Reasons why the ebike is a world beater thread.

markz said:
T.O. - Wonder how its changed since 1981. :roll:

Huh? Hint: More and more folks all traveling around on the same sized patch of dirt ("earth"), with many/most still operating large, heavy, expensive vehicles w/several (empty) seats... plenty of (empty) cargo spaces... X percentage just driving around looking for any space to park "the beast"... most still burning and exhausting fossil fuels ("gas"/diseasal/etc... millions in property damages every year... millions of animals injured and killed also... (sometimes homo sapiens)...

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:roll:

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I'd say there is no more efficient means of powered transport (mostly having to do with mass of the vehicle). All of my more powerful ebike saverage about 45 watt hour/mile.
While my Tesla averages about 335 wh/mile.

Real time power usage example; 5kw on my last Chevy Volt's power meter got me up to about 18 miles per hour on a level road. 5kw on my ebike's CA gets me to 53mph.
 
http://peopleforbikes.org/blog/busting-10-myths-e-bikes/
BUSTING 10 MYTHS ABOUT E-BIKES

October 30, 2017

Morgan Lommele, e-bike campaigns manager


Image: Leslie Kehmeier

In some circles, electric bicycles have an undeserved bad reputation. Like just about anything new, they require an open mind and a positive attitude. As their popularity skyrockets around the world, it’s only a matter of time before e-bikes really take off in the U.S. Fact is stronger than fiction, so here are 10 e-bike myths and the truth behind them.

FACT: Most e-bikes travel at bike-like speeds. Class 1 e-bikes have a motor that cuts off after the rider reaches 20 mph. This is the top assisted speed, not the average speed. On flat and uphill surfaces, class 1 e-bikes travel on average two to three miles per hour faster than traditional bicycles. Studiesshow that in some instances, e-bikes are slower than regular bikes, depending on the terrain and power produced by the rider.

FACT: E-bike riders, like nearly all riders, are generally respectful of the road. We are not aware of studies or reports that show that e-bike use decreases public safety.

FACT: E-bikes are slightly heavier than traditional bikes, but the greatest contributor to a heavy mass in bicycling is personal weight, not the weight of an e-bike. It’s no different than riding a traditional bicycle with loaded panniers.

FACT: Pedal-assist e-bikes are fundamentally different from ATVs, off-road motorcycles and internal-combustion off-road vehicles. Motorized vehicle regulations were written before the invention of e-bikes and shouldn’t be used to regulate e-bike use. E-bikes are emissions- and noise-free. PeopleForBikes works to distinguish e-bikes from motorcycles and bicycles so that e-bikes are understood and non-motorized trail access is preserved.

FACT: Most e-bike users are like most other path users—they generally respect the law of the road and are kind to others with whom they share public resources. Riding an e-bike is like riding a regular bike. If you want to break the law, you don’t need an e-bike to do it.

FACT: Many studies have already been performed that evaluated how e-bike and bike riders interact on trails. One study demonstrated that trying out an e-bike increased a person’s acceptance and reduced their uncertainty around e-bikes. In Colorado, the City of Boulder studied e-bike use on shared paths and found minimal “conflicts” between trail users, no observed crashes, no negative verbal interactions, and safe passing.

FACT: There’s risk in everything we do. This is a lesson that you learn the hard way. Climbers, hikers and cyclists are rescued from difficult situations every day. Self-reliance and proper preparation must be emphasized.

FACT: Excessive speed—both on regular- and e-bikes—can be monitored and ticketed using radar guns. But this is a highly inefficient use of trail manager time. Furthermore, speeding on e-bikes has yet to be identified as a significant problem. Clear signage and public etiquette education are the best ways to encourage all trail users to travel at safe speeds.

FACT: Sure they do. Most have years of trail experience. The typical e-bike rider is 45–65 years old and generally uninterested in reaching maximum speeds or passing other trail users without proper warning or slowing down.

