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Gocycle turns to crowdfunding after surviving ‘Bikeaggedon’

The boutique maker of folding e-bikes is expanding into nonelectrics.

Following a January restructuring to reduce overhead, Thorpe is now turning to crowdfunding to help launch a new series of F1-inspired e-bikes while also expanding into nonelectric foldables — a space currently dominated by Gocycle’s British compatriots Brompton. The first, rather earnest installment focuses on “Bikeaggedon,” Thorpe’s word for the turmoil created by soaring e-bike demand at the onset of covid, followed by a collapse of the supply chain, and then a period of massive oversupply when parts were suddenly available again. The industry upheaval resulted in the VanMoof, Bird, and Cake bankruptcies and forced Rad Power Bikes and others to significantly scale back ambitions.

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