British company unveils non-folding electric bike that folds flat

Boost, a UK-based company better known for its electric bike conversion kits, has released a new electric bike that is designed to be as compact as possible, despite not being a folding e-bike. Or at least, not a folding frame e-bike.

That’s because while the Boost Bike doesn’t fold in half like many compact e-bikes, it still manages to shrink down significantly thanks to a nifty set of handlebars that can be turned sideways or even removed entirely. Those compacting tricks help it fit easily in car trunks, hallways, or small apartment nooks – making it a great urban companion for riders tight on space.

The swiveling bars take a page out of JackRabbit’s playbook, though on Boost’s version, they appear to only allow the bike to narrow itself down to a 10″ (25 cm) wide. The JackRabbit’s 90-degree swiveling handlebars famously allow a svelter 7″ (17.8 cm) figure.

The frame itself is a rugged mini-bike design built from aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum, and it’s paired with 20” x 1.75” tires that give it an even tinier look than it probably deserves. Hydraulic disc brakes and an 8-speed Shimano derailleur show that just because the bike is small, it’s not featureless. Though it’s also not a powerhouse, either.

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Power comes from a 250W rear hub motor that keeps the bike street legal in the UK and EU, but it offers only a modest amount of torque at 42 Nm. Boost claims a top speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph), as per e-bike regulations, and the company says its 7Ah battery is rated for up to 35 miles (56 km) under the most ideal of conditions.

There’s an option for a wireless display (to be added for an extra fee), or riders can use a smartphone app to control the bike.

BikeRadar puts the price at £1,250 (approximately US $1,700), though it says there is a non-electric version available for just under half that price. With that kind of sticker shock, the Boost Bike isn’t the cheapest mini e-bike on the market, but it may be one of the most minimalist-looking. If you’re ready to fork over the cash for one now, well then, you’ll have to… wait. It’s not yet for sale, though the company says it is coming soon.

Electrek’s Take

Hey, I’m all for lighter-weight e-bikes. At a time when the best-selling models are pushing 70 lb (32 kg), it’s a welcome relief to see lighter options. I wish I could tell you how light this one is, but the company doesn’t volunteer that interesting little nugget. I’d also love to tell you the battery capacity, but without hearing the voltage, that amp-hour figure is useless. I’ll assume 36V though, which would give us 250Wh of capacity.

The price here is the killer, as there’s nothing special about the bike other than its handlebars. The ‘e’ in the e-bike appears to be a fairly simple, standard conversion kit pre-installed on what is a neat little frame, but not quite worth US $1,700 in my book. But hey, if you want something nice and flat, there just aren’t many options out there, and this gets you there.