Electric Bikes - Do you ever get tired of.....E-bike questions? When out and about...

I am asking all E-bikers.........

I was having a coffee and a smoke (shhhh yes I know filthy habbit), enjoying the sun when a fellow ebiker zipped by to get him-self a coffee, then enjoy the sun.

Between parking his MTB and the front door of the Timmies ( Tim Hortons for our US friends), he was stopped 3 times and asked questions about his wonderfully quiet machine.

I had also been asked questions on my way out, as I rarely sit close to my scooter. Mostly I get older Gentlemen asking me what the heck my thing is, how far does it go.....yadda yadda yadda.

Have you found when you stop to go into a store or do what ever it is you need to do you are being asked questions?

I would imagine anyone on a Power assist Trike would also be asked alot as well, as most of the population has no clue that 3 wheel bikes are available both granny and recumbent.

So how do you feild the questions asked of you about your wonderful machines?

I was riding my new e-bike at the park last weekend when I was flagged down by an older couple. They asked me all the same questions & also how much I have invested. They almost fell on the ground when I told them that it cost me a little over 2k USD. I then explained to them that I have top notch components & use it for my commute to work each day & that I would recover that investment in the 1st year of ownership if you consider the fact that I don't pay for insurance, regestration or fuel other than about 15 cents a day in electricity. I also told them that it could be done A LOT cheaper for someone who just wants a joyride bike & not a serious commuter.

I was quite happy to share this information & would gladly pass it on to anyone else who shows interest.

I deal with the masses. As a passionate retailer of e-bikes I concentrate on trade shows and consumer shows to promote the product for my dealers. An example is the CNE in Toronto. 18 days, 12 hours a day with of course the same questions, over and over again. 1.2 million people passing by my display. Some stopping, some passing by like you are invisible. Just like the Movie "GroundHogs Day" which happens also to be my birthday. IMHO, the scooter style have an absolute place in our society, and the questions asked over and over again, are the obvious questions to someone just learning about them. When I am out riding my bike and pull into a Timmies or Sobeys, there is always someone who wants to know more. Being passionate about them like I am, I never get tired of the same questions over and over again, because they are the obvious ones. What I do get tired of, is the negativity more often than not from cylclists. At a trade show with 40 people in front of you asking questions, you can always tell who is the anti scooter style e-bike cyclist of the group. They are the ones that have a "curled" lip while you are talking about the benefits of the product. It's always fun to say "you're a cyclist aren't you?" What I tell my sales agents on the floor is to take control of the situation immediately and tell them the answers before they ask them. That gives one a sense of control out of a situation that tends to be repetitive. In other words, we give an informative 2 minute "pitch" talking about battery life, charge time, average range based on environment and slowly move into benefits and where they would come in handy. It is not just transportation, they are down right fun too.

Most people nod their heads in approval when I compare my ebike costs to the $100 per week in fuel that my pickup truck burns.

All of a sudden the $500 in batteries doesn't seem so bad.

People just love to talk about 2 wheeled machines. We are introduced to them as children, and we just never out grow them in our hearts.

If you think ebikes get attention....I owned a Harley Davidson for 8 years, people were stopping me everywhere. I even had one guy talk to me from his vehicle while we were waiting at a red light.

It can sometimes be annoying if I am in a grumpy mood. But, I think the world would be a friendlier place if strangers talked to each other more often.

I'm older and live in a university town. I too get stopped with the usual questions, or the questions come when I'm stopped at a red light or stop sign. The cool thing is that its usually the college students on their bikes asking the questions. Since they'll be the next generation to consider car/truck commuting or bike commuting, I'm awfully happy to answer their questions. I figure its just a different style of education!

When gas (petrol, Greywolf) prices were soaring months ago I must confess I got rather annoyed with the constant third-degree about my Ezee Sprint 7. Some of the interrogators were fairly desperate and went as far as demanding to know what I paid for it. I suppose I'm a bit of a grouch, but I found that offensive. Then, when the gas prices plummeted, it stopped. The majority of the questioners weren't interested in slowing global warming, getting a little exercise or fresh air. Once they could be easy about firing up their infernal-combustion SUV's again they lost interest in the idea, and I was left in peace. It's disturbing, but I'm busy, and glad to free of the constant interviews. With the older gents you mention, I don't mind so much, and when I'm I retiree (pensioner, Greywolf) - which will be soon - I'm sure I'll enjoy chatting with them at length about it.
Chas.

It could get annoying but it's nice to be stopped and asked specially if you're old and alone :D

The Toronto Cycling Union is still on a rant to have E-Bikes "banned" from bicycle paths. The government has made their decision and the TCU won't give up. They choose to incite rivalry instead of comaradity. I never considered them a threat before, just more of a nuicanse. One less car on the road for short commutes is a common goal.
Together we could advocate for more paths, better paths and safer paths...divided we fall.