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Lopifit: What happens when you combine e-bike, treadmill & scooter

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Lopifit_ebike-walking-treadmill-bike_group-walk-ride

This one is for those conspiracy theorists worried about e-bikes taking over cycling. What if it was a treadmill powered e-bike? The Lopifit claims to be the first walking bike, although we’ve actually been reporting on them since at least 2009 and taking the Bike Forest Treadmill Bike off some sweet jumps. But all kidding aside the Lopifit is real and combines an electric motor assist with a treadmill-powered bike. The idea behind it was less about creating a bike than getting a bit of walking exercise, but not being stuck inside. Take a closer look and judge for yourself after the fold…

How can I use the treadmill outdoors?” That was the spark of an idea from Dutch founder Bruin Bergmeester. And while most would have left it at that, he spent the next few years figuring out how to make it actually work. Add in the electric assist and now the Lopifit gets you around on something of a bike with no more effort than a walk in the park.

Lopifit_ebike-walking-treadmill-bike_non-driveside-detail Lopifit_ebike-walking-treadmill-bike_grey

The bike, if we should call it that, responds to walking input to power it. It effectively works like a typical e-bike in that the motor only engages and powers forward movement when the rider puts power in as well. But while e-bikes work to give pedal-assist, this one senses when you are walking and moving the treadmill, and it uses a motor to give power assist to turn a drive chain at the rear of the treadmill that spins a standard internally geared rear hub.

To get the thing in motion, just switch on the battery, put one foot on the treadmill and slide it back, and you are off. To engage the power assist you simply walk on the treadmill; to coast simply stop walking; and to stop just use the hand brakes. The right lever stops the motor assist and activates a rear disc brake. The left lever simply tops the treadmill itself. Going downhill or just to freewheel, you can stop the treadmill only and coast.

Lopifit_ebike-walking-treadmill-bike_motor Lopifit_ebike-walking-treadmill-bike_luggage-rack

The power assist is provided by a Quantum Motor inline engaging the chain. The Lopifit then uses a Shimano Nexus 3 speed transmission to give some speed control, up to around a 25km/hr upper limit. Its battery gives it a 55km range, and also powers integrated LED lighting front and rear. The steel-framed bike thing is 2.3m long, and even includes a built-in luggage rack (Wonder if it might be a scary idea to paint it yellow and ride it around Amsterdam looking for Backsies?!)

Lopifit_ebike-walking-treadmill-bike_riding-down-hill

Too bad; to quote the Lopifit website: “Unfortunately you cannot perform a moonwalk with the Lopifit.” The 1900€ Lopifit is available in five colors, directlu from their website.

Lopifit.com

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Rob Blackton
Rob Blackton
8 years ago

How do I use a treadmill outdoors?
Go for a walk, that’s how!
Needlessly complicated insanity!

Gunnstein
Gunnstein
8 years ago

“getting a bit of walking exercise, but not being stuck inside” – as apart from, well, taking a walk outside? On the ground, like?

I guess the missing slogan here is “walking at bike speeds”. Still, it must be a rather small niche product.

Matt
Matt
8 years ago

the main photo …. no…no… no – That’s how my worst bike/cycling/velo/bicci nightmare ever would look like!

Martinusss
Martinusss
8 years ago

Answer to above question is: you look like a turd. I apologise for my fellow countrymen who brougt this into the world…

bb_nl
bb_nl
8 years ago

Stupid Dutch and our need to make everything bikey 😉

That last pic does make me want to go out into the dunes though… with a proper (cross)bike of course!

mopi
mopi
8 years ago

walking with E-support, funny.

Matthew
Matthew
8 years ago

Attack of the clowns, I mean clones.

Ripnshread
Ripnshread
8 years ago

Motor assisted walking? Too fast for my 85 yr old grandma who could use that…. Why?

GOPAL
GOPAL
6 years ago
Reply to  Ripnshread

U MAY SET THE SUITABLE SPEED

Larry Falk
Larry Falk
8 years ago

The last photo would look good for a 2016 calendar.

wuffles
wuffles
8 years ago

I… what? This has to be a product of some of those lovely fungi that get sold in certain stores in Amsterdam.

Trey Richardson
Editor
8 years ago

If they make a couple’s side-by-side tandem, dibs on the review.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

Ahh. Please, please make an MTB version, with the treadmill comprised of crushed gravel glued to the treadmill band.

Kbark
Kbark
8 years ago

Treadmill maintenance is bad enough without combining a few other things to it, not to mention mobility.

Are there too many engineers in the world?

d
d
8 years ago

Ow! My eyes hurt.

Heffe
Heffe
8 years ago

That top photo looks like something out of a dystopic sci-fi film.

Rixter
Rixter
8 years ago

Maybe Danny MacAskill could make it do some cool stuff in a new trials vid. Then again, maybe. Not!

Frank
Frank
8 years ago

I have to say these have some potential for the mobility limited folks. Imagine an old lady who’s not strong enough to risk balancing on a bicycle without breaking a hip waking at 2x speed to the grocery store.

alifeincenac
4 years ago
Reply to  Frank

Don’t be so dismissive of old people who still want to move faster than walking pace. You should live so long!

Von Kruiser
Von Kruiser
8 years ago

This is a Simpsons episode when Homer designs a bike.

Noah
Noah
8 years ago

Ok… what would happen if you rode this ATOP a treadmill INSIDE?? A rip in the fabric of time and space I imagine.

Mike A
Mike A
8 years ago

I’m not high enough to understand this mobile lawsuit.

Pedego Electric Bikes
8 years ago

A niche product, kinda like a Segway.

Trevor Moon
Trevor Moon
7 years ago

Ok…how much is it?

Peter
Peter
5 years ago

Is it easy enough to ride uphill?

Lakeland
Lakeland
2 years ago

I want one. Seriously

Lakeland
Lakeland
2 years ago

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
Ii is not what you think it is.

Its not what they are trying to sell you on. Its so near like a scam and they try to sell you on delusional fanciful, nobleistic notions that are half arse. You may not understand it, you may not see it all at once, yet believe what i say and save your money for something else.

Heres why: The treadmill activity according to the owners own admission has no purpose in controlling the mobility of the bike. (It can be built where it can if someone is good with gears and ratios and all that. Hell even i could) Its just an electric bike with a treadmill… nothing more.

They try to sell you on safe for this or that and its this or that when in reality… its nothing more than a electric bike with a tread mill.

I would have built one that can be used with no electric parts needed. You start with a small push off and start walking on the treadmill to gain momentum, the faster you go the faster it can go according to the gear ratio you have it set at. I would have a side step or center step plate where you could use it like a scouter as well when you want to slow down or whatever. In essence it would be like running as fast as the cars by using gears similar to a bike. The only difference is that i would probably use a solid rim set and racing tires to keep from ‘snake bite’ issues with the torque. Racing chain too, same reason, chain stretching. The only reason i would add electric it to assist on uphill or too tired option. Then again i would use the energy you would be creating to recharge the battery. So yeah.

LD BLACK
LD BLACK
1 year ago

Dangerous – broke my leg I’m 3 places – NOT from a fall!! somehow stepped just the wrong way – had to abandoned bike airborne – could have killed me!

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