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Electric bikes are gaining traction in cities as a fast and relatively affordable way to get around. They are not, however, a particularly attractive mode of transportation generally speaking. Vintage Electric, an e-bike company out of California, wants to change that with the Roadster, a handsome e-bike styled like an old-school sport car.
You could think of the $6,995 ride as the Rolls Royce of e-bikes. It has a powder-coated aluminum frame that arches into a streamlined black swoop. A vintage-style headlamp adorns the front of the bike and glows with LEDs. Riders sit atop a sable leather seat that matches the brown leather handlebar grips, echoing the luxe carseats and steering wheels of yesteryear.
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The Roadster hides its electric guts behind an aluminum casing where a 1,123-watt battery powers the bike for up to 75 miles. The bike is controlled from a digital interface on the handlebars that lets riders choose from five power modes, including instant acceleration. Though e-bikes are only road legal up to 32 mph, the Roadster can hit 36 mph in race mode when it’s used on private property—not that you’d want to hide it.
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