Should I get an electric bike? Help!

"SteveR8222" wrote in message
...
Hello,

This is my first post to this group. I'm very unfamiliar with bikes in
general,
having not ridden one in years. However, those electric bikes (scooters?)
have
caught my eye and I'm thinking of getting one.

Bad idea. It'll make you fat and lazy (or fatter and lazier, depending on
your current situation.) Ride a real bike cause it's so much more fun and
healthy. And in many circumstances, a real bike is faster and more versatile
and reliable than an electric bike.

The Real Lee Casey

24 Aug 2003 02:24:58 GMT,
,
(SteveR8222) wrote:

I go to many places downtown and would
like the flexibility of being able to go in and out without much fuss. Any
advice?

Batteries are heavy. Forget about carrying them.
--
zk

Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.

Like all electric vehicles (henceforward, EVs), they are ultimately
limited by the performance of their batteries. At the moment, EV
batteries are too heavy and do not hold enough charge to make either
great power or long range possible.

Further, one gets into rather hazy legal territory as to whether or
not an electric bicycle is a powererd vehicle, and thus subject to the
licencing, registration, and taxation regulations to which other
powered vehicles--motorcycles, and automobiles--are subject. This
varies greatly between states.

The reality of it all is that electric bicycles are extremely heavy
and awkward, and the range and utility of their electric assist is
questionable, at best. They are good for supporting slow-cadence
riding on relatively flat ground. But when it comes to where the
assist would be most useful--long, hilly sections--they fall down
entirely. The power demands drain the batteries too quickly, and when
the batteries have discharged, you're left with a nothing but a bad
bicycle that weighs two or three times what a non-electric-assited
bicycle would have weighed.

As to portability and foldability, forget it. You won't be able to
get an electric bicycle that folds quickly and elegantly and is light
enough to be carried with few problems.

Electric assist does have its place, though: Cargo bikes and pedal
rickshaws benefit from a bit of a push to get started, even on level
ground. The cycle itself is big enough to accomodate batteries and
motors suited to the task, and the additional weight as a fraction of
total gross vehicle weight (counting the driver and passengers) is
smaller. Plus, these can be charged at depots and what have you.

For individual bicycles, it's no good, especially when you consider
the doubtful legal status of this class of vehicle. If you really
wanted whizz-bang, surefire-legal electric transport, get yourself a
Segway--and see just how far you get.

If you're really interested in getting a folding bicycle, why not go
with the best and get a Brompton?

http://www.bromptonbicycle.co.uk/ These are *extremely* popular
among commuters here in London, who ride to train stations, fold the
bikes, ride the train into town, unfold the bikes again to ride to
work, and fold them to store the bicycles in their offices &c.
Expensive, but well worth it--this is what I'd go for if I needed or
wanted to get a folder.

-Luigi

"The bicycle: elegant transport for a more civilised age"
-(apologies to Obi-wan Kenobi)

In article ,
SteveR8222 wrote:

This is my first post to this group. I'm very unfamiliar with bikes in general,
having not ridden one in years. However, those electric bikes (scooters?) have
caught my eye and I'm thinking of getting one.

I have some reservations and was wondering what the advantages v. drawbacks are
of different types of e-bikes.

First question: Is there a type of e-bike / scooter that can be folded up and
taken wherever you go? The main impediment to my decision of purchasing a bike
is the ease with which it can be stolen. I go to many places downtown and would
like the flexibility of being able to go in and out without much fuss. Any
advice?

What you need is something a lot lighter than an electric bike.
Those things weigh a ton. They are also expensive.

What to get depends on what you want to do with the bike when you
get off it. If you can park a full-size bike indoors then any
bike will do. If you need to make it smaller you can get a folding
bike.

(SteveR8222) wrote in
:

Hello,

thinking of getting an electric bike

As all the other posts have said you are much better off getting a
'real' bike, rather than an electric one. Even if you think its going to
be too knackering!

If you do want a bit of a push up hills, especially before your muscles
come into there own then why not get a mini engine to assist you.

http://www.sinclair-research.co.uk/pages/zeta3.htm

invented by a proper mad inventor as well! (sir Clive, of spectrum and C5
fame!)

a jet engine is probably not feasible!

http://bikerodnkustom3.homestead.com/jetbike.html

get a bike, they are great!

Fragg

24 Aug 2003 04:14:51 -0700,
,
(Luigi de Guzman) wrote:

Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.

If they're the difference between a person driving their average three
mile trip or staying home because they can't walk or cycle those three
miles and back, then there may be a place for the pedal assisted EV.

