electric bikes on centuries

01-28-2007, 10:41 AM

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.

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. And at that point I'm wondering-

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...

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

01-28-2007, 10:46 AM

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:E%6vh.14142$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].prodigy.ne t:
> 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...

If a century ride uses public roads and normal traffic laws, there's not much
you can do to stop him.

01-28-2007, 10:56 AM

>> 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...
>
> If a century ride uses public roads and normal traffic laws, there's not
> much
> you can do to stop him.

Obviously you can't stop the person from using the roads. I'm wondering how
you treat such a person when they're signing up for it. Or at that point you
probably don't know, so I guess it's just how things go with other riders on
the road and at the rest stops. I'm sure there'd be a certain number of
riders who would love to have them along to draft behind, similar to
tandems.

Hmm. So you've got someone out to try for a record "individual" time on,
say, a double century. We've never really given much thought to the idea
that it should be 100% unaided; it's assumed that people are going to draft
behind tandems. And it's also assumed that someone hiring a motorbike or car
to draft behind wouldn't exactly be legit. But what about an electric bike?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

01-28-2007, 11:32 AM

Mike Jacoubowsky 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.
::
:: 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. And at that point I'm
:: wondering-
::
:: 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...

Why would anyone with one of these want to ride with pedal cyclist?
Frankly, I don't thing these people will be interested in organzied 'bike'
rides.

Also, what would ride organizers say to someone who wanted to ride a moped
in a century? Is the difference between gas powerd and electricity powered
significant?

01-28-2007, 12:24 PM

On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 19:41:24 +0000, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:

> 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. And at that point I'm wondering-

It's true! Elvis was right behind me at the 7-11 checkout, he's put some
money into this and he told me all about it!!!!!!

> 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?

Laughter.

Showing up at the *end* of 100 miles is a different case.

Mike

01-28-2007, 12:34 PM

Mike Jacoubowsky writes:

>>> 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...

>> If a century ride uses public roads and normal traffic laws,
>> there's not much you can do to stop him.

> Obviously you can't stop the person from using the roads. I'm
> wondering how you treat such a person when they're signing up for
> it. Or at that point you probably don't know, so I guess it's just
> how things go with other riders on the road and at the rest stops.
> I'm sure there'd be a certain number of riders who would love to
> have them along to draft behind, similar to tandems.

Just say the ride is not for motorcycles and this device has a motor.
Besides, it would probably be better to allow the entry because the
first hill would kill and if not that then next would do it.

> Hmm. So you've got someone out to try for a record "individual"
> time on, say, a double century. We've never really given much
> thought to the idea that it should be 100% unaided; it's assumed
> that people are going to draft behind tandems. And it's also
> assumed that someone hiring a motorbike or car to draft behind
> wouldn't exactly be legit. But what about an electric bike?

You need to believe that your assessment of electric bicycles is
correct. I know that electric car people who talk of 250 mile
operating range don't consider driving to Tahoe such a good idea
(mountains).

Jobst Brandt

01-28-2007, 12:47 PM

On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 19:41:24 +0000, Mike Jacoubowsky 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.
>
> 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. And at that point I'm wondering-
>
> 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...

Batteries with very high power densities are becoming cheaper,
longer-lived, and more widely available. So there's a good chance well
see significant improvements in electric bikes.

Matt O.

01-28-2007, 02:49 PM

Mike Jacoubowsky 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.
>
> 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. And at that point I'm wondering-
>
> 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...
>

Forget what happens at the beginning of the ride. Wait till one of those
'riders' tries to brag about riding 100 miles to a cyclist that pedaled the
entire (or even most) of the distance. The 'lectric rider will get laughed out
of town, "What a WIMP!"

--
Mike Vore
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

01-28-2007, 03:15 PM

Mike Jacoubowsky 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.
>
> 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. And at that point I'm wondering-
>
> 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...
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>
>
Let them in but don't count their times. If they just want to be in a
social ride environment and not watching a football game on television
they will be getting a fair amount of exercise even with a battery
assisted bike. I think the combination of football games and television
is one of the worst things ever to happen to our way of life.
Recumbents with batteries, maybe not THAT bad???
I make it a point never to turn down someone who wants to ride along,
whether it's my grandkids, or just someone I overtake on a ride.
Accept the inevitable, that some people won't ride unless they have a
way out of getting themselves too tired, and the batteries are their
emergency lifeline. Better than not riding at all.
Bill Baka

01-28-2007, 03:44 PM

mike vore wrote:
> Mike Jacoubowsky 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.
>>
>> 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. And at that point I'm wondering-
>>
>> 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...
>>
>
> Forget what happens at the beginning of the ride. Wait till one of those
> 'riders' tries to brag about riding 100 miles to a cyclist that pedaled
> the entire (or even most) of the distance. The 'lectric rider will get
> laughed out of town, "What a WIMP!"
>
>
>
>
WIMP maybe, but better than sitting on a couch drinking beer and
watching football. Double that if he were to run out of beer and drive
to the store for more at half time. The electric bike might just keep
one more bad driver off the road, so I would cut him some slack just for
the cause and effect point of view. If he's riding an electric bike at
least he isn't going to run you down with a car.
Bill Baka