According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of the word “bicycle” is a vehicle composed of two wheels held in a frame one behind the other, propelled by pedals and steered with handlebars attached to the front wheel.
Then there’s this: the JackRabbit which claims to be a portable “ultralight, micro ebike”.
So when is a bike, a bike? Is simply having a seat suspended between two wheels with a handlebar enough? Or is calling the JackRabbit a bicycle a bit of a stretch? Is this more of a seated-scooter? We’re not sure, so I’ll just call this thing Jack for the rest of this story.
The JackRabbit has no pedals, no front brakes, no gears, or even a traditional drivetrain for that matter. There’s a weird “no pedals and proud” kinda vibe on the website. Calling the “feature” of not having pedals “sweat-free” operation. You know, like “hey, we don’t have pedals so your commute and errand running will be sweat free.”
That may be the case but you’re errands better be within a 6-mile radius because the JackRabbit has a very small range of only 12 miles.
And none of that tiny 12-mile range better be up a hill… it won’t go up anything steeper a than 12% grade. At least not without using your feet, ala Strider or Fred Flinstone style. I don’t think we’ve ever seen “human-powered kick-stride assist” called out before as a feature.
This weird little Jack weighs in at 24 lbs and has a max speed of 20 miles per hour – which with this one-size-fits-some frame with a comically short wheelbase may get a little sketchy. I guess without pedals there’s no worry of toe overlap! But seriously, based on your foot position, that could actually be an issue…
They claim that the bike comes “fully assembled, just clip in the handlebars and start cruising”.
Hmm, “clip-on” handlebars, seems like a questionable addition to the already bizarre nature of Jack. Add the single, rear mechanical disc brake caliper that’s squeezing a 180mm rotor, and it makes Jack a good fit to ride to Sketch-A-Palooza.
Actually… zipping the JackRabbit around a music festival might be a good use for this thing.
And you could get to that music festival by plane… it’s FAA-compliant! JackRabbit claims that Jack is just 7″ wide when folded – though by folded, they seem to mean removing the handlebar, folding up the pegs, and simply turning the fork backwards.
Is it just me, or does the above photo have the vibe that they drove to the harbor, found a random boat, and when no one was looking, took two of their toys, staged them on deck, snapped the photo, and bolted without anyone being the wiser?
The JackRabbit comes in 4 colors, White, Electric Blue, Black, and Yellow.
Quick Look at the JackRabbit Techy Stuff
Retail: $999 (with free shipping)
- Motor: 300 watt rear hub
- Battery: Li-Ion 36v 4.2Ah 151.2Wh
- Throttle: Thumb-activated variable speed
- Charge time: 3 hrs
- Dimensions: Ride mode: 48″ long x 21″ wide / Folded: 45″x 7″x 30″
- Frame material: Monocoque 6061-T6 aluminum alloy
- Seatpost: 7″ adjustable range
- Rear tire: 20″ x 2.5″ all-terrain
- Front tire: 20″ x 1.95″ all-terrain
- Not tubeless
- Max incline: 12% grade – or steeper with “human-powered kick-stride assist” with throttle
- Brake: Rear mechanical disc caliper with 180mm rotor
- Heights supported: 4’10” to 6’2″
- Weight supported: Up to 240lbs (190kg)
