Master of the Electric Bicycle Promotion online program

[LockH]

Seen on ES here:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=54695&start=34

In part:

Anyway... I am also on that "LinkedIn" thingee, and recently added as a skill "Master of the Electric Bicycle Promotion"... (Dunno how many "masters" there are out there yet, if any... Hey, anybuddy here wanna whip up a "course" in ebike PROMOTION, and hand out certs to grads? Warning, tests may be difficult, competition to "compete" fierce).

So watt say all? Could the denisons aboard ES come up with a series of online courses ("chapters" if you like), about ways one might promote the electric bicycle (sneaky and otherwise)? Best case, for fun AND for a little profit? For example, if this series were online here, perhaps the wizards behind the screen at ES could only offer access to anyone wiling to donate some little/reasonable $$$ to ES...

Then some of the wizards on ES (or Everybuddy aboard this "Good Ship" ES could vote on results/answers, or just award some limited number of annual trophies or cerificates to the top x number of respondents...

Objective of this whole exercise would be to maybe "turn out" some "electric traction" experts, recognized by their "ES cert/trophy", who might gain employment in the coming "storm" (of sales and maintenance of electric vehicles, especially bicycles and tricycles, in North America... watt some of us might be about to "take off")

Watt say all?

Tks
The Angry Ebiker (formerly "That Damned Electric Guy", and formerly a "Combat Accountant")

 

[liveforphysics]

I like the idea.

 

[LockH]

That's because yer a "shoe in" for first trophy/cert. Master LFP, damn it...
:lol:
L

PS... I expect the info is already aboard the "Good Ship" ES, maybe just needs to be "linked" together in one spot better...

 

[cal3thousand]

I would accept ES as an accredited institute in this particular realm of certification. Where do I sign up? and where are the co-eds?

 

[LockH]

Oh goody goody... another victim.... Oooops shouldn't say that... Master LFP will be a pretty hard act to follow. But I see you have been hanging out with Master Meth (no, not *that* sort of "meth", and nice bikes BTW)... And I LOVE a good horse race (on the water, if ya rub two sailboats together, same thing). So, if winning is up to the good people aboard ES, how many might we recognize for this trophy/cert each year, d'you think? So far, only two entrants, so I suggest ya both might win. Anyway, I did send a PM to "steveo", asking may we please crack a new "forum" on ES about this "maybe so-called contest", but still no response yet.
Honestly, I did get a cert in mktg waaay back, but I'm not sure I should even enter this race (I am humbled by the competition so far...Tech skills are certainly not my "forte")
L

 

[Ypedal]

I submit my projects page as class material.... if you can stay awake long enough to read everything on there... you have no excuse to be ignorant about anything ebike related !

 

[LockH]

Oh oh... The ebike clan are gathering... Guess I could have expected a bunch of wizards to show up on All Hallows' Evening...

So yah, Master YP... a lot of KNOWLEDGE about watt some might term the "Black Art" (of ebike design, repair, and promotion (mostly promo, I guess in a "Master etc Promo prog...)
L

 

[LockH]

In keeping with my (self appointed) title of "Master of the Electric Bicycle Promotion" (already "approved" once on the site "LinkedIn", by a former landlord (lady) of mine, who bought me lunch the other day, then drove me over to one local ebike store and plunked down payment in full for her first electric bicycle, then, I am told by the store owner, returned about one week later to buy a *second* ebike for the "light of her life"), I was walking this morning along Queen Street East in my town (watt some might rudely rename "yuppieville", and not too far north of The Lake, for an old sailor), and watt do I see, but a "commercial" property "available"... :


1982 Queen St.E. has sort of a "chequered" past... Waaay back late in the last century, for example:
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/1998/agendas/council/cc/cc980729/to10rpt/cl060.htm

Seen here:
https://pipl.com/directory/name/gallos/william/

... 7th Wave Bistro and its owner, William Gallos, were able to obtain a ... Now William Gallos has a long history of breaking the law at 1982 Queen Street East: ...

Anyway... The place finally seems to be vacant, and available for... something. And I wonder if maybe Gallos et al were "taking the wrong tack", so to speak. If the property was sold/leased to a "not-for-profit association" (the Toronto Electric Riders Association was chartered as a "Federal N-F-P" last year, while yours truly was... "away"... and our beloved President stepped into the breach... opened a bank account and got us that charter thingee.)

(For the benefit of some readers maybe, in Canada a "not for profit" does NOT mean that staff etc are not paid, only that any profits are earned in pursuit of the objects of the corp, plus are returned to the corp(oration), broadly speaking.)

