[jnva]

Stay out of the shade and you will be “cool”
[ATTACH]4870[/ATTACH]

[jnva]

@jabberwocky 78183 wrote:

I think most people are completely supportive, there is just some concern over e-bikes place when it comes to dedicated bike infrastructure. I know I’d much rather see people riding e-bikes than driving cars though.

Yep, I get the concern and I absolutely feel the same way! Last thing I want is a bunch of scooters zipping along the bike path. But on the other hand, wouldn’t that be great if more people take a sensible approach to commuting, and ride a two wheeler instead of a smog producing death mobile? It amazes me how many people can tolerate being stuck in a car for hours everyday just getting back and forth to work.

[jnva]

@Tim Kelley 78110 wrote:

Yes, please do expand on this.

I’ve taken several types of e-bikes for test rides and my experience with a throttle is that I don’t pedal.

I don’t know how else to explain it other than saying I use the throttle, and pedal at the same time: it’s not that difficult. After the initial novelty of having the bike move on its own wears off, you realize or at least I did, that pedaling more and using the throttle less has these benefits – by starting out pedaling and slowly using the throttle to maintain speed only when it’s needed (uphill, and long straights off and on for example) the battery pulls fewer amps and is very efficient. The battery lasts longer when you can modulate like this, instead of being forced to have the pedal sensor decide when and how much assist to provide. But when you need the amps quickly, to get across a street or pass a car, or just to keep up with traffic safely, the throttle becomes extremely useful in my opinion.

[jnva]

That was a sarcastic “all the time”. Of course I don’t use it all the time. I’m not going to argue with anyone on this forum about ebikes, I know the majority of people here don’t care for them and some have expressed outright hatred. So, I’m not trolling nor will I be trolled to argue! I enjoy riding my ebike, to each his own

[jnva]

@peterw_diy 77970 wrote:

Please say more. Many of the arguments I’ve read against “e-bikes” center on a perception that they’re essentially dinky electric motorcycles. An “e-bike” with a throttle to many looks to some like a motor vehicle exploiting legal loopholes. Take away the throttle so it’s only e-assist when pedaling and it’s easier to support.

Also it seems to me that throttles are more likely to contribute to accidents. Sure, they’re probably very safe on open country roads, but most e-assist kits have really short ranges (<20 miles) so these bikes are more likely to be used in higher density areas where one wouldn't use cruise control in a car.

That’s the first I’ve heard about throttles being unsafe

So, all motorcycles are unsafe? To be technical, a throttle has a cable controlling the input, on an electric motor, it’s actually a potentiometer.

Also, I have cruise control and use it all the time!

[jnva]

Once you actually ride electric bikes you might get why the throttle is very useful, and regenerative breaking is a gimmick that doesn’t actually regenerate much of anything to be useful or extend battery life. Unless you coast down the side of a mountain for a couple if hours…

[jnva]

I really hate watching car commercials. They always show the car going super fast on empty roads. What a ridiculous fantasy!

I think the best combination of bike and electric motor will be mid-drive – motor mounted near the bottom bracket, not inside the wheel hub so regular bike wheels and spokes can be used and maintenance would be easier. Less unsprung weight is also better. That will probably be my next purchase.

[jnva]

Just a reminder about the intersection of doom. It’s still dangerous!

http://youtu.be/T3y3tXt5DcU

[jnva]

[QUOTE
So, serious question if you actually ski on the trail: how the heck do you cross the roads?

It’s really hard. Someone’s going to get hurt!

http://youtu.be/WwZsgaKVluY

[jnva]

@mstone 77618 wrote:

You should see the air that the ski jumpers can get off that snow pile into the center of gallows road!

I tried. Got stuck at the top.

http://youtu.be/HWK2LGH736w

[jnva]

Spokes in Vienna and bikes@vienna have been very good to me, recommend both.

[jnva]

@Dirt 77558 wrote:

Because it couldn’t climb over the 4′ wall of ice to get onto the W&OD at Gallows Road!!!!

New blog entry to go with that: http://lovemycommute.blogspot.com/2014/02/crosswalks-and-snow-on-w-trail.html

Thanks Arlington for being AWESOME about plowing. Keep it up!!!! Y’all are leading the pack.

Love,

Dirt

I’m totally going to jump off that tomorrow!

[jnva]

http://youtu.be/gcIwrdeP21s

[jnva]

@jabberwocky 77210 wrote:

No. It would be almost impossible to gate, since a lot of the trailheads are through adjoining neighborhoods and such. The main trailhead is actually at skatequest, on private property (they can’t even have a trail kiosk there).

That sucks – there’s a perfect spot for it in that corner of the parking lot.

[jnva]

@jabberwocky 77197 wrote:

Lake Fairfax always sustains a lot of damage this time of year. The first few workdays of the year are generally “repair the damage done by all the inconsiderate people riding it in the mud”. Which sucks, because there are big plans for trail expansion there, and its much more fun to cut new trail than it is to patch up ruts and cut nicks to get water off the newly depressed trail.

I haven’t been to fountainhead for a while but there used to be a gate at the trailhead to notify people the trail was closed. Is there a gate at lake fairfax?

[Author]

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