This inflatable, backpack-sized e-bike is the most ridiculous transport idea yet

Currently existing in prototype form, Poimo (that’s POrtable and Inflatable MObility, obviously!) is made out of thermoplastic polyurethane and inflated with the aid of a small pump. It reportedly takes just one minute to inflate Poimo to its fully blown-up form, before the wearer/driver adds the remaining rigid components such as wheels, brushless motor, battery, and handlebars. Then they simply hop on, and they’re off to the races — or, at least, to the office. The creators have a short video on YouTube showing the Poimo in action. Poimo’s inventors have already done some test drives in Tokyo and claim that their unusual invention is fun to drive. They believe it could be more cost-effective than other transportation types, while its potential for customization could also mark it out as appealing to customers. Ryuma Niiyama, one of the brains behind the project, recently told IEEE Spectrum that, “we believe that our inflatable mobility, which is different from existing mobility systems and creates new relationships with people, will be useful as a one-mile mobility for the city in the future.” Provided it all works as promised, it’s definitely easy to imagine this lightweight vehicular alternative appealing to hipster commuters in any city. We’d have to be convinced about Poimo’s range, steerability, and overall toughness, though. After all, it’s one thing to get a flat tire when you’re out riding on your bike. Its another thing entirely to get a flat bike when you’re out riding on your backpack. Nonetheless, color us intrigued. If you were looking for clues that the post-pandemic e-bike market reshuffle remains in full swing in the U.S., look no further than the latest move by Yamaha. In a letter to its dealers, the giant Japanese conglomerate announced it will pull out of the e-bike business in the U.S. by the end of the year, according to Electrek. A “20% off sitewide” banner on top of a company’s website should normally be cause for glee among customers. Except if you’re a fan of that company’s products and its executives remain silent amid mounting signs that said company might be on the brink of bankruptcy.That’s what’s happening with Juiced Bikes, the San Diego-based maker of e-bikes.According to numerous customer reports, Juiced Bikes has completely stopped responding to customer inquiries for some time, while its website is out of stock on all products. There are also numerous testimonies of layoffs at the company.Even more worrying signs are also piling up: The company’s assets, including its existing inventory of products, is appearing as listed for sale on an auction website used by companies that go out of business.In addition, a court case has been filed in New York against parent company Juiced Inc. and Juiced Bike founder Tora Harris, according to Trellis, a state trial court legal research platform.Founded in 2009 by Harris, a U.S. high-jump Olympian, Juiced Bikes was one of the early pioneers of the direct-to-consumer e-bike brands in the U.S. market.The company’s e-bikes developed a loyal fandom through the years. Last year, Digital Trends named the Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 as the best moped-style e-bike for 2023, citing its versatility, rich feature set, and performance.The company has so far stayed silent amid all the reports. But should its bankruptcy be confirmed, it could legitimately be attributed to the post-pandemic whiplash experienced by the e-bike industry over the past few years. The Covid-19 pandemic had led to a huge spike in demand for e-bikes just as supply chains became heavily constrained. This led to a ramp-up of e-bike production to match the high demand. But when consumer demand dropped after the pandemic, e-bike makers were left with large stock surpluses.The good news is that the downturn phase might soon be over just as the industry is experiencing a wave of mergers and acquisitions, according to a report by Houlihan Lokey.This may mean that even if Juiced Bikes is indeed going under, the brand and its products might find a buyer and show up again on streets and trails. Riding e-bikes can be a wonderful way to exercise, or to simply spend time relaxing time outdoors. But bulky e-bikes can be a hassle for taking on the go or fitting in smaller spaces. Folding e-bikes can fit in trunk of your car and save space in tiny apartments, but they come with their own drawbacks. Are they the right fit for your life? We’ve broken down the pros and cons. Of course, there are a wide variety of folding e-bikes that range from budget to premium, so this generalized list of pros and cons may not apply to absolutely every model on the market. We recommend you do your own research when you begin shopping for a new folding e-bike to be certain it meets your personal needs safely and effectively.
Pro: They save space
The most obvious benefit of a folding e-bike is that they, well, fold! Most e-bikes are very simple to collapse, allowing you to nearly halve their total size by folding them at the center. Many models even let you fold in their pedals and collapse the handlebars.