Urban Transport

The Walking Bicycle strolls along at 15 mph

The Walking Bicycle strolls along at 15 mph
The Walking Bicycle, which combines walking and cycling into one activity, is available in a range of colors
The Walking Bicycle, which combines walking and cycling into one activity, is available in a range of colors
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The Walking Bicycle is for those who enjoy walking but want to get from A to B more quickly
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The Walking Bicycle is for those who enjoy walking but want to get from A to B more quickly
The Walking Bicycle is for those who enjoy walking but want to get from A to B more quickly
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The Walking Bicycle is for those who enjoy walking but want to get from A to B more quickly
The Walking Bicycle is small and light enough to qualify as an ordinary bicycle, at least in Japan
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The Walking Bicycle is small and light enough to qualify as an ordinary bicycle, at least in Japan
The Walking Bicycle converts up and down motion into forward momentum
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The Walking Bicycle converts up and down motion into forward momentum
The Walking Bicycle features an electric motor capable of assisting your efforts both uphill and on flat roads
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The Walking Bicycle features an electric motor capable of assisting your efforts both uphill and on flat roads
The Walking Bicycle features an electric motor capable of assisting your efforts both uphill and on flat roads
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The Walking Bicycle features an electric motor capable of assisting your efforts both uphill and on flat roads
The Walking Bicycle, which combines walking and cycling into one activity, is available in a range of colors
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The Walking Bicycle, which combines walking and cycling into one activity, is available in a range of colors
View gallery - 7 images

If you enjoy the simple pleasure of walking but wish it got you from A to B as quickly as cycling then the Walking Bicycle may be your dream machine. The Walking Bicycle combines the two activities into one electric-assisted whole, allowing you to propel yourself forward at speed simply by putting one foot in front of the other.

The team behind the Walking Bicycle – the Walking Bicycle Club – wanted to create a machine that's faster than walking but easier to ride than a bicycle. The result is a kind of elliptical cross trainer on wheels that is capable of speeds up to 24 km/h (15 mph) thanks to an electric motor. The motor can be used to assist your efforts at all times or initiated just for uphill climbs.

The electric motor uses a lithium-ion battery that's said to be good for 20 km (12 mi) on a single two-hour charge. The Walking Bicycle is 120 cm (47 in) long and 60 cm (24 in) wide, and weighs in at 36.3 kg (80 lbs). It's sized in order to qualify as a bicycle on Japanese roads, but the laws in other countries may differ. Its small size also means it can fit inside a regular elevator and be stored in an apartment.

The Walking Bicycle converts up and down motion into forward momentum
The Walking Bicycle converts up and down motion into forward momentum

The Walking Bicycle follows in the footsteps of conveyance such as the ElliptiGO 3C and the Me-Mover. Of course, walking gets you from A to B too, but without the aid of wheels and (in this case) an electric motor, it takes longer to actually get anywhere.

The Walking Bicycle is set to go on sale in October 2014 priced at JPY200,000 (US$2,000). The promo video below shows the Walking Bicycle from several different angles, and offers a (brief) look at it in action.

Source: The Walking Bicycle Club (Japanese)

View gallery - 7 images
13 comments
13 comments
Daishi
This is #sorandom. They should make a version that comes with a selfie pole and maybe like a record player. #justhipsterthings
Pin
Dictionary time. It's a tricycle.
iperov
low effeciency worst cadence for killing knee
Purple-Stater
At $200 I'd think about it a few minutes, then decide that it's too expensive for just a toy. At $2,000 it's a medically dangerous, uncontrolled belly laugh.
But it does look very fun.
Stuart Wilshaw
Well yes, but why not just buy an ordinary electric bike; cheaper, more versatile and probably a lot less trouble to maintain!
BigGoofyGuy
I think that is really nice. The price seems reasonable.
pmshah
@BigWarpGuy
You DO know they are talking in terms of US $ and not HK Dollars ! I can buy a full fledged 350 cc Honda motorcycle for less ! In fact for another US$ 500/- I could buy a Tata motors Nano 4 wheeler all weather car .
What a joke !
wle
$2000 for an electric tricycle with questionable stats?
also tell us how long batteries last, short, average and long.. and what do they cost?
wle
Bryan Haslett
I would like to see more of it being ridden! The video was colossally lame! Coloured tricycles on kaleidoscope is fine for maybe an art video but if you want people to buy these they need to see it in action and not just 6 seconds of a girl stepping. Gee Whiz who is advising them?
Zorro
Video was more like a designer or photoshoot expert going bonkers... The ONE thing I wanted to see was NOT sneaker, good looking japanese girl, colour shades available BUT how does this work? Good looking japanese girl a big plus though! How is this better than cycling? What do you do when you get tired standing?
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