Demographics?

just turned 36. Italian American. male, married, no kids, used to be an aircraft mechanic for 10 years at a major airline. now i'm a jet airline pilot for the past 3 years. love to make my own toys! this e-bike is one of my top 3 creations ! it puts a huge smile on my face when i ride it (people probably think i'm high when they see me ridding around w/ my big smile on my face).
here is a pic of one of my other fav all time home made toys
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wow jetguy, my dog looks just like yours, but he's 13 years old. nice little setup there, you have acheived very high nerdcool status in my book.

Now let's use Tyler's handy Mad-Libs form he posted.

I'm a [36] [white dude] regularly involved in [running a jewelry store, woodworking business, and composite molding business] with [my wife], [co-owner], and [focus on original designs and repair]. I live in [a small redneck town] with [my wife, daughter, and two dogs]. I was attracted to this [e-biking] and [endless-sphere] when [I realized I could combine a love for bikes with electro-mechancal crap]. I regularly listen to [what most folks would term obnoxious music] and read [things about making stuff, lots of imaginative fiction]. I enjoy [flying RC gliders, reading] and avoid [being a dickhead, when possible, but not when necessary]. Explore more about my [jewelry business] at [www.julianewtonjewelry.com].

Hmm, Tyler I don't know if that made it easier or harder, but I think you got the gist of 99% of it. 8)
 
37, wife, 1 kid. Got into ebiking to:
1) commute to work 11km and not have to shower (and also get there a bit faster than on a non-motorized bike)
2) get exercise on the way home from work
3) save $ on gas/parking/maintenance for car

work for the government as a Senior Operations Analyst (mostly data analysis)

I ride pretty much everyday to work unless it snows and they haven't plowed
 
nutsandvolts said:
phil, I stumbled across this

philf said:
My "GF" has Multiple Sclerosis, and it was this that brought me to e-biking. By motorizing her ride, I was able to do what I enjoyed and not have to leave her behind... The problem, though, was that she was leaving ME behind... So I got hooked, too.
Click to expand...
I have a friend who was diagnosed with MS some 20 years ago. I hadn't seen her for a long time then recently crossed paths, she told me that for all intents and purposes she is cured! Well not totally cured, but she is no longer in a wheelchair. They had a wheelchair lift but got rid of it, because she's walking! She rides on a tandem bicycle too. She is still on medications and isn't 100% recovered but she is doing very well. So one thing is for sure: there is always hope. Best wishes to you and your GF.
Click to expand...

Hey! Just caught this. Thanks! Actually, the latest meds have really been producing positive results (Rebif). It's taken a while to feel out whether there was any conclusive evidence to suggest that these (expensive) meds actually *DO* anything, but judging from the community of people she's a part of that compare notes regularly, I think there's something good going on.

Alison isn't currently anywhere close to the level of debilitation that many with MS suffer, though there have been a few particular episodes that were pretty scary. Right now, she's pretty close to "normal" (whatever that means), even if she is de-conditioned a bit.

There are some people that we've found online, though, that have MUCH more going on with respect to MS (very progressive), and yet who are really inspiring. And there's a connection to the whole EV thing...

I give you Marc, the Wheelchair Kamikaze...

http://www.wheelchairkamikaze.com/

Check out his videos. Marc's a sharp guy whose career was buggered up unfairly, and yet he remains remarkably up-beat, and offers himself up for any kind of scientific experiment which might help himself or others. The flavour of MS that he has is of the more progressive kind. When I look at his Wheelchair Kamikaze videos, though, I just get this hankering to go to New York and pimp his ride, if you know what I mean :).

Apologies - didn't mean to hijack the sharing of demographics - if we want to get going on the subject of wheelchair hyper-drive, I should start a new thread.

(No actual edits - IE8 sucks).
 
49 in 2009, born and raised in SoCal, last 6 years in SW Utah, Just moved to NE Kansas (near Ft Riley).

4 years as a submarine mechanic in A-div, USS Guitarro. Got married, had three boys, got divorced after 6 years, took two years off from women, been married for 16 years to wonderful second wife. Must have told too many military stories, 2 sons in Army, one in Navy.

Have two dogs. I read a lot. I'm drawn to self-sufficiency info and history of primitive tech, Mad Max/MacGuyver stuff. Recently been operating a dump truck.

2010-Now running a water plant (soften the water with lime and add chlorine, filter and send to the city water lines).
 
