Nomad Cycles Launch Kickstarter to Hand-Build eBikes in Portland

"The Nomad Cycles Double Down takes its name from the bike's unique double down tube. It uses a custom vanadium steel frame. Nomad says this 'absorbs the road and acts as a passive suspension system'. Part of that passive suspension is the shape of the seat stays, along with a 'floating' seat tube. It comes with a powerful CYC Photon mid-drive motor and uses premium components."

"Nomad also believes in the 'right to repair'. So their first two bike models, the Double Down and the Kickback, were designed with that ethos. What does that mean? Nomad points out that their modular approach to ebike design means if parts to repair the motor are nonexistent 20 years from now, you can swap in a new motor system without trashing the frame. And you can do so without voiding the warranty."

Portland-based Nomad Cycles is transitioning from a community bike shop to a manufacturer by crowdfunding to hand-build two eBike models, the Double Down and the Kickback. The Double Down features a custom vanadium steel frame with a double down tube, seat-stay shaping, and a floating seat tube to provide passive suspension, paired with a CYC Photon mid-drive motor and premium components for commuting. Both models embrace a right-to-repair, modular design that allows motor systems to be swapped in the future without destroying the frame or voiding warranty. The Kickback uses crank-forward geometry for an upright, comfortable position that improves visibility and ground reach.

Read at Bikerumor