AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 40

Blow off
some steam.
Get IFR-Rated Glass for Under $5K

New Features Available Now!
Looking to replace your old-style vacuum
gauges with electronic displays? The
Evolution E5 is a drop in replacement
providing advanced functionality and the
ability to grow with your needs.

Evolution E5 Dual Electronic Flight Instrument

* Provides a path for removal
of vacuum pump*
* Replaces your old attitude
indicator and HSI
* Built-in GPSS Roll Steering
* Interfaces with your existing
avionics and most autopilots
* Starting at $4,995
Don't settle for limited digital replicas of
your existing mechanical gauges. Get
the most cost-effective certified IFR rated
glass in the market. The Evolution E5.

*In most circumstances. Actual vacuum pump removal will vary by aircraft.
Copyright 2020 Aspen Avionics Inc. " Aspen Avionics, " " Evolution Flight Display
System, " and the Aspen Avionics aircraft logo are trademarks of Aspen Avionics Inc.
All rights reserved. U.S. Patent No. 8,085,168, and additional patents pending.

PILOT BRIEFING
REVIEW |

No sweat, portable
ground transportation
Folding electric bicycle from Montague
BY JIM MOORE

PEDAL POWER IS OPTIONAL, as are courtesy cars, if you stow this full-size, folding
bicycle with an electric motor in the airplane for your next adventure. Designed by
the company that David Montague founded in 1987 while he was a graduate student
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the M-E1 bicycle is the newest iteration
of a design that earned him a contract in 1997 to build folding electric bicycles for the
U.S. Marine Corps, and later a non-electric version called the Paratrooper. Montague
Bikes also worked with General Motors Co. to design a Hummer Tactical Mountain
Bike that folds to fit in the back of an H2.
The M-E1 combines a full-size,
folding frame; highend components
including hydraulic disc brakes; and
a 250-watt electric motor paired
with a battery large
enough to power
nearly 50 miles of
pedal assistance.
Two stats to consider: It is not an
inexpensive bicycle, at $3,599, and it
weighs 55.2 pounds.
(The removable battery accounts for 5 pounds of that total, a company spokesman noted,
which somewhat improves its aircraft weight-and-balance compatibility.)
The upsides are noteworthy, including an easy-folding design and a forked kickstand
that allows the bike to be folded without being lifted. It can also be rolled while folded.
" We set out to build an electric bike that can go where others cannot. Pilots, travelers, and so many outdoor enthusiasts have been deterred from owning an e-bike due to
space constraints and a lack of portability with the current designs, " the company said.
" The M-E1 offers pilots a compact folding design for easy storage that unfolds in seconds to deliver a full-sized electric bike to take them anywhere they want to go. Pilots
need an e-bike that can handle the trails in the remote areas they fly to, and still stow in
a tight space at the end of the day. Small wheel folding bikes won't cut it, but the M-E1
can do it all. "
Rated for a maximum motor-assisted speed of 20 mph, the M-E1 can be used on bike
paths where faster electric bicycles and mopeds may be prohibited.
Depending on available useful load (in literal as well as financial terms), the M-E1 may
lure a few pilots away from airport courtesy cars or other ground transportation options.
EMAIL james.moore@aopa.org

www.aspenavionics.com

40 | AOPA PILOT June 2021

http://www.aspenavionics.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021

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