Re: Should I get an electric bike? Help! - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

08-24-2003, 03:14 AM

Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.

Like all electric vehicles (henceforward, EVs), they are ultimately
limited by the performance of their batteries. At the moment, EV
batteries are too heavy and do not hold enough charge to make either
great power or long range possible.

Further, one gets into rather hazy legal territory as to whether or
not an electric bicycle is a powererd vehicle, and thus subject to the
licencing, registration, and taxation regulations to which other
powered vehicles--motorcycles, and automobiles--are subject. This
varies greatly between states.

The reality of it all is that electric bicycles are extremely heavy
and awkward, and the range and utility of their electric assist is
questionable, at best. They are good for supporting slow-cadence
riding on relatively flat ground. But when it comes to where the
assist would be most useful--long, hilly sections--they fall down
entirely. The power demands drain the batteries too quickly, and when
the batteries have discharged, you're left with a nothing but a bad
bicycle that weighs two or three times what a non-electric-assited
bicycle would have weighed.

As to portability and foldability, forget it. You won't be able to
get an electric bicycle that folds quickly and elegantly and is light
enough to be carried with few problems.

Electric assist does have its place, though: Cargo bikes and pedal
rickshaws benefit from a bit of a push to get started, even on level
ground. The cycle itself is big enough to accomodate batteries and
motors suited to the task, and the additional weight as a fraction of
total gross vehicle weight (counting the driver and passengers) is
smaller. Plus, these can be charged at depots and what have you.

For individual bicycles, it's no good, especially when you consider
the doubtful legal status of this class of vehicle. If you really
wanted whizz-bang, surefire-legal electric transport, get yourself a
Segway--and see just how far you get.

If you're really interested in getting a folding bicycle, why not go
with the best and get a Brompton?

<http://www.bromptonbicycle.co.uk/> These are *extremely* popular
among commuters here in London, who ride to train stations, fold the
bikes, ride the train into town, unfold the bikes again to ride to
work, and fold them to store the bicycles in their offices &c.
Expensive, but well worth it--this is what I'd go for if I needed or
wanted to get a folder.

-Luigi

"The bicycle: elegant transport for a more civilised age"
-(apologies to Obi-wan Kenobi)

08-24-2003, 03:38 PM

24 Aug 2003 04:14:51 -0700,
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] >,
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Luigi de Guzman) wrote:

>Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.
>
If they're the difference between a person driving their average three
mile trip or staying home because they can't walk or cycle those three
miles and back, then there may be a place for the pedal assisted EV.

>Like all electric vehicles (henceforward, EVs), they are ultimately
>limited by the performance of their batteries. At the moment, EV
>batteries are too heavy and do not hold enough charge to make either
>great power or long range possible.

Almost half of all automobile trips in the US are less than five miles
and half of those are two miles or less. These are ideal distances for
present EV technology. You can leave and return to your support base
on one charge.

I'm in favour of more golf carts and scooter type vehicles filling
half of all common personal transportation needs. They'd be better in
cities than the prevailing over-abundance of fossil burning
upholstered tanks.
--
zk

08-24-2003, 05:23 PM

Zoot Katz wrote:
> 24 Aug 2003 04:14:51 -0700,
> <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] >,
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Luigi de Guzman) wrote:
>
>
>>Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.
>>
>
> If they're the difference between a person driving their average three
> mile trip or staying home because they can't walk or cycle those three
> miles and back, then there may be a place for the pedal assisted EV.
>
>
>>Like all electric vehicles (henceforward, EVs), they are ultimately
>>limited by the performance of their batteries. At the moment, EV
>>batteries are too heavy and do not hold enough charge to make either
>>great power or long range possible.
>
>
> Almost half of all automobile trips in the US are less than five miles
> and half of those are two miles or less. These are ideal distances for
> present EV technology. You can leave and return to your support base
> on one charge.
>
> I'm in favour of more golf carts and scooter type vehicles filling
> half of all common personal transportation needs. They'd be better in
> cities than the prevailing over-abundance of fossil burning
> upholstered tanks.

These are ideal distances for riding a manual bike. Electric bikes may
have some value for moderately disabled people, but anyone in normal
health can handle five mile trips without power assistance. And even for
disabled people, they may not be the best choice. There is a local guy
who has MS or something with similar lack of muscular control. Can't
walk. He rides his upright adult tricycle all over town on his own
power, into stores so he can do all his own shopping. One of my heros.
If you need to cover longer distances at a higher speed then a manual
bike can cover, then electric bikes do not have the range or speed. In
most states, unlicensed e-bikes are legally limited to 20 mph. Any
faster and they are required to be licensed as a moped. If you want to
do that, a gas powered motor assisted bicycle licensed as a moped can go
up to 30 mph with out peddling (compared to 20 mph for unlicensed
electrics), have a range limited only by the size of your gas tank
(compared to 12 to 15 miles for most electrics), can refuel in a couple
minutes (compared to 4 to 6 hours for electric recharge), weighs a
fraction of what a electric bike with it's heavy batteries does, doesn't
require batteries to be replaced every couple years (most batteries are
only good for 300 to 600 charge cycles, less if you don't baby them just
right) and usually costs less. My gas motor assisted Tour Easy gets 150
to 300 mpg depending on how much I pedal. Only used used for trips too
long to do by human power in one day as an alternative to an automobile.
All my regular commuting, shopping and errand running are by plain old
human power.

As for fossil burning, in the U.S., 71.4% of electricity is generated by
burning fossil fuel. Source: C.I.A, 2001 figures.

Lorenzo L. Love
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

"Americans are broad-minded people. They'll accept the fact that a
person can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a
newspaperman, but if a man doesn't drive there's something wrong with him."
Art Buchwald

08-24-2003, 07:40 PM

"Zoot Katz" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]...
> 24 Aug 2003 04:14:51 -0700,
> <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] >,
> [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Luigi de Guzman) wrote:
>
> >Electric bikes are more trouble than they're worth.
> >
> If they're the difference between a person driving their average three
> mile trip or staying home because they can't walk or cycle those three
> miles and back, then there may be a place for the pedal assisted EV.

'Pedal assisted' is a misnomer. I testrode a Giant LaFree a while ago. The
motor does not kick in unless you pedal.
But...the added weight of the thing made the motor *necessary*. i.e. the
motor overcame the weight of the motor and battery, and not much else.

I found it not much easier than pedaling a regular bike.

Pete