Pedal power
Andrew Davidge wants to sell bikes that put a smile on the faces of their owner. With his Vintage Electric Scrambler, he has succeeded in doing so.
Inspired by the classic bikes built at the turn of the 20th century, the Scrambler is a part-bicycle, part-motorcycle that is entirely battery powered. It isn’t a new field, certainly, but where other models are minimalist and austere, Vintage Electric turned to nostalgic charm for its designs. Packing a 702 watt-hour lithium battery – estimated cost of recharging: US$0.18 (RM0.05) – the Scrambler flits between two modes: Street, with a range of 56km at a top speed of 32 kph, and Race, which engages a 3,000 watt rear hub motor to boosts speeds up to 64 kph. That might seem slow, but the Scrambler is designed for a ride where the scenery is to be enjoyed, while emitting zero emissions.
The built itself is pure quality. A hydro-formed aluminium frame is the base, upon with custom forks from Colorado suspension specialist MRP, Shimano Alfine hydraulic disc brakes and Kevlar-reinforced Schwalbe Black Jack tires are kitted. The grip and saddle are wrapped in leather from Brooks England, with the body is covered in a metallic root beer powder coat with gold flake graphics that call to mine the tangerine sunsets of Route 66. The Vintage Electric Scramblers sells for US$6,995 (RM28,870).
