In praise of my new bike (warning: e-bike content)

[bironi]

Ride on!

[fa63]

Update:

On the way out, I am still riding to the train station then to work, but on the way back I have actually started to ride all the way. That is 5 miles in the morning, 17 miles in the afternoon. I keep the assist level at a minimum (except a couple parts on busy roads where I use the throttle to get up to speed quickly), and by the time I am home I feel like I have gotten a good workout.

For those interested in how much difference the pedal assist makes: I have done the same route several times on my regular road bike, and if I push myself I can do that 17 miles in about an hour (1,300 feet of elevation gain). With the pedal assist bike, I was about 5 minutes faster, but of course I did not have to push as hard. But I don't think I will be stealing anyone's KOMs any time soon (I don't record my commutes to Strava anyways)

[BikeNY]

As others have said, that's a perfect use for an Ebike. I've never tried one, but I love the idea for getting around town, errands, commuting, etc.

The one place they don't belong in on MTB trails!

[SpokeValley]

Thanks a bunch for the update.

I've known since I test rode an ebike that there definitely one in my future.

[azrider]

Originally Posted by fa63

Update:

On the way out, I am still riding to the train station then to work, but on the way back I have actually started to ride all the way. That is 5 miles in the morning, 17 miles in the afternoon. I keep the assist level at a minimum (except a couple parts on busy roads where I use the throttle to get up to speed quickly), and by the time I am home I feel like I have gotten a good workout.

For those interested in how much difference the pedal assist makes: I have done the same route several times on my regular road bike, and if I push myself I can do that 17 miles in about an hour (1,300 feet of elevation gain). With the pedal assist bike, I was about 5 minutes faster, but of course I did not have to push as hard. But I don't think I will be stealing anyone's KOMs any time soon (I don't record my commutes to Strava anyways)

Your experience with your E-bike is really speaking to me. I currently have a 23 mile commute and when I ride it usually takes me anywhere from 1:15-:120 with little to no elevation gain.

What I'd like to see in an E-bike, is something that can shorten that commute to under an hour in the morning, something I can throttle on busy roads where I feel most unsafe, but have the bike be rideable enough that I turn motor off on way home and get good workout.

We have little ones that I sometimes am in charge of for drop off in mornings, and when that happens i just don't have enough time to make it into work via regular bike commuting........but wife picks them up in afternoon hence my desire to ride home as time isn't as crucial.

Is 23 mile commute in work clothes doable ?

How long will it take me to charge the battery once I'm at work?

Looks like you're about a year into ownership, still digging it?

[bicycletricycle]

More people should be outside, I am onboard with whatever it takes to get them there.

[AngryScientist]

this is definitely going to be an area that is fast and ever changing.

battery technology is taking off at a staggering rate these days.

i'm in the power industry, and what is possible today with battery energy storage, for say, a 30MW installation is what i would have considered unbelievable only a few years ago.

as battery tech improves, and capacity per unit space and weight gets better and better, the amount of assist available for e-bike users should get more and more generous per charge. that should mean that it will be up to the user to decide how much exertion they want to put into a ride.

if i had a short-ish commute where i could make an e-bike work, and get to the office without breaking a sweat, i'd do it in a heartbeat.

i can only imagine what these things will be capable of in a few years time.

for a commuter/utility bike, these things make a ton of sense.

[72gmc]

There are a lot more people on bikes in Seattle thanks to e-bikes, and I think it's great. If there are problems it is the same as with pedal bikes--the rider is the problem, not the bike.

My wife and kids have expressed an interest in trying them when we're on vacation. Seems like a rideshare e-bike would be a good way to see more than the mass transit system in a new city.

[chiasticon]

just saw that Helen Wyman (recently retired British cyclocross pro) just purchased one, so she could keep up with the riders she mentors. also saw Stephen Hyde (US cyclocross pro) recently mention that his wife uses one to keep up with him when he does intervals. those are both really awesome uses of these things that I otherwise would not have thought of.

in general, I think they're pretty great. get more people out of cars. I just don't like seeing people riding illegally, as it makes drivers hate bikes more than they already do.

