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Finally, if one lives by going to the grocery say once a month, the bike won't work for that unless one has a lot of friends.
Just a minor nitpick, but I could easily carry a month's worth of groceries with my bike using my bike trailer and various bags. Obviously it wouldn't work for everyone, but for some it's definitely doable. Would I want to do that? Absolutely not. I chose where I live with walking and biking convenience in mind, just so I wouldn't have to do things like that.
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Originally Posted by Biking Momma
LampLight: I think e-bikes are not for everyone, just like regular bikes aren't for everyone. If you're in good physical condition and don't have any major issues, a regular bicycle is fine. But for some people - elderly or handicapped people, a regular bike might not work. Or if you have a long commute and don't want to arrive too sweaty. Also if you're like me and you have 2 kids to haul around and don't want to use a car all the time, an e-bike is a nice compromise. There are different solutions to different people. What I don't understand is all the backlash I get from traditional bicycle "purists." I would think they would be happy with less cars on the road in general, as I think e-bikes appeal more to people would drive their car anyway, but might do something different if there was another option.
Totally agree, and I hope I didn't come across as some sort of purist. I think e-bikes are pretty interesting, it's just that I personally wouldn't use one enough to justify the cost. A few years ago I actually toyed with the idea of building a tiny bicycle-based electric "car". Basically, instead of having a full size electric car that is stranded when the battery's dead, I figured why not make a small, light one that has a traditional pedal system as backup? It was essentially just going to be a recumbent trike with electric assist, but also with a lightweight body and integrated headlights, taillights, and turn signals (powered by two generator hubs).
my neighbor has a E-Bike she bought brand new in 2010. the biggest downfall i see is that at about 13 to 15 MPH she barley gets 7 total miles (without peddling) before the batteries are completely dead and need to be recharged and thats not a very long distance. That mileage is quoted with new factory replacement batteries the first set wore out in less than 3 years and would barley hold a charge. I hate have to pedal that fairly heavy weight bike very far without the electric motor working! it takes a least 2 hours to fully recharge the batteries too! These are the biggest cons to me!! I ride a human only powered bike but if I was going for supplemental assistance when bike riding, I would get the 4 stroke 49 cc gas motor set up and attach to a regular bike it will get 100 plus mpg. the biggest con with a gas motor is their will be noise involved with a running motor but you can fill up at any local gas station. Maybe there are more efficient e bikes out there but when the batteries run dry you will be left sitting on the side of the bike path wishing you had a 110 outlet available.
my neighbor has a E-Bike she bought brand new in 2010. the biggest downfall i see is that at about 13 to 15 MPH she barley gets 7 total miles (without peddling) before the batteries are completely dead and need to be recharged and thats not a very long distance.
No, it's not, and I wouldn't even consider it competitive performance by today's standards. 15 -20 mile ranges are more typical today, and better designs can get 40.
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That mileage is quoted with new factory replacement batteries the first set wore out in less than 3 years and would barley hold a charge.
Again, that's not what I would consider typical for a current design. Technology is rapidly improving, and battery performance is on the edge of a big jump in performance. It sounds to me like your "early adopter" friend was just a bit too early, or just bought a lousy design.
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I ride a human only powered bike but if I was going for supplemental assistance when bike riding, I would get the 4 stroke 49 cc gas motor set up and attach to a regular bike it will get 100 plus mpg. the biggest con with a gas motor is their will be noise involved with a running motor but you can fill up at any local gas station.
But this is the Green Living forum, so we look at non-polluting transportation modes. Small displacement gas motors are among the most polluting energy sources available.
Only if you take partial responsibility for your own safety, it is safer. Putting your responsibilities off on the motorist isn't sharing the road, or the rules. Remember you can't scream share the road, if you aren't willing to share the same road rules.
It's a one stop trip. Home to where you are going, where you are to home.
A thing about a car is that it is a traveling lockbox. It's a mobile bunker. For all the things that one might have to do during a day, they don't have to carry all of it all through the day.
If one needs heavy gear during part of the day, such as scuba, it can be in the car while they are at class, used, put back in the car, go back to class.
If one is wearing a gun and the store says "No, thank you" to such, then it can be locked in the car. Further, there is a degree more of privacy as it is locked, unlocked in the car.
Finally, if one lives by going to the grocery say once a month, the bike won't work for that unless one has a lot of friends.
Well having been hit twice, at least, by a car, many near misses, and a doozy or two of a wreck that left me scurrying out of the middle of the road, I would take issue with that statement in what constitutes safe?
Now we might say, "Ahhh, but that was with cars. If everyone rode and there were no cars, then it would be safer."
Would it? I honestly think I'm on of the 2% who obeys traffic laws when riding. I stop at stop signs and lights, I ride on the proper side of the road, I don't go anywhere and everywhere just because I can, I don't use the center turn lane as my personal bike lane, etc..........................
.........................................but practically daily, I see a lot of bikers who do.
-They are more expensive than a regular bike.
-They are heavier than a regular bike, and thus require more effort to pedal and more energy to propel than a scooter with no pedal back-up.
-They have more systems which can fail, compared to a regular bike, and thus require more maintenance.
-They still use fossil fuels to generate the energy when they are plugged in and recharging.
-They seem like they would be a theif magnet, compared to my beater mountain bike with road tires.
I'll never buy an Ebike. They simply don't have any significant advantage over a regular bicycle for someone who is physically fit, and certainly nothing which justifies the cost. I love riding my bike to work, to the store, to surf, and on family outings. I would gladly buy an Ebike if they had any advantages, but they are simply a pricey gimmick. Even though I have to climb a pretty significant set of hills on my daily rides, I'm just as happy with my inexpensive 24-speed as I would be with a $X000 Ebike.
Only if you take partial responsibility for your own safety, it is safer. Putting your responsibilities off on the motorist isn't sharing the road, or the rules. Remember you can't scream share the road, if you aren't willing to share the same road rules.
its a combo of stupidity, yours and theirs.
its not all about you. lots of scary drivers here.
and everybody else on the road is wearing 2 tons of steel armor but you. you are wearing spandex. they can afford to be stupid.
the guy that just got creamed at fiesta island here, he was wearing all his safety equipment and following all the rules. all it takes is one DWI and we got lots of those.
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