While some ebikes try to keep things simple, others revel in their electronic nature, packing in as many high-tech features as possible. The single-speed Urtopia is definitely one of the latter, and has just hit the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform. First of all, no, that’s not a typo – the Hong Kong-designed Urtopia is designed for city use, so its name is an amalgamation of the words “urban” and “utopia.”

One of its most striking features is its full carbon fiber frame, which includes the fork, handlebars and seatpost. As is the case with an increasing number of bicycles that are trying to make a strong visual statement, its frame lacks a seat tube – the top tube sort of zig-zags to become the seat stays.
Besides being made of carbon fiber, its flat handlebars further distinguish themselves by incorporating an LED headlight (angled so as not to dazzle oncoming drivers); a thumbprint scanner that unlocks the bike’s drive system when touched by its registered owner; left-hand controls for activating the turn indicators (which are projected onto the road); and an LCD display on the stem.

That display shows all the usual stuff, like the current speed and battery charge level. It also has two wind-cancelling mics, however, which allow users to access the Urtopia’s numerous functions via voice control.

The seatpost incorporates not only the tail light/brake light/turn indictor module...