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Rivian's TM-B electric bike

(www.theverge.com)
190 points hasheddan | 14 comments | | HN request time: 0.617s | source | bottom
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legitster ◴[] No.45675359[source]
So the interesting thing about this is the ... peddle-by-wire drivetrain? So unlike a normal e-bike, when its battery dies it turns into a stationary bike.

I love ebikes and generally like what Rivian does, but in a very competitive market it's hard to see the appeal of this.

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1. hbarka ◴[] No.45675507[source]
If I may also peddle my opinion, this e-bike is a fresh innovation and it's easy to see how revolutionary it is. What very competitive market has regen, 180 newton-meter of torque, programmable power curve, shape-shifting? This e-bike is incredible. These days, who lets their iphone battery die?
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2. kridsdale1 ◴[] No.45675551[source]
> a pun

Eyyyyyyy

3. rglullis ◴[] No.45675788[source]
Why should we care for "revolutionary" when the design that has been working for centuries is cheap, widely understood and universally available?
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4. nradov ◴[] No.45675847[source]
Wow I can't tell if you're being sarcastic. If so then nicely done. If not then bro do you even bike?
5. makeitdouble ◴[] No.45675881[source]
A phone can get charged with random 5V outlets and you can walk around with a 200g battery to make it last two days.

The bike won't fit any of that until there's hot swappable batteries sold everywhere, and when it's dead you'll be pushing it back home.

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6. ericd ◴[] No.45676077[source]
When it's dead, you can order an UberXL and toss this in the back? Cheaper than a tow truck...

Also, 100 miles is a lot on a bike. I think they got rid of this design requirement by just making the range longer.

7. palmotea ◴[] No.45676090[source]
> Why should we care for "revolutionary" when the design that has been working for centuries is cheap, widely understood and universally available?

Because some designer wants to feel good about themselves, better than all who came before.

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8. rglullis ◴[] No.45676132{3}[source]
If wankery is what they they are after, maybe they should go design "revolutionary" sex toys.
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9. hbarka ◴[] No.45676155[source]
Horses complained about this when the Model T came.
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10. tempestn ◴[] No.45676168[source]
You could lean up against something and pedal to get a bit of charge back in the battery, then you just need to pedal it home like a regular dead e-bike, no?
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11. WD-42 ◴[] No.45676295{3}[source]
I don't think the pedals are attached to the drivetrain. They look like they are literally just to charge the battery. So this bike is just dead when it's out of batteries? Unless I'm missing something.
12. rglullis ◴[] No.45676505{3}[source]
Horses were not cheap nor universally available. And cars had the obvious benefit that they did not leave literal horse shit around the city.

This "revolutionary design" does not offer any significant advantage over the existing systems for e-bikes. A regular e-bike without power is a just a regular bike. You can adapt a regular bike into an e-bike for < $600. Any run-of-the-mill mechanic can figure out how to work on a basic bike. This one will probably require some "certified Rivian expert" to work on it.

Only irrational neomania can justify being interested in this "revolution".

13. jfengel ◴[] No.45677424{4}[source]
You might be stunned at what the boffins have come up with. Or perhaps horrified.
14. Rebelgecko ◴[] No.45678188[source]
you can use your phone charger with this one too