(Photos: Rose City Recumbents)
A local recumbent expert wants to bring relaxed, comfy, fun riding to the masses. Rose City Recumbents has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a manufacturing run of their unique “Roselandia” electric bike.
The first drawing of the design was created just over two years ago on the floor of Rose City’s shop on Southeast Powell and 37th. Now shop co-owner Jonathan Garcia says he’s ready to take the finished product to the next level. With the design dialed-in, he’s looking for investors to help get a 100-unit production run off the ground. In March he’ll travel to Taiwan to display the bike at the 2020 Taipei Cycle Show where he’ll be looking for distributors and investors.
The bike itself is a mix of influences including vintage BMX frames, beach cruisers, and cargo bikes. The “crank forward” design (which looks similar to RANS Bikes, a company Garcia has close connections to) allows riders to be nearly flat-footed at a stop which makes it a comfortable ride for a range of body types and skill levels.
Garcia says response to the bike has been excellent. “The appeal has really been for basically anyone, but particularly shorter riders and women like it a lot as most e-bikes out there are pretty large and a lot to handle,” Garcia shared via email yesterday, referring to the bikes svelte 49 pound weight. “It has also appeals to those wanting to get into cycling but maybe don’t have a lot of space to store a bike.”
“Our design will forever change how you think about e-bikes,” reads the marketing brochure.
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Not only is the design relatively compact with 20-inch wheels (standard road bikes have 28-inch wheels), but the bikes can also stand up on their rear rack for storage (or an easier fit on the MAX). Other spec highlights include: disc brakes, a Bafang M400 electric drive system with a range of 25 to 60 miles, integrated rear rack, ergonomic seat, SRAM components, and super wide and tough Schwalbe Big Apple tires. The bike’s frame and fork are made out of lightweight aluminum.
Asked why the name “Roselandia,” Garcia said, “It was a bit of a play on Portlandia and to pay homage to Portland. This is our hometown and we love it. We also think it has a quirky compact style that is a bit old school yet has awesome modern features – kinda like the Rose City itself.”
Once Garcia gets the $175,000 or so he needs for an initial run, he says he and his team can get the bikes out in 6-9 months. You can get in on the pre-order for just $2,400 right now on Kickstarter.
See more photos and learn more about the bike at RoseCityRoseLandia.com.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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