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Originally Posted by kickstart
(Post 19410219)
The issue with my knees had gotten so bad I actually laid off from bike commuting for several months, and I started gaining weight because only doing recreational riding on weekends was insufficient.
The decision the get an e-bike was difficult for me. Besides being a major purchase for our budget, I was really concerned I would still be getting less exercise than I need, but I really didn't want to give up bike commuting completely so I took the leap. It was a real revelation that not only was that concern unfounded, it was 180 degrees off. Getting an e-bike has been one of the best transportation choices I have ever made, and feel a little bit foolish that I let misinformation and peer pressure put it off so long. I have also been extremely happy with the quality/ride of my new bike. My only problem has been the ice has cut my commuting horribly this winter. But, that is clearing up. I have a mile or so through a neighborhood with overhanging trees. So, low/mid thirties almost guarantees ice. |
Originally Posted by steve0257
(Post 19409785)
I don't have an e-assist bike but occasionally consider one. Mostly because I would love to do 12 mph up hill. I'm getting tired of getting passed by the joggers when I'm climbing.
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Mixed feelings
Research suggests the more bikes out there, the safer it is for all. Fatalities and collisions remained constant as use quadrupled. Motorists are perhaps more aware, and that cannot be bad.
Adding assisted bikes will probably mean more less experienced riders . There is a ebike store on my commute and I have dropped by, checked them out and considered them as perhaps an option as my body ages. Beyond my situation, it is not hard to imagine where they might offer options to a variety of needs. Increased mode share is not a bad thing, in general. However I remember when the CB radio went from a pleasurable hobby and a useful tool to absolute dysfunction owing to hordes of overwhelming numbers. Safe facilities are rare enough throughout the country, would every MUP or separated roadway be overwhelmed as a result? |
Originally Posted by jgadamski
(Post 19410264)
Research suggests the more bikes out there, the safer it is for all. Fatalities and collisions remained constant as use quadrupled. Motorists are perhaps more aware, and that cannot be bad.
Adding assisted bikes will probably mean more less experienced riders . There is a ebike store on my commute and I have dropped by, checked them out and considered them as perhaps an option as my body ages. Beyond my situation, it is not hard to imagine where they might offer options to a variety of needs. Increased mode share is not a bad thing, in general. However I remember when the CB radio went from a pleasurable hobby and a useful tool to absolute dysfunction owing to hordes of overwhelming numbers. Safe facilities are rare enough throughout the country, would every MUP or separated roadway be overwhelmed as a result? |
Originally Posted by DiabloScott
(Post 19409662)
Would you ride on the MUP if it were explicitly banned?
MUPs in my area are operated by the parks district and the vehicle code doesn't apply. But e-bikes are prohibited by the park rules. I was thinking about this thread on my commute home last night and this morning. I saw only one other person on the 6 miles of MUP that I ride on each leg of my commute. 1 was walking in the opposite direction, the other was riding in the opposite direction. It's sad that such a great asset is not utilized... and there is an argument to keep ebikes off of it also? |
After 30 years of being "off bike" I started riding again, on an e-bike. And I got all kinds of attitude from certain people (get a real bike, blah blah blah). I was just thrilled to not be driving a car (finally retired, after years of a long car commute). The e-bike helped me get back in shape and rekindled my love of cycling and then I sold it to someone who was just starting their journey back into biking and bought myself that "real" bike, lol. I'm not ready yet, at 67, to put a motor on it but I am sure at some point I will do so. When I can no longer comfortably pedal it due to physical constraints, I will be quite happy to add a motor so I can continue to ride and be car-lite. Where I live, I see commuters on e bikes INSTEAD of owning cars, parents hauling kids everywhere on cargo e-bikes rather than using cars, and seniors like myself riding e-bikes. Complaining about e-bikes is like a fixie rider putting down someone with gears. It's not a competition. Any bike is a good bike because it is not a car.
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I honestly don't think e-bikes are going to be taking over the MUPs any time soon. They are expensive and most people won't see them as a substitute for a car, at least here in California. They will just see them as another toy that they may or may not want to spend disposable income on.
