I recall seeing a Jeep full-suspension mountain bike about fifteen years ago. It sold for $300. I thought the price was about $299 too high: It looked like a lot of cheap Chinese-made bikes sold in big-box stores.
Now, I have no experience with actual Jeeps. I am sure, however, that the company had nothing to do with manufacturing the bikes and little, if anything, to do with designing it. It seemed that lending its name to a line of crappy bikes was a cynical ploy to cash in on customers' loyalty to the brand.
To be fair, Jeep isn't the first company to do such a thing. Nor will it be the first auto-maker to try to cash in on the latest trend in cycling: e-bikes.
The company debuted its first electric bicycle yesterday. Micah Toll reviewed it for Electrek. Having no experience with e-bikes, I can't comment on his comparisons with other companies' models. What I found amusing, however, is his umbrage at the price: $5899.
That is a lot more expensive than some other e-bikes on the market. But it's actually a good bit less expensive than, not only other e-bikes, but some non-electric, non-motorized bikes offered by some other companies that also peddle (pun intended) eBikes. I am talking about Specialized and Santa Cruz, two of the best-known names in the mountain bike world. Their eBikes cost a good bit more than Jeep's--but less than their top-of-the line mountain bikes, and less yet than Specialized's high-end road bikes.
Now, I have no experience with actual Jeeps. I am sure, however, that the company had nothing to do with manufacturing the bikes and little, if anything, to do with designing it. It seemed that lending its name to a line of crappy bikes was a cynical ploy to cash in on customers' loyalty to the brand.
To be fair, Jeep isn't the first company to do such a thing. Nor will it be the first auto-maker to try to cash in on the latest trend in cycling: e-bikes.
The company debuted its first electric bicycle yesterday. Micah Toll reviewed it for Electrek. Having no experience with e-bikes, I can't comment on his comparisons with other companies' models. What I found amusing, however, is his umbrage at the price: $5899.
That is a lot more expensive than some other e-bikes on the market. But it's actually a good bit less expensive than, not only other e-bikes, but some non-electric, non-motorized bikes offered by some other companies that also peddle (pun intended) eBikes. I am talking about Specialized and Santa Cruz, two of the best-known names in the mountain bike world. Their eBikes cost a good bit more than Jeep's--but less than their top-of-the line mountain bikes, and less yet than Specialized's high-end road bikes.
