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Levicle Hopes to Scoot You to Work like a Kid Racing a Shopping Cart

Written by Cory Benson
25 Comments
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Levicle_light-compact-commuting-bike-scooter_adult-riding

Somewhere in the gray area between a city bike and a razor scooter lies what inventor/entrepreneur Tom Mackenzie calls the Levicle. Essentially a sit on top scooter with a 12″ front wheel, it claims to blend bike and scooter into something new that will help commuters zip from the train station to the office, speeding up their commute, and having fun at the same time. Scoot past the break to hear a bit more about how the and find out how you can get one in time for the holidays…

Levicle_light-compact-commuting-bike-scooter_adjusted-for-adult Levicle_light-compact-commuting-bike-scooter_adjusted-for-kid Levicle_light-compact-commuting-bike-scooter_folded

Mackenzie set out to simplify the commuting bike, to make it even more portable and simpler and cleaner to operate. He wanted to get to the ease of use and foldability of a kick scooter, with the comfort and stability of a bike. He talks about getting the idea for it walking through the supermarket, balancing on the handle of the shopping cart and gliding down the aisles. After a couple of prototypes he is bringing the Levicle “bike” to market through Kickstarter, with the best of both worlds from bike and scooter.

The 12″ front wheel gives the Levicle the ability to roll over the small bumps and pavement irregularities that would derail the scooter. With a small folding frame it packs down to 72cm x 36cm x 20cm, making it even more suited to take on a busy train or to fit net to a desk in the office. And no chain means no mess and no pedals hitting you (or others around you) in the shins.

Levicle_light-compact-commuting-bike-scooter_kid-riding

With its strange, perched-on-top riding position, the Levicle is apparently quite easy to get up to speed, and easy to maneuver even with a tiny handlebar through crowds. Whether it is allowed or not, piloting it among pedestrians seems like it might not be the wisest or most responsible thing to do. The telescoping seatpost and stem also mean that its one size fits adults up to around 190cm (6’2″) down to kids 105cm (3’5″) tall making it fun for almost anyone.

Backers can get back the project over at Kickstarter to get ahold of one for about $133/117€ (including shipping) for delivery in February 2016, or pay$160/140€ to get a first batch this December in time to wrap it under the tree.

Levicle.com
Cory Benson
4,358 articles

Cory Benson is the EU Tech Editor of Bikerumor.com.

Cory has been writing about mountain bikes, enduro, cyclocross, all-road, gravel bikes & bikepacking for over 25 years, even before the industry created some of these names. Prior to Bikerumor, Cory was a practicing Architect specializing in environmental sustainability, has designed bike shops & bike components, and worked as a bike shop mechanic.

Based in the Czech Republic for 15+ years, he is a technical mountain biker, adventurous gravel rider, and short & medium-haul bikepacker. Cory travels extensively across Europe riding bikes, meeting with key European product developers, industry experts & tastemakers for an in-depth review of what’s new, and what’s coming next.

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25 Comments
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Karl Drais
Karl Drais
9 years ago

It’s a modern version of the dandy horse with tiny wheels, making it even more uncomfortable.

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BecauseYolo
BecauseYolo
9 years ago

(deleted) something, something… #1 tip for going home alone.

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Michael
Michael
9 years ago

That looks fun and he will probably sell a ton.
But a regular scooter would be more comfortable

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Pit
Pit
9 years ago

I already feel bad for kids who ride this past a bunch of skateboarders.

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bikeduder
bikeduder
9 years ago

Crap like this blows my mind. What an embarrassing idea. Even more embarrassing is that almost 50 people have given this guy 6000$ for this crap. Its called WALKING people. It is free.

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JBikes
JBikes
9 years ago

How is this more comfortable than a scooter with big wheels? A seat that’s super close to the h-bars? Standing seems better.
Kickstarter seems the place where jokes go on to be funded.

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Andy
Andy
9 years ago

Because simple 2 wheeled bikes have been too impractical to get from A to B in the last 120 years.

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Penguin Dood
Penguin Dood
9 years ago

I heard these go fastest after shouting “Yaba-daba-doo!”

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Frippolini
Frippolini
9 years ago

I had the chance to read BecauseYolo’s comment before it was deleted, and it was absolutely spot on. +1 on that BecauseYolo. 🙂

Who has time to invent this kind of crap, let alone try production of it?
What sucker buys this?

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thesteve4761
thesteve4761
9 years ago

Is that kid wearing a cape?

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get rad
get rad
9 years ago

Taint destroyer.

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satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

does it come with a red nose?

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Mirwin
Mirwin
9 years ago

Just when you think you’ve found a site where like-minded people can control the vitriol that falls out of their yawning pie holes…

Apparently I expect far too much.

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Andy
Andy
9 years ago

If it were up to the BR brigade we’d still be in the dark ages, but you have to admit, this ‘invention’ isn’t really breaking new ground.

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Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
9 years ago

Seems the #1 criteria these days to get published on BR is to create something that nobody wants.

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PTymn Wolfe
PTymn Wolfe
9 years ago

Its a big world Mirwin and it doesn’t revolve around you.

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satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

@mirwin- howz the view from pedestal?

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Jack
Jack
9 years ago

A pair of stunt pegs and I’m in. Would love to see some sort of on road downhill event for these elevated to the world tour.
Also would like to see the emergency stop you get out of a slipping seat post. Youtube fodder for sure.

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Mirwin
Mirwin
9 years ago

Yes, because calling out posters hating on a scooter without riding it is just so-o-o elitist.

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TesSanchez
TesSanchez
9 years ago

head angle too steep, reach too short, unridable….

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i
i
9 years ago

I have to wonder if the inventor has ever been to a city that has a subway. At least during rush hour.
“apparently quite easy to get up to speed, and easy to maneuver even with a tiny handlebar through crowds”
like the next sentence says, even if that were possible you’d be asking for a well-deserved fist to the gut for trying to ride that thing at speed through a crowd.

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Tom Mackenzie
Tom Mackenzie
9 years ago

@i I’ve just come back from Tokyo where I took the Levicle bike on the subway with no issues carry on and off the under ground trains. I was also able to ride on the side walks with ease. I agree when there are too many people it is not possible to ride but this happened only close to getting on and off trains. The Levicke bike was well received in Japan. Happy to answer other questions.

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Tom Mackenzie
Tom Mackenzie
9 years ago

@TesSanchez Your comments may be correct for a standard bike, but with experimentation the geometry of the Levicle bike is easy to ride and with the handle bars being close to the seat you are able to move your weight from the handle bars to the seat giving a unique enjoyable riding feeling and no need to bend your back.

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Tom Mackenzie
Tom Mackenzie
9 years ago

@Jack The production version will have the ability to attach standard pegs front and rear, so can be used at the skate parks.

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Psycholist
Psycholist
9 years ago

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-the-SpinScooter/

This looks like much more fun to “maneuver” through crowds with!

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