Meet Bike Intermodal, the briefcase-sized folding bike
Half the weight of its competitors, this commuter-friendly cycle could be on the market as early as 2015
Bike Intermodal? What’s that mean?
“Intermodal” transport is another world for mixed-mode transport – i.e. using various forms of transport to get where you need to go. The idea behind this bike is to make it small and light enough that you can easily carry it on a train, bus or in your car.
So it’s just a folding bike?
Not “just”: this is a revolutionary folding bike that, depending on whether it’s built of aluminium or magnesium, weighs in at just 4-6kg (about half that of most rivals) and can be folded down to the size of a small backpack (50 x 40 x 15cm). So if a Brompton Bike strikes you as too bulky, the Intermodal just might be the ideal alternative.
READ MORE: This hubless bike folds down to the size of a brolly
How have its makers managed that?
The consortium that has developed the bike has done away with the traditional bike frame shape, instead opting for three collapsible sub-assemblies that are linked by high-tensile cables. They liken the way it which it folds to that of an airplane’s undercarriage.
But in all other respects it’s a traditional pedal-powered bike?
Well, the Intermodal may well end up coming in two editions: one powered purely by pedals and one with an electric motor to assist the rider in power-sapping uphill climbs and the like.
When’s it out?
The bike is currently in the prototype stages, but its creators hope to bring it to market in 2015 or 2016, with a target price of £650 to £1,000 depending on the model.
Sam Kieldsen
Contributor 
