Jorgemonkey
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- Joined
- Jul 13, 2020
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Not bad, the battery on this bike weighs as much as my SS!
From SJ Mercury News:
Like a lot of people, Brian Howell is concerned about the environment. So, when Howell's Acura Integra died last January, he started shopping for a Toyota Prius.
But Howell, who has degrees in physics, mathematics, material science and engineering, found the Prius a disappointment. He wanted a car that didn't rely on the petroleum that roils international politics and threatens the global environment.
What he wanted, he said, was an electric car.
When Howell couldn't find one, he purchased an electric bicycle and began commuting seven miles from his home in Belmont to his job as a Sony engineer in Foster City.
``I was always planning on buying a car, but I was addicted to these (electric) bikes,'' Howell said. ``They're easy to operate. They allow you the convenience of a motorcycle. They give you exercise and fresh air. It has radically changed my life.''
Last year, as gas prices soared, congestion worsened and concern for the environment heated up, more commuters began to leave behind their cars. Sure, many have wised up to public transportation, but some were wooed by light electric vehicles -- a broad range of contraptions that don't putt-putt-putt so much as zoom-whir-zoom. The field is broad, including scooters, pedicabs, Vespa-like motor scooters and even miniature cars.
For many, electric bikes are the gateway into the LEV world, but why is the two-wheeler so popular?
Rob Means, founder of Electro Ride Bikes & Scooter in Milpitas, has a simple explanation.
``More smiles per mile,'' he said.
Means, who sells a wide selection of the electric bikes and do-it-yourself kits out of his South Bay home, said electric bike sales are increasing because it's a safe way for fed-up commuters to test the waters without risking too much money.
Bicycles, he said, are familiar, easy to use and ``if you run out of juice, you just pedal home.''
The benefits of an electric bike, Means said, are economic, environmental and health-related. Despite its sticker price -- his range from $800 to $1,500 -- that's nothing compared to the yearly cost of owning an automobile ($7,834, according to AAA). Less money spent on fuel means less carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide to harm the air quality, and the health benefits of exercise are self-evident.
The arguments, coupled with technology advances, have driven multiple manufacturers into the business -- at least 30, according to Means. Small manufacturers sell boutique bikes for $5,000 and up, and big-box retailers pedal models for as low as $300.
Most electric bikes weigh between 60 and 90 pounds and come equipped with an electric motor, a battery, a charger and a speed controller (throttle- or pedal-activated). The motors, ranging from 250 to 1,500 watts, drive the front or back wheel. The batteries, predominantly 24- or 36-volt lead-acid or nickel-metal-hydride, are about the size of a bread basket.
Riding an electric bike is practically effortless. Throttle-driven models can be powered by one's thumb, but a little effort on the rider's part is encouraged to spare battery life and increase speed. Pedal-powered models activate the motor by pedaling alone.
Perhaps the electric bike's biggest impediment is the batteries, whose 20-pound heft and limited 8-10 mile capacity may turn consumers off. However, the spread of lithium batteries, which weigh four times less and extend the life of the battery by 25 percent, promises further evolution and higher sales to come.
Howell, the engineer at Sony, has created a partnership with Means to sell an electric bike of his own design: a recumbent which he claims can reach speeds of more than 30 mph and exceed distances of 100 miles. Not bad, considering an average electric bike reaches speeds of about 25 mph and requires a charge after every eight to 10 miles.
Electric bicycles are limited by law to traveling less than 20 mph, but Means said that ``nine out of 10 (cops) don't know the rules of an electric bike.''
A compelling feature of the bikes, Means said, is that they remove the three most frustrating parts of riding a plain old bicycle: starting from a stop, going up a hill and battling a strong wind.
One recent customer was Matt Leafgren, 31, who studies industrial design at San Francisco State University. His motivation came in January, when Bay Bridge tolls climbed to $4.
Now Leafgren wanted to buy a $600 kit to convert a used mountain bike into a whirring, pedal-assisted commuting machine. He had concerns about relying on an electric bike but he was tired of ``feeling crappy about global warming and contributing to oil dependence.''
