Try not to think about how its name sounds like masturbation.
Buying an electric bike is kind of a commitment — it can cost as much as a cheap car, weigh as much as a small boar, and be troublingly similar to riding an artificially intelligent Pegasus-android that could destroy you at any moment. On the other hand, conversion kits are often heavy and unattractive. What’s a weary cyclist to do?
In a Kickstarter that’s actually cool, some Lithuanian guys have invented a gadget you plop on your bike that turns your steel steed electric — without the weight and cost of an e-bike. The waterproof Rubbee sits on your back tire, where it spins like crazy, propelling you up hill and over dale (why Dale’s lying in the street, I don’t know).
When your thighs hit noodle state, the Rubbee can take over for up to 15 miles, driving your bike at up to 15 miles per hour. And it’s less wasteful than buying a brand-new e-bike, if you already own a pedal-powered one. Sounds pretty great to me.
If you want your own Rubbee, donate to the Kickstarter, which has raised $64,000 of its $96,000 goal so far. The approximately $1,200 donation required to get your own Rubbee sounds like a lot, but you spent that much on your MacBook … and you can’t ride THAT to work.
