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Long Range E-Bike (2021)

jacquesmattheij.com

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Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#311

Post by viranchee »

jacquesm wrote: post #280
neya wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The setup looks lovely! How heavy is it in real life? Just curious. Is it, say, as heavy as a small moped or motorcycle or not that big of a deal? My only fear of trying this out is if the bike falls on its side, how difficult it might be to lift it back up. TIA

Much lighter than a moped, but way heavier than a normal bike, I estimate the total to weigh about 33 Kg, but there is a big set of bike bags on there as well.

How much is the weight when the pack is fully charged? xD

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#312

Post by theultdev »

lostlogin wrote: post #303
theultdev wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think we have different grocery habits. Food, beer, and cat litter would be too heavy for a bike.

A beer run on an unpowered bike isn’t too bad. 2 six packs and a few snacks is just fine. Important note: if you put a beer in the bottle holder, give that one away and take another for yourself.

2 six packs is 2 days worth of beer.

I buy 2x 24 packs every 2 weeks, not going to work.

But great, I'll bike that home then go back for groceries. Maybe the "snack" I can fit will fuel me.

Sure I could cut out something I love, my one vice. But that's not very American, a car that can fit all of my stuff is.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#313

Post by davidw »

theultdev wrote: post #166
loeg wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure? https://www.r-m.de/en-us/bikes/load5-75/

How many of those have you seen in the US? None, because noone wants to bike 5 miles for 3 bags of groceries.

You moved the goalposts, but that also brings up another problem in the US: land use that forcibly segregates different things - like making corner stores illegal in newer suburban developments.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#314

Post by theultdev »

loeg wrote: post #189
theultdev wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many of those have you seen in the US? None, because noone wants to bike 5 miles for 3 bags of groceries.

We’ve moved the goalposts from “Food, beer, and cat litter would be too heavy for a bike.” Also, my grocery stores are 0.7, 1.1, and 1.6 miles away, not that it matters. 5 miles is just not very much time at 20-28 mph. I think theft and weather/comfort are bigger obstacles to most people than distance.

But that is what we end up needing.

Is the goal post a few groceries you get for a few days?

I have never seen one of these ridiculous looking bikes in any city or anywhere.

Where do y'all live, a Dr. Suess book?

I will not bike them in the rain, With soggy bags and squishy pain.

I will not bike them up the hill, When every pedal feels like drill.

I will not bike them when it’s hot, With sweat that pours and cheese that rots.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#315

Post by theultdev »

davidw wrote: post #313
theultdev wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How many of those have you seen in the US? None, because noone wants to bike 5 miles for 3 bags of groceries.

You moved the goalposts, but that also brings up another problem in the US: land use that forcibly segregates different things - like making corner stores illegal in newer suburban developments.

I didn't move a goal post, that is my reality when it comes to groceries.

You realize everyone has different needs right? I stated that in a GP.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#316

Post by jacquesm »

neya wrote: post #302
jacquesm wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Much lighter than a moped, but way heavier than a normal bike, I estimate the total to weigh about 33 Kg, but there is a big set of bike bags on there as well.

Thanks! I'm also currently exploring drivetrain options. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm working on implementing an e-CVT like in the Toyotas, they are actually super efficient and very comfy. I'm not really a fan of hub motors, so I went with some smaller out-runners. Your project has forced me to resume my gearbox project now :)

There is - or was - a Finnish company doing precisely that. Google 'Revonte', amazing little product they made.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#317

Post by jacquesm »

lostlogin wrote: post #298
jacquesm wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm 60+ it was either the e-bike, wreck my leg even further or take the car. That was an easy choice :) Be careful with what you've got... I wish every day that I could do the day I messed up my leg again without making that particular mistake. I rode a low racer recumbent at speed and had a nasty case of leg suck when hitting a (new to me) speedbump.

> leg suck I’d never heard of this and looked it up. It sounds awful. https://www.utahtrikes.com/ARTICLE-119.html

It is. Life changing event that one. And it is not just trikes, low racer recumbents have the same problem (only worse, because they are much faster, they are probably some of the fastest bikes you can ride). I was literally airborne for a bit after already breaking my leg so this was the worst of all possible combinations other than that my head was not impacted at all due to posture (and wearing a helmet).

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#318

Post by jacquesm »

socalgal2 wrote: post #212
adrianN wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

License plates do not seem to prevent dangerous and illegal behavior in cars, why should they help for bikes?

I can stand at any corner in any city in the USA and count the percent of cars that stop vs the percent of bikes that stop. Bikes about 1 of 10 will stop. Cars at least 4 of 5 will stop. So, cyclists, 10% compiliance. car drivers, 80% compliance. As for license plates, I'd like both cars and bikes to obey the law. The only way I see that happening is cameras and scanners. For that to stop bikes requires the bikes to…

The difference is of course that cyclists mostly endanger themselves where as cars mostly endanger others.

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#319

Post by trelliumD »

jacquesm wrote: post #286
trelliumD wrote: post #249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, that is not true. If you ride a velomobile, you are protected by its aeroshell. Consider it a full body helmet. You are rather flipped/ pushed away, than coming under a car. Of course you are not happy after a crash, but you mostly survive. And you also have other benefits, such as weather protection. In heavy rains you are sitting dry in your bicycle, listening to your radio, where your fellow ebiker gets soakin…

A Velomobile is not a socially acceptable vehicle, it is very fast compared to a normal bike but still limited to bike infrastructure and other cyclists absolutely hate them. Yes, they solve the leg suck problem and if all of the cars would be gone and you could use the roads then that would be a great solution. I lived right next door to the guys that developed it and in the Groningen country side you could see them…

Apparantly we have a different idea about it :-) The Netherlands has the best bicycle infrastructure in the world. However that does not mean that it is perfect. Usually the cycling paths are too narrow and strangely routed. And like if you put many rats in a small cage, they are going to fight, and so also on the Dutch cycling paths it is fighting for space. Currently we have here the discussion about fat-bikes, that is the same discussion, and the same non arguments. Those are also e bikes, but with big tires, and they look different, and what is different has got to go away. Velomobiles have another option, and that is that they are allowed on the roads. (according to RVV deel 2 art 4.) and that is what i do in city centers, as i go the same speed as cars. But it is much dependent on the situation. (Did you live next to Sinner bikes ?)

Re: Long Range E-Bike (2021)

#320

Post by loeg »

carlosjobim wrote: post #297
loeg wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The speed limiting alone makes them safer than motorcycles.

Only if the rider is bad. If the rider is good, the opposite is true.

I disagree. A perfect rider is still safer at 20 mph than 60+. There are just unforeseen things that happen, like deer, and the same perfect rider has more time to handle those things at slower speed, and the consequences are less severe.

And this is borne out in the statistics -- there's no reason to believe motorcycle riders are any better or worse than cyclists at bike handling / driving skills, but the motorcyclists certainly die more on average. I suppose if you're an amazing motorcyclists but a shit bicyclist, stick to motorbikes, but that seems pretty far-fetched.

(Safety gear like armored jackets, pants, gloves, and boots -- available to motorcyclists but impractical for cyclists -- certainly helps at the margin. Nevertheless, the stats are worse for motorcycles. I'm not saying don't ride motorcycles -- I have in the past and will again. More speed just doesn't make you safer.)

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