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Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

lemond.com

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Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#221

Post by johnwatson11218 »

YawningAngel wrote: post #4

I'm always confused by people of working age who ride bikes like this. What's the attraction of a more expensive and heavier bike that's no faster than pedaling yourself?

For me it has been no need for a recovery day. The barrier to entry for doing a ride is much lower, even if I'm tired I can do a quick 1 hour ride on the eBike. It gets my heartrate up and my blood pumping. If I want I can push my self harder and get more or less of a workout, it is up to me. Also, no matter how hot it gets I find I can still do rides on my eBike. So long as I have enough water and am dressed appropriately I can ride in the summer heat.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#222

Post by comeondude »

_verandaguy wrote: post #5

Coming from conventional bikes, I don't understand who this is for. Carbon fibre frames are prohibitively expensive and the market for them serves very involved, often professional or semi-pro cyclists whose performance bottlenecks are imposed by the bike instead of themselves. Ditto for some of the other details on the bike, like the medium-dish carbon rims — all for the sake of weight savings and aerodynamics (sinc…

Cause it’s fun

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#223

Post by johnwatson11218 »

kazinator wrote: post #101
technofiend wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah excellent question. Hot and humid climates make this appealing if you don't need to pedal; perhaps you can get to work without needing a shower. But considering the likely cost due to name, weight and components it feels very niche nonetheless. It's difficult to justify a bike that's thousands when an annual bus pass might be a few hundred.

> It's difficult to justify a bike that's thousands when an annual bus pass might be a few hundred. - A bike is not annually thousands. A good quality bike will last you a decade or more. Not with $0 maintenance, but not hundreds per year. - Commute times on a bike are shorter than the bus. I'm not even talking e-bike now. Due to traffic congestion effects (that hardly affect bicycles at all), you can beat even autom…

Also you can ride up on sidewalks or bike paths. If you come to a long red light but there is no traffic coming it is easy to just run the red light. When you get to the store you can ride right up to the entrance and lock up 10 feet away from the door, no driving in circles looking for a parking space.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#224

Post by nl »

_verandaguy wrote: post #5

Coming from conventional bikes, I don't understand who this is for. Carbon fibre frames are prohibitively expensive and the market for them serves very involved, often professional or semi-pro cyclists whose performance bottlenecks are imposed by the bike instead of themselves. Ditto for some of the other details on the bike, like the medium-dish carbon rims — all for the sake of weight savings and aerodynamics (sinc…

> Carbon fibre frames are prohibitively expensive and the market for them serves very involved, often professional or semi-pro cyclists whose performance bottlenecks are imposed by the bike instead of themselves

This isn't true. Most $1000+ road bikes have carbon frames.

Wholesale, a good quality no-nme Al frame is about $100, while an equivalent quality CF frame is about $250.

If you are using Shimano 105 or above level quality, a CF frame is a reasonable upgrade.

They do ride better than anything but the best Al frames since that can put more stiffness where required and less where bump absorbing is needed.

The rest of your comments just shows misunderstanding of the luxury market. BMWs sell when Toyota makes fine cars.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#225

Post by nl »

gameswithgo wrote: post #178
PragmaticPulp wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm an engineer and a biker. If you only look at the numbers or try to run simplistic calculations, it's easy to think that bikers are just deluding themselves. But there's more to it than just numbers on paper, and there's more to biking than just riding in a straight line from point A to point B. Carbon fiber frames aren't just about saving weight. The Carbon Fiber has different flexibility and damping properties t…

if you do the math you can quickly prove to yourself that reduced inertia isn’t doing anything for you. you then either have to conclude that newtonian mechanics does not apply to bikes or perception can’t be trusted! if you do a blind experiment, where you don’t know the wheels under you, or a third party adds weights to the rim you can demonstrate this. be sure to use the same tires, at the same pressure, as tires…

> if you do the math you can quickly prove to yourself that reduced inertia isn’t doing anything for you. you then either have to conclude that newtonian mechanics does not apply to bikes or perception can’t be trusted!

This is only true if you measure only along the forward/reverse axis.

Cyclists stand up, and rocking the bike sideways is easier with lighter wheels.

On mountain bikes there are even more cases.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#226

Post by mulmen »

This is really cool from a tech perspective. I’m sure it’s a great product too. The thing that bothers me about e-bikes in the US specifically is that we seem to be rediscovering scooters but worse.

Among other things I am a motorcycle rider. I took the class. Before the pandemic I commuted on a 1970 Honda CB450. I know the risks, and the rules.

These are mopeds at best. Electric motorcycles at worst. Europe and especially Asia already understand the benefits of scooters and traffic understands they exist. Taiepi even has special striping at lights to make scooter filtering safe and easy!

I am optimistic that these kinds of devices will get more people on two-wheeled personal transportation but I’m concerned about the people going 30mph on bike paths or riding in the road with no education.

Tangentially I’m disappointed that electric drive has translated to “no rules” on roads and bike paths. If I ride a 1980 Yamaha moped on a bike path people will look at me like I’m a maniac but I can go 50% faster on a bicycle and nobody seems to care.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#227

Post by onetimemanytime »

_verandaguy wrote: post #5

Coming from conventional bikes, I don't understand who this is for. Carbon fibre frames are prohibitively expensive and the market for them serves very involved, often professional or semi-pro cyclists whose performance bottlenecks are imposed by the bike instead of themselves. Ditto for some of the other details on the bike, like the medium-dish carbon rims — all for the sake of weight savings and aerodynamics (sinc…

This is for millions of people who don't blink at spending $4500, like an average person spending $15. It has all the right buzzwords and "LeMond" name in it so let's make some money. Most will probably use it once and let is collect dust.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#228

Post by ogre_codes »

gameswithgo wrote: post #108
xtqctz wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. Carrying at 50lb ebike up a three story walk up is a hassle, but 25lbs is relatively easy.

Using carbon fiber is saving on the order of 1 or 2 lbs though, not 25.

50 pounds is a full suspension eMTB. I think most commuters like this are in the 30-35 pound range.

I wouldn't be surprised if the total savings from carbon fiber on this bike is 4+ pounds. They use carbon everywhere, frame fork, seat post, wheels, handlebars... even the fenders.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#229

Post by rckclmbr »

an_opabinia wrote: post #2

A lot of people coming in and poo pooing a very nice, very well designed bike. Very pretty and conventional looking. At this price range it’s more comparable to a Stromer, which is at once a much more vehicle-replacement oriented bike but also a bike that looks like a “Das Bike.” It would be nice if this bike had insurance and tracking like the Vanmoofs do. As an owner of two and knowing other owners, this is a dealb…

I have 15k miles on my stromer, and I use the words "vehicle replacement" all the time. To me, its not something to go out and enjoy like I do on my bikes. Its something that gets me to work or the grocery store and back. I mean yea its fun, but it saves gas, I never get stuck in traffic, and can always find parking.

Re: Greg LeMond’s New 26 LB. Carbon Fiber Ebike

#230

Post by closeparen »

mulmen wrote: post #226

This is really cool from a tech perspective. I’m sure it’s a great product too. The thing that bothers me about e-bikes in the US specifically is that we seem to be rediscovering scooters but worse. Among other things I am a motorcycle rider. I took the class. Before the pandemic I commuted on a 1970 Honda CB450. I know the risks, and the rules. These are mopeds at best . Electric motorcycles at worst . Europe and es…

Class 1 ebikes go no faster than an athletic cyclist would (20mph), and most bike lanes / paths are restricted to those.

Another gambit I've seen that tends to moderate my speed on an ebike is a "green wave" tuned for 13mph. No point going any faster.

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