Bicycles are a popular form of transportation and recreation. Their shape and construction have evolved constantly, albeit a modern bike would still be understood by somebody in the late 1800s. Not this think, the treadmill e-bike.
The core idea of the bicycle is that you use leg power to move the pedals, rotating a cog, and in turn powering the rear wheel. Even electric bikes, which offer the rider some assistance, still preserve the pedal motion.
But we keep coming across viral social media videos from China where a person is very clearly walking on a treadmill on top of what looks like an overgrown electric scooter.
After digging around, we tracked the technology to a Dutch patent that came out in 2016. Designed by Bruin Bergmeester, the electric walking bike is called Lopifit.
Apparently, the idea came to him while at the gym: "How can I use the treadmill outdoors? What about a treadmill on wheels?"
A sensor within the machine picks up when the rider starts to walk and kicks the electric motor into action. The treadmill motion is there to recharge the battery, not directly move the wheels. Its makers say that if fully charged and assisted, the crazy bike will be able to do about 50 miles. There are also modes that allow you to change from the walking pace from a leisurely stroll to a brisk walk. It's also pretty fast, able to reach 17 mph (27 kph).
The Name "Lopifit" is a combination of "lopan", which is Dutch for a walk, and "fit" as in healthy. However, at $2,500, it's not what you'd call cheap, which would partly explain all the Chinese replicas we've come across.
Only the quickest search for "treadmill walking bike" revealed numerous listing on the usual online sales websites. Some of them were as cheap as $600. Some websites claim the Lopifit is a Chinese bike and offer huge discounts. But we're not here to sell you anything, just show off one of the weirdest 2-wheeled vehicles we've ever seen.
But we keep coming across viral social media videos from China where a person is very clearly walking on a treadmill on top of what looks like an overgrown electric scooter.
After digging around, we tracked the technology to a Dutch patent that came out in 2016. Designed by Bruin Bergmeester, the electric walking bike is called Lopifit.
Apparently, the idea came to him while at the gym: "How can I use the treadmill outdoors? What about a treadmill on wheels?"
A sensor within the machine picks up when the rider starts to walk and kicks the electric motor into action. The treadmill motion is there to recharge the battery, not directly move the wheels. Its makers say that if fully charged and assisted, the crazy bike will be able to do about 50 miles. There are also modes that allow you to change from the walking pace from a leisurely stroll to a brisk walk. It's also pretty fast, able to reach 17 mph (27 kph).
The Name "Lopifit" is a combination of "lopan", which is Dutch for a walk, and "fit" as in healthy. However, at $2,500, it's not what you'd call cheap, which would partly explain all the Chinese replicas we've come across.
Only the quickest search for "treadmill walking bike" revealed numerous listing on the usual online sales websites. Some of them were as cheap as $600. Some websites claim the Lopifit is a Chinese bike and offer huge discounts. But we're not here to sell you anything, just show off one of the weirdest 2-wheeled vehicles we've ever seen.