e-Bikes – Let’s talk

[pfunkallstar]

I’ve gotten buzzed a couple of times down by the potomac by Georgetown kids on e-bikes, or college-age kids wearing Georgetown t-shirts whilst riding e-bikes. Anyways, not having to pedal seems to allow them to really rock out to their i-pods, maintain a sweat free look, and generally not exercise. I’ve also raced an e-bike up Rosslyn hill before. I got stomped the first half but then the guys battery overheated or something and I flew past him on the top. Sweet.

[DismalScientist]

@lclarkberg 11983 wrote:

Regarding CCrew’s post about whether an ebike is more or less environmental than a solely human-powered bike, the answer is not so simple if you take into account the calories burned by the human. Here’s an analysis that shows that the ebike is more efficient in certain scenarios.
http://www.ebikes.ca/faq.shtml#quiz8

I believe that CCrew’s comments were regarding whether batteries were environmentally friendly, which is completely tangential to this post.

Normally, I wouldn’t get involve in a comment about the environmental efficacy of different transportation types, but the argument cited here is ridiculous. The argument basically says that rechargeable battery systems can be more energy efficient than muscle power since using one’s muscles requires greater food consumption and food is delivered to the human body in an energy-inefficient way. It is probably more efficient to power a bicycle by a lawn mower motor than battery because the small engine only requires the conversion of fossil fuel to mechanical energy rather than the multistage production from fossil fuel to electricity with transmission and charging a battery and associate loss to conversion of the chemical energy into mechanical power. This also suggests that motorized transportation is more energy efficient at moving ton-miles that muscle power. (Of course, the car, moped, and/or electric bike weigh more than a human-powered bike.)

All this is premised on the notion that that cyclists eat more than couch potatoes. The alternative could be that both eat the same and the couch potatoes grow larger.
(OK, I admit that I consume more calories, but the incremental calories come from the production of my solar-powered brewery in the back yard.)

[mstone]

@americancyclo 11984 wrote:

I worry that a lot of people feel this way about regular bicycles, and a regular bicycle with an electric motor might not make them feel any safer. Might want to think of ways to address this mentality if you’re going to be trying to sell eBikes.

The only way is better infrastructure. There are stretches of my commute (getting to the W&OD) that nobody getting on a bike for the first time would (or should) attempt. Narrow roads, poor sight lines, high speeds, etc. The bits that exist are great, they’re just not connected.

[rcannon100]

Was just up in NYC. Was stunned by how many delivery people (like Chinese take out) were on electric bikes!

[ponchera]

can we talk ebikes again, more specifically, building one? Anyone done it lately? I’ve inherited an abandon trek 6500 that got the rear wheel stolen. it’s been neglected on a bike rack for about 2 years. i’d love to take on a new little project and build this sucker into an ebike but before i spend a minute/dime on the first part, tune up, i’d like to see if i can actually afford and will this bike actually serve well as an ebike. Who has some knowledge.

(and please no flaming about the use on trails, i am a responsible rider and willing to talk to the judge about the ticket.) let’s keep it techy talk now…

[CCrew]

@ponchera 18143 wrote:

(and please no flaming about the use on trails, i am a responsible rider and willing to talk to the judge about the ticket.) let’s keep it techy talk now…

If you were a responsible rider you’d obey the signs that say “no motorized vehicles” don’t ya think? :p

[jnva]

Happy to help – i suggest you read the endless-sphere forums. Lots of good info there with pictures.
I spent about a grand on converting an old unused mountain bike I had and now I ride it almost every day and love it.

[rcannon100]

If you were a responsible rider you’d obey the signs that say “no motorized vehicles” don’t ya think?

Yah. Just like I stop at the red bike traffic light to no where. #scofflaw

I’m a bike; not a car. When they start building bike infrastructure, I’ll start being a “responsible rider”, mindlessly obeying signs. :p

[dasgeh]

@CCrew 18150 wrote:

If you were a responsible rider you’d obey the signs that say “no motorized vehicles” don’t ya think? :p

Of course, if you build a bike that meets the requires of Public Law 107-319, then you will by federal law not be riding a “motorized vehicle”.

[CCrew]

@rcannon100 18177 wrote:

Yah. Just like I stop at the red bike traffic light to no where. #scofflaw

I’m a bike; not a car. When they start building bike infrastructure, I’ll start being a “responsible rider”, mindlessly obeying signs. :p

Never ceases to amaze me how many people think that the law doesn’t apply when it’s inconvenient for them.

MUP. Multi Use Path. That is bike infrastructure. I’m done, it’s an argument that goes nowhere.

[pfunkallstar]

MUP is great, but I still think they should divide it up as follows:

WALKERS & RUNNERS & BABY JOGGERS & BIKES => HORSES

[ponchera]

Yeah i’ll take the topic elsewhere. Seems like we’ll always be hung around here standing on soapboxes.

Or can we move along if i say I don’t care about the law? If you’re not the cop or judge save it.

Or, if you have an ebike that can climb up rosslyn, pm me please.

[jabberwocky]

@ponchera 18511 wrote:

Or can we move along if i say I don’t care about the law? If you’re not the cop or judge save it.

I would actually bet a lot of people here don’t necessarily care about the law that much either, they care about being safe when they’re out riding. Unfortunately, not allowing e-bikes on MUPs is an area where the law and most folks ideas of safety overlap.

[jnva]

@jabberwocky 18519 wrote:

I would actually bet a lot of people here don’t necessarily care about the law that much either, they care about being safe when they’re out riding. Unfortunately, not allowing e-bikes on MUPs is an area where the law and most folks ideas of safety overlap.

I’d be willing to bet that most of the people who oppose ebikes on mups have never actually ridden an ebike. I have seen way more dangerous behavior from the guys racing on the wod/custis than I have ever seen on people riding ebikes. As a matter of fact on my commute over the past year I’ve only seen two other ebikers besides myself. The safety issue is simply a non issue in my mind. I feel a lot safer riding my ebike in traffic, and on the mup I use common sense like everyone should. Also, fwiw I have never had a negative comment from anyone who notices I am riding an ebike, always get comments like how cool it is, and then I explain that I never drive my car to work anymore. Reading this forum you would think that everyone in this area is an ebike hater when it’s just not true.

[dasgeh]

The top speed on my ebike is far less than the top speed on my road bike (the ebike is much heavier with wider tires, and the motor is way underpowered). The breaks are great. Safety-wise, I don’t see how you can say it’s any less safe than any other bike.

Importantly, my ebike lets me bike to work when I wouldn’t be able to ride a regular bike.

[Author]

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