FACT: We like to think that e-bikes aren’t cheating, they’re empowering.

We need to embrace e-bikes because they get more people on bikes more often. From older riders, to those with longer commutes, to people dealing with health issues, e-bikes provide important bike riding opportunities. We’re not saying they’re for everyone, but we believe that more people riding is not only good for everyone who rides, but for the entire community.

Let’s embrace the future and make the most of the many benefits that e-bikes offer.
 
^^ :mrgreen:
 
Getting There: How about some love for roundabouts?
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/nov/20/getting-there-how-about-some-love-for-roundabouts/

Starts:
Spokane County’s first multilane roundabout opened last week on U.S. Highway 2 just west of Airway Heights, part of the Spokane Tribe of Indians casino development.

Oh, the horror.

Despite a wealth of information extolling the benefits of the circular intersection, the word “roundabout” causes shivers and engages local drivers’ lizard brains. It’s as if the four-way stop were covered in the Bill of Rights.

But it’s not, so bring on the roundabout. They’re safer, more efficient, cheaper and, let’s be honest, simply more elegant than conventional intersections. So why the hate?

... includes:The reasons for the reduction are many, but the bulk of emissions don’t necessarily come from idling while waiting for the green. Emissions jump when vehicles accelerate from a stop sign or red light.

Notice how many stops for pubic transit vehicles are situated closely to stops and traffic lights at intersections? ... and average times spent sitting and standing around waiting for the next vehicle to arrive?

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:evil:
 
Travelling by pubic transit in Toronto exposes you to damaging bursts of sound, study says
("Sudden bursts of loud noise can cause hearing loss and lead to a host of health problems"):
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-commute-noise-damage-1.4414767

Includes:
For example, nearly 20 per cent of the loudest noises on the subway exceeded 114 decibels, which is considered risky if exposure lasts more than four seconds.

... and:
Cycling in particular was singled out as the most potentially damaging to hearing, exposing people to larger amounts of dangerous noise than any other way of getting around, with 14 per cent of measurements exceeding recommended levels.
[Grumble Grumble]

All the more reason NOT to doddle around at pedal-only, antique poop-mobile speeds. :mrgreen:
 
That is why I listen to ear buds, ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughn usually. Though today was more Metallica Black album. Quite enjoyed it, even riding in the dark with no lights.

I wonder if you are allowed to take bicycles on the trains in T.O.
 
^^ Hehe... Have taken to wearing "headphones"... NOT actually connected to anything, but to "deaden" the sounds around me? "Traffic" high on list... but EVen to pretend NOT hearing babble - "conversation" - from passers-by. :wink: They "work" also as "ear muffs"... given that ambient temps are approaching next "spring" (hopefully... USUALLY "happens", anyway...)

:mrgreen:
L
 
`Kay. Quick "show of hands". How many gallons of these liquids have ebikers NOT dumped into the environment...
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:evil:
 
Why ebikes are better:
  1. My commute is half as long (or better) by eBike as it is by car
  2. I get to appreciate the neighborhoods I travel through
  3. I get to interact with the people I encounter
  4. I get to work energized and full of endorphins without being exhausted and sweaty
  5. I only fill my car's tank with gas 4 times a year
  6. In a car, everything is an obstacle to where you're trying to get to, on a bike nothing is

There was also a comment back on page 2 about how in some places riding a bike is considered something only people who can't afford a car do. I personally have seen that in the outer suburbs, I think that is true unless you're on a high-end bike and wearing lycra. In the more urban areas however, this attitude is flipped and riding a bike makes you hip, cool, and in touch with your city and neighbors.
 
Hehe... In this thread, earlier:
While there’s an assumption that air pollution is worse on hot summer days, that’s not necessarily the case, Dr. Evans says. Ozone emissions do spike, but other pollutants including ultrafine particles (UFP) are higher in cold weather.