So anyway... This not-for-profit corp rents the place as a "drop in centre" for its Membership and guests (TERA online membership close to 1000 members now, actual *paid* Members about 100) mostly in our "Greater Toronto Area"... Members (and guests) might bring in stuff like takeout coffee, pizza... Some of our area ebike sellers might like to donate (on loan) one or more of their ebikes (different styles) "for display purposes"... The Club might sponsor ebike maintenance courses... how to convert a bicycle... Bicycle riding safety courses (applicable to ebikes as well). Hmmm... Watt else...

Well, you get the idea maybe. The idea is to "make a splash" on a busy street, "populated" mostly by the "well heeled", to promo the electric bicycle. It'll be interesting to see who on ES tries this idea first (some other city, please?), or maybe it's just a bad idea? But I tend to think it's "all in the spin", ya might say.

I have already written the listing agent (?) to inquire about the status of the property eg for a "private members club". So remains to be seen (as my uncle the undertaker used to say). Hehe... I hope that old joke isn't TOO stale...
L

 

[LockH]

Incidently... In another ES thread "List (Thread) of folks that HATE the electric bicycle", here:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=53226

... I mentioned going out to a "local" (not too much further downtown) "Mexican" (?) bar/restaurant, and I had forgotten I "snapped" a pic/image with my pocket-sized sorta "spiffy" BlackBerry phone (given to me by my older daughter, and the first thing I had to do was figure out how to turn off the ringer using the tiny keypad and my sorta "broken" fingers - but hey, the pocket camera is still kinda handy):


The whole reason why I went (apart from plenty of "entertainment value" eg good "tunes"-music and a sorta broken up old man talking to some "pretty young things" - hehe) was to PROMOTE the electric bicycle to a somewhat "younger crowd".

Apart from my "costume" (that wasn't really much of a costume at all), I had in my back pants pocket a small bunch of cards from an area ebike retailer/store (who gives me a small "commission" on any ebike she sells (where the buyer shows her one of "my"/her cards - which oddly has a sorta cryptic "code" written on one side.) I kinda need to get back to "work", and the last of my accounting clients sorta "faded away" while I was in hospital (one at least, the senior of a partnership, apparently came to "visit" me in one of the hospitals, but I was still sorta "out of it").

Anyway... So far, it seems marketing the electric bicycle in Toronto may be more fun than accounting. Who knew!
Hehe...
L

 

[LockH]

Seen on this mornings walk... this poster in a clothes cleaning shop:


Hey! A "friend to the environment"? "Environmentally friendly DrySolv"? These folks:
http://www.drysolv.ca/

DrySolv Canada, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, *CANADA*? Yah, OK, so they are a bunch of "hosers", and they are kinda far from the "salt" (ocean) for a sailor, but we love them anyway... Hehe...

Note to self: Maybe DrySolv might offer some discount to ebikers... (Card-carrying members of the Toronto Electric Riders Association). Hey, ebike riders are sorta "enviro friendly"? Sure, OK, maybe our electricity ain't "hydro-electric" so much any more, but could be (Wind and solar too)? Hey, at least they don't smoke (burn gasoline, then blowing it into the air that we (?) breath as they wave as they pass by (or more likely in my town) you pass THEM by.
L

PS... I guess nuclear power is "enviro-friendly", as long as things don't go horribly wrong...

 

[LockH]

Incidently... In my nEVer-ending race to stay ahead of the competition for the (self-appointed, in its first year) title of "Master of the Electrical Bicycle Promotion" (it's a yoke, I know - sorry, JOKE... with apologies to chickens EVerywhere - but I happen to be DEADLY SERIOUS about "killing off" watt some might call the antiquated 20th-century - usually blowing out exhausted/burnt gasoline and "additives" out a "tailpipe" - horseless carriage), and I will end up being a huge FAIL when I am contested by many of the ebike Wizards here on ES, I do hope to repeat for it's second year the "Annual TERA International Hill Climbing Competition"... which was written about online here:
http://www.meetup.com/Electric-Bicycles/events/130565282/

(Dunno if anyone can see that thread, or cares to). I had the idea for this first EVent, but next year I hope it will be MUCH better "attended" (eg, by local "media"). Some might think of it as "Pikes Peak Light"... Entrys limited to the street legal "power-assisted bicycle" (the legal term for an electric bicycle in Canada, and most "provinces", including Ontario) and a rider, of course... hehe. My thought was to creat an annual EVent "for the common EVerybuddy"... With "vehicles" that everybody can afford.

In my tiny, perfect world there would be similar EVents in EVery State/Province across North America, with a "capo di tutti capi" continental/overall race (but I understand that name has already been taken... or something like that...)
L

 

[LockH]

Idea shamelessly stolen from... somewhere...

Ad placed in some area newspaper or newspapers, signs posted in high-traffic areas (eg high schools, etc):

"Coming soon (perhaps some date leading up to Ed - Ebike Day - or other), the Ebike Fairy!"