As a runner, I get passed by cyclists all the time on the MUP. I wave at everyone and I usually get more waves back from cyclists than other runners. You can't change what other people do, but you can change your own attitude. I almost always have a good time when I am out riding or running. |
In less than a month I've had more non cyclists ask questions and show genuine interest in my E-cargo bike than I have had for my regular bikes in the past 5 years.
A couple of guys at work who never showed the slightest interest in my regular bikes were peppering me with questions like where I got it, how much was it, do they allow test rides, ECT. I don't think we'll see an explosion in their use like Asia and Europe, but I suspect they will continue to gain popularity with those outside the cycling community. |
Originally Posted by kickstart
(Post 19404727)
I'm now getting more, and better exercise when commuting.
Really. I live in a valley, and work in a valley with a rolling plateau in between, meaning I have steep climbs in both directions, the worst being in the pm at a mile long and 15 to 18% grade. My normal mode of commuting has been taking it easy to save energy for the upcoming climb, mashing up the hill in granny gear, then recovering from the hill. After a hard day at work handling freight that means often getting home totally knackered and sore. With my new Radwagon e-cargo bike I'm working less on the hills using assist level 3 of 5, but pedaling harder the rest of the time using assist level 0 or 1 of 5 which basically evens out how hard I pedal for the entire commute. The workout I'm getting is now more cardio. I'm feeling much better when I get home, and my knees are much happier. The difference is readily apparent when riding my regular bikes on the weekend, which is a good thing as I was concerned it would have a negative effect on my ability when riding without e-assist. It's also returned my interest in pure recreational riding as I'm not feeling burned out from commuting every day. Another plus is that its actually as fast or faster than my motorcycle as I can still use the bike lanes and MUT to avoid the gridlock through downtown, and I'm going up the mile long hill at 6-7 mph rather than 3-4 mph. It appears some posts may have been deleted? :lol: |
Originally Posted by AlmostTrick
(Post 19412679)
I'm late to the thread but would like to thank you Kicks for posting this. I have zero experience with e-bikes but everything you posted makes perfect sense to me. I'm glad it's working out well for you and hope others are encouraged to consider an e-assist bike to replace some car trips. :thumb:
It appears some posts may have been deleted? :lol: On my trekking bike its 1.5 miles of busting a** in an all out effort up hill, 1.5 miles of letting gravity do the work down hill, and 5 miles of taking it easy on rolling terrain. On my e-bike its 1.5 miles of letting gravity do the work down hill, and 6.5 miles of spinning briskly on the hills and rolling terrain. I was questioning how much longer I could continue bike commuting. Now I'm confident I can continue to bike commute as long as I'm working, and I will be improving my physical condition rather than aggravating the issues I have. |
That's a great testimonial. If I ever become a lot weaker, an e-bike could keep me on bikes, so what could be bad with that? I'm not calling you weak, by the way, just that my terrain and other circumstances are different from yours.
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Originally Posted by noglider
(Post 19413469)
That's a great testimonial. If I ever become a lot weaker, an e-bike could keep me on bikes, so what could be bad with that? I'm not calling you weak, by the way, just that my terrain and other circumstances are different from yours.
The daily grind 5 days a week was just adding up to be too much. |
ZEHUS | human + Here is an E-Bike that you never plug in, all the energy comes/supposed to come from re-gen from pedaling, braking, downhill... :thumb: I really do wonder how well it works tho, but if it does, that would make this E-Bike set up 100% human powered, and all the nay-sayers can not say you are getting external energy, thus are not human powered and thus you are not riding a bicycle... :innocent:
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I experienced the benefit of riding an e-bike this evening. 37 degrees, dark, and raining with an uphill ride home. I just wanted to get home. I put it on level 4 pedal assist. I kept my speed between 18-20 mph with moderate effort. My 7.3 mile ride lasted about 24 minutes. On my road bike, I would have averaged 11-13 mph in the same conditions with significantly more effort and it would have taken me 35-40 minutes. This is a benefit of an e-bike that is expected.
