Giant LAFree Lite electric bike - comments LONG - Page 3 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

07-08-2004, 09:06 AM

"Ryan Cousineau" <rcousine@sfu.ca> wrote in message
news:rcousine-9A339E.23081307072004@newsserver.sfu.ca...
> In article <cchqbc026da@enews1.newsguy.com>,
> "Ralph" <Nospam@nospam.net> wrote:
<snip>
> I will keep something like this in mind for people I know. Until it is
> capable of sustained flat speeds of 50 km/h, I'm not interested. Right
> now my goal is to TT at 50 for 1-2 km at a time. Because that would be
> crazy-fast, and allow me to keep up with traffic

.

Well, as a motorcycle rider and hotrodder in a previous life, I've wondered
about that kind of speed too. With an 8 speed hub and geared to have a
cadence of about 60 at 30 mph so the assist is still on strong, I think it
might well be possible to maintain 30 mph on the level. You'd probably go
through the battery pretty quickly, but I'd think it would still have a
range of 10 - 15 miles.

Stronger legs first though before doing anything else.

DISCLAIMER: Regearing is probably illegal, so don't even think of it.

07-08-2004, 04:00 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:

> As you say, with the power off 'they are 47lb comfort bikes'. I can't
> help thinking that with the level of fitness you now have, you'd be
> able to ride 20 miles at 11mph quite comfortably on a normal bike and
> still have plenty of energy left to get home.

I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

Chalo Colina

07-08-2004, 04:00 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:

> As you say, with the power off 'they are 47lb comfort bikes'. I can't
> help thinking that with the level of fitness you now have, you'd be
> able to ride 20 miles at 11mph quite comfortably on a normal bike and
> still have plenty of energy left to get home.

I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

Chalo Colina

07-08-2004, 04:00 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:

> As you say, with the power off 'they are 47lb comfort bikes'. I can't
> help thinking that with the level of fitness you now have, you'd be
> able to ride 20 miles at 11mph quite comfortably on a normal bike and
> still have plenty of energy left to get home.

I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

Chalo Colina

07-08-2004, 04:00 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:

> As you say, with the power off 'they are 47lb comfort bikes'. I can't
> help thinking that with the level of fitness you now have, you'd be
> able to ride 20 miles at 11mph quite comfortably on a normal bike and
> still have plenty of energy left to get home.

I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

Chalo Colina

07-08-2004, 04:00 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:

> As you say, with the power off 'they are 47lb comfort bikes'. I can't
> help thinking that with the level of fitness you now have, you'd be
> able to ride 20 miles at 11mph quite comfortably on a normal bike and
> still have plenty of energy left to get home.

I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

Chalo Colina

07-08-2004, 08:01 PM

I've coasted on level ground beside people with pretty serious road bikes
and stayed with them.

Actually though, that's another effect with these bikes. With the assist,
going uphill isn't a problem, however, because of their extra weight (not to
mention my own), the energy you built up going uphill really shines going
down - you fly. I've hit over 33 mph coasting downhill. It's also amazing to
me that 30 mph on a bike is as much fun as 90 on a motorcycle (not like 140
though).

"Chalo" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:8b4b7de4.0407081600.1b934b4c@posting.google.c om...
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:
> I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
> forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
> do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
> drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
> significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
> much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

07-08-2004, 08:01 PM

I've coasted on level ground beside people with pretty serious road bikes
and stayed with them.

Actually though, that's another effect with these bikes. With the assist,
going uphill isn't a problem, however, because of their extra weight (not to
mention my own), the energy you built up going uphill really shines going
down - you fly. I've hit over 33 mph coasting downhill. It's also amazing to
me that 30 mph on a bike is as much fun as 90 on a motorcycle (not like 140
though).

"Chalo" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:8b4b7de4.0407081600.1b934b4c@posting.google.c om...
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:
> I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
> forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
> do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
> drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
> significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
> much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

07-08-2004, 08:01 PM

I've coasted on level ground beside people with pretty serious road bikes
and stayed with them.

Actually though, that's another effect with these bikes. With the assist,
going uphill isn't a problem, however, because of their extra weight (not to
mention my own), the energy you built up going uphill really shines going
down - you fly. I've hit over 33 mph coasting downhill. It's also amazing to
me that 30 mph on a bike is as much fun as 90 on a motorcycle (not like 140
though).

"Chalo" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:8b4b7de4.0407081600.1b934b4c@posting.google.c om...
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:
> I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
> forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
> do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
> drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
> significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
> much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.

07-08-2004, 08:01 PM

I've coasted on level ground beside people with pretty serious road bikes
and stayed with them.

Actually though, that's another effect with these bikes. With the assist,
going uphill isn't a problem, however, because of their extra weight (not to
mention my own), the energy you built up going uphill really shines going
down - you fly. I've hit over 33 mph coasting downhill. It's also amazing to
me that 30 mph on a bike is as much fun as 90 on a motorcycle (not like 140
though).

"Chalo" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:8b4b7de4.0407081600.1b934b4c@posting.google.c om...
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Mike Farnes) wrote:
> I have unpowered bikes in the twenty-something pound range and in the
> forty-something pound range, and I don't find it noticeably easier to
> do given speeds or distances on the lightweight ones. As long as the
> drive system of the LA Free Lite does not impose an extra source of
> significant drag on the bike, it should not handicap performance very
> much vs. a lighter bike of otherwise similar design.