Joined the e-bike revolution

[Dan German]

This doesn’t need to devolve into a ******* match. The Madison fire was apparently caused by an ebike battery stored in a box. Doesn’t matter whether or not the bike was in the room. The batteries should not be stored in the living space, out of an abundance of caution, even though phones and laptops have caused fires as well. There are too many sketchy batteries on the market and people willing to cheap out.

 

[chris m.]

I converted my hard tail mtb to an e-bike using a kit from Luna Cycles. When you build your own you don't have to have a governor on its top speed. Mine will go about 32mph on flat ground, no problem. I have a full 1 kwh battery on it so it can do around 40 or 50 miles at 25 mph if I pedal with reasonable, sustainable effort. I typically set the pedal assist level so I'm putting about the level of effort it would take to go around 12 mph on an unassisted bike, but instead of going 12mph I'm going more like 25mph.

I also have a thumb-activated throttle on the handlebar which is great for getting going quickly after stopping at a stop sign or red light. With typical pedal assist you have to pedal a few revolutions of the crankset before the motor kicks in, which can cause a bit of a lag before you get going.

 

[blowtorch]

I'm envisioning a future where obese overpriveleged little brats make great sport of running seniors off of sidewalks and harassing real bicycle riders ...

you know, it's crazy- whenever I'm walking on the sidewalk, someone inevitably comes up unexpectedly behind me on their bike. I'm tempted to shove them over.
Sidewalks are not for bicycles.

I do get it, in areas where I'm bicycling where car traffic is bad I will borrow the sidewalk, too. Bikelane or not.
But when I approach pedestrians on the sidewalk as a biker, I will dismount and walk my bike until I am past them.

Every time.

 

[maxvintage]

I blew out my knee in a skiing accident almost year ago and have been in constant pain and limping ever since. Probably will need a knee replacement. But i rented a pedal assist bike when we went on a trip not too long ago. It still hurt but I could keep up and enjoy the trails. A neighbor commutes to her job in DC. It's surprisingly hilly around here and the E bike--again assisted pedaling--lets her get some exercise, avoid traffic jams and parking hassles, and arrive at work in some state other than a sweaty mess.

They seem pretty great to me, but obviously do not have the benefits of a regular old pedal bike. I can't really ride one of those any more though.

 

[blowtorch]

devolve into a ******* match

you've got me counting the *s and wondering what you've got going there
Pretty sure it's "bowling match"

 

[NickDG]

I've had my Velowave Ranger for over a year and love it. You know that feeling you get on the moving walkways at airports? Pedal assist E-bikes are the same. You are putting out the same amount of effort but you are covering ground a lot faster. Stay away from the cheapest brands if worried about fires.

 

[maxvintage]

I'm envisioning a future where obese overpriveleged little brats make great sport of running seniors off of sidewalks and harassing real bicycle riders ...

Never lose that outlook. There's no new development that can't be addressed with imaginative crankiness

 

[blowtorch]

I could see something like one of these

...except that they cost more than I spend on a car
could I afford it? sure
would I ever splurge like that on a moped? nope

 

[middy]

I have a cousin who, during family zoom meetings is always bragging about how he put in 20 30 miles on his ebike last Saturday. And I generally think "ok sure but that thing's essentially a moped, so?"

Yeah, you can put in as much work as you want… or cheat as much as you want unless it’s super steep. People probably aren’t getting the workout they think they are, sometimes. But it’s great for the mental health to get out and feel the wind in your hair and the bugs on your teeth.

 

[Dan German]

I'm tempted to shove them over.
Sidewalks are not for bicycles.

you've got me counting the *s and wondering what you've got going there

Pretty sure it's "bowling match"

Dang it, you’re onto me!

And I agree about sidewalks. Personally, I think if your (not yours personally, the general your) streets aren’t safe places to bike, you need to talk to city hall, pronto. And most places limit sidewalk use to 20” wheels and less.

 

[swarfrat]

I've too far out for a 20mph bike. I want a pedmo. The inverse of a moped. I want 40hp, but you gotta work for it.