Just was thinking of the city of San Marcos, Texas... Who've just announced a contest to put in a bike sharing system... seen in ES Newz...: San Marcos, Texas State University partnering to offer dockless bike sharing
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57933&start=4650#p1356671

So guessing the bike share outfits - six at last count - will be competing...

So. So far we got in reasons to choose assist stuff like strong winds (the Netherlands)... the "hills" in southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria, northern Italy - they refer to them as "the Alps" - ... extend distances, saving food costs (lowest poops per mile)... etc...

... and I was thinking watt about San Marcos, TX? Maybe "too hot"? ... then I thought about air quality... looked it up:
sanmarcos.jpg

Suspect any/most towns in NA and around the world have "better" days and "worse" days... but were I Jump I'd be pitching stuff like Air Quality and Heat on some days... (pretty flat in San Marcos. :lol: )

:)
 
Hehe... The last bike I has stolen (steel frame recumbent trike) local police suggested it had been taken for the scrap value of the frame alone? So I'm thinking the rise in sales of carbon-fiber frames... where the frame itself is worth about zero ("melted down")... add to this a GPS tracker embedded somewhere in the frame... 8) ... and ANOTHER reason to add batteries to bikes. :wink:
 
Hehe.... in this thread "Search found 0 matches: cough"...

Fun article in the current issue of The Epoch Times newspaper, Canadian edition...

Watt the Flu Does to Your Body
("The flu might be to blame, but it isn't what makes you feel so awful"):
https://www.theepochtimes.com/what-the-flu-does-to-your-body_2445221.html

Starts:
Older folks over the age of 65 are especially susceptible to influenza infection since the immune system becomes weaker with age. In addition, older folks are also more susceptible to long-term disability following influenza infection, especially if they are hospitalized.

We all know the symptoms of influenza infection include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, and fatigue. But just what causes all the havoc?

Includes:
The virus is inhaled or transmitted, usually via your fingers...

Watt may explain why I cringe any time I have to take pubic transit vehicles, especially hearing anybody coughing... (and wear gloves)... Thank Goodness for electric bikes. :mrgreen:
 
London Marathon: Figures show massive 89 per cent drop in air pollution
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-marathon-figures-show-massive-89-per-cent-drop-in-air-pollution-a3821566.html

The Province of Ontario in Canada stopped burning "coal" (fossil fuels) for electric power generation years ago. Today, half or more nuclear power generated. :roll: (Consumption/Waste our middle names!) :cry:
 
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(They say:)
DutchNews.nl is a provider of quality Dutch news and current affairs in English for an international audience. Some 50,000 people read DutchNews.nl every day, either online, through our daily digital newsletter or via our social media channels.

Red light: air pollution measurement bike shows traffic hotspots:
https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2...tion-measurement-bike-shows-traffic-hotspots/

Starts:
Cycling might be a healthy way to get around, but what about all the fumes you breathe in while stuck behind a lorry or a moped? Senay Boztas has been finding out about efforts to quantify exactly what cyclists are inhaling. Laden with solar panels, video camera, batteries and three air-pollution measuring devices, the ‘soot’ bike is no easy ride. Not only does the €30,000 electric vehicle weigh a ton. But a spin on this bicycle will also weigh on your mind. The whole point of the air pollution measuring bike is to record the nitrogen dioxide, soot and ultrafine particles that you have just breathed in en route. A study last year suggested that the Dutch live, on average, four months less due to nitrogen dioxide in the air, and even though estimates for future air pollution levels are falling, last autumn a court in The Hague ordered the government to do more to improve air quality.

Clearly, adding an assist to the bicycle can save lives. :wink:
 
[youtube]Should I just ride an electric bicycle instead of a motorcycle??[/youtube]
[youtube]tieOpnx3Ao0[/youtube]
 
Air pollution in the news... again:

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Cyclists breathe in more polluted air than motorists, finds study
("Studies conflict, however"):
https://www.bikebiz.com/news/cyclists-motorists-air-pollution

Starts:
Makers and retailers of cycling-specific anti-pollution facemasks have a tough time with scientific studies – some academics say it's drivers who ought to be the ones wearing the masks, others say, no, it's definitely cyclists.

