02-14-2007, 03:04 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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| | Re: electric bikes on centuries
On Jan 31, 12:04 pm, Bill Baka <b...@comcast.net> wrote:
> OldGirl wrote:
> > A couple of clarifications:
>
> > 1. There is a federal law that states that if a bicycle has an electric
> > motor and is limited to a top speed of 20 mph, it is a considered a bicycle.
> > This preempts the state laws. Some states have a broader definition, some
> > require pedals some don't. But in all 50 states an electric bike limited to
> > 20 mph is a bike.
>
> > 2. There is an electric bike currently capable of going 100 miles on a
> > charge (if you count the main battery plus auxiliary batteries). The rider
> > has to make a significant pedalling contribution for the charge to last that
> > long, and fully loaded with auxiliary batteries it weighs about 75 lbs, but
> > it does pretty much look like a mountain bike. Here is the link:
> >http://www.optibike.com/
>
> I took a look and can say that the bike looks less than ideal. If it has
> a motorized bottom bracket then there is no possibility for regenerative
> braking, which is a big NO-NO in the electric world. They are also
> making flaky claims like it was in a 103 mile ride, but (small print)
> with a battery change.
> The marketing guys are burying the truth in hype, as usual.
> Bill Baka
Hey Bill,
I am glad to hear that more people are discussing Optibikes. I am the
marketing guy, and the guy that rode the 103 miles in 4 hours; and we
did not do a battery change. The new Optibikes weigh in at ~ 67 lbs
and have a range of 50 miles or so. For this ride, I used a soon to be
released Li-Poly prototype. BUT, for a full suspension mountain bike
that can carry a non-cyclist along at Tour De France speeds, we are
getting people on bikes that have not ridden in years. The event that
I rode the 103 miles in was the 2006 Tour de Sol, a regulated event
that does not allow battery swapping.
A note on regen: We have found that by putting the motor in the
Bottom Bracket, we keep the wheels light (a crucial step for any high-
performance application) and we simply augment the most efficient
means of transportation on the planet (the bicycle). A hub motor is
wrong for many reasons (fixed gear ratio, heavy wheels, etc) So, my
point is, that regen makes sense with a 1200 lb car where there is
more force to regen with. With a 67 lb bike + rider, what you have to
sacrifice to get back a few watts makes no sense at all.
Our bike can cruise at nearly 35 mph, has climbed Pikes Peak, and has
the absolute longest run time and range of any E-bike. Sure, E-bikes
are not for everyone but for some people they provide a way to get out
and have some good clean fun.
Sure, there is the hype. But we are 100% honest in our claims and
have made videos to prove it. We are fighting an uphill battle
however because many other manufacturers are full of it.
Cheers,
Craig Weakley
Marketing Director
Optibike LLC
303.443.0932
www.optibike.com
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