The Kick Varibike is a weird new ‘bicycle’ that you pedal with your hands

By Kelly Hodgkins August 27, 2015

kick varibike scooter hand pedal — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The world’s premier international cycling trade show, Eurobike 2015, opened this week in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Among the cutting edge cycling technology on display was this unusual entry from German bike manufacturer Varibike that was spotted by Gizmag. As its name implies, the Kick-Varibike is a hybrid scooter bicycle that uses arm power to supplement the bike’s traditional kick mechanism of propulsion.

The Kick isn’t the first unusual creation from Varibike. The German bike maker made headlines a few years ago when it introduced its first Varibike models, the FR2 and FR3, at Eurobike 2013. Similar to competing arm- and leg-powered bicycle makers, Varibike is known for its unique bicycles that combine arm cranks with the traditional leg-driven pedal power to give cyclists a more complete workout. These bikes also promise to increase a rider’s speed, providing a 30 percent boost in power output over a conventional pedal-only equipped bike.

Related: This strange new bike can be pedaled in six different ways

The new Kick Varibike builds on the company’s experience with traditional bikes by taking a scooter frame and adding the handbike option. Similar to its regular bike, the make has installed two arm cranks in front of the handlebars for easy turning. Rider can choose to ride the Kick Varibike as a traditional kickbike or step on board the scooter platform and use their arms to propel themselves down the street. Varibike says its new arm-powered Kickbike is designed to simulate cross-country skiing or stand up paddling but is suitable for everyday road use.

The Kick Varibike features a CroMo frame and fork with CNC machined arm cranks. Also include is a 3-speed internal gear hub, a 24 x 2-inch Schwalbe BigApple front wheel with a disc brake and a 20 x 2-inch BigApple rear wheel with a V-brake. Varibike is selling the Kick model now for €2,599 (about US$2,920).

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Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…

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