 

[blowtorch]

And I agree about sidewalks. Personally, I think if your (not yours personally, the general your) streets aren’t safe places to bike, you need to talk to city hall, pronto. And most places limit sidewalk use to 20” wheels and less.

bicyclists run this city's streets divisions.
really it's a great city for bike trails- they just need to find a way to keep cyclists off the sidewalks
and yep I'm guilty of that myself as stated, but I always always always defer to a pedestrian

 

[maxvintage]

We visited the Netherlands and the bike infrastructure is amazing. Dedicated bike lanes everrywhere, dedicated bike traffic lights, five story bike parking decks in Amsterdam. Of course if ever there was a country tailor made for bikes it's the netherlands. But a friend was posted over there for work for a few years and she loved it--rode her bike to work and everywhere else. Somehow they were able to make dedicated bike lines everywhere, something that in the US would have people out protesting

 

[imwjl]

I'm envisioning a future where obese overpriveleged little brats make great sport of running seniors off of sidewalks and harassing real bicycle riders ...

In our area it is not always but cab be obese but surely over-privileged adults who should know better! As a public lands trail steward the e-assist bike matter comes up a lot. Those who misbehave are not too much of a problem. It is mostly a some never behave well. My speculation is if they have a driver's license they're the same ones who behave poorly in an automobile.

 

[imwjl]

bicyclists run this city's streets divisions.
really it's a great city for bike trails- they just need to find a way to keep cyclists off the sidewalks
and yep I'm guilty of that myself as stated, but I always always always defer to a pedestrian

I have to chase around Madison and a Milwaukee metro area a lot in an auto and do it on bike and foot to. There are great improvements for auto driving here. A few corridors now have alt bike routes helping both. They've gotten a lot of the commuters to different corridors so getting across Gammon is better. Recording my miles and time doesn't show the places with reduced speed limits as I expected.

 

[Toto'sDad]

Tell auntie Gladys he said “chasing”. Never said anything about catching the durn things!

I dunno, Aunt Gladys once she gets something in her head, it's awful hard to get it out of there.

 

[blowtorch]

I have to chase around Madison and a Milwaukee metro area a lot in an auto and do it on bike and foot to. There are great improvements for auto driving here. A few corridors now have alt bike routes helping both. They've gotten a lot of the commuters to different corridors so getting across Gammon is better. Recording my miles and time doesn't show the places with reduced speed limits as I expected.

oh man i hate driving in brewtown, i always think of this

and

 

[sloppychops]

Battery fires in residences is an issue and this was not as you said leading me to believe bikes are in rooms and exploding. However it is a problem mostly with lower tier electronics. It's part of why we have changed purchasing at work.

It's not just in dorm rooms. I've heard reports of them igniting/exploding in garages. I think one of the stories I read talked about how leaving them charging too long can cause this.

 

[aging_rocker]

I'm still using good-old muscle power to cycle to my local train station for my weekly(ish) commute into the office. I fully intend to invest in an e-bike of some description for pleasure riding once I retire (I will be avoiding anything with cheap batteries though)

However, Mrs R and myself were almost mown down recently by a bunch of drunken people on e-bikes.

Apparently you can hire the bikes (whilst drunk) and follow the signs to the next drinking opportunity (it's a 'winery tour', seemingly an excuse for a mobile drinking session for the elderly), and it was very apparent that most of these (elderly, like us) riders hadn't been on a bike since they hit puberty.

Scary as **** when approaching you on a pathway in groups of 20+, wobbling about and giggling like schoolgirls, obviously barely in control of the bikes.

Public ******** menaces, the lot of 'em. Not the fault of the machinery, just the operators.

 

[Toto'sDad]

you know, it's crazy- whenever I'm walking on the sidewalk, someone inevitably comes up unexpectedly behind me on their bike. I'm tempted to shove them over.
Sidewalks are not for bicycles.

I do get it, in areas where I'm bicycling where car traffic is bad I will borrow the sidewalk, too. Bikelane or not.
But when I approach pedestrians on the sidewalk as a biker, I will dismount and walk my bike until I am past them.

Every time.

I have in the past couple of months had to act quickly to get out of the way while walking on the sidewalk. A couple of times from those cursed of all vehicles, the rental electric scooter, and from bicycles overtaking me from behind. It would be good if they would call out honk a horn, ring a bell something to let you know they are there. Were I actually meet someone being as condierate as you are BT, I would have to give them my thanks for sure.

It's only a matter of time until someone gets ran over on one of those rental scooters. When they aren't blasting down the sidewalk, they are out in traffic seemingly daring motorist to run them down. I'm pretty sure it's inevitable that someone does just that.