The makers of Teebike have made it possible to turn any bicycle into an electric bike, simply by replacing your front tire, with a Teebike tire. This allows the rider to still pedal the bike as they normally would, and provide electric assistance without affecting the existing mechanical parts.
Teebike was co-founded by Laurent Durrieux, who came up with the idea while traveling through China. He came across a bike “cemetery” that was just a dumping ground for thousands of abandoned bikes. Durrieux explains in an interview with Positiv:
After some research, I discovered with horror that these spaces are spreading more and more around the world. I then set myself the objective of finding an accessible, economical and sustainable solution to deal with this logic of all-disposable which is so damaging to our environment and our future.
The Teebike wheel connects with a Bluetooth app that the user can download onto their phone. The very simple app has three different settings; Stop, Speed, or Boost. The apps read-out display will show the rider their speed, kilometers traveled, along with kilometers traveled uphill. Even if the app is not on, the Teebike will use the last used settings and begin as soon as the bike begins moving.
The boost feature will provide that extra momentum that we have all wished for when pedaling uphill, it’s also possible to use the boost feature from a stopped position.
Teebikes come in 4 different wheel sizes, 20”, 26”, 27.5”, and 28” and are compatible with different tires for road, city, or mountain bikes. The average wheel weighs 7kg, and will not affect steering.
The Teebike batteries have a range of 80km and can be fully recharged in 4 hours. Simply connect the charger to any common electrical outlet and that’s it. The app also displays the charging level and time remaining. Your bike is still fully functional, even if the battery runs out while riding.
Teebike has partnered with Corepile, who is the leading eco-organization in France for the collecting and recycling of batteries. For every battery that is used by Teebike, they pay an “eco-contribution” to Corepile. Batteries can always be returned to Corepile to ensure proper recycling.
In France, they have also partnered with Cyclofix, which is a company that will come to someone’s home, office, or side of the road to repair bicycles. They are fully capable of working on Teebike wheels, and if for some reason they cannot fix the wheel, Teebike will work on it and send a replacement.
Teebike also has an environmental initiative, they chose Luthenay Forest, which is known for its rich biodiversity. They wish to keep this area beautiful, and so they plant a wide variety of species, promoting biodiversity and reducing the carbon footprint.
In his interview with Positiv, Durrieux was asked what message he would like to convey:
Your bike is worn out! No need to throw it away to switch to electric. Whether thanks to our connected front-wheel or other types of electrification kits, many ingenious solutions now exist to allow you to give a second life to your bike while preserving the environment and your health!
Teebike wheels cost around $700 and offer FREE shipping to mainland France and Belgium.