Like all electric vehicles (henceforward, EVs), they are ultimately
limited by the performance of their batteries. At the moment, EV
batteries are too heavy and do not hold enough charge to make either
great power or long range possible.

Almost half of all automobile trips in the US are less than five miles
and half of those are two miles or less. These are ideal distances for
present EV technology. You can leave and return to your support base
on one charge.

I'm in favour of more golf carts and scooter type vehicles filling
half of all common personal transportation needs. They'd be better in
cities than the prevailing over-abundance of fossil burning
upholstered tanks.
--
zk

Zoot Katz wrote:
24 Aug 2003 04:14:51 -0700,
,
(Luigi de Guzman) wrote:


Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.


If they're the difference between a person driving their average three
mile trip or staying home because they can't walk or cycle those three
miles and back, then there may be a place for the pedal assisted EV.


Like all electric vehicles (henceforward, EVs), they are ultimately
limited by the performance of their batteries. At the moment, EV
batteries are too heavy and do not hold enough charge to make either
great power or long range possible.


Almost half of all automobile trips in the US are less than five miles
and half of those are two miles or less. These are ideal distances for
present EV technology. You can leave and return to your support base
on one charge.

I'm in favour of more golf carts and scooter type vehicles filling
half of all common personal transportation needs. They'd be better in
cities than the prevailing over-abundance of fossil burning
upholstered tanks.

These are ideal distances for riding a manual bike. Electric bikes may
have some value for moderately disabled people, but anyone in normal
health can handle five mile trips without power assistance. And even for
disabled people, they may not be the best choice. There is a local guy
who has MS or something with similar lack of muscular control. Can't
walk. He rides his upright adult tricycle all over town on his own
power, into stores so he can do all his own shopping. One of my heros.
If you need to cover longer distances at a higher speed then a manual
bike can cover, then electric bikes do not have the range or speed. In
most states, unlicensed e-bikes are legally limited to 20 mph. Any
faster and they are required to be licensed as a moped. If you want to
do that, a gas powered motor assisted bicycle licensed as a moped can go
up to 30 mph with out peddling (compared to 20 mph for unlicensed
electrics), have a range limited only by the size of your gas tank
(compared to 12 to 15 miles for most electrics), can refuel in a couple
minutes (compared to 4 to 6 hours for electric recharge), weighs a
fraction of what a electric bike with it's heavy batteries does, doesn't
require batteries to be replaced every couple years (most batteries are
only good for 300 to 600 charge cycles, less if you don't baby them just
right) and usually costs less. My gas motor assisted Tour Easy gets 150
to 300 mpg depending on how much I pedal. Only used used for trips too
long to do by human power in one day as an alternative to an automobile.
All my regular commuting, shopping and errand running are by plain old
human power.

As for fossil burning, in the U.S., 71.4% of electricity is generated by
burning fossil fuel. Source: C.I.A, 2001 figures.

Lorenzo L. Love
http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove

"Americans are broad-minded people. They'll accept the fact that a
person can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a
newspaperman, but if a man doesn't drive there's something wrong with him."
Art Buchwald

"Zoot Katz" wrote in message
...
24 Aug 2003 04:14:51 -0700,
,
(Luigi de Guzman) wrote:

Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.

If they're the difference between a person driving their average three
mile trip or staying home because they can't walk or cycle those three
miles and back, then there may be a place for the pedal assisted EV.

'Pedal assisted' is a misnomer. I testrode a Giant LaFree a while ago. The
motor does not kick in unless you pedal.
But...the added weight of the thing made the motor *necessary*. i.e. the
motor overcame the weight of the motor and battery, and not much else.

I found it not much easier than pedaling a regular bike.

Pete

Fraggle wrote:

a jet engine is probably not feasible!

http://bikerodnkustom3.homestead.com/jetbike.html

even better:

http://www.meditech.ch/ete.dragracing/gb/velofusee.html

Chalo Colina

The Real Lee Casey wrote:

: Bad idea. It'll make you fat and lazy (or fatter and lazier, depending on
: your current situation.) Ride a real bike cause it's so much more fun and
: healthy. And in many circumstances, a real bike is faster and more versatile
: and reliable than an electric bike.

Riding a real bike gets better and better because you become more
and more fit. It's like if the engine of your car went from .4
liters to first .6 and then 1.0 and up to 2.4 liters for free, and
the gas tank got larger by itself, and the frame became magically
lighter (you can at least dream right?)...

Did somebody mention electricity powered bikes are usually quite
expensive? Electric assist bikes have some advocates though, but
they are a minority...

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html
varis at no spam please iki fi