When you make commuting by bicycle about getting to work and back, rather than exercise, fitness, racing, and competition - an e-bike makes sense. Although the weather was miserable for a commute, I had 6 miles of MUP all to myself, away from the cars, noise, and traffic. I observed that the freeway was at a standstill as I crossed over the bridge to get on the MUP. I wonder where the other 10-15 regular bike commuters were on a day like this? I expect that they were in a car (having thoughts about how to complain about e-bikes?) |
Originally Posted by InTheRain
(Post 19428709)
I wonder where the other 10-15 regular bike commuters were on a day like this? I expect that they were in a car (having thoughts about how to complain about e-bikes?) |
I used to love road biking. Well, I still do, but I've had chronic knee issues and three surgeries. The e-bike has been a literal sanity saver (yes, I was on the verge of losing it). My knee is improving enough that I can get some of a workout on a regular road bike, but the commute was just too long for me to reliably do it via bike (even one way). Since getting the electric bike I've been able to commute more often. I also have a pedal assist, which means I'm still getting a decent workout (I gain about 600 feet on my 13 mile commute, 600 feet either way). If the knee is hurting, or if I'm running late, I'll bump up the assist. But normally I have it on one of the lower settings.
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Originally Posted by InTheRain
(Post 19428709)
I wonder where the other 10-15 regular bike commuters were on a day like this? I expect that they were in a car (having thoughts about how to complain about e-bikes?)
Originally Posted by Kindaslow
(Post 19428757)
That is funny!
Is it still "cheating" when the regular bikes DNS? :lol: |
Originally Posted by kickstart
(Post 19428875)
is it still "cheating" when the regular bikes dns? :lol: |
Well I'm a little late to this thread but I read through the whole thing. I sure do love Alan's build threads for the Ti bike and his other bikes, but that attitude against e-bikes and e-bike riders is just ridiculous.
Reading through this thread makes me even more excited for my BBS02 750W mid-drive kit to arrive, going onto my heavy upright-riding utility bike. Should be here next Tuesday. Now the bike will be even heavier! But hopefully it will cut some time off my grocery trips, and give me another option for commuting to work instead of using the car. I only ride twice a week now because I just can't handle 31 miles of hilly commuting for 2 consecutive days on my road bike commuter. I just tried to do it today, but could not. Legs were beat from yesterday. I don't understand the general e-bike objections on MUP's. I think fast KOM-hunting roadies are more dangerous than e-bike riders. You just have to use your head. If no one is around for a stretch on the MUP, sure open it up for a bit if you want. When you see people, haul it down to a reasonable speed. When passing people especially with kids, I try not to exceed about 8-10 MPH. Doesn't matter if there's a motor or not. Turn assist off as you pedal past people on the path. It shouldn't be a big deal. |
[MENTION=365305]kickstart[/MENTION] what roads are you dealing with that have big grades? That 277th street looks murderous, 24% grade going east out of the valley!
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Originally Posted by InTheRain
(Post 19428709)
I experienced the benefit of riding an e-bike this evenin...I observed that the freeway was at a standstill as I crossed over the bridge to get on the MUP...
I wonder where the other 10-15 regular bike commuters were on a day like this? I expect that they were in a car (having thoughts about how to complain about e-bikes?) |
If only I had a MUP/T available. I have to use 2-lane rural roads, and big 5-lane arterial roads. In winter I try to leave the office as early as possible so that at least part of my commute is in daylight. And if it's raining, it's just miserable when cold out.
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Originally Posted by PatrickGSR94
(Post 19429906)
@kickstart what roads are you dealing with that have big grades? That 277th street looks murderous, 24% grade going east out of the valley!
I see lots of bike commuters down in the valley, but rarely see any head east out of the valley except for a couple of hard core commuters, one being a co worker on a recumbent, and another person on an E-bike. From what I've experienced, the negitivity is a BF thing that has nothing to do with reality. Another co worker is planning on doing a test ride on an E-bike this weekend. |
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