e-Bikes – Let’s talk

[Dewey]

Nuanced discussion of this issue on the Bicycle Dutch blog, and on Reddit. Makes me want to get a trike or recumbent when I retire, falls in the elderly can be deadly.

[mstone]

@PeteD 177828 wrote:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/25/older-men-using-e-bikes-behind-rising-death-toll-among-dutch-cyclists Peter van der Knaap, director of the Dutch Road Safety Research Foundation, said older men were too confident in their ability not only to cycle at the speeds e-bikes make possible but also to mount or dismount the bike in the first place.

Someone should make sure they’re all right!

[Dewey]

The new Pedego ebike store in Old Town Alexandria is having their official opening event tomorrow Saturday 4/28 from 10am-6pm. Free ebike rides.

[Dewey]

@Dewey 177716 wrote:

Arizona has passed the People for Bikes 3-class legislation to regulate ebikes, becoming the ninth US state to do so.

I spoke too soon, Gov. Ducey vetoed the ebike bill along with other unrelated legislation in protest about funding teachers pay.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

I haven’t seen an e-bike in weeks. I think they’re all in the shop.

[lordofthemark]

@Brendan von Buckingham 178474 wrote:

I haven’t seen an e-bike in weeks. I think they’re all in the shop.

I saw one on the 4MRT this AM. Then I was passed by an E Scooter, which I proceeded to draft.

[bentbike33]

@Brendan von Buckingham 178474 wrote:

I haven’t seen an e-bike in weeks. I think they’re all in the shop.

They must have been hiding from the rain for fear of a short circuit. Today, after suffering a mechanical failure at Custis Trail and Fort Meyer Drive, then waiting for the sag wagon, I saw many ebikes among the regular bikes.

[Sunyata]

@bentbike33 178482 wrote:

They must have been hiding from the rain for fear of a short circuit.

Hmm. Now that you mention it, I am not sure I saw a single e-bike last week. I did see the normal amount of them yesterday and this morning though.

I have also noticed that since I moved and my commute is pretty much just on the Custis, the e-bikes I encounter are MUCH more courteous than the ones I would see on the W&OD or MVT. I wonder why that is…

[dkel]

@Sunyata 178483 wrote:

Hmm. Now that you mention it, I am not sure I saw a single e-bike last week. I did see the normal amount of them yesterday and this morning though.

It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that typical e-bike riders are also fair-weather cyclists. :rolleyes:

[Dewey]

@bentbike33 178482 wrote:

They must have been hiding from the rain for fear of a short circuit.

It is true that ebikes are not waterproof, but for the most part they can be made water resistant. Ebike journalist Court Rye posted information about this on his website. For my part I did not ride to work in the heavy rain last week except on Saturday morning when I picked up a loaner ebike and rode it from Tenleytown to Alexandria in the rain. On my DIY conversion I used heat melt shrink wrap and liquid duct tape to seal my crappy soldering job on the battery connector wires, the HiGo electrical signal connectors to the controller, display and sensors, are reasonably water resistant, but some people suggest applying dielectric grease on electrical connectors which I’ve found worked in the past on auto headlamp connectors.

The biggest water problem I’ve read about isn’t riding in the rain but eMTB riders power washing their muddy ebike and the pressure forcing water plus dirt contamination inside wheel hub motors, so the advice generally is to wipe down. Also I wouldn’t recommend charging a battery outside in the rain.

[bentbike33]

@Dewey 178487 wrote:

It is true that ebikes are not waterproof, but for the most part they can be made water resistant. Ebike journalist Court Rye posted information about this on his website. For my part I did not ride to work in the heavy rain last week except on Saturday morning when I picked up a loaner ebike and rode it from Tenleytown to Alexandria in the rain. On my DIY conversion I used heat melt shrink wrap and liquid duct tape to seal my crappy soldering job on the battery connector wires, the HiGo electrical signal connectors to the controller, display and sensors, are reasonably water resistant, but some people suggest applying dielectric grease on electrical connectors which I’ve found worked in the past on auto headlamp connectors.

The biggest water problem I’ve read about isn’t riding in the rain but eMTB riders power washing their muddy ebike and the pressure forcing water plus dirt contamination inside wheel hub motors, so the advice generally is to wipe down. Also I wouldn’t recommend charging a battery outside in the rain.

Oops. Forgot to use the tags again. Let me set the record straight.

They must have been hiding from the rain for fear of a short circuit.Ebike riders are not famous for following rules 5 and 9. On beautiful, sunny Monday morning, after suffering a mechanical failure at Custis Trail and Fort Meyer Drive, then waiting for the sag wagon, I saw many ebikes among the regular bikes.

[ramontgo]

For your next e-bike purchase try EVELO (Google it). Very well made and water resistant, plus a 4 year warranty.

[Dewey]

Sorry I thought Rule #5 was about encouraging biomechanical effort, doesn’t really apply to an ebike unless(until) the battery runs out or an electrical gremlin or a vandal decides to cut wires. Rule #9 no arguments from me, I am very happy the weather has improved.

[Dewey]

@bentbike33 178490 wrote:

Let me set the record straight. Ebike riders are not famous for following rules 5 and 9.

Change the record. I rode an ebike in the rain which sort of negates both slurs. I didn’t feel I was putting my unmentionables in danger from sudden sparks emitting from my battery like a fire breathing dragon, I grant you battery fires can happen if using shitty quality LiPo cells – see Youtube videos of exploding e-skateboards ad nauseum. Actually the fire risk thing is a problem for shops that have customer ebikes in for service that have been subject to wear and tear, I can think of two that have gone up in smoke because of battery fires, Hybrid Pedals in Arlington, and Crazy Lenny’s in Wisconsin, both are still in business in new locations and I think Lenny built a bunker to store batteries after his experience. Individuals can buy a fire-resistant fiber bag or a repurposed ammo can for battery charging, safety first.

[bentbike33]

@Dewey 178496 wrote:

Change the record. I rode an ebike in the rain which sort of negates both slurs. I didn’t feel I was putting my unmentionables in danger from sudden sparks emitting from my battery like a fire breathing dragon, I grant you battery fires can happen if using shitty quality LiPo cells – see Youtube videos of exploding e-skateboards ad nauseum, though you can buy a repurposed ammo can for charging, safety first.

You may be the rare exception on rule 9, but no one riding an ebike can be obeying rule 5 by definition (unless the battery is entirely dead or disconnected rendering it temporarily not an ebike).

[Author]

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