There's nothing like an espresso to get you charged up for a day of riding, but if you use disposable pods. what happens to them when you're done? Swiss bike builder Miloo has developed a way to put old Nespresso capsules to good use, giving the waste aluminum a new life in the frames and rims of a rugged all-terrain e-bike.
The machine in question, the Miloo Xplorer Beast, sits in the growing genre of e-SUVs, which are electric bikes made for tackling all terrains. More robust than a regular hybrid, they typically have fatter tires for grip on loose surfaces, and often have suspension to soak up bumps and shocks.
The Xplorer Beast, made in collaboration with explorer Mike Horn, has a proprietary 1,000W internal hub motor, 1,800Wh battery (with the option to add a second for extra range), dynamic power management system, and torque and cadence sensors so the motor kicks in the moment you begin turning the pedals and provides smooth acceleration. It has a top speed of 45km/h, but can be capped at 25km/h to comply with EU regulations.
The standard Beast has a full carbon frame, and the recycled aluminum pods will only be used in a special edition model.
"We can’t say exactly how many are needed per frame and rim at the moment," Miloo founder Anna Bory told Swiss newspaper Blick. "But we bought a ton of recycled aluminum for an initial series of 100 to 150 bicycles."
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