Bike shop of a different kind. Originally, the idea of an electric bike café lounge is from Korea - an extremely successful new pedelec lifestyle concept.
 

 
Café footloose is the world`s first pedelec café lounge. The idea has proven itself in Asia. Steven and Bu Xu will now export the idea to Europe.

Hannes Neupert (president ExtraEnergy e.V.) is enthusiastic: "What makes it so special is that the target group of this shop are people who wouldn`t normally go into a bike shop."

Café Footloose
The electric bike café in Korea exclusively offers the brand mando footloose which is the world`s first electric bike without chain. By pedaling, the electricity is generated. The foldable bike is equipped with automotive technology and will be available in Germany in specialist shops from September 2013.

Please find a photo gallery of the 1st and the 2nd generation of mando footloose at EUROBIKE 2013 here:

>> mando footloose - EUROBIKE 2013 (flickr)

ExtraEnergy met Jeff Chang (General Manager Halla Meister Europe B.V.) at EUROBIKE 2013 and asked some questions.

EE: How did you come up with the idea of an electric bike café lounge and what is behind the concept?

JC: We are providing lifestyle. It is very important to know that in Korea, there is no e-mobility market. Only 6.000 units were sold last year. So, we needed to create a new market. We tried to offer a new lifestyle shop. It was a kind of experimental try for us. But it turned out as a huge success. People come to have a party. And they rent the place. Also a lot of TV and drama shows came to produce a film in our café footloose.

EE: When was the opening? Any further projects planned?

JC: We opened the shop end of October 2012. There is a second shop in another trendy place called Itaewon. A third one in busan is in construction and will be opend end of this year.

Now, we are exchanging ideas with Steven and Bu Xu. Because it is also a new concept. Even in Germany where e-mobility is quite developed.

Please find further information on mando footloose in the following PDF document:

>> mando footloose - a new way of moving (PDF)

F EBIKE&Café
The family of Steven and Bu Xu is involved in the e-bike business in China. "If the concept is successful, we will transport it to China to meet the High-End e-bike market", said Steven Xu who is planning with his brother Bu to open a pedelec café lounge called "F EBIKE&Café" in Düsseldorf.

"We want to introduce lifestyle rather than a traditional e-bike shop. Within this concept, we focus on reliable Technology rather than poor price e-bikes. We are going to a kind of full reliability of range, not just only one brand. We want to offer the full range. To have the choice between expensive, comfortable and other bikes like classic/city/comfort e-bikes as well as e-scooters and business pedelecs/pedelecs 45 plus sport/MTB pedelecs. So, people will get the full impression of the industry."

>> draft of F EBIKE&Café (flickr)

Please find further photos, also of the café footloose in Seoul in the photo gallery:

>> photo gallery (flickr)

The expected opening of F EBIKE&Café will be at the end of this year at Berliner Alle no. 40 in Düsseldorf, Germany. The location is surrounded by huge foot traffic and exclusive furniture stores. Just register for the ExtraEnergy newsletter to be the first to get the information on the exact opening date.

Please do not hesitate to contact Steven Xu for further details:

>> steven.xu@ferghana.de

Copy and translation: Angela Budde
Picture: Hannes Neupert

5 September 2013