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After an appearance on the Gadget Show ‘Future Special’ Kansi has received an increase of traffic to its website for information on the limited edition Skyway-equipped F20 folding bike.
Information surrounding the Kansi F20 can be found on the brand’s site here.
However, what was meant to be a restricted access area of product development has now been ‘leaked’ via the Channel 5 Gadget Show Future Special, admitted Kansi.
During the Channel Five show, broadcast on Monday March 25th, presenter Jason Bradbury made an electric jetpack which he tested aboard the Kansi F20 folding bike. Although initially positioned within the show as a piece of comic DIY experimentation – an actual Kansi-developed, assisted propulsion system which has been in R&D for the last 12 months will be available for sale in aftermarket kit form in September.
The system uses a custom Kansi rack top bag which holds the expected amount of usual commuter luggage as well as the required ‘custom spec’ lithium polymer batteries in the base of the bag. A cable connects the batteries to a specific folding bike seatpost ‘jet pack’ system which is controlled via the use of a handlebar twist throttle. The system can be positioned on the extra length seatube of most small wheeled folding bikes and can be used by a rider at a maximum weight of 101kg (combined rider and luggage = 101kg). The thrust ratio has been maximised at 25kg thrust, but unlike the system shown in use on the Gadget Show, the ‘AIR’ (Aero Inertia Reserve) system only weighs in at 8.7kg and is only 10cm x 24cm x 24cm (WxHxD). The Kansi ‘AIR’ system will propel the bike and rider (101kg Max) on flat ground up to a maximum speed of 23.4 mph.
A full charge lasts 25 minutes (without pedalling) which should provide enough power to cover most commuters journeys and the noise level is a meagre 56db. The system when in use will also charge an iPad or iPhone if placed within the racktop bag.
Head of Kansi new product development team Tom Foolery said: “At kansi the ethos of our folding bikes has always been to provide bikes that look great, are fun to ride and make it easy to get from A to B and the ‘AIR’ System transfers these principles to a product that aids cyclists in need of a boost on their daily commute.”
More info will be released nearer the time of the official launch to the trade at the National Space Centre in Leicester in the autumn.
RRP for the combined luggage, battery pack charger and ‘AIR’ system is expected to be approx £234.56.
