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01-31-2007, 04:38 AM

Bill Bushnell wrote:
:: In rec.bicycles.misc Mike Jacoubowsky <mikej1@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
::: As I'm reading an article in this-morning's San Jose Mercury News
::: about newfound popularity of electric bikes, and their limitations
::: (max speeds 25mph or less; need to be recharged after 8-20 miles),
::: I'm thinking yeah, same old stuff that's been out there, heavy,
::: expensive to repair, cause parts & frame failures on modified bikes
::: etc.
::
:: I see fewer electric bikes than recumbents on the road. Sounds like
:: the newspaper is trying to drum up interest. But, I think electric
:: bicycles have a place if it results in fewer motor vehicle trips or
:: keeps someone from abandoning bicycling. In any event, the number
:: of followups to this thread indicate a degree of interest.
::
::: Then the article mentioned that an engineer has a recumbent design
::: he's trying to bring to market that will go over 100 miles on a
::: charge, at speeds greater than 30mph.
::
:: I happen to know that it requires about 400 watts at the wheel to
:: propel one particular semi-faired recumbent similar to the one
:: described in the article at a speed of 30 mph on level ground. To
:: sustain this speed on level ground for three hours and twenty
:: minutes (100 miles) without pedaling would be possible with about
:: 40-50 lbs of the most energy-dense Lithium-Ion batteries
:: commercially available today.
::
:: On a course with hills the most efficient way for a fit cyclist to
:: use a power assist is on uphills only. When used only on uphills to
:: supplement significant pedaling effort, battery energy consumption
:: of approximately 350 watt-hours per 5000 feet climbing can be
:: observed.
::
::: What's gonna happen when people try to show up on a century (or,
::: for that matter, any other organized bike ride) on one of them? So
::: far, it's been a non-issue due to limited range. But if that's no
::: longer an issue...
::
:: As an organizer of a non-competitive and non-timed event I'd be
:: concerned about the following:
::
:: 1) Do I have any reason to believe that the operator of a power
:: assisted bicycle intends to ride in a hazardous or illegal manner?

Would you? Fear of the unknown creating bias?

::
:: 2) Could I lift the thing onto a bike rack or into a motor vehicle
:: if it had to be SAGged (or can the heavy bits be removed easily
:: prior to lifting)?
::

At 75 lbs, that's easily the weight of 3 bikes. I imagine this would be a
serious drawback. I've been on some rides where the some of the sag staff
were female. And small, too.

Also, I can see removing wheels, but other parts?

Of course, I wonder how this compares to sagging my lwb 'bent? That thing
won't fit on a typical bike rack and with the seat it may not fit in a lot
of cars if you remove the front wheel.

:: 3) ICE (internal combustion engine) assists would not be welcome.
::

Yeah.

01-31-2007, 04:38 AM	#41 (permalink)
Roger Zoul Guest Posts: n/a	Re: electric bikes on centuries Bill Bushnell wrote: :: In rec.bicycles.misc Mike Jacoubowsky <mikej1@ix.netcom.com> wrote: ::: As I'm reading an article in this-morning's San Jose Mercury News ::: about newfound popularity of electric bikes, and their limitations ::: (max speeds 25mph or less; need to be recharged after 8-20 miles), ::: I'm thinking yeah, same old stuff that's been out there, heavy, ::: expensive to repair, cause parts & frame failures on modified bikes ::: etc. :: :: I see fewer electric bikes than recumbents on the road. Sounds like :: the newspaper is trying to drum up interest. But, I think electric :: bicycles have a place if it results in fewer motor vehicle trips or :: keeps someone from abandoning bicycling. In any event, the number :: of followups to this thread indicate a degree of interest. :: ::: Then the article mentioned that an engineer has a recumbent design ::: he's trying to bring to market that will go over 100 miles on a ::: charge, at speeds greater than 30mph. :: :: I happen to know that it requires about 400 watts at the wheel to :: propel one particular semi-faired recumbent similar to the one :: described in the article at a speed of 30 mph on level ground. To :: sustain this speed on level ground for three hours and twenty :: minutes (100 miles) without pedaling would be possible with about :: 40-50 lbs of the most energy-dense Lithium-Ion batteries :: commercially available today. :: :: On a course with hills the most efficient way for a fit cyclist to :: use a power assist is on uphills only. When used only on uphills to :: supplement significant pedaling effort, battery energy consumption :: of approximately 350 watt-hours per 5000 feet climbing can be :: observed. :: ::: What's gonna happen when people try to show up on a century (or, ::: for that matter, any other organized bike ride) on one of them? So ::: far, it's been a non-issue due to limited range. But if that's no ::: longer an issue... :: :: As an organizer of a non-competitive and non-timed event I'd be :: concerned about the following: :: :: 1) Do I have any reason to believe that the operator of a power :: assisted bicycle intends to ride in a hazardous or illegal manner? Would you? Fear of the unknown creating bias? :: :: 2) Could I lift the thing onto a bike rack or into a motor vehicle :: if it had to be SAGged (or can the heavy bits be removed easily :: prior to lifting)? :: At 75 lbs, that's easily the weight of 3 bikes. I imagine this would be a serious drawback. I've been on some rides where the some of the sag staff were female. And small, too. Also, I can see removing wheels, but other parts? Of course, I wonder how this compares to sagging my lwb 'bent? That thing won't fit on a typical bike rack and with the seat it may not fit in a lot of cars if you remove the front wheel. :: 3) ICE (internal combustion engine) assists would not be welcome. :: Yeah.