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http://www.blog.hybridep.com/general-news/npr-podcast-tired-commuting-car-electric-bike/
Submitted by Adam Stone on March 22, 2010
[21 min 43 sec]
March 19, 2010
Tens of millions of Chinese commuters ride electric bicycles to work. But will car-centric Americans give them a whirl? Edward Benjamin, chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association, and Bert Cebular, founder of NYCeWheels, discuss the safety and environmental impact of the bikes, and how culture influences their adoption.
Full transcription in the link, but a couple of snips:
FLATOW: You’re listening to SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR. I’m Ira Flatow. We’re talking this hour about electric bicycles with my guest, Ed Benjamin. He is chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association. And I’d like to bring on another guest. He’s been in the business of selling electric bikes here in New York City for about 10 years. Bert Cebular is the founder of NYCeWheels. That’s N-Y-C-e-Wheels here in New York City on the Upper East Side. Welcome to SCIENCE FRIDAY, Bert.
Mr. BERT CEBULAR (Founder, NYCeWheels): Hey, how are you doing?
FLATOW: Are these bikes in demand now?
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah, they’re very hot. We’re actually up almost 100 percent this year so far.
FLATOW: No kidding.
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah.
FLATOW: And what size, what style bike do you sell the most of?
Mr. CEBULAR: Well, New York City is a little space-challenged. So we usually do a little bit better with the compact bikes, usually the ones that, you know, fold up a little bit, and the ones that stay below 50 pounds and people can bring them up to apartments or bring them into a restaurant.
FLATOW: And how much should I expect to pay? What’s the range of prices?
Mr. CEBULAR: We sell more the better-quality bikes, which go between they start at around $1,500 up to, like, $3,800. The most popular one right now is the Sanyo Eneloop, which is $2,300, I believe.
FLATOW: Wow, that’s some change for a bike.
Mr. CEBULAR: Oh, it’s not too bad. If you buy a quality bicycle, a really good quality bicycle, it will cost you always around $800 dollars.
FLATOW: Yeah, so don’t buy the cheaper ones because you’ll get what you pay for is what I hear you saying.
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah, they’re going to be very heavy. They’re not you know, you’re not going to enjoy riding them. They feel like tanks rather than bicycles because cheaper batteries are very heavy. Cheaper bikes use steel frames rather than aluminum frames, and the components on them are not sometimes they’re not even safe.
You have, you know, big-box retailers now sell electric bikes for as little as $300.
FLATOW: But one pothole later.
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah.
FLATOW: You’re in trouble.
tks
Ll0K
Submitted by Adam Stone on March 22, 2010
[21 min 43 sec]
March 19, 2010
Tens of millions of Chinese commuters ride electric bicycles to work. But will car-centric Americans give them a whirl? Edward Benjamin, chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association, and Bert Cebular, founder of NYCeWheels, discuss the safety and environmental impact of the bikes, and how culture influences their adoption.
Full transcription in the link, but a couple of snips:
FLATOW: You’re listening to SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR. I’m Ira Flatow. We’re talking this hour about electric bicycles with my guest, Ed Benjamin. He is chairman of the Light Electric Vehicle Association. And I’d like to bring on another guest. He’s been in the business of selling electric bikes here in New York City for about 10 years. Bert Cebular is the founder of NYCeWheels. That’s N-Y-C-e-Wheels here in New York City on the Upper East Side. Welcome to SCIENCE FRIDAY, Bert.
Mr. BERT CEBULAR (Founder, NYCeWheels): Hey, how are you doing?
FLATOW: Are these bikes in demand now?
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah, they’re very hot. We’re actually up almost 100 percent this year so far.
FLATOW: No kidding.
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah.
FLATOW: And what size, what style bike do you sell the most of?
Mr. CEBULAR: Well, New York City is a little space-challenged. So we usually do a little bit better with the compact bikes, usually the ones that, you know, fold up a little bit, and the ones that stay below 50 pounds and people can bring them up to apartments or bring them into a restaurant.
FLATOW: And how much should I expect to pay? What’s the range of prices?
Mr. CEBULAR: We sell more the better-quality bikes, which go between they start at around $1,500 up to, like, $3,800. The most popular one right now is the Sanyo Eneloop, which is $2,300, I believe.
FLATOW: Wow, that’s some change for a bike.
Mr. CEBULAR: Oh, it’s not too bad. If you buy a quality bicycle, a really good quality bicycle, it will cost you always around $800 dollars.
FLATOW: Yeah, so don’t buy the cheaper ones because you’ll get what you pay for is what I hear you saying.
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah, they’re going to be very heavy. They’re not you know, you’re not going to enjoy riding them. They feel like tanks rather than bicycles because cheaper batteries are very heavy. Cheaper bikes use steel frames rather than aluminum frames, and the components on them are not sometimes they’re not even safe.
You have, you know, big-box retailers now sell electric bikes for as little as $300.
FLATOW: But one pothole later.
Mr. CEBULAR: Yeah.
FLATOW: You’re in trouble.
tks
Ll0K
