Watch: An e-bike takes on the wall of death
Super73 produce special machine that can beat gravity
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E-bikes are thought by many to be the future of active travel, allowing people to move around with ease, without the need for transport.
They also can be as fun as normal bikes, as well as being a useful tool for those with less mobility or for those who just want an extra bit of boost on climbs.
To prove this, Californian e-bike firm Super73 worked on a special machine that could tackle a wall of death. This has traditionally been the arena of motorbikes, so it's exciting to see battery and pedal power put to the test like this.
Leading wall of death rider Marvin Prinssen, otherwise known as Marvellous Marv, apparently, member of the stunt group The Luck Daredevils was brought on board to test it out.
Super73 worked with Prinssen to build the bike, which required a number of upgrades from a standard model, MoveElectric reported (opens in new tab). The wheel spokes were reinforced and a rigid front fork was added to keep the machine sturdy when subjected to intense g-force.
The powertrain was switched to single-speed, with a throttle added to help riders reach top speed as quickly as possible, not the usual power button. The battery was relocated to give it better protection in the event of an accident.
The seat was also covered with special gripping material to help ensure the rider wouldn't fall off. Finally, the bike was given a carnival-esque respray with a copper paint scheme designed to shine under the lights.
Anyway, that's enough talk, watch it now:
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Adam is Cycling Weekly’s senior news and feature writer – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing, speaking to people as varied as Demi Vollering to Philippe Gilbert. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
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