Darfon Electronics Corporation and Vanmoof are showing what they’re calling ‘the world’s first intelligent commuter bike’ at Taipei Cycle.
We first reported on this bike last year when it was in the final stages of development, but now we’ve had the chance to see it for ourselves.

The bike features a 250W front hub motor with a smart power control that works via a torque sensor. It automatically adjusts the bike’s electric power after monitoring your cycling output.

You get a touchpad dashboard at the front end of the top tube while a GPS/GPRS tracking system will help you retrieve the bike should it ever be stolen. 'What does the touchpad dashboard do?' we hear you ask. 'Hmm…' is our short term response, we couldn't find any info on that at the show, our guess is though that it'll show you basic telemetry: speed, disance, etc along with battery charge life, and runtime info. If it's really intelligent there will be a GPS mapping display – although how visible all that is going to be at the front of your top tube is open to debate.
The integrated battery offers a range of 40-70km (25-44 miles) depending on the level of power assistance you select. The integrated 204Wh battery will recharge in four hours.
The bike is made from anodized aluminium and comes with mechanical disc brakes.

As you'd expect on a Vanmoof ront and rear lights are integrated into the frame and the chain is fully enclosed.
For more info go to Vanmoof’s website.

7 thoughts on “Taipei Cycle: “The world’s first intelligent commuter bike””
It looks like a good concept
It looks like a good concept for a next-gen boris bike, rather than a privately owned commuter bike.
Their website describes it as stylish… well, maybe to a scaffolder.
it probably is better than a
:)) it probably is better than a Boris bike (not difficult) but I cannot help but think all those brains have missed something =))
– it looks like it weighs a ton even if is doesnt (but I expect it does), its as ugly as sin and why all the clobber of an enclosed chain when it screams out for a simple belt drive
Surely this constitutes a
Surely this constitutes a mis-use of the word “intelligent”. All it has is a torque sensor and a bit of electronics to know how much power is required for the drive, a dashboard and some integrated lights; none of which equate to intelligence.
With a nice straight
With a nice straight open-ended top tube like that it seems a shame not to incorporate some sort of rocket launcher.
With a nice straight
With a nice straight open-ended top tube like that it seems a shame not to incorporate some sort of rocket launcher.
Mechanical disc? They must
Mechanical disc? They must not have heard Road.cc’s predictions on hydraulic discs
jarredscycling
I think mechanical was a good idea for this bike. It is keeping things simple.
They are missing a trick though, because it is a single speed. They should have had the motor in the rear wheel and a dyno up front to continually recharge the battery 😉