A couple of days later, Means said, Leafgren bought the kit. The same day, he sold his car.
From SJ Mercury News:
Like a lot of people, Brian Howell is concerned about the environment. So, when Howell's Acura Integra died last January, he started shopping for a Toyota Prius.
But Howell, who has degrees in physics, mathematics, material science and engineering, found the Prius a disappointment. He wanted a car that didn't rely on the petroleum that roils international politics and threatens the global environment.
What he wanted, he said, was an electric car.
When Howell couldn't find one, he purchased an electric bicycle and began commuting seven miles from his home in Belmont to his job as a Sony engineer in Foster City.
``I was always planning on buying a car, but I was addicted to these (electric) bikes,'' Howell said. ``They're easy to operate. They allow you the convenience of a motorcycle. They give you exercise and fresh air. It has radically changed my life.''
Last year, as gas prices soared, congestion worsened and concern for the environment heated up, more commuters began to leave behind their cars. Sure, many have wised up to public transportation, but some were wooed by light electric vehicles -- a broad range of contraptions that don't putt-putt-putt so much as zoom-whir-zoom. The field is broad, including scooters, pedicabs, Vespa-like motor scooters and even miniature cars.
For many, electric bikes are the gateway into the LEV world, but why is the two-wheeler so popular?
Rob Means, founder of Electro Ride Bikes & Scooter in Milpitas, has a simple explanation.
``More smiles per mile,'' he said.
Means, who sells a wide selection of the electric bikes and do-it-yourself kits out of his South Bay home, said electric bike sales are increasing because it's a safe way for fed-up commuters to test the waters without risking too much money.
Bicycles, he said, are familiar, easy to use and ``if you run out of juice, you just pedal home.''
The benefits of an electric bike, Means said, are economic, environmental and health-related. Despite its sticker price -- his range from $800 to $1,500 -- that's nothing compared to the yearly cost of owning an automobile ($7,834, according to AAA). Less money spent on fuel means less carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide to harm the air quality, and the health benefits of exercise are self-evident.
The arguments, coupled with technology advances, have driven multiple manufacturers into the business -- at least 30, according to Means. Small manufacturers sell boutique bikes for $5,000 and up, and big-box retailers pedal models for as low as $300.
Most electric bikes weigh between 60 and 90 pounds and come equipped with an electric motor, a battery, a charger and a speed controller (throttle- or pedal-activated). The motors, ranging from 250 to 1,500 watts, drive the front or back wheel. The batteries, predominantly 24- or 36-volt lead-acid or nickel-metal-hydride, are about the size of a bread basket.
Riding an electric bike is practically effortless. Throttle-driven models can be powered by one's thumb, but a little effort on the rider's part is encouraged to spare battery life and increase speed. Pedal-powered models activate the motor by pedaling alone.
Perhaps the electric bike's biggest impediment is the batteries, whose 20-pound heft and limited 8-10 mile capacity may turn consumers off. However, the spread of lithium batteries, which weigh four times less and extend the life of the battery by 25 percent, promises further evolution and higher sales to come.
Howell, the engineer at Sony, has created a partnership with Means to sell an electric bike of his own design: a recumbent which he claims can reach speeds of more than 30 mph and exceed distances of 100 miles. Not bad, considering an average electric bike reaches speeds of about 25 mph and requires a charge after every eight to 10 miles.
Electric bicycles are limited by law to traveling less than 20 mph, but Means said that ``nine out of 10 (cops) don't know the rules of an electric bike.''
A compelling feature of the bikes, Means said, is that they remove the three most frustrating parts of riding a plain old bicycle: starting from a stop, going up a hill and battling a strong wind.
One recent customer was Matt Leafgren, 31, who studies industrial design at San Francisco State University. His motivation came in January, when Bay Bridge tolls climbed to $4.
Now Leafgren wanted to buy a $600 kit to convert a used mountain bike into a whirring, pedal-assisted commuting machine. He had concerns about relying on an electric bike but he was tired of ``feeling crappy about global warming and contributing to oil dependence.''
A couple of days later, Means said, Leafgren bought the kit. The same day, he sold his car.
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