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

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

#71

Post by websitescenes »

jlarocco wrote: post #55
websitescenes wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I'm also a cyclist, and I don't really care what other people do. However, my view is that if the trail allows other motorized use (dirt bikes, ATVs, etc.), it should also allow electric bikes. If the trail does not allow other motorized access, it should also be closed to electric bikes. I'm sure it's only matter of time before trailhead signs and regulations catch up. As you probably know, mountain bikers already s…

Access is explicitly allowed in my region. I'm not going to stop riding because some cyclists are worried. If the law changes, I'll have to reconsider my position.

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

#73

Post by jessaustin »

derekp7 wrote: post #47
Spooky23 wrote: post #19

A: No. Why? 1. Hardcore cyclists are elitists in the US and will hate it and make life miserable for the e-bikers. 2. Non-cyclists will do dumb things in them like ride on the sidewalk. 3. Many state laws require registration and plates for these things.

1) That is changing, as the hard core cyclists begin to realize that more bikes on the road period means more demand for proper cycling infrastructure (or at least have roads that aren't bicycle hostile -- give me more than an inch beyond the white line). 2) As it gets more popular, hopefully more education will happen. In many cases, you have a seldom used sidewalk that runs for miles next to a bicycle hostile road.…

Is that a sidewalk or a multi-use path?

Is there a pedestrian present? If so, that's a sidewalk.

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

#74

Post by DigitalJack »

DigitalJack wrote: post #60
digi_owl wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On that note, i ran into a kickstarter on one that was styled more like a motorcycle than a typical bicycle. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/782844499/the-super-73

It's pretty dangerous riding a motorcycle. And I just mean the danger from other motorists. Imagine if your motorcycle was silent. I know people raised the same concerns about electric cars back in the day, but people are far more likely to not "see" a motorcycle. Maybe mitigate with a strobe light, but I find those very distracting when I drive by a cyclist.

Really like to hear the rationale for downvotes, just because it's surprising to me.

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

#75

Post by cortesoft »

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.

I don't think it is just about 'feeling' safe on public roads... it is just factually more dangerous than being in a car, regardless of how I feel.

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

#76

Post by Spooky23 »

jessaustin wrote: post #73
derekp7 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1) That is changing, as the hard core cyclists begin to realize that more bikes on the road period means more demand for proper cycling infrastructure (or at least have roads that aren't bicycle hostile -- give me more than an inch beyond the white line). 2) As it gets more popular, hopefully more education will happen. In many cases, you have a seldom used sidewalk that runs for miles next to a bicycle hostile road.…

Is that a sidewalk or a multi-use path? Is there a pedestrian present? If so, that's a sidewalk.

Unless marked as a multi-use path, it's a sidewalk.

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

#77

Post by rakoo »

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…

Another huge reason is that China outright banned the use of gasoline powered motorcycles in many big cities; since the majority of people just can't afford a car, the only replacement they could have is electric bikes.

Maybe one day we'll also see gasoline powered personal vehicles be banned in the West ? I kind of doubt it, seeing how important the car is in our society, even though there is some progress towards it (see for instance the car-free days in Paris (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36243119), and I'm sure in other places as well)

As always, more information on Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_industry_in_C...)

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

#78

Post by khedoros »

Rumudiez wrote: post #40
pm90 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

It's a chicken+egg problem. I've considered riding a bicycle to work (it's only about 6 miles), but there are busy streets without bicycle lanes (or even sidewalks), and drivers in the area are known to be actively aggressive against cyclists.

These things drive down the numbers of cyclists, which increases the general feeling that they aren't accepted, and that it's not worth it to cater to them.

> if we could just use those forbidden things called school buses and public transportation.

If they were available and timely? Sure. We have buses in my area. They come hourly. They aren't practical unless you have a lot of spare time, and each connecting bus compounds the problem. I can get to some nearby cities by train, but it's almost always more convenient, faster, and cheaper to drive there myself.

Cars will become a luxury instead of a necessity when those problems are fixed...and those problems will be fixed when cars become unnecessary for a reasonable quality of life.

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

#79

Post by _s »

DigitalJack wrote: post #74
DigitalJack wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's pretty dangerous riding a motorcycle. And I just mean the danger from other motorists. Imagine if your motorcycle was silent. I know people raised the same concerns about electric cars back in the day, but people are far more likely to not "see" a motorcycle. Maybe mitigate with a strobe light, but I find those very distracting when I drive by a cyclist.

Really like to hear the rationale for downvotes, just because it's surprising to me.

I didn't down vote but from a different perspective:

- Not being able to hear / audible warning is a terrible argument for many reasons - The danger is understood, but that's because of a lack of training for all road users; no amount of visual warnings will mitigate the lack of education / training

I think the downvotes stem from the lack of critical thought portrayed by the comment? I can't really say - to me it doesn't add anything meaningful to topic at hand and detracts from the intent of the article itself without giving tangible reasons.

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

#80

Post by jessaustin »

Spooky23 wrote: post #76
jessaustin wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that a sidewalk or a multi-use path? Is there a pedestrian present? If so, that's a sidewalk.

Unless marked as a multi-use path, it's a sidewalk.

Well sure I assumed that it's actually a sidewalk, but there's no reason to be authoritarian. If there really aren't any pedestrians around then cyclists really aren't harming anyone. If one is cycling on the sidewalk and sees a pedestrian, one simply hops off the bike and walks it until the pedestrian is out of range.
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