Vello Bike: The lightest electric folding bicycle

Smaller bicycle manufacturers are turning to crowd funding to raise the significant sums required to bring exciting new designs to market. The Taga family cargo trike raised almost $5m, the Helix titanium folder $2.2m and Britain's own GoCycle electric folder almost $500,000. Bike builders Vello were so pleased with the results of their 2014 Kickstarter campaign to launch a 20" folding bike that they returned with the offer of an electric version - generating almost $500,000 in orders in the process.

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The Vello Bike+ weighs in at less than 12 kg and claims to be the world's lightest electric folding bicycle. Regenerative braking helps keep the battery lighter than those required by a conventional electric bicycle.

The Vello Bike+ is not designed to fold quite as small as a Brompton or Dahon - its magnet release allows a ‘half fold’ adequate for getting onto a train, lift or storing inside. The handlebar stem and seat post can be lowered to make it smaller still, but the bike appears to have traded optimum folded size in favour of frame rigidity and an improved riding performance.

Few cars are now sold without lights, mudguards or an anti-theft device such as an alarm or immobilizer, and yet that almost always the case with bicycles. The Vello includes integrated lights, mudguards and a unique bike identification code which can be linked to your online profile on the VELLO website. The code does replace the need for a good insurance policy, but hats off to Vello for incorporating a deterrent against theft.

Cycle insurance for folding bikes

ETA offers a discount on folding bikes. Every policy includes new-for-old (we never devalue), £5m third party, cycle breakdown, low excess, friends and family cover and much more. Get an instant quote to see how we compare.

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