You undoubtedly know someone who would totally commute by bike if it weren't for a whole raft of concerns: It's too dangerous! They're too cumbersome! I don't want to get sweaty on the way to the office! It is now time for those people to shut it. The YikeBike folds to the size of a briefcase, can take potholes and curbs with ease (plus gravel roads and cow rails in case you commute to rural Kentucky), and is fully electric instead of people-powered, so you're not peeling off damp spandex right before your morning meeting.
Here are the things the YikeBike can't address: Lack of bike lanes, crummy drivers, and the fact that — at least until people get used to seeing these things zipping around town — it will make you look kind of eccentric. Also, it has a silly name and is expensive. So basically, shades of the Segway. But it's a pretty awesome commuting solution, so those of you with a spare $2,000-$4,000 should definitely take one for the team to make YikeBikes happen.
![](https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/carkey_exchange1.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=849)