(Might include a picture of the... ummm... probably shouldn't refer to them as the "culprit"

Once the day/date is known some time in advance, return to the signs and use a waterproof "magic marker" etc to write the date and location of the upcoming "EVent".

To perhaps add more "mystery"(?), have or add on the poster "MUST be of LEGAL AGE."

Then, at the appointed day and place, the "fairy" arrives early perhaps in some "costume" (see pic above, or at least wearing a legal helmet), and has a sorta BIG BAG - of candy, presents, etc, or so it may appear to some, but actually includes only a goodly stock of flyers for one or more area electric bicycle sellers. (Flyers/cards to hand out are the important part. Some candys might be "extra".)

Have fun! Naughty old santas (sorry, *ebike fairys*) might have somewhere to sit, so that some pretty young ladies might sit on their knee. (Or bounce in their lap. Maybe be accompanied by a photographer taking "souvenir" pictures...)

Sadly, Ed comes but once a year. So sad.

L

PS... "Mummy! But you sat on the Ed Fairies lap LAST week!"

 

[LockH]

Slightly better pic (with helmet) of the Mad Ebiker, before he escaped the Ontario "Health Care" (so-called) SYSTEM:

 

[LockH]

In my sorta hopeless effort to stay ahead of the other Masters on the Electric Bicycle PROMOTION here on ES (it's a good thing I am not a "sore loser"), I realize I still have a copy of watt I wrote to stick on a billboard, attached to my own "rusty steed" (front wheel drive, electric tricycle), and parked on the sidewalk, right out side of the front doors for this place:
http://www.lunacycabaret.com/

I had my friend Mister Pin (another "artsy-fartsy") write this on the billboard:

WARNING
Do not attempt to MOVE or OPERATE! This TIME TRAVEL DEVICE operates on a variety of power sources, mostly NUCLEAR, but also hydro, wind, etc and maybe the SUN (all typically distributed as electricity), and can also be operated using human food energy. Travels from Point A to Point B etc faster and cheaper (for urban excursions) than other travel options including public transit, the gasoline-powered horseless carriage, etc (silently, and blows zero exhaust in your face).

(Antique technology. Mostly from the 19th and 20th century... Look for the half-dead old sailor on the hard (stuck on land, wearing spurs) inside for details...)

The end result? On a rare "night out", I got to have two sidewalk convos, plus hand out two cards (from an area ebike shop owner), watt may or may not "bear fruit" (each card had the "secret word" Lock on them... hehe... And if a card turns up at the ebike store - and the card-holder subsequently hands over some "moolah"/cash- the shop owner gives me some small "kick back")

Anyway... Having a bit of fun AND promoting electric vehicles (and maybe selling some) at the same time. Well, suffice to say, I hope others here can handle too much fun.

L
L

 

[LockH]

PS... "Master of the Electric Bicycle Promotion" on LinkedIn now up to TWO. Ha Ha... Got you all beat (probably not)!

NOTE to self: Must connect with the local Shriners... They like to dress up funny and ride their gas-powered (?) funky little "go carts" in some parades. Perhaps they want to go "gas free"? Failing this, maybe some ebikers locally (or in other towns or cities across North America) might "steal" from the Shriners, and maybe ride *their* electric bicycles in parades... and dress up as ebikers... Say, just HOW would an ebiker "dress up" for a parade anyway? We already do have many Masters (only one "Grand Master" so far hehe) aboard the Good Ship ES...

L

 

[LockH]

Well, well... Lookee watt I got. My first tattoo (aka "ink". I made a promise to myself only one "tat"/"ink" EVery 60 years. Hehe...):



The bike itself is a exact copy sorta, of an ebike I borrowed many times last year, one of these:
http://www.amegoev.com/electric-bicycles-amego-electric-bicycles/electric-bikes-by-amego-electric/amego-bold-electric-bicycle.html

I gather that bike is sold under diff names (eg Energie). The dragon was just for fun (technically, if I understand correctly, in the Chinese horrorscope, I am a black/water snake), and the young lady/grrrrl that did the nasty deed (hehe) is the niece of another area ebiker. She works outta these folks:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Red-Dragon-Tattoo-Parlour/180038745364441

... by happy coincidence, a tatt parlour of the same name.

So, anybuddy else yet got some "ink" of an ebike "on display"? (On warmer occasions, many of my shirts are made for me "sleeveless" anyway)

L

 

[cal3thousand]

COOL TATT!!!

that's a worthy design for sure. If I were to get a tat it would be bike or ebike related.

