The Unique Gocycle G3 — A Peek Into The Future Of E-Bikes?

Make no mistake about it, the Gocycle G3 is unlike any e-bike you’ve ever seen or ridden on. Comparing it to anything else is difficult. Riding the Gocycle is a great experience that is as unique as its design is futuristic.

The Unique Gocycle G3, A Peek Into The Future?

Jumping on a Gocycle G3 without checking the manual means you’re in for a surprise. While not checking manuals helps us to see how intuitive a vehicle is, this doesn’t always work well when confronted with something truly different, such as Gocycle G3.

The G3 is so different and unique that, comically enough, it took a few minutes to find the “on” button. After that embarrassing moment, we duly went back and read the manual. But let’s be clear, the G3 isn’t difficult to operate. It does require a proper introduction with a proper salesperson to get you started. By the way, the “on” button is located on the back of the frame under the seat — you will find a rubber button with four blue LED battery indicators there.

That the Gocycle is a folding electric bicycle that demands a modicum of attention and respect is actually a good thing. This isn’t your garden-variety e-bike. It feels like a peek into the future of how e-bikes will most likely be designed.

The Unique Gocycle G3, Folding Magnesium Body

When Richard Thorpe, founder of Gocycle designed the G3 after working at Mclaren Cars, he set out to do things right from the beginning. He wanted to redesign the way we approach bicycles. Although he didn’t start with electricity in mind, he eventually adopted a battery-assisted light and foldable magnesium e-bike.

The body is a injection molded magnesium tube that houses the battery, as well as the rear arm section, which respectively houses the battery and gears with transmission shaft. The handlebar is made of aluminum, which further acts as a shock absorber, much as the URB-e does.

Folding the G3 was fun and we couldn’t believe the e-bike fits in such a small housing. Detach the wheels with its patented lock system, fold the handlebar, remove the seat tube and pedals, then fold away.

Riding on the Gocycle G3, you can certainly understand how Richard achieved a radical redesign of an e-bike. And it suffers no comparisons to those cheap folding e-bikes that caught on fire these past years. The quality, shape, and design of the G3 make it difficult to compare with anything else.

Weighing in at a lightweight 36.3 lbs (16.5 kg), this was one of the very rare e-bikes that didn’t brutalize us when we ran out of electricity, on purpose. We just kept on pedaling back home. It’s just that light.

The Gocycle G3 Riding Experience

Once you ride the Gocycle G3, the magic happens. It is a fun ride and certainly matches the expectation of its price. The faster you go, the more stable the G3 seems to become. It is not only very ergonomic but adaptable and can accommodate riders anywhere from the mid 5′ to 6′ tall thanks to its adjustable handle and rear raising seat. Not bad for such a small footprint.

If it could be compared to anything, the Gocycle G3 would be the Apple of e-bikes. The attention to details, overall design, and build quality sets it in a category of its own.

There are no traditional selectors, nor levers, nor anything that protrudes from the handlebar, short of the brake handles. There are two small throttles on each side of the handlebar and an LED display in the middle facing the rider. Speed, battery state, and all relevant information are displayed by a series of LED lights. The are no numbers or analog representation of information, just LED lights. It’s a funky and unique experience. You can watch the videos on the Gocycle official YouTube site to get you going quickly.

The G3 has a predictive gear system that senses when you need to shift up or down. But don’t worry, you can also shift by using the right throttle. If there was one thing we would like improved is to remap the shifting prediction or have it become more aggressive in Sport mode to allow you to reach higher speeds.

The two brake handles and two throttles combine to give you access to various riding modes, lighting, and more. For instance, holding down both throttles will light the front light. Thankfully, Gocycle provides plenty of material to familiarize yourself with the G3. We found the information was well-presented once we became accustomed to its futuristic display.

Perhaps what truly sets apart from other e-bikes is that it was easy to hop on. No need to stretch above a high frame. We often went to formal events riding the Gocycle, something we can’t always do with a mountain bike.

The magnesium wheels might look disproportionately small compared to the seat height, but the ride is exceptional. Gocycle uses its own tires, which are sticky and fun to throw into corners. The tire and Velo seat combination makes the G3 a very comfortable e-bike to ride.

The Gocycle G3 Price & Final Thoughts

Although the Gocycle G3 doesn’t come cheap, it is loaded with technology, brilliantly engineered with good performance, and sports a superb design to boot. The $4,499 reflects the technology and quality involved, all things considered.

After two and a half months for the test, we already miss the Gocycle G3. It is such a unique e-bike that it is very tough to compare to anything else. There simply isn’t anything close enough to match it, at least nothing we are aware of.

Overall, the Gocycle G3 is a blast to ride and ranks high as one of our top 5 favorite e-bikes. And if the Gocycle G3 is fun, we’re excited about the new GS revealed on Friday — it will make you think twice about this bike.