Pendler Balancing Crafted Aesthetic & High Urban Performance
Benjamin Hubert’s creative agency LAYER has designed Pendler, a compact urban e-bike concept that facilitates better commuting. The bike combines the power of an e-bike with the appeal of traditional cycling, resulting in a compact yet powerful format that is designed to make urban living more convenient and enjoyable. The material palette celebrates natural materials and a crafted aesthetic that belies the performance-driven design, aligning two often disparate elements of the cycling world.
- Convenience is king
Pendler is a compact yet powerful e-bike that makes urban commuting easier and more appealing. The name comes from the Danish word for “commuting” which is a nod to the tradition of cycling in Denmark, which is one of the most cycle-friendly countries in the world with 9 out of 10 Danes owning a bike. The symmetrical step-through U-shaped frame not only creates a signature appearance for the bike, but also challenges the conventional performance-driven language of e-bikes. The lack of a top tube allows riders to ‘step through’ the frame regardless of what they are wearing, making the bike inclusive for a wide demographic of users with varying ranges of mobility. The saddle and handlebar height can also be adjusted for a comfortable ride. The compact wheelbase and relatively small 20-inch wheels allow for easy storage and travel on public transport, reducing the complexities involved in urban commuting. In keeping with this approach, the folding pedals and 90-degree turning handles facilitate storage in compact urban spaces, including apartments and share-houses where space is at a premium.
- Everyday elements
Pendler comes with several modular, detachable accessories that enable users to carry shopping and luggage, as well as a phone dock that offers safe and easy access to devices while riding. The front and rear basket attachments feature a timber base with a wire surround and integrated adjustable straps that keep luggage or shopping in place, whether for weekend shopping or the everyday commute. When not in use, these baskets can simply be hung up on storage hooks in the home for a more streamlined ride.
- A Crafted Commute
Pendler pairs high-performance technology with a finely crafted aesthetic to create a new vision for urban commuting that aligns not only with a user’s performance needs for efficient travel, but also their lifestyle aspirations. The frame is constructed from standard circular steel tubing with die-cast aluminium mounts for the baskets, which have a more organic, fluid expression. This is paired with leather details in the saddle and handles and the timber slats of the basket to bring a sense of warmth and craft to the bike.
Integrated indicator lights on the handlebars and rear and front of the frame – which are powered by the inbuilt battery – help cyclists communicate with other traffic without having to take their hands off the bike. This is a particularly pertinent concern for cities such as London where cycling accidents are commonplace.
- Low effort, high performance
The Pendler bike utilises a compact 45Nm rear hub motor that allows the frame to maintain a sinuous, uninterrupted form, and it is powered by a removable 250Wh battery for ease of off-bike charging or sustainable replacement. Speed is controlled via the handlebars, and the top speed is 25km per hour in keeping with the UK/EU speed guidelines. The battery can be easily removed and charged via any outlet, and a single charge can achieve 70km distance, making Pendler ideal for weekly commutes.
- In detail
- LAYER has designed Pendler, a compact urban e-bike concept that facilitates better commuting.
- The compact wheelbase and 20-inch wheels in combination with folding pedals and handles allow for easy storage and travel on public transport.
- The bike has detachable front and rear basket attachments.
- The frame is constructed from standard circular steel tubing with die-cast aluminium mounts for the baskets. The saddle and handles are leather, and the baskets are timber and metal.
- Pendler features a 45Nm rear hub motor and a removable 250Wh battery.
- A single charge can achieve 70km of travel.
- The top speed is 25km/hour (in keeping with UK/EU speed guidelines).
Project / Brand: Layer
Photography: Layer