Blix has just launched a new cargo-friendly electric bicycle known as the Dubbel. It’s not just fun to say; it also looks like a fun ride with a long rear rack to carry your friends, kids, pets, or cargo on back.
Blix Dubbel e-bike launches
The Santa Cruz, California-based electric bicycle company is calling its Blix Dubbel a “motorcycle-inspired compact utility e-bike built for social adventures, family time, and practical utility use.”
It may be motorcycle-inspired in terms of utility, but it still seems to embody the Dutch bike-like charm for which Blix has become famous. Except this time it has both a front cargo mount and a long rear bench to carry just about anything.
Blix’s founder and CEO Pontus Malmberg described the Dubbel as fitting a diverse range of lifestyles and needs:
Adding more activity and enjoyment into the day-to-day will be crucial for people’s wellbeing in the future. You need products that offer a really great experience for different lifestyles and needs; that combines functionality with compelling design and technology which work seamlessly in the everyday. That’s why we developed the Dubbel.
The bike includes a rear 750W hub motor rated for 90 Nm of torque. The 20×3.3″ tires are smaller diameter than those found on most e-bikes, helping to further multiply that torque as well as lowering the bike’s center of gravity and standover height.
The step-through design makes it even easier to mount, especially when you have something on the rear rack. There’s nothing worse than accidentally kicking your toddler in the face when trying to swing a leg over a bike.
The Blix Dubbel can be put in either Class 2 or Class 3 mode. The former allows it to hit 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle only riding, while the latter offers speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h) on pedal assist. The bike’s spec sheet indicates that throttle control up to 28 mph can also be enabled. That’s technically outside of the bounds of Class 3 e-bike designation that requires throttles to cut out at 20 mph, but it’s so awesome that I’m going to pretend like I didn’t notice.
The bike also includes the Blix Connect platform that uses Bluetooth to connect to the Blix app and let riders modify parameters or switch e-bike modes from their phones.
The bike comes with either one or two 48V 14Ah batteries, offering 672Wh or 1,344Wh of capacity. With the dual battery option, a range of up to 80 miles (130 km) is achievable. The 70 lb. e-bike (31.8 kg) gets 8 lb. (3.6 kg) heavier with the second battery, but the additional 40 miles (64 km) of range is likely worth it for some riders.
The bike’s extended rear rack can be used for carrying cargo or adding an accessory bench seat for passengers. Foot pegs in the rear give passengers a convenient place to rest their feet while being shuttled around.
The throttle control may be useful for getting rolling with a heavy cargo load or for lazy days, but the 8-speed Microshift transmission will give pedal riders plenty of options for finding the right pedaling gear.
Zoom hydraulic disc brakes on 180mm rotors will bring the bike to a quick stop, and are especially important for a cargo e-bike rated for carrying 200 lb. (91 kg) of cargo. That cargo loading breakdown works out to 50 lb. (22 kg) on the front rack mounting points and another 150 lb. (68 kg) on the rear rack.
The bike comes standard with LED lights, a full fender set, kickstand and mounting points for optional accessories, which also include the passenger package, cargo-carrying racks, and baskets.
The bike comes in three somewhat uninspiring colors of Slate Grey, Bright White, and something called Nü Cream, which is apparently a nicer way to say “tan.”
Available for pre-order now, the Blix Dubbel is expected to begin shipping in October. Full retail pricing will be $1,999 for the single battery model and $2,499 for the double battery model. Both e-bikes are currently enjoying a $100 discount for pre-orders placed on Blix’s website.
Electrek’s Take
Color me interested! I freakin’ love passenger-carrying electric bikes.
If you guys know anything about me, it’s that I feel very strongly about the ability for electric bikes to become true car replacers, becoming a large percentage of the vehicles used in cities in the near future. Single-passenger trips make up the majority of most personal transportation, but two-passenger trips aren’t that far behind. An e-bike that can carry an adult or a couple of kids on back is a game-changer when it comes to utility. I’ve ridden Blix’s cargo e-bikes before, even carrying a few kids on the back, but the Blix Dubbel is a smaller format bike that looks just as capable in a more convenient package.
When you add in the Class 3 speeds of 28 mph, the high-quality brakes and nice Microshift transmission here, plus that ultra-long range from the double battery option, the Dubbel is looking like an incredible option for a do-everything utility e-bike.
I’ve long been a RadRunner e-bike fan, but the Dubbel looks like what the RadRunner would be after it hit puberty.
The one bummer here is the lack of a suspension fork. I get the decision there though. For a cargo e-bike, you either have to have a really high-quality suspension fork (i.e., expensive), or you forgo it in favor of a good but less expensive rigid fork that can withstand the load. And in this case, the 3.3-inch tires are fat enough that they’ll do a decent job of faux-suspension by themselves.
All in all, I’d call this a serious win for Blix.
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Author: Micah Toll
Source: Electrek
