Cycling becomes electric assisted in the Netherlands

A news item a few days ago: 20% of the bikes sold today in the
Netherlands is an electric assisted bike. Not only to people that are
in the age of 50 plus. What do you think of that? I was in the Alpes
and Dolomites a month ago and the amount of eletric assisted ATB had
grown a lot since last year. I was passed on the Passo Pordoi on a 8%
stretch by such a bike at double the speed I rode.
--

Lou

Lou Holtman presented the following explanation :
A news item a few days ago: 20% of the bikes sold today in the Netherlands is
an electric assisted bike. Not only to people that are in the age of 50 plus.
What do you think of that? I was in the Alpes and Dolomites a month ago and
the amount of eletric assisted ATB had grown a lot since last year. I was
passed on the Passo Pordoi on a 8% stretch by such a bike at double the speed
I rode.

Better riding an electrically assisted bike than a motorbike or car...

Biggest surprise when after having done one climb the battery is empty
and another one is needed to bring you back to your destination....

I was overtaken by an E-ATB as well at Albula....but: too long a
stretch for one battery charge?

sure...longer lower wider faster....limited by battery/motor development.

clearl, more potential buyers are out of shape than in condition.

But here where the ground is FLAt, riders more advanced in age, money usually available...we see few lectric cycles.

several years ago, an electric bicycle 'dealer'......FLA passed a 50cc IC legal cycle law yet we see few if any 50cc's

maybe more Mitty out in the country, less sweat in town.

Per Lou Holtman:
I was in the Alpes
and Dolomites a month ago and the amount of eletric assisted ATB had
grown a lot since last year. I was passed on the Passo Pordoi on a 8%
stretch by such a bike at double the speed I rode.

I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe Ebikes have come along since I
started dabbling in them a few years back. My sense has been that the
power-to-weight ratio is still poor - even compared to mopeds.
--
Pete Cresswell

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
Per Lou Holtman:
I was in the Alpes
and Dolomites a month ago and the amount of eletric assisted ATB had
grown a lot since last year. I was passed on the Passo Pordoi on a 8%
stretch by such a bike at double the speed I rode.

I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe Ebikes have come along since I
started dabbling in them a few years back. My sense has been that the
power-to-weight ratio is still poor - even compared to mopeds.

This is what I'm talking about

http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ut...o/IMAGE_87.jpg


--
Lou

On 8/23/2014 11:22 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Lou Holtman:
I was in the Alpes
and Dolomites a month ago and the amount of eletric assisted ATB had
grown a lot since last year. I was passed on the Passo Pordoi on a 8%
stretch by such a bike at double the speed I rode.

I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe Ebikes have come along since I
started dabbling in them a few years back. My sense has been that the
power-to-weight ratio is still poor - even compared to mopeds.


but the marketing is very much improved, partly I suspect
driven by the worldwide decline in total bicycles sold of
late. Factories need orders; if not bicycle then some
similar toy or what have you.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

advanced designs in composite kayaks sales are way down as plastics improve.. We lost our magazine Sea Kayaker to the plastic/electric bike un-intelligentsia...unfair generalization but good enough...let me know when you see an electric bicycle repair renaissance.

Plastics are slower/heavier from simpler molds...less labor/skill but are dragged hither and yon...bounced off rocks..the Plastics enjoy rock bouncing...but repair is difficult.

so where is the Copenhagen Wheel ?

wwwwhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrzack

my money's in the new 3 wheeler with a laydown cockpit n 200Hp

On Saturday, August 23, 2014 1:14:08 PM UTC-4, wrote:

advanced designs in composite kayaks sales are way down as plastics improve. We lost our magazine Sea Kayaker to the plastic/electric bike un-intelligentsia...unfair generalization but good enough...let me know when you see an electric bicycle repair renaissance.

Plastics are slower/heavier from simpler molds...less labor/skill but are dragged hither and yon...bounced off rocks..the Plastics enjoy rock bouncing...but repair is difficult.

so where is the Copenhagen Wheel ?

wwwwhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrzack


forgot to ask Lou H for the electric cycle's website


my money's in the new 3 wheeler with a laydown cockpit n 200Hp...for store runs.

wrote:
On Saturday, August 23, 2014 1:14:08 PM UTC-4, wrote:

advanced designs in composite kayaks sales are way down as plastics
improve. We lost our magazine Sea Kayaker to the plastic/electric bike
un-intelligentsia...unfair generalization but good enough...let me know
when you see an electric bicycle repair renaissance.

Plastics are slower/heavier from simpler molds...less labor/skill but
are dragged hither and yon...bounced off rocks..the Plastics enjoy rock
bouncing...but repair is difficult.

so where is the Copenhagen Wheel ?

wwwwhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrzack


forgot to ask Lou H for the electric cycle's website


my money's in the new 3 wheeler with a laydown cockpit n 200Hp...for store runs.

Go to the website of any Dutch bicycle brand and you will find plenty. For
instance
www.sparta.nl
www.koga.com

Look for electrische fietsen.
--
Lou

AMuzi wrote:
On 8/23/2014 11:22 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Lou Holtman:
I was in the Alpes
and Dolomites a month ago and the amount of eletric assisted ATB had
grown a lot since last year. I was passed on the Passo Pordoi on a 8%
stretch by such a bike at double the speed I rode.

I'm surprised to hear that. Maybe Ebikes have come along since I
started dabbling in them a few years back. My sense has been that the
power-to-weight ratio is still poor - even compared to mopeds.


but the marketing is very much improved, partly I suspect driven by the
worldwide decline in total bicycles sold of late. Factories need orders;
if not bicycle then some similar toy or what have you.


I see
- more people commute with a E bike instead of a car,
- more people living farther away from work commute by bike if it is a E
bike,
- see more elderly people ride bike when it is electrically assisted,
- schoolkids that live far from school use one instead of going by bus.

The main facts that made E bikes so succesfull here are,
- they look good now,
- people aren't ashamed anymore to use one ('what is the matter with you?
Are you handicaped?')

All in all I think it is a positive thing.


--
Lou