There's a certain weight and size threshold for a vehicle beyond which you're no longer on a bicycle, practically speaking, but instead on a moped. For us, this threshold is 45lbs, which is the max weight of our Shadow Chimera. Ideally, the total weight is much lower than that, which is why we offer titanium bicycles as light as 37.5 lbs. There are countless ebikes out there heavier than this in part because they have bigger batteries. A lot of them are cool and some have bmx styling. So consumers already have that option. But there's no bicycle out there - like, an actual reasonably lightweight bicycle that you can easily pedal without motor assistance - with this kind of small motorcycle power. That's what we're offering. It's part of our ethos.

Going fast on two wheels is always dangerous. But the low weight of the Chimera, together with its powerful Magura hydraulic brakes, makes it much easier to control and to stop than other electric bicycles. We feel that makes the Chimera a safer two-wheeled ride than other ebikes in its class. Always wear your helmet though!

Keep in mind that this is a bicycle and as such can be comfortably and easily pedaled to drastically extend your range. We routinely pedal it around town without motor engagement for 20+ miles, for example when we ride with Critical Mass. But if you’re throttle happy, you should check the battery stats here.

Unlike aluminum and carbon-fiber, titanium and 4130 steel are considered "lifetime" materials for frame-building. We make a killer 4130 steel Chimera. But for those who can afford it, titanium is nearly half the weight of steel, rust-proof, looks killer, and can be anodized.

Other batteries can work on the Chimera, depending on voltage and chemistry. But you'll need to adjust the settings on the ASI controller to accommodate other battery packs. Also, it’s rare to find a pack that is small enough to fit on the bike while also capable of enough current to run the bike at full wattage. So if you use a different pack, you’ll likely need to turn the overall wattage of the bike down.

Also, our warranty will not cover any issues caused by battery packs other than our own. So if you cheap out and buy an imported battery that catches fire or fries the controller, that’s on you. Our batteries are warrantied for two years.

"I could buy a motorcycle at that price", says every other dude on the internet. True. You can also buy a used car. But there's a big quality difference in what kind of vehicles you can get in the $3k-$6k price range compared to a Chimera. At those price points, we offer Magura brakes, a high quality frameset, Kenda tires, Sun-Ringle rims, top-of-the-line ASI controller, 5000watt inrunner motor, and other high-quality parts as standard. Our motor and every piece of our proprietary High-Drive transmission system is custom manufactured to tight tolerances. The drilled-out GT3 pulleys, 4130 heat-treated and gun-blued clutches, potted and aluminum encased battery... None of this stuff is pulled off the shelf. We make it from scratch. We even make our own hubs, CNC stems, and titanium bolts. In addition to the quality of the parts themselves, the bikes are hand-assembled here in Los Angeles. That includes us lacing our own wheels and potting/encasing our batteries. Plus, everything on the bike is warrantied for a year. So, yes, for around $3k to $6k you can buy other vehicles, but will they offer this level of quality and detail? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Unfortunately, no. The motor system requires a custom frame to house each component independently of the other in a particular way. It's not something that can be strapped onto an existing frame.

That being said, we love helping DIY makers. So if you have the level of skill and experience necessary to make your own electric vehicle from scratch, and want to use one or more of our components to do it, we'd be happy to help. Just reach out! Keep in mind, though, that we can't warranty our parts on such a build.

Yes, that is a goal. But people should try the 24” before they make any judgments. We purposely chose that size (and frame geometry) as a kind of sweet spot between responsiveness and stability at high speeds.

Almost every part on the bike you'd ever need to replace is a normal bicycle part that you can find online or in bike shops. The
motor system has just a few proprietary components: motor, transmission, clutch, controller, battery. Each of these can be swapped-out pretty easily, and as long as we have it in stock we can ship it to you in just a few days from our shop in Los Angeles.