I left a comment on the author's page (awaiting moderation), but I'll copy it here: if you're going to try this at home familiarize yourself with local laws. I'm all for getting more people on bikes, but some of the suggestions he makes are illegal in my state. Be aware of power limitations, braking requirements, and how the resulting vehicle would be classified (and should be labeled).
First 100 miles on my E-Bike
161–170 of 248 posts
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#162I had my own ebike startup 2 years ago (Lectro). What killed it was the fact that large lithium battery packs were classified with hazmat status. This classification might have been spurred by the exploding hoverboards. Product shipping and liability became too high for profits. I would assume big box retailers have similar concerns. If the BMS in the battery had an issue, It was very difficult for the customer to ship back.
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#163Earlier quoted context omitted.
Felt is a legitimate, reputable bicycle manufacturer, though. It is much higher quality than a department store bike.
It's also steel, which is probably better in an electric bike where you don't care about weight as much but you do care about durability.
Good steel frames are not necessarily significantly heavier than aluminum frames but they ride much much better (have more flex). They also can be repaired if required while aluminum is probably toast after anything that damages the frame. In anything that is not a race or cargo bike I’d always prefer a steel frame.
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#164Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#165I'd like to understand e-bike usage from a user perspective. Why does it appeal to a traditional biker to use an e-bike in the city (not talking cross country)? Why not „just bike“ or the opposite as in scooter/e-scooter? How come there is such a big market in between?
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#166>>> If the ride is so great and economics so favorable, why haven’t I seen more adoption here in US and Canada? The author's answers to this question focus solely on the bike technology itself. This is a common thread in a lot of discussions about cycling: If we only built the right bike, more people would ride. This is usually followed by a CAD rendering of the perfect bike, that looks like nobody would want to ride…
The biggest attraction it me would be, not getting all sweaty. But at the same time, wouldn't it be better for me if I trained my body until I didn't get all sweaty on a regular bike?
Yes it would, if you really care about the planet and climate change you and I need to sacrifice something. Getting fit while helping doesn't hurt.
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#167Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think I'd rather read a book than keep monkeying around with a bicycle, though. That's the value of the time I'm referring to. I know some people like endless tinkering with things, but not me; I just want them working. Mechanical repair isn't a leisure activity for me.
Two types of people and all that. OP is clearly a tinkerer. Telling them that they shouldn’t value their time this way seems silly. If I was the OP, I would do this exact thing: after putting some more miles on the bike and saving up that gas money, get a nicer bike and swap the motor. Better yet, sell this e bike for $2k now that it’s all upgraded and use that money for a full upgrade.
I don't think he'll be able to get $2K for it. It's still built around a bad bike, and any prospective buyer will easily find that out. It's probably worth most as parts.
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#168Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's also steel, which is probably better in an electric bike where you don't care about weight as much but you do care about durability.
Good steel frames are not necessarily significantly heavier than aluminum frames but they ride much much better (have more flex). They also can be repaired if required while aluminum is probably toast after anything that damages the frame. In anything that is not a race or cargo bike I’d always prefer a steel frame.
Why wouldn't you want a steel frame in a cargo bike? That seems like an ideal application for it? Or is it about weight?
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#169I'd like to understand e-bike usage from a user perspective. Why does it appeal to a traditional biker to use an e-bike in the city (not talking cross country)? Why not „just bike“ or the opposite as in scooter/e-scooter? How come there is such a big market in between?
scooter is a legally different class. E.g. in Germany you need insurance, can't go on bike paths, and a small scooter in car traffic is dangerous.
vs bike: you are less exhausted/sweaty (e.g. important for the morning commute if you don't have a shower at work). Many users are older and suddenly can go up hills again. City often means lots of stopping and getting going again, which is nicer with electrical assist.
Re: First 100 miles on my E-Bike
#170Earlier quoted context omitted.
> But if you are cycling to work every day and deal with strong wind, elevation differences, maintaining 20-25 km/h is going to be tough. That is true when you're riding uphill and/or into a headwind, but that should also be made up by the fact that the headwind/ascent becomes a tailwind/descent when you ride in the other direction. The speeds I attain on my conventional bike range from 25 to 30 km/h on flat ground,…
> > But if you are cycling to work every day and deal with strong wind, elevation differences, maintaining 20-25 km/h is going to be tough. > That is true when you're riding uphill and/or into a headwind, but that should also be made up by the fact that the headwind/ascent becomes a tailwind/descent when you ride in the other direction. Not a great comfort when you are trying to get to work. And in my experience, aft…
>> side wind gusts
> I would expect the greater mass of the motorized bicycle to help the rider stay grounded.
That might be the case when riding a motorcycle (since it weighs quite a bit more than the rider), but even the heaviest e-bikes would still be lighter than the rider.