[azrider]

Since i'm putting about 200 miles on my car a week, and gas quickly approaching $4 (i have to use premium and it's at $3.40 here), I can easily justify buying this bike to have strictly as commuter. And that's just fuel costs, not to mention wear and tear, oil changes, maintenance, insurance, etc. If i add in picking up the kids and using it as grocery getter then it quickly becomes a "stupid not to" scenario........

There're just sooo many options out there that I really don't know where to start.

Came up with another question for fa63 (if he ever chimes in)......how good with this be to pull a burley trailer? Would that factor in to an E-bikes weight limit or no ?

[palincss]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

this is definitely going to be an area that is fast and ever changing.

battery technology is taking off at a staggering rate these days.

i'm in the power industry, and what is possible today with battery energy storage, for say, a 30MW installation is what i would have considered unbelievable only a few years ago.

as battery tech improves, and capacity per unit space and weight gets better and better, the amount of assist available for e-bike users should get more and more generous per charge. that should mean that it will be up to the user to decide how much exertion they want to put into a ride.

One would hope the extra capacity will translated into additional range instead of additional speed. I'm perfectly happy with the legal limits that are in place now -- in fact, even with the European limits.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by chiasticon

just saw that Helen Wyman (recently retired British cyclocross pro) just purchased one, so she could keep up with the riders she mentors. also saw Stephen Hyde (US cyclocross pro) recently mention that his wife uses one to keep up with him when he does intervals. those are both really awesome uses of these things that I otherwise would not have thought of.

Just don't suggest these things in an ad for ebikes, or you'll be accused of sexism, as Pinerello was. Here's an article about the hub-bub caused by Pinarello's ad (the article ironically mentions Helen Wyman and her husband):

While marketing its new Nytro e-bike, Pinarello implied that women need help keeping up with men

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Just don't suggest these things in an ad for ebikes, or you'll be accused of sexism, as Pinerello was. Here's an article about the hub-bub caused by Pinarello's ad (the article ironically mentions Helen Wyman and her husband):

While marketing its new Nytro e-bike, Pinarello implied that women need help keeping up with men

Well, put as diplomatically as possible, the ad was pretty "old school."

[fa63]

Originally Posted by azrider

Your experience with your E-bike is really speaking to me....

Is 23 mile commute in work clothes doable ?

How long will it take me to charge the battery once I'm at work?

Looks like you're about a year into ownership, still digging it?

23 mile commute - totally doable in work clothes, especially in a flat area.

Battery charge time - not sure how much you weigh and the weather conditions are like (head wind, etc.), but for example, Juiced claims that for a 190 rider & gear, on level ground with little to no wind, riding at 20 mph, you can expect to get abut 40 miles from a charge. Full recharge time with the standard charger is 6.5 hours, but since you will still have about 1/3 charge left, you will probably top off after about 4 hours.

Still digging it - absolutely; I have ridden the bike more than ever this year. It is starting to get cold and wet in Atlanta; cold only doesn't stop me but cold and wet means no bike. I might acquire some clothing to allow me to ride through anything

Originally Posted by azrider

Came up with another question for fa63 (if he ever chimes in)......how good with this be to pull a burley trailer? Would that factor in to an E-bikes weight limit or no ?

Not sure, I would reach out to the manufacturer to see what they think about that.

[palincss]

Originally Posted by fa63

23 mile commute - totally doable in work clothes, especially in a flat area.

A lot depends on what you mean by "work clothes." If that includes a suit jacket, they're not cut so as to work well with drop bars. On the other hand, at least for me upright bars don't work for me for more than fairly short distances. After 23 miles, my hands would be numb with an upright bar.

Also, if those work clothes include [expensive] wool slacks, bicycle saddles wear out the seat of wool trousers. I know this from personal experience - as in, my co-worker coming up to me at work and asking in a very quiet voice, "Did you know your pants are worn through and have ripped so your ass is hanging out?"