Just turned 43 (but still act 32), mechanical engineer who designed industrial machinery then started an organic donut company then got into design software sales and professional services. No kids, never married but that's about to change. I'm moving to Beijing, China next month and will marry a nice Chinese women. I got into ebikes when I started riding my bike to work but didn't like getting there all sweaty so ebikes seemed like the logical answer. Now I'm in to them for different reasons.

I figure that transportation as we know it is about to change drastically and will become very EV centric. So, I feel that it is a smart move to know more about the E side of EVs. ALso, it ties in well with inustrial machinery design as they are all driven by electric motors and such. And besides ebikes are SO much fun!
 
21, male, unmarried, no kids, no job. Studying E&E engineering. Have an insane passion for electric vehicles, but no e-vehicle of my own, nor the money for one :(

Other interests include (but not limited to) computers, programming, distributed computing, home automation, and renewable energy.

Sputnik :idea:
 
Thanks for sharing, everyone!

Melbourne, Australia. Turning 33, getting married to a wonderful girl. Been into bikes and electronics since around 14. Ridden and raced XC, DH, enduro, SS, road and did some touring. Work with a few other e-bikers on the forum in medical instrument business as a electronics design eng. Commuting on EB is great, thanks Mark_AW for getting me into this!
 
Think most of the regulars know my background for those that don't 40 years old married once one
child (hes now 21) I been in a wheelchair since a motorcycle accident in 1992 Live in Perth Western Australia
into ebikes (at the moment) fishing, pc modding and gaming...

KiM
 
Youth in MD suburbs, High School in MA. Built mini-bikes, go carts, dune buggies. Biked everywhere. Wanted to be an architect but majored in English in college. Spent junior year in Kenya. After college, traveled around the world for 2 years, including freight ship from Athens to Tokyo. Joined web startup in 1993. Gov't contractor for 11 years now, paying bills.

In 01, apartment burned down, fell in love, bought a tear-down, built a new house in 03, married & moved in '04, started having kids. Hilly neighborhood and wife like to ride bikes but hills were too much... First thought of motorized bike for her commute....

Now look at me... Pretty soon I'll be back building go-carts... :twisted:
 
39, married 3 1/2 years ago, first child on the way, graduated CalPoly SLO in industrial/manufacturing engineering, built custom bicycle frames since '84, raced mountain bikes and dirt bikes, work as a QA/manufacturing engineer at a large company that makes high-end fitness equipment, found the best online forum here at ES, hope to make a contribution to the world of electric powered bikes.
 
I'm a 26 year old guy, soon (eventually?) to be married to my awesome girlfriend, finally graduating from school this May with my bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. I work in a research lab for one of my professors on omni-directional mobile robots, industrial robot arm control, flying robots and the like. I have a great contempt for things which are not as good as they could/should be, and a strong urge to try to make them better. I like to drive my Audi too fast, and I hate trying to fix it when it breaks. I have two cats, Osiris and Isis... they did not and never will have a kitten named Horus. I got into ebikes when I saw a gas-conversion kit droning by my apartment one day. And thought I could do it better. :D Oh, the avatar is because my girlfriend has this thing about bushy eyebrows. She hates them, and I tease her with it.
 
That's OK, you look just fine in your bushy eye brows, but you might want to look into a face lift or something. You sure you are 26???? LOL Just kiddin!

I am not sure if I am the first female to post yet. I don't remember seeing one on any of the first pages this post has.

So, female 51 and counting, happily married for 23 years, two wonderful kids, boy in 2nd year of University, girl off to University in September to play on their Varsity Women's hockey team. Very proud of both. Now after 12 years of almost living in arenas and rinks coming to a close, we are looking to do more travelling. We have an RV and two years ago bought two folding Bicycles. However the campground in Myrtle Beach we have discovered that we see ourselves becoming frequent flyers of this wonderful campground on the ocean. (and I am not talking about actually flying as I started chickening out on that in the past 5 years or so). Noticed everyone drives around in golf carts as it is a long walk around the park and to the oceanside beach,but they are $300 a week to rent!. Saw a couple on electric scooters and decided I had to get us some. However, unless in a private park or property up here in Canada, they are illegal. So hubby suggested we look at electric bicycles that fold up into our RV. We can use them here in Ontario or anywhere in Canada and I am so excited waiting for these units to arrive around May 15 - a week before the long weekend. Pleasssseeeee don't let anything happen with the shipment to delay me getting them.
The extent of your ebike experience was the quick test ride we did at the company where we recently put a downpayment for two of these wonderful ebikes. Hubby is pretty handy with cars and is the go to person for his whole family if something needs fixing. So one day, hopefully, I'd like to get him to come online here and after reading pertinent threads, help me to convert my mountain bike with an ebike kit. But this is my dream and may not be his, we'll see.
We both work for EMS , like to go on cruises, travel in our RV, go to restaurants and movies with friends. Hubby and I and two other family members renovate homes on the side when not working at our real jobs.
 
