Specialized has teased details of the launch of a new sub-brand, focused on electric urban bikes, called Globe Bikes.
Launching in October, a statement posted in May said Globe Bikes “is an extension of the Specialized brand that will focus on bringing more fun to local living while reducing the number of [car journeys used in] everyday transportation”.
The Globe brand was used previously by Specialized for its range of practical urban bikes.
What bikes will Globe Bikes produce?
A holding page for Globe Bikes shows an urban electric bike obscured by (of all things) a buffet of cacti.
The bike is built around large 3in fat bike tyres. These have a smooth central section with a light chequered tread on the outside edge of the tyre.
The bike is decked out with a full complement of accessories, including mudguards, a kickstand, pannier racks and integrated lighting.
The cacti are also held in plastic bucket-style panniers.
These look very similar – if not identical – to the Cool Cave panniers launched as part of Specialized’s and Fjällräven’s Great Nearby collaboration.
The bike is powered by a rear-hub motor. This is a notable diversion from Specialized’s previous electric bikes, which – barring a handful of exceptions – have almost exclusively used mid-drive motors.
Hub motors are, generally speaking, more affordable than mid-drive motors. This suggests Globe Bikes will be aimed at a significantly lower price point than Specialized’s existing premium electric bikes.
When will Globe Bikes be available?
Specialized says that, after the October launch, the brand aims to start taking orders in “late 2022 and deliver our first bikes to riders in early 2023”.
The statement adds Globe Bikes will only be available to riders in the USA at launch, and that bikes will be available through “continued partnership with independent local bike shops”. Whether the bikes will also be available through Specialized’s direct-to-consumer programme isn’t specified.
