No matter what your religious affiliation, you have to respect some of the things Pope Francis has done. He urges priests and nuns to drive and dress more humbly while doing so himself as much as his position will allow. The first pope from the Americas and from the Southern Hemisphere (and the first Francis, based on Francis of Assisi known for championing the poor, peace, and the environment) has refused various ostentatious vestments traditionally worn by the pope in favor of dressing like a simple parish priest. AND he has refused the papal limousine and Mercedes on various occasions in favor of more humble vehicles or even walking. So instead of just giving Pope Francis keys to a new Popemobile, Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, also presented Pope Francis a new Smart ebike and discussed sustainable mobility last week. The Italian version of Vanity Fair even elected Pope Francis man of the year this week. But enough about the pontiff, let’s check out that sweet new ride with some videos after the break.
Moving past the lack of helmets, you’ll notice the Smart ebike has a few features that makes it the perfect pontifical pedaler. The Gates carbon belt drive won’t chew up or besmirch his white habit. The 48V, 423Wh Li-Ion battery with brushless BionX electric rear-wheel hub motor and Sram integrated I-Motion 3-speed hub will ensure that the pope gets just the right amount of exercise without overexerting himself (he is, after all, 76 and only has one lung). The Cane Creek headset will keep him steering down the right path, while the 180mm Magura MT-4 disc brakes will allow him to stop and smell the roses or preach to the birds like his patron saint. The Ergon grips and pedals will even keep his hands and feet comfortable, pure, and ready to bless.
Now let’s take a look at how a more advanced rider, Danniel Dhers rocks the ebike:
Yeah, I know, I wanted to see a wall tap, Superman, backflip, something on the ebike, but at least it’s nice to know even pros still enjoy leisurely exploration by bike and even enjoy the occasional push.
