Electric Bikes - Anyone here from New York City?

I'm a complete "noob", just to get that out of the way.

I've been reading this forum and many other sites for a few weeks now, and really plan on getting into the e-bike thing....hopefully soon.

I realize I'm going to probably end up spending over 1,000 bucks, which is ok, but I want to make sure I'm only spending what I really need to. I'm not rich, and I don't feel the need to go 40+ mph on one of these things (the ability to go 25-30 would be nice). My commute is only about 4 miles (each way), from Queens into Manhattan....but I certainly don't want to only be able to go 8 miles; 15 or so would be fine.

I do want the finished bike to be fairly easy to maneuver....both while riding it, and while getting into and out of buildings and whatnot (probably no stairs, though). So I've pretty much decided on the more expensive, but lighter and more compact batteries. Just not sure exactly which ones (the ping guy on ebay sound good). A quiet ride is important, too.

One thing I'm trying to figure out are hills. I assume that where I live is much less "hilly" than most parts of the country.....but honestly, I don't know how to visualize what a "10% grade" hill looks like. That's the main reason I ask if any of you are from New York....can I get an example of some sort? Would the Queens Borough Bridge be considered a "steep hill"? I'm thinking no.....but I don't want to go out and spend all this money, then find out I was wrong.

I'm sure I'll come up with plenty more questions (and maybe you'll have some for me)....just figured I've read so much about everyone else's experiences, might as well get the ball rolling on my particular situation.

Thanks.

Nobody?

:innocent:

where are you and where will you be going?

I can't give you the example by grade percentage, but I can tell you my experience from riding around NYC.

The Brooklyn/Manhattan/Queensboro bridges are not what most regular bikers would probably consider steep, but I believe the BK is, at least, a little more than a 10% grade (didn't I just say I wouldn't do that :P). I personally find the Manhattan less steep, from what I can tell in pictures the QB bike path seems similar to that. If you're you just starting out or have been away from riding for a while, the bridges can get you tired. I think the first time you do it there's a tendency to try to maintain a higher speed or get over it as soon as possible. Once you find a comfortable pace, I think you'll be getting over it with less sweat, even when it's little warmer. I find that the thing with hills that will get me is not just so much the rate of incline itself as the length of the hill. The street I live on is a fairly steep hill, but it's not long. I just get up out of the seat and crank to the top. For longer hills, I just resign myself to being passed by traffic and take my time.

Now if you DO want to experience a steep hill (and, to those amateur-racer-$50k-carbon-titanium-thigh-monsters, it's probably not considered steep), ride through Central Park. There's one long hill that's steep enough that it even slows the Spandex Warriors down. I think I've managed to get up that one twice w/o getting out of the seat. There's also a pretty good one in Prospect Park.

If the QB is your only hill, then it wouldn't take long until you're used to it w/o elec - but I still understand. I'm a sweater, so I can see where you may still have an issue with it. For the money involved, I'd borrow a bike and try the route a few times. Even if you still decide on the electric, if you're in ok shape and not more than 200lbs (I don't mean overweight, the amount of weight the bike carries will have an impact in the disance the battery will take you) pedaling with the motor should get you where you need to go with juice to spare.

I, however, am a nitwit, and am intrigued by going 40mph on pedals :speedy:

where are you and where will you be going?


Woodside, Queens to 55th street and Madison Avenue.

Thanks a lot. Any little bit of info helps.

I remember there being a bridge that crosses a river (or these strange, murky things that are called rivers here) from Queens into BK, but I don't think that's on your route. I'd try looking around transalt.org or bikenyc.com. I was pretty sure that somebody'd put together a cycling map that gave the degree of difficulty of various routes in the city.

Do you already ride regularly, have you ridden/walked on that path before? Which e-bike/shop are you looking at?

I tried Google-in' around for the incline of the QB but couldn't find anythig. Irony being what it is, it's probably stated on the information placard...that's on the bridge. :P


cWj

i used to ride from Astoria to Battery Park when i lived in Queens. I also commuted from Astoria to College Point.

The QB is a bit steep, but very doable. The steeper side is going into manhatten, which is not a bad thing (better then coffee to get the heart pumping).

I live on Long Island and during nice weather take my Bionx into the city to ride.

I got my kit from Nycewheels.

nipper

4 miles is not a big deal, specially if you intend to pedal. I am doing 16 from NJ to City on Ezip. - less than $400 in wallmart or amazon. And I am not in good form at at all.
Use http://www.bikely.com/ to chart you path and it will give you grade.
For 4 miles you may even not need a e-bike, try normal hybrid or mountain or even road bike.