How do you cope with the attention your Ebike draws?

[swbluto]

Lol. I like the idea of community-generated "business cards" designed to spark interest in electric bikes(And possibly have a few standard "values" that people ask. Speed, range, cost, etc. that people fill out on whatever word-processing program before printing). Perhaps word will get around and we'll see a few more forum members.

Anyways, mine is stealthy and only one person has mentioned anything. I was just unlocking from a bicycle rack and so was another person and he looked over and asked in a surprised way, "Is that an electric bike?". I got the usual questions, how fast does it go, can it climb *insert local hill*, etc.

Past that, the only people that seem to notice anything(Not that they notice it's electric) are those that take note that I'm going ~30 mph on a bike. I seem to get more reactions from fellow cyclists who are usually going at least 10 mph slower: especially the "lycras".

*Edit: I was passing by a retirement community one day and this old guy was eyeing me and yelled something out. I wasn't sure but I guess it could've been related to the electric-ness of my bike. Or... just how fast I was going. I was going 27 mph in a 20 mph zone. :lol:

 

[michaelplogue]

I get stopped all of the time with my stand-up scooters (Goped ESR & Diggler). In DC, my daily commute usually doubled due to people stopping me at lights to ask questions. I had a long talk with a touring company that rented out $egways for tours in the downtown area. I even had a cop on a $egway challenge me to a race. He even got some of the bums hanging around on the corner involved - getting them to hold up traffic and to start the race - which I easily won! :wink:

I expect I'll get a lot more attention once I get my e-Knock motorcycle project on the road. It will definately not look like your average, every day motorbike.....

 

[paultrafalgar]

OK. I'll start a thread called "ES Business Card Design Competition" in General Discussion.

 

[jerryt]

I've been handing out cards for several months because of the many people who asked about my bike.
Nothing fancy and its not an ES peculiar card but has a pic of my bike and includes the ES.com address plus a couple of vendor web addresses since everyone wants to know where to buy.

 

[recumbent]

Hmm, handing out cards would save me lots of time indeed.

I guess i can just download a picture of my bike to my printer with buisiness card material on the tray and print something clever and informative on them. Great idea. Thanks.

 

[Zoot Katz]

The Xtracycle has always drawn attention from cyclists and non cyclists alike. When I tell them that it can carry 200# or an adult size passenger, by pointing out the handy foot rests, they're impressed. I could have probably sold at least three dozen in the two and a half years I've owned it. Some gulp at the $500 in addition to the bike but others just nod their heads and ask where to get one.

Adding the electric motor complicates the explanation of what's what and ~$3000 puts off most off them though their ears do perk up when I mention 100km between charges.

 

[dirtdad]

I made the my eChopper to be ANTI stealth, i.e., I want it to be visibly an electric bike. It works. I can hardly stop at an intersection without getting questions. I had someone follow me home once. A guy on a Harley waved me off the road to talk about it. A kid an a Ducati held up traffic to ask how I licensed it. Some surfer dude wanted to know if I was with the CIA (I don't know what he was thinking, BTW). etc., etc. I feel like the main character in a first person shooter: even when I don't stop, I hear people talking about it - "it runs on batterys", or "hey look thats electric", etc. In my case it is business promotion. I hand out business cards and answer any and all questions.

I have never had any kind of problem with the cops, BTW. I have gone by them while they were giving tickets, lined up next to them at intersections, etc. I think the Moped plate and DOT helmet go a long way to keeping them at bay, but I can only guess.

 

[recumbent]

*snip*... and ~$3000 puts off most off them though their ears do perk up when I mention 100km between charges.

Mentioning my $3,000 price tag at the beginning of the conversation, terminates many of the questions immediatly

Many people just will not spend over a $1,000 for a bike period. "But it's probly the best 3 grand i spent in my life as far as daily fun factor, not to mention the car savings and practicality".

This is what I usually tell people because it's the truth, especially when you ride a comfort bike, with panniers.

And finally, all your worries and stress just get blowin in the wind, as Bob Dylan would say.