If the single arm front fork suspension of the M55 Terminus Biceps edition is enough to make you a little bit wobbly, look away now.
At £18,500 the M55 Terminus Biceps - a member of the 2011 Terminus e-bike range and limited to a run of only 55 units - is a bargain. Well, it's a bargain from the perspective of e-bike collectors or those of you obsessed with percentage price reductions at least.
The bike is currently available at 52% discount over at FullyCharged.com, having covered 1250 miles since it was bought for £38,000 in 2013.
As far as standout features of bikes go, the Biceps patented single arm front fork is one of the most striking.
In an write-up from 2012 on Ifitshipitshere.co.uk M55 had the following to say about the Biceps:
"Our patented single-arm front-suspension design is a true extravaganza. Buttery smooth travel, rigid CNC machined Aluminum base reinforced with carbon-fiber and the resemblance of a human arm. Besides the extraordinary design, the prime advantage of this suspension is the elimination of brake-dive effect, enhancing safety while braking - especially on steep slopes."
When it launched in May 2011, the Terminus range, from American e-bike manufacturer M55, was without doubt aimed at the discernibly rich. Priced at $36,000 to $39,000 depending on which options you settled for, budget didn't appear to be a word that hovered long on the lips of the design team responsible for the bike.
At launch and came in five models; the Classic, the Biceps, the Airbrush, the Royal, and the Prime. Bespoke options were available for those individuals willing to shell out even more money,but each bike differentiated itself via bizarre front forks, Swarovski crystal encrusted bodywork or fancy artwork.
Each model used 8 A123 battery cells to power an allegedly 90% efficient 2,000W brushless electric motor fixed to a Robot Wars-esque 'space grade' CNC machined 7075 aluminiumm frame. The bikes rolled on Syncros 26-inch rims with DT Alpine II spokes and a DT Swiss 20mm Thru Axle hub.
The Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 tandem gear hub kept things ticking over at the rear end, while MXR air shocks rear suspension kept things comfortable.
Right now you can buy a Terminus Biceps for £18.5k over at fullycharged.com. The bike is just one of 55 produced and appears to share hallmarks with both he Biceps and the Airbrush Terminus models.
If for some reason the space age artwork on the side of the Biceps doesn't do it for you, there is the option of replacing it with carbon fibre panels.
