this foldable e-bike can conquer the toughest off-road tracks

XPLORER by GDS e-bikes is designed for cities and the off-roads

designed by manufacturing company gds e-bike, this foldable and electric bike is gaining traction on the japanese crowdfunding site ‘campfire’, as the ideal vehicle to conquer both the busy streets of cities and the rugged mountain roads. the crowdfunded bike goes under the name XPLORER and will be available in different color options – including black, light gray, yellow, olive, red, and dark blue. 

a sturdy design with powerful tires and lasting battery life

the most eye-catching feature of the XPLORER model by gds e-bike must be its sturdy design for off-road use. the bike features thick 10 cm tires that can withstand rough tracks and absorb impact twice as much as a regular bike, and is powered by a 720W battery that lets riders complete distances of up to 120 km when fully charged. the model is also equipped with full suspension on the front and rear tires. all in all, with a load capacity of 150 kg, the XPLORER bike creates a comfortable and safe riding experience on the bumpiest of roads. 

easily foldable in a few simple steps

besides its sturdiness, the e-bike can be folded in a few movements and placed safely in the trunk of a car or anywhere inside a house. this compact design saves up storage space and makes it easy to move the bike around. here’s how to fold it; riders must first lower the saddle to the maximum and undo the lock that secures the handlebar (see demonstration below). they then proceed to drop the handlebar sideways and remove the central lever that secures it before completing the fold.

equipped with 7-speed gears for comfortable pedaling

performance wise, the XPLORER is equipped with shimano 7-speed gears — allowing riders to start pedaling lightly before accelerating. ‘with 7-speed gears, you can enjoy comfortable cycling without exerting too much pedaling power, even at high speeds’, writes campfire. in japan, however, such e-bikes cannot run on public roads unless an assist-function automatically forces the bicycle to come to a halt once it surpasses the 24km/h limit. therefore, once the limit is surpassed, the weight on the pedals of the XPLORER automatically increases – forcing users to either slow down or stop pedaling. 

moving on to power and charge — the e-bike includes a small screen placed between the handles that displays battery levels for riders to check. there’s also an ‘assist’ mode that can be turned on or off with a button depending on the intensity of the track the riders are on (downhill, flat etc.). if this mode is switched to 0, that means: less effort required and less battery consumption needed — therefore reducing the risk of running out of power. finally, a USB port at the bottom of the display screen allows users to charge their devices wherever they might be. 

the crowdfunding support is currently at a total of ¥ 569, 400. you can check the full project here. 

project info:

name: XPLORER by gds e-bike

crowdfunding platform: campfire 

battery capacity: 750 W

load capacity: 150 kg

maximum distance at full charge: 120 km

features: display screen, USB port, 7-speed gears