Electric Bikes - Would this be a great invention/product ??????

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sunnyday
12-10-10, 06:33 AM
Some type of plexiglass or clear lightweight shell that slips over a ebike , attachs to the front/rear axles/forks to allow the rider to drive their ebike in rainy conditions without getting soaking wet. Perhaps their is already something like this in use overseas, but I have never seen it. Good or bad idea???? It would have to be aerodynamic , lightweight, clear material that was easy to install/takeoff as needed. It would also be beneficial to use on cold days in the winter to help keep the bicyclist warmer.
I guess one big danger of such a " shell' would be if a a 30mph gust of wind blew against the shell from its sides...which may blow the bike over even while its being ridden . The shell could be aerodynamicly built from front to back..but I dont know how it could also be built that way from side to side, to overcome this problem of high wind speeds that could throw the bike and its rider off balance.
SeizeTech
12-19-10, 11:37 AM
yeah, they call it a rain suit.
Sangesf
12-19-10, 02:03 PM
I have a 3-ply heavy plastic rainsuit from Lowe's hardware that cost me $20 and I've never even got damp while wearing it.
The important part is that it have ties at the ankles and wrists to block rain and you wear weatherproof boots and a good pair of rain resistant glasses.
I've ridden in torrential downpours and always arrived at my destination dry as chalk.
sunnyday
12-19-10, 03:55 PM
yeah, they call it a rain suit.
hahaha....a rain suit wouldnt keep the wind from hitting your face..or your hands getting freezing cold , or rainwater getting in your eyes / face etc....
SeizeTech
12-19-10, 06:08 PM
Sanesf has a point, hands and feet are not a problem if you put a little effort into it.
However, the faces and eyes thing is a tough one. I have struggled with this one before. And, my best advice is to have more than one solution. I have glasses, goggles, and a bike helmet with a face shield from a motorcycle helmet velcro'd in a way that I can adjust it up and down as needed.
I find the full face shield works quite well in the rain and cold as low as -10 but my breath can fog it up so sometimes it gets used as a visor where I raise it just high enough to look under it. Glasses add an extra layer of comfort.
By the time its so cold that I need my snow goggles, I find the face shield and glasses useless, but I use a trick that showmobilers use. they have the goggles strapped to one side of the helmet and velcroed to the other side. When ever you come to a stop, you are at risk of your goggles fogging up, so they will 'tear' the goggles off and let them dangle until they need them again. You have to get used to taking them on and off all day, that seems to be the way things get done.
Also, I've never tried this but I'm thinking I will. I was thinking that a dickie or a scarf would be a good idea for wiping my glasses when at a red light.
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