by Larry Lagarde

Here's another video I shot in Taiwan. It's a ride in and around the city of Taipei on an IF Reach DC folding electric bike (a bicycle with pedal actuated, electric motor assist). This bike is agile, fast and folds quickly for storage or transport.



More about the IF Reach DC folding electric bicycle

Labels: bicycle-video, IF-Reach-DC

by Larry Lagarde

Here's a short video of a ride I did today through the New Orleans French Quarter on the IF Reach DC folding electric bicycle from Pacific Cycles. Riding this bike is pure pleasure.

Labels: folding-electric-bike, IF-Reach-DC

by Larry Lagarde

One of the highlights of Interbike is the folding bike frolic, an early morning group ride of folding bikes through the streets of Las Vegas. This is my video of that ride (which took place about a month ago).



Notable bikes in the video include 3 Bigfish, a black Strida LT (the $495 Strida debuting in 2010) and several folders from Pacific Cycles that are just coming onto the marketplace (IF Mode full size slim folder, IF Reach, IF Reach DC folding electric bike, IF Urban 700c). The IF Reach DC in the video is the first production model (all black, silent/surge free electric assist, Swivel-head folding mechanism).

I filmed the video from the saddle of the very cool IF Urban, a 700c folding bike with an internally geared hub and disc brakes for quick stops and ultra low maintenance. Ideal for commuters, the Urban is a fast and comfortable machine but my favorite is still the IF Reach DC folding electric bicycle.

Labels: BigFish-folding-bike, folding-bike-frolic, folding-bike-video, IF-folding-bike, IF-Mode-full-size-folding-bike, IF-Reach-DC, Strida-folding-bike

MIA: IF Reach DC Folding Electric Bike
by Larry Lagarde

Yesterday, GreenDiary.com posted a story about a variety of electric bicycles that are coming onto the market. Some of the bikes are actual models in production while others are basic design concepts not likely to ever be produced (example: Grasshoper folding electric bike pictured at right). To my surprise, the new IF Reach DC folding electric bike wasn't even mentioned.

Shown about a month ago both at Eurobike and Interbike, the IF Reach electric incorporates a virtually silent motor into the bottom bracket housing and a light, lithium ion battery at the base of the seat post. As a result, the electric assist feature does not affect the ride handling of the bike (and catches cyclists on road bikes by surprise).

The IF Reach electric is a pedal assist style folding electric bike. Using torque sensing software, the motor works hardest when it is most needed. The bike weighs in at @ 43 lbs incl. motor & battery and cruises at an average 18 mph for a minimum of 30 miles.

One of the best features of the IF Reach is that it folds compactly in seconds and rolls easily when folded. The result is a practical commuter that will cover most commutes round trip without need for charging and can be stored just about anywhere.

I've been riding a prototype IF Reach electric all summer and am very impressed with this folding electric bike. The bike has a proven and successful race history with tri-athletes as the Reach model (non-motorized version) and incorporates the superior folding system created by noted designer Mark Sanders (creator of the Strida & IF Mode folding bikes).

Based on my experience, no other electric bike comes close to the experience offered by the IF Reach DC folding electric bike.

To learn more, check out the data collected by my Garmin GPS while riding the IF Reach DC. Alternately, this page includes various posts I've done regarding the IF Reach electric folder.

Labels: folding-electric-bike, IF-Reach-DC

by Larry Lagarde

A few days before flying out to Interbike 2009, I did another long distance test ride on the IF Reach DC folding electric bike. I'd come to expect no less than 31 miles of pedal assist from this great product; however, on this ride, the battery only lasted for 30 miles. Even worse, once the battery died, pedaling the bike was like cycling through molasses. Without the battery, I was cruising at 13-14 mph, causing me to worry about the level of my fitness (see the speed graph below; click here for all the ride stats).When I arrived home, I dismounted from the bike and glanced down at the rear wheel. To my amazement, a huge clump of grass had become lodged in the rear derailleur, which greatly increased friction and led to both the premature dead battery and the harder than normal pedaling. Here are 2 photos of the grass clumps (click either to enlarge).

So how did all that grass get lodged in the derailleur?
The grass along the levee trail had been cut earlier that day and there were clippings everywhere but the spot where the grass became wedged in the derailleur was at the turn around at Cytec (a chemical plant on the Mississippi River that vents sulphur into the air). I remember trying to downshift as I made the turn in the grass and feeling the derailleur malfunction. It was dark so I couldn't see anything wrong but that's definitely where I picked up the grass clippings.

Labels: IF-Reach-DC

by Larry Lagarde

This is getting embarrassing. Again, I have attempted to exhaust the battery pack on the prototype IF Reach DC folding electric bike and again the bike has beat me.

Okay. I'm not upset. In fact, I'm blown away by this bicycle. It's light, fast, has serious endurance and is a joy to ride. I just can't ride it enough.


Although yesterday had been a very long day, for over a week, I had been looking forward to riding the IF Reach DC on another long ride. So after dinner, I placed 2 Dosun M1 high output bike lights on the handlebars, filled up my waterbottle and hit the trail at 9:30 pm.

Initially, I rode the bike in High Torque mode, which is slightly faster but I decided to switch to Low Torque to see the difference. Cruising speed was a bit slower in Low Torque (max of 19.3 mph) but the motor stayed engaged the entire time (rather than switching on and off repeatedly) so I found the experience more enjoyable.

By 10:45 pm, I was out of time. I had ridden 30 miles and the motor still had juice. Next ride, I will not stop until the batteries quit. Stay tuned.

Labels: IF-Reach-DC

by Larry Lagarde

Here's a slideshow of photos I shot yesterday of the new IF Reach DC folding electric bike.