24, male, graduated with a degree in meteorology but currently work with developmentally disabled adults. Been active my whole life but 5 years ago my legs started going to crap, so I eventually came up with this as a way to still be somewhat active and out in the world.

So age wise ES seems pretty diverse, but so few women. You'd think this was a chess forum.
 
The ol' guy is 57 and glad to share a little from the school of hard knocks. Glad the Good Lord is keeping me alive and well after the doc's told me I should have expired 10 years ago during a heart incident. Spent 34 years as a aerospace engineer in propulsion and power for various agencies of UNCLE. Retired 18 months ago and now consult in nuclear space power for select clients.

Accomplished more than I ever dreamed, dreamed more than I ever should. Love to work, love to push the limits, love to build, create and play in His universe. Love to be with my wife and two girls (both in college)....just spending time together.

Make sure you take the time to tell your Wife, Kids, Mom and Dad that you love them. And your close friends that you appreciate them. Its a gift that keeps on giving. Remember "Courtesy is contagious" and the world runs on unrequited acts of kindness.

I've worked, I've played, I've served. I've laughed, I've cried, and I've picked up the pieces more times than I can count. Each day, taken one at a time, shaken not stirred. Life is kewl...............

<< That's pretty much what I look like, but the beard is pretty grey these days. I like riding my KMX trike for exercise and am down 32 lbs with it.
 
25 yr old guy, road cyclist/past-racer, finance graduate working as a data analyst. I like building things, doing things differently and solving engineering problems. (wannabe engineer). This hobby is a great break from work. It also makes my commute to work, lunch nearby, and home - a lot of fun. I work with people who spend 1-2 hours a day in their car. Ouch.

I'm really a spandex wearing road cyclist/sprinter before anything else. It's just that when I commute, I don't want to work. lol, I love bikes. I love saying "mush! mush! my little 450watt motor! Go!" as I effortlessly roll up small hills and into wind. Ahhh..., I really appreciate power - being a road cyclist.
 
39, 5'10, capricorn (boxing day :D ), never married (1 close call), no kids (not even close), 5 dogs (all strays), only child (spoiled rotten). grew up in north carolina and toronto, lived in sf, hk and taiwan. basc industrial engineering 9t3 university of toronto (and part-time study at an art school). cross dominant (write with my right, sucker-punch with the south). i'm into painting (oil/water/acrylic) and programming for kicks (merb, ruby on rails lately). table tennis (jr. canadian championships and 1984 us open doubles 2nd runner-up). founded killerapp.com, sold it to cnet. dabbled in venture capital and chinese medicine. formerly a techie, now a born-again grease-monkey but still enjoy a good deathmatch from time to time.

(j3tch1u moniker because i looked like jet-li when i was younger. too bad i didn't have his speed :D )
 
bigmoose said:
<< That's pretty much what I look like, but the beard is pretty grey these days. I like riding my KMX trike for exercise and am down 32 lbs with it.
Click to expand...
That explains why the body is so skinny in the avatar. ;)

I'm a 41.975-year-old JOATMON who started out dreaming of being an astronaut, realized I would never have the body for it and thought I'd be an astrophysicist instead. Then I saw the math, and realized I'd just be a sci-fi fan. :lol: (but didn't find out for almost 15 more years that there were *other* sci-fi fans out there, too). I used to read a lot of it but I fall asleep too easily when reading these days. Still watch a little of it, but not much of it's any good (Sturgeon's Law, I guess). Always liked taking things apart, but took a while to get good at putting them back together, much less in a functional way.

Fell into ham radio thanks to a bicycle accident on a gravel road as a kid and some nice people that helped me and my sister clean up that we made friends with. One was a general-class operator, and I sort of liked electronics (well, taking things apart and googling the guts, mostly, plus a little magnetic stuff and lights and whatnot), so I learned ham radio. Later, after highschool, he helped me with DeVry by paying for my in-school lab and book costs (the rest was thru scholarship and student loans, which I am still paying for thanks to poor decisions on my part, mostly).

