Sinclair launches X-1 electric bubble bicycle

Clive Sinclair is best remembered for his ill-fated battery-powered trike, the C-5 – a vehicle which despite being derided as dangerous and under-powered sold 17,000 units. Undeterred, Sir Clive has unveiled the X-1, an electric recumbent bicycle fitted with an acrylic canopy.

The bicycle will sell for £595 when it goes on sale in July 2011.

To its advantage, the X-1 is competitively priced for an electric bicycle, includes protection from the weather and its reclined seating position is highly efficient. However, it may be more difficult to store, park and filter through traffic than a conventional bicycle.

Yannick Read at the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “I have seen a pre-production X-1 being ridden in central London and whilst it looked well-finished the low-speed handling appeared a little skittish.”

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