Decathlon has been hard at work when it comes to churning out new electric bicycles for all sorts of applications. For beginner riders, it has a range of commuter-focused, beginner-friendly electric bicycles. For those looking to get a taste of the off-road world, it also has a wide selection of electric mountain bikes that are perfect for all sorts of budgets.
That being said, with its newest e-bike concept, the French brand is showing interest in the rapidly growing cargo e-bike segment. It’s called the Magic 2_0, and as its name suggests, it hopes to be the magical replacement for your four-wheelers on a daily basis. At this point, however, it’s important to note that the Magic 2_0 is a concept bike, and just that. Decathlon has yet to confirm whether or not it will make it into production. I certainly hope it does so, because it certainly has quite a lot going for it.
Before we dive into the cargo bike concept, Decathlon’s Magic Bikes concept is pretty interesting. It’s the brand’s answer to the growing demand for more intelligent and optimized e-bikes. The way it works is through an app that allows you to plan rides in advance. This gives the bike’s algorithm all the data it needs to plan the energy output and optimize battery life for the ride. Pretty interesting, isn’t it? This setup could, in a way, eliminate range anxiety, as riders will know whether or not the bike can make the journey even before the ride has begun.
As for the concept cargo bike in question, it’s quite the versatile bit of kit. For starters, on daily commutes, say to school or work, the bike can be ridden as a svelte and slender commuter bike. Simply detach all the luggage and the trailer and go on your way. Should you feel the need for some extra carrying capacity, simply attach the front and rear racks, and mount all sorts of compatible luggage accessories.
Finally, if you want to take your kids to the park or on a quick adventure on the weekends, you can attach the nifty trailer accessory that has enough legroom for a kid and some picnic supplies. You can even tow a kids bike on the back thanks to a convenient attachment.
As mentioned earlier, the Magic 2_0 is still a concept, however, the technology it presents is by no means far-fetched. Indeed, technology is advancing at such a rapid pace that optimized battery utilization like this could be something we’ll be seeing very, very soon. That being said, riders will have to sacrifice some control of the bike’s power settings in exchange for optimized range and performance.