatherBike include disc brakes, a belt drive drivetrain, fenders, a kickstand, front and rear cargo racks, and an adjustable-height saddle. Eisner did not release the weight, but due to its width, which matches that of a regular bike, the AllWeatherBike could be used in bike lanes.
The bike will be on display at the Eurobike trade show, and Eisner hopes a company expresses a desire to manufacture it.
