This past Saturday, I was invited to attend the launch of the Stromer ST2 e-bike. The Swiss company released the bike a year ago in Europe, and is now ready to tackle the US market and its burgeoning appetite for electric assist bicycles. Judging from the proliferation of e-bike shops in Santa Monica and Venice, e-bikes are the next big thing, so I wanted to check out what Stromer has to offer. The ST2 is most definitely the upscale choice in the e-bike marketplace. The design is clean and fluid, and unlike other companies and systems out there, the battery is neatly incorporated into the frame for a clean look. It is still accessible and removable for easy charging, but lives neatly in the downtube. There are incorporated lights, and an iPhone app is available to customize the settings, as well as track the bike should it be stolen. This apparently happened just the other day in San Francisco, and thanks to the built-in GPS, the police were able to track and recover the stolen ST2, along with 30 other bicycles. I’m hoping to have the chance to spend more time with the bike for a more comprehensive review, but in the meantime, know that I am a fan of the ST2. On a quick test ride, the ST2 performed well, and most importantly, it put a huge smile on my face.