I cringe when I see folks riding in downtown canyons w/roads flanked by tall buildings, where air pollution counts skyrocket, and where many are still pedaling (!!)... cries out for power-assist. :mrgreen:
 
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(They say:)
Now over 55 years old, The Sand Mountain Reporter serves Marshall County and parts of DeKalb and Etowah counties in northeast Alabama, including the towns of Albertville, Boaz, Crossville, Douglas, Geraldine, Guntersville, Horton, Sardis City and others. We publish each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with an audited circulation of over 10,000. Delivery is by carrier and mail. Our news and sports coverage is primarily local, with some AP news with local connections.
(Wiki:)
Marshall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,448. Its county seat is Benton. It was a dry county until July 28, 2015, when residents voted for the county to go "wet". It is the only Purchase Area county to not border another state; a narrow strip of land in neighboring Livingston County separates Marshall County from the Ohio River and the Illinois border.

Marshall County was named[by whom?] Kentucky's "Best County to Live In" ten years in a row, from 1999 to 2009.

I got robbed at the gas pump:
http://www.sandmountainreporter.com/article_a10dab32-6dbc-11e8-b8ab-936061772212.html

Starts:
I’ve noticed gas prices have been slowly creeping back up.

That doesn’t really surprise me. The Fourth of July is right around the corner.

The first weekend in June, I had to drive to Waxhaw, North Carolina, for my nephew’s graduation, then turn around and go back to Atlanta for a wedding. I’m not sure how this is possible, but the gas went from $2.55 in Alabama to $2.89 in Georgia. Then it went back down to $2.45 in South Carolina and back to $2.60 in North Carolina.

Includes:
A few years ago, I talked to a guy that had an electric bicycle. It used to be gas powered, but he said gas was too expensive, so he went electric. As I was leaving the gas station, that guy crossed my mind. I started wondering if he was still riding an electric bicycle?

That got me thinking, I bet a bicycle can go a pretty long way on a gallon of gas. So, I looked up motorized bicycles in the internet and found out people are getting around 80 to 100 miles per tank of gas.

S'Truth! Know anybuddy watt got robbed at the electrical outlet? :lol: (Other than Europeans, I mean...) :lol:
 
The cost of pollution is much higher than we think:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/rep...is-much-higher-than-we-think/article37254797/

Starts:
Economists measure the performance of the overall economy through the level of and changes to gross domestic product (GDP), which is the sum of all spending and output generated. However, GDP doesn't adequately measure all the impacts of economic activity, notably things that erode our nation's long-term wealth – such as pollution.

The United Nations Environment Assembly is meeting Dec. 4-6 in Nairobi for discussions on the overarching theme of pollution amid new evidence that pollution has severe health and economic consequences. Pollution damages the environment, erodes physical assets and harms people, yet we do not have an adequate measure of how much it costs the economy and society. If we really want to understand the sustainability of economic activity in Canada, we ought to know how much our long-term wealth and prosperity is being diminished by pollution.
 
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ATHENS, Greece — A flash flood has struck a northern Athens suburb following a squall, with the Greek capital’s fire department receiving 140 calls for assistance and to pump water from flooded homes and businesses.

Fire crews headed to an open-air parking lot in the suburb of Maroussi on Thursday to see if there were any people trapped in cars that were bobbing in a suddenly created muddy lake.

No ebikers were found trapped on their electric bikes.
 
People often see cars as the main culprit. They forget that air travel, shipping industry, power plants, factories, trucks, buses, trains etc also contribute to air pollution... :lol: Cycling and e-biking works well in cities with cool climate. Try riding in Singapore, Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur and experience sweating like you never did before. :lol:
 
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