Our highest-rated folding electric bike, the excellent Gocycle G4, gets even better with some clever design tweaks and (perhaps most excitingly) a tantalizing price drop.
A folding electric bike is a perfect alternative to a car for trips that are too long to easily walk but don’t involve major highways. The motor eases up hills and lets you move quickly and safely through road junctions, and when you reach your destination, it folds up in seconds. If skyrocketing fuel costs have bothered you, it’s worth considering.
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When we tested the 2022 Gocycle G4, we were particularly impressed with its sleek design that kept maintenance to a minimum, it’s updated motor that provides smooth electric assistance when you need it most, and its clever use of different materials to keep the frame strong while minimizing mass.
Now Gocycle has gone one step further. As reported by Electrek (opens in a new tab), the handcrafted carbon-fiber midframe (connecting the aluminum front frame to the magnesium Cleandrive drivetrain) is replaced with an injection-molded composite design.
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The new midframe is made using a mix of polymers and fibers that are less environmentally damaging than carbon fiber, which is notoriously energy-intensive to produce (opens in new tab). It’s also cheaper, which is another big advantage.
Less Carbon, Less Cash
The original Gocycle G4 wasn’t perfect (we found that the strap that holds the folded frame closed feels less secure than clamps on bikes like the MiRider One), but its biggest drawback was its price. At $4,999 / £3,999 (around AU$7,000), it was firmly at the top end of the market when we tested it back in February.
The higher-end G4i and G4i+ models retain their original carbon mid frames and price tags, but switching to the standard G4 has allowed Gocycle to save $200/£200 on production cost and pass on this economy. While it’s still not cheap, at $4,799 / £3,799 (around AU$6,400), it’s now a bit more affordable, giving more people the chance to trade in their second car for something a little more eco-friendly.
