The group is also designing prototypes for a bicycle with a step-through frame, and a bike with gears.
I was given a sleek – and surprisingly light – bicycle with a step-through frame and swept-back bars wrapped in soft brown leather.
In addition to smaller wheel size and a step-through frame, the third defining attribute of a scooter is an automatic transmission.
He came up with a bike with wheels 16 inches in diameter, high-pressure tires for minimum rolling resistance, front and rear rubber suspension systems for smooth riding on potholed or cobblestoned roads, and a step-through frame (that is, without the top tube of the traditional diamond-shaped frame) for easy dismounting (and more suitable for women wearing skirts).
The upright street bike features a 500Wh battery, Shimano's SLX 11-speed components, a step-through frame, fenders, lights, and hydraulic disc brakes.
The bikes will be bright orange, 6-speed bikes with 26" wheels, frame locks, a step-through frame, a basket affixed, as well as Dynamo hub powered lights (which don't need a battery to work), theft-resistant screws and solid foam tires.
It was also cheap and reliable, while its step-through frame meant that women could ride it in skirts, and its concealed engine – tucked under the seat or over its small back wheel – kept oil, grease and dirt from chic Italian clothes.
The men's model is all black; the silver women's has a step-through frame.
It's got a sturdy step-through frame, wide tires for a stable stance, a comfortable saddle, an enclosed chain to keep your clothes from getting dirty, bright, automatic LED lights and a broad range of gearing that can go from high-high to low-low at a flick of the wrist.
Detroit bike historian Jack Van Dyke said developments in bicycle technology had a important impact on women's fashions and social norms: "If you were a lady, you could finally ride a bicycle because the step-through frame with no top tube had finally become available, so your floor length skirt would be accommodated.
Since I generally ride a road bike, the first few seconds were alarmingly wobbly, and a few people smirked as I swung my leg over the saddle, rather than demurely stepping through the frame as nature and Erenpreiss intended.
