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Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

bloomberg.com

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Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#31

Post by ams6110 »

totally wrote: post #25

Daily (manual) biker here (~70 miles per week). These ebikes are a clever hack. In China they skirt motorcycle laws. In the US they can make use of bike paths. You can make good time and your commute is generally the same duration regardless of traffic. At least, that's true in Silicon Valley. Last I checked (a few years ago) pedaling the ebikes is like pedaling a tank. Batteries and motors a heavy bike make. So you'…

If you're male, consider that long-term bike riding can cause infertility, erectile dysfunction, and prostate problems esp. depending on the saddle you use.

Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#32

Post by chvid »

adamlett wrote: post #4

They are also increasingly common in Copenhagen. Both regular style bikes and three-wheeled cargo bikes.

The Chinese bikes look (are?) completely different though. They look like Vespa scooters with a small trunk for storing stuff and I think they have a bigger battery. The e-bikes in Copenhagen are standard bicycles with a small battery and engine added.

Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#33

Post by derekp7 »

totally wrote: post #25

Daily (manual) biker here (~70 miles per week). These ebikes are a clever hack. In China they skirt motorcycle laws. In the US they can make use of bike paths. You can make good time and your commute is generally the same duration regardless of traffic. At least, that's true in Silicon Valley. Last I checked (a few years ago) pedaling the ebikes is like pedaling a tank. Batteries and motors a heavy bike make. So you'…

It all depends on how you build the bike. I just converted a nice road bike by adding a geared rear hub motor. The geared motors (vs. direct drive) have a freewheel built in so they don't slow you down when pedaling (direct drive hub motors have a cogging effect when there is not electricity). And a geared motor is smaller, therefore less weight. In fact, I still road the bike normally after putting the hub motor on, since I had to wait another couple weeks for the battery to ship.

And, you can get the same cardio per unit of time (if you want) on an ebike as a regular bike. You just go faster, therefore further. And since you have a bit more speed, and you aren't required to do a major workout on every trip (so you don't have to change into cycling clothes), you end up using the ebike for a lot more trips -- therefore getting more exercise overall.

In my case, I have a 25 mile commute -- no way to make it in time on a regular bike. But an ebike makes it no problem. And I still get a decent amount of exercise (basically the difference between going for a very long walk vs running a sprint, so a different type of exercise), and on the weekends I give it my all (and just rack up more miles).

Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#34

Post by Cerium »

URSpider94 wrote: post #16

The e-bike situation in China is very different from the US. These are people who are moving UP from human-powered bikes, or walking, to their first vehicle -- not buying them so that they can leave their car at home and feel the wind in their hair. Here's a photo of a very typical Chinese e-bike: http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00zsrEyYQIYOqo/Chinese-El... As you can see, it has a second seat in the back for a pa…

How people charge them depends on where they live and where they work. People who live in the modern pencil thin 30 story buildings you see on the news simply ride them into the elevator. Since they are electric and Chinese buildings usually have tile hallways (or bare concrete) this causes no problems. The shorter 6 story buildings do not have elevators, so people who live in these simply hang a cord out their window. Store owners will charge at work.

Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#36

Post by derekp7 »

websitescenes wrote: post #9
rzt wrote: post #6

Pretty serious MTB/cyclocross racer here that's done a lot of trailbuilding and trail advocacy: a lot of dudes are scared that offroad ebikes are going to kill access to hard-won trails. It's a not-unfounded fear as motorized bikes are pretty dang close to motorcycles in most people's eyes. That said, I'd love to have an ebike! I have a 26 mile one-way commute (that's a 30 minute train ride) but every once in a while…

Long time cyclist and bike shop owner here. I recently put an electric hub motor on an old DH bike and have been riding local trails. I have to admit, I did not expect the push back that I have received from cyclists. I get trolled, called names and targeted all because I like to ride my ebike on the trails. Funny thing is, nobody else seems to care. Only other cyclists.

Out of curiosity, how stealth is your setup? And when you get flak, are you running in pedal assist mode, or throttle only? In my case, I've got a smaller (geared) hub motor on the back, you wouldn't know it was there unless you were looking for it (hides nicely between the gear cluster and the disc brake). The only obvious ebike sign is the large battery (shaped like a water bottle, but sized more like a long 2-liter bottle)

Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#38

Post by cr1895 »

URSpider94 wrote: post #21
alvern wrote: post #17

I ride 20 miles a day in Minneapolis on my e-bike. My biggest fear is when we will ruin it for everyone. There just isn't the proper infrastructure for them. Bike paths around here have 10mph speed limit signs and are mostly mixed use. Not enough connecting roads have bike lanes. It will grow wildly popular once a cheap US based lithium battery supplier appears (Tesla/Panasonic).

Exactly, e-bikes are an odd tweener. They don't mix well on bike paths if you're bombing along at 20 mph, and in a lot of places people still just don't feel safe riding anything with two wheels on public roads. I don't see a lot of people who aren't already comfortable cycling to work (though maybe preferring to get there faster and with less sweat), going out and buying an e-bike.

E-bikes have become increasingly popular in the Netherlands, where they share the cycle paths just fine with conventional cyclists. (the mopeds and scooters that blast along the same paths recklessly are another story, however)

Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#39

Post by techthroway443 »

URSpider94 wrote: post #16

The e-bike situation in China is very different from the US. These are people who are moving UP from human-powered bikes, or walking, to their first vehicle -- not buying them so that they can leave their car at home and feel the wind in their hair. Here's a photo of a very typical Chinese e-bike: http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00zsrEyYQIYOqo/Chinese-El... As you can see, it has a second seat in the back for a pa…

That looks like a scooter

Re: Electric Bikes Won Over China. Is the U.S. Next?

#40

Post by Rumudiez »

pm90 wrote: post #22
URSpider94 wrote: post #16

The e-bike situation in China is very different from the US. These are people who are moving UP from human-powered bikes, or walking, to their first vehicle -- not buying them so that they can leave their car at home and feel the wind in their hair. Here's a photo of a very typical Chinese e-bike: http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00zsrEyYQIYOqo/Chinese-El... As you can see, it has a second seat in the back for a pa…

I don't think it would work in the US. Such models might replace the gasoline powered vespas that a small minority of people use. But a car is central to the lifestyle of most Americans: you go to work, get groceries etc. That said, the more bicycle looking ebikes... I am very tempted to get one. They can be a fun way to explore the neighborhood. But I would still need a car for commuting to work.

> But I would still need a car for commuting to work.

And that sums up why the typical US mentality will continue to impede transportation progress. I can easily carry over a week's worth of groceries to cook three meals per day for two people in one trip on my motorcycle. I ride to work every day of the year in Seattle. It's kind of like, you know, living in pretty much any other country in the world where cars are correctly seen for the luxuries they are.

Having a scooter without saddlebags would be harder in that I'd probably need to get groceries twice a week, but the only things actually stopping such madness are snow and large families. I would doubt the need for a car to get work, though, if we could just use those forbidden things called school buses and public transportation.

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