After DeVry my AASET and ham radio experience got me into a radio repair/install shop, and then into Honeywell CFSG as a final test tech for cockpit displays and flight computers, with some other adventures while I was there. A few years later, the layoffs got me, and I worked various odd jobs such as inventory, terminal & monitor & printer repair, and eventually computer tech and retail sales at Computer City. Tried other jobs along the way, but usually was declared unsuitable for "social reasons" (though no one ever said this, I figured it out much much later) and didn't make it past the trial periods.

Somewhere in there my music became more important to me, so I tried pursuing that, and wasted a few thousand $ on making CDs after they'd been requested by many people that heard me and thought I was great (but never bought one despite signing up for one). Still have a few boxes of them around holding down the floor. Rejected by all the music companies and radio stations (though I did get in a few PSAs locally, and some cable tv commercials and a public access show). Similar things with my artwork, except I wasn't dumb enough to waste any money on publishing it. ;) I still like playing music and drawing, both artistic types of sketches, and working out engineering details of things.

When Tandy finally decided CC wasn't worth it and sold it to CompUSA, I followed, and after about 12 years I finally started making as much money as I had at Honeywell. Then CompUSA decided they'd milked their stores for all it was worth, and after totally running them into the ground and driving off almost every competent employee they shut them down about 3 years ago.

Not too long before this happened, I had sort of started working out my ebike ideas, and later that year started blogging them at the suggestion of a friend.

I had a significant "parting bonus" so I thought I'd try to take a little time off to recover from all those years of retail hell and some friend and family deaths I'd not yet recovered from the last few years. That was kinda nice, then I started working part time at a pet store because my boss from CompUSA wanted me there because he knew he could trust me to work hard and do things right. My actual job there has changed, gradually demoting me from almost full time down to an average of about 7 hours a week, and from one step below inventory manager down to whatever the lowest retail peon stage is, because I'm not as good at brownnosing and screwing around as most others are, I think. :roll: And that I try to do stuff right, even though it takes longer, because it's...well, *right".

Somewhere along the way I also found a club of sci-fi fans call the United Federation of Phoenix, which I've been a member of for...almost 25 years, I guess. Havent' been to many events or meetings in years due to conflicts with work schedules, though.

I tend to collect things others don't want, including dogs, of which there are 5 right now. If it's broken and someone else doesn't want it, I'll probably take it and use pieces from it in unintended-by-the-designer ways, or maybe fix it with parts from yet another piece of junk. :)

Around the same time CompUSA was shutting down, I also was advised by some people that have worked with many people with Asperger's that I also appear to have it, though to a lesser degree than the ones they help out. I had never heard of it before, but the signs fit, and all the quiz tests I've had show that too. Explains a lot about the problems I have had dealing with people (especially in person), and why it's so hard to land a good job and keep it. All those years of retail have actually helped me tremendously, as I *had* to learn to deal with people but I am still strange, even though I have learned to mask most of it in person, and not bore people to death as badly as I used to. Still can't control the walls of text (though you should see them before I edit most of them out!) :p

Life has taught me patience, general benevolence, and that karma will eventually catch up with you, be it good or bad that you've done to deserve the results. And that often life is not fair, but in compensation good things will happen when you least expect them.

Have ridden bikes since I was a kid, but never really found many people interested in bicycles at all, much less custom building them, which I also only started considering once I began my ebike quest. Before that, I had not even bothered to learn how to do much (if any) maintenance on the bikes I've had, and just rode them to destruction, for the most part. Shame on me. :( Eventually, after my project had started and I'd started building CrazyBike2, I found FreakBike Nation and their forums, and then later I found this place. Actually I think I had found ES before, but I don't think I was far enough along with my project evolution to realize I needed this place's help. :)

So now here I am on ES.
 
44yrs old married 17 yrs (2 life sentences...) have 5 kids and a dog. Worked in the dairy industry for 11 yrs then threw it in and did a degree in Environmental engineering as an adult student. After this ended up working for the Natural products industry (neutraceuticals etc) then taught maths at High School for a couple of years. This was too bloody stressfull so returned to the Nat. products industry.

Currently work in a Sales role after being a plant operator for a business that uses Supercritical CO2 to extract natural products and does freeze drying and consumer packaging for our customers. Got into e-bikes after looking at ways to reduce household expenditure and e-bikes (unlike e-scooters) at least you can peddle if all else fails! I've never had any majors problems I couldn't fix though.

Current set up is very reliable and I e-bike at every possible opportunity. Great to get out of the car and I have a quiet rural roads (30km out of 35km) to travel on for my daily journey.

Not looking forward to the Southern hemisphere winter which is drawing ever closer....
 
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