The shoot took place at the Michoud Assembly Center in New Orleans, LA., a long time NASA production facility. Pictured in the background is one of the last remaining Saturn V booster rockets in existence. The Saturn V is the largest and most powerful rocket of all time. It was used to propel the manned lunar missions and Skylab into space.

Labels: IF-Reach-DC, slide-show

by Larry Lagarde

My compliments to Pacific Cycles on their IF Reach DC. This bike rocks!

UPS finally delivered my IF Reach DC at 6:30 pm this evening so I took it for a 6 mile spin.

Although the sun was setting and the battery pack was just partially charged, I was too excited to wait another day to try out the bike. I removed the IF Reach DC from the shipping carton and packing materials, slid the hot swapable battery pack into the holster, turned the key locking it in place and hit the road.

Once I was atop the Mississippi River levee trail, I pressed a button on the handlebars (switching on the motor) and began pedaling. With a slight whir, the motor came to life. The pedal-assisted boost was noticeable but not jarring.

The IF Reach DC has no throttle. There are 2 power levels (Medium for normal riding; High gives more torque for hill climbing). A speed limiter cuts the motor at a certain cadence, acting as a signal when to up shift. Using this method, I quickly moved through all 8 gears and found myself riding at 21 mph. Maintaining that speed required significant effort (as required by law, the motor turns off just below 20 mph) so I backed off to see what speed the motor would provide with minimal pedaling. The levee trail turns constantly to follow the river so the cruising speed varied from 16.8 to 19.5 mph dependent on the wind direction. That's pretty respectable for minimal pedaling.

Using the cool Integrated Folding system designed by Mark Sanders, the IF Reach DC folds easily, quickly and with precision. With the forked kickstand located just below the motor and bottom bracket, the bike rests folded on 4 points, making it the most stable folding electric bike yet. Magnets hold the front and rear wheels together so the bike can easily be rolled folded.

Like the Xootr Swift folding bicycle, the IF Reach DC folding bike has the geometry of a full size road bike; however, it folds down to about the size of a Dahon Mu. In fact, the IF Reach DC even weighs and costs about as much as a Dahon Mu with the Bionx aftermarket electric kit installed. The difference is, the IF Reach DC is a fully suspended folder with a performance pedigree that's factory built from the start as an electric. The motor is centered and as low as it can be (below the bottom bracket), giving the bike great balance and a lower center of gravity. Plus, the suspension system and folding mechanisms are tops. Very impressive.

I'm charging the bike's 24 volt/9 amp hr. Lithium Ion battery now in anticipation of a longer ride tomorrow. Based on this evening's ride, I think it's going to be a blast.

By the way, the IF Reach DC weighs 42 lbs with the battery; slide out the battery pack and the bike weighs 38 lbs. That's incredibly light for an electric.

Labels: IF-Reach-DC

by Larry Lagarde

Well, the Electric IF Reach folding bicycle is almost here.

My IF Reach DC folding bike has been up in Cincinnati at the distributor's headquarters for about 2 weeks now. Since this was the first one in America, the distributor asked if they could have some time with the bike before sending it down here to New Orleans. They were only supposed to have it 2 days but their chief was out on vacation and he wanted to try it. Anyhow, when I spoke with them this morning, they were boxing up the bike for the courier.

The reports from Cincinnati are that the bike will cruise at @ 18 mph with minimal pedaling (it's pedal assist so you do have to pedal some). At 18+ mph, they rode 20 miles at a pop with plenty of juice left in the battery pack. Cool.

Once I get the bike, I'm hitting the Bill Keller levee trail along the Mississippi River for an out and back. It's about a 40 mile run so that should be a good initial test. When time allows, I'll take Amtrak up to Hattiesburg for an out and back on the Long Leaf Trace. The whole loop is 82 miles so that should tell me a lot about the IF Reach DC's capabilities.

Labels: IF-Reach-DC

by Larry Lagarde

Yesterday, I received confirmation that Pacific Cycles was sending one of their brand new electric IF Reach folding bikes here for me to test and review. Due to arrive sometime next week, this will be the first IF Reach DC to hit American soil. Based on the specs, I expect it to be a huge hit.

Why This Bike Rocks
The IF Reach DC is among the lightest and most efficient of electric bikes; yet, this bike also folds effortlessly in 3 seconds, rolls folded, is fully suspended and has 8 speeds. In other words, this could be the ultimate commuter bike.

Light & Efficient Electric Bike
The IF Reach DC is said to perform as well as Currie Technologies' new, top of the line Izip Express; however, at 43 lbs, the IF Reach DC weighs up to @ 20 lbs LESS and will be available sooner (IF Reach DC's will be shipping in July; the Izip won't ship until Fall). In fact, Dr Yan of DownTube calls the electric drive "one of the best electric bicycle motors in the market." Here's Dr. Yan's video of the motor in action:



As someone that has ridden the IF Reach DC's predecessor (the Reach Trail), I can already vouch for the ride and performance of the non-motorized version. With the geometry of a full size bike yet possessing 20" wheels, the Reach is agile and swift. The same qualities should carry over to the IF Reach DC.

IF Reach DC Specs:
IF Reach DC weight including battery: 43 lbs (19.7 kg)
Range: 31+ miles (50+ km) per charge
Motor type: 250 watt pedal assist with torque sensors
Motor Location: Within bottom bracket housing

Top Speed:
(light pedaling/flat surface/ 4th gear): 15 mph (25 km/hr)
(light pedaling/flat surface/ 8th gear): est. 24 mph
(hard pedaling/flat surface/ 8th gear): est. 30+ mph

I will be eager to monitor true output speeds with my Garmin GPS.

Labels: IF-folding-bike, IF-Reach-DC