Is the time finally right for electric bikes?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

My bike commute will go from around 35 minutes to about 15-20.

i'm curious about that time savings.

i've read that most e-bikes are governed to only assist up to 20 mph.

when i'm commuting on my regular bike, i'm typically rolling @ ~18 mph average (overall average is ~14 mph with stoplights and traffic and shit).

an e-bike is only going to give me a ~2 mph boost on my rolling speed. that wouldn't save a whole lot of time in the grand scheme of things. maybe my 8 mile commute would from 35 minutes to 30 minutes?

that is a time savings, but they're not exactly giving e-bikes away for free, and i already have a pretty solid fleet of conventional bikes to commute with.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by electricron

The on really bad days you can drive her car or take the bus statement says a lot. Admit this first; you're a fair weather bike guy, not an every day no matter how bad the weather gets bike guy.

Which brings us back why the Model T made Henry Ford rich, it gets you out of the really bad weather - at a minimum a canvas top, adding a heater was a quick improvement in colder climates, and adding an air conditioner was even a greater improvement in hotter climates. Even with motorcycles, there's a need for foul weather gear. Not so with a well equipped car, van, or truck....

And when you must make that commute to work and back home twice a day, getting out of the really bad weather is great. Ever watched a bike race when its raining cats and dogs - observe how miserable the riders look who ride their bikes for a living.

Yes, making that short sprint to the car from the building or vice versa on really bad weather days is still troublesome, but once you get to either you're usually high and dry. When you get to your bike, you're still in the terrible weather.

Absolutely. I'll admit that. I *hate* sweating and I can stand the cold pretty well(it doesnt snow much here either) but if its really windy, I will wuss out. I figure out of the 5 days a week of commuting I'll be able to bike it at least 2 days and hopefully 3 days a week averaged out over the year. I have always picked really early classes so sweating isnt much an issue getting to school...and coming back I really don't care.

We'll see, but in any case I am super excited and hopefully get my car sold soon enough!

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by JManc

Same reason why mopeds aren't popular. No one wants a half-assed bike.

How is it a "half-assed" bike? I literally have to pedal to move.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

i'm curious about that time savings.

i've read that most e-bikes are governed to only assist up to 20 mph.

when i'm commuting on my regular bike, i'm typically rolling @ ~18 mph average (overall average is ~14 mph with stoplights and traffic and shit).

an e-bike is only going to give me a ~2 mph boost on my rolling speed. that wouldn't save a whole lot of time in the grand scheme of things. maybe my 8 mile commute would from 35 minutes to 30 minutes?

that is a time savings, but they're not exactly giving e-bikes away for free, and i already have a pretty solid fleet of conventional bikes to commute with.

You would personally probably have very little time savings but you would work a lot less. I am a very slow rider, my current bike is heavy and according to my bike ap thing(which I am sure isnt insanely accurate) I am moving at about an average of 8.5 mph or something close to that.

Some Ebikes go up to 28 mph but then youre in a different ball park(regulation wise and cost). But keep in mind, the assist stops at 20, but you can still go faster with less effort than on a traditional bike.

An Ebike isn't for everyone. I have a short commute, am slow right now, and spent very little...so things worked for me. I can see where it isn't worth it to a lot of bikers though.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

You would personally probably have very little time savings but you would work a lot less. I am a very slow rider, my current bike is heavy and according to my bike ap thing(which I am sure isnt insanely accurate) I am moving at about an average of 8.5 mph or something close to that.

gotcha. i can see how the "working less" part would be especially appealing on these warm and humid summer days.

but as i've said, i need the work to help shed those extra beer calories.

Originally Posted by jtown,man

Some Ebikes go up to 28 mph but then youre in a different ball park(regulation wise and cost).

interesting. @ 28 mph i'd be able to shed some serious time off of my commute. that probably equals an overall average of ~24 mph, which would take my current 35 minute commute down to ~20 minutes. that's pretty significant. but i don't know how safe i'd feel whizzing past joggers and dog walkers @ 28 mph on the MUP that makes up 6 of the 8 miles of my commute route. that seems like a rather unsafe and unfriendly differential in speed.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

gotcha. i can see how the "working less" part would be especially appealing on these warm and humid summer days.

but as i've said, i need the work to help shed those extra beer calories.





interesting. @ 28 mph i'd be able to shed some serious time off of my commute. that probably equals an overall average of ~24 mph, which would take my current 35 minute commute down to ~20 minutes. that's pretty significant. but i don't know how safe i'd feel whizzing past joggers and dog walkers @ 28 mph on the MUP that makes up 6 of the 8 miles of my commute route. that seems like a rather unsafe and unfriendly differential in speed.

Absolutely. It is pretty fast for a bike and you would be using a throttle. I don't think I would even want one unless I lived in a very hilly place. Chicago and Norfolk isn't one of those places, thankfully.

[jtown,man]

Well, I've had my electric bike now for over a month. I have biked to school about 4 out of 5 days a week(more than I expected). I shaved off between 8-12 minutes off my commute each way(used to be like 30-35 mins...now its like 20-24 minutes).

I know for a fact that without my Ebike, I wouldn't have biked so much. The winds were really bad on Monday but I never noticed them, until I saw some kids at school straining to make it through the winds.

Its been a no-brainer for me....and my bike cost about the same as a good city bike.