If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that Bikerumor is not afraid to cover some weird and wacky stuff. All too often the story goes “I was passionate about _____ and _____, and decided they had to be combined!” which sometimes yields laughable results.
Todd May is an avid golfer and owner of a Florida bike shop called Higher Ground Bicycle Co. While May falls into the ‘combining my hobbies’ category, his idea of bringing a bicycle to your golf game is actually quite feasible: It’s eco-friendly, allows for a quick round of play, and if you’re fit enough to golf you can probably ride a bike (as long as you’re not chasing around the beverage cart too often).
The bike itself is also designed with golf-specific features and accessories that make sense, like wide turf-friendly tires and club carrying pannier bags. Furthermore, there is a potentially huge market for the concept – The Golf Bike is already in use at several golf courses across the USA and Canada…
After several years of development the Golf Bike was featured at the 2013 PGA Show’s Inventor’s Spotlight, where May says the idea was ‘enthusiastically accepted’ by the golf industry. There are several perceivable advantages to players riding the bikes versus walking or renting a golf cart.
First off, May says its quick – the average time it takes to play nine holes on the Golf Bike is an hour and a half, and things can move even faster if two players ride their own bikes instead of sharing a cart. There’s also a few benefits to courses who decide to use them – the bikes are eco-friendly, and presumably much cheaper to maintain than a golf cart. Also, the bike’s wide tires reportedly do less damage to a course than a much heavier, four-wheeled cart. The Golf Bike’s ‘Turfstand’ kickstand even has an oversized foot peg to prevent plugging holes in the ground.
As for on-course etiquette May says Golf Bike riders should treat it like a cart – use the cart paths whenever possible, and stay off the tees and greens.
The Golf Bike’s frame is made of steel and comes in one size only, which should fit riders between 5’-6’7”. The unisex step-through frame design makes for easy mounting and works well for women playing in golf skirts (or men in kilts, if you’re playing in Scotland). The fork is also steel, and the bike rides on 20” wheels (with 3” tires).
The Golf Bike features a 6-speed Shimano drivetrain controlled by a grip shifter, Tektro V-brakes, and an alloy stem, handlebar, seat post and platform pedals. The cushy gel saddle and riser handlebar should keep riders upright and comfortable, and a chain protector will keep your pants clean.
The Golf Bike’s unique side bags hold up to 14 clubs, plus they have two external net pockets and four zippered pockets for storage. An insulated cooler bag sits between the side bags atop the rear rack, and has its own external pocket for small items. The Golf Bike is no featherweight at 41 lbs complete, but if the concept catches on perhaps we’ll see an aluminum version in the future.
Currently the Golf Bike is selling for an introductory price of $795 USD (full retail will be $995) which includes the rear carrier, side bags, and the insulated cooler bag. Green is your only color choice. The Golf Bike is available online, and can be delivered to your LBS for professional assembly at no extra charge (shipping is also included in the USA).