 

[LockH]

Hehe... Tks, Master Cali! And here I thought only pedal-only folks huff and puff going up hills etc. I'm huffing and puffing just to stay ahead of the competition, here on the Planet ES!
L

 

[LockH]

Note to self: Max power at zero RPM (certainly more than a gas/diseasal motor.)
Situation was on a recent trip to Toronto Islands (sadly, by diseasal-powered ferry), I had a brief conversation with somebuddy about electric traction eg for boats, and they commented about some windy daze (well DUH)... But I had forgotten one advantage (among the many) about electric traction... eg, seen on ES here:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=36511

Yah, so me bad...
L

 

[LockH]

Note to self, seen here:
http://www.sci-experiments.com/ice_cream/saltwater.html

In part:

As ice begins to freeze out of the salt water, the fraction of water in the solution becomes even lower, and the freezing point drops further! However, this doesn't continue indefinitely. At some point the solution will become saturated with salt. This happens for salt in water at -21.1°C, which therefore is the coldest a saturated solution of salt and water can get. At that temperature, the salt begins to crystallize out of solution, along with the ice, until the solution completely freezes. The frozen solution is a mixture of separate salt (NaCl·2H2O) crystals and ice crystals. This heterogeneous mixture is called a eutectic mixture.

This while researching rainwater, currently (in my town) drained off the roof and into the waste pipes (hello Rochester!)... instead of eg used to refill a toilet tank, spin an electric generator, used to wash floors, etc, etc. Plus "seasons" might maybe be extended, by using a solar concentrator to keep the water (tank etc) from freezing.

Some others might find this situation kinda pathetic.


L

 

[LockH]

Note to self: Otta hang (or festoon) my rusty steed with boughs of holly, lights that light up (eg when underway), wreaths, etc.

Ho Ho Ho! (and no, it ain't jolly old saint nic. Hey buddy... wanna buy an ebike?)
L

 

[LockH]

One way to introduce some North Americans (maybe) to the pleasures of electric traction (sorry, I've wet myself again)...

These daze, it may be all too common in NA cities to see a parent pushing their "treasures" (children, maybe loaded with bags - groceries, etc). If kids, I suppose weaning them into their first "SUV" (their child strollers are sorta "humongous" too).

So here's the thought... (Yeah, I know, oh oh)

Offer for sale a sorta off the shelf but electricified skateboard, that attaches/can be de-coupled to the back of the frame of the "SUV". Batt pack could be separate from board, installed in the bottom of the SUV with wires connecting it to the motor on the skateboard. Generally, these SUVs have handles. Offer a throttle that attaches to one handle (controller installed wherEVer, and motor/controller limited to some safe/jogging speed, plus power cutout plus brake if parents hand leaves the handle.) Apart from maybe introducing parents (and kids?) to the thrill of electric assist, device also helps extend range plus give poor overworked parent (and overlaiden stroller, maybe) a "break". Parents might still kick, for the exercise. Kids can help pedal too (with the optional add on, to help recharge the batt a bit/extend the range further).

So ES, ya like (some share of net proceeds goes to support ES, of course)?

L

PS... Kiddo has their own bell/horn... Toot toot!

 

[LockH]

OK. Product idea (ya maybe heard it here -on ES, this gift to ye gawds and ebikers, and ebiker-wannabes - first) - to promote the electric bicycle. And electric transportation generally.

According to one theory, ya might want to grab `em while they are "young and impressionable". At least, before they reach the age of stupidly? (Watt?!! I gotta get a McJob? Just to pay for the car insurance, parking etc etc? And gasoline/diseasal fuel costs how much???)

So I propose to steal babies.

OK, so now that I might have caught the readers interest, I didn't mean to steal our little treasures (or maybe "rug rats", depending on whether you are a "breeder" or not) REALLY, but to start them down the true path to enlightenment, and to steal them away from the clutches of the car manufacturers, repairers, parkers, etc, etc at a very tender age.

So the product idea is for a plastic, etc, small and light-weight device that can be clamped onto the front bar of a "stroller", which can be swivelled up/down to switch from first be pedalled by hand (like some mobility devices, for folks that have lost the use of their legs, etc), then easily swung down to be pedaled by feet.

Pedaling this device spins an electrical generator (of course), so this device encourages "exercise"... because this device stores this electricity (produced by food energy) to power various devices, some included with the product when it is sold, some sold as optional extras.

"Devices" beyond the basic pedal device might include (but are not limited to) one or more lights (eg "LEDs"), a bell, horn, etc sound signaling device (lets call them "bells and whistles", for the sake of this discussion), and on and on.

The electricity produced by pedaling might be stored in various devices to be "converted" back to electricity at any time, in any device such as a yummy lithium-flavoured battery or a "capacitor", nasty mercury stuff pumped to an overhead reservoir in a "closed loop" system (mercury sold by others, separately, to avoid lawsuits - on the label "Merc should NOT be used in this device" hehe), etc etc.

To expand the product line further, for "young adults" - who it's sorta obvious they have all "working parts", and have to push a "stroller" or other device eg a whole cartload of baby food, etc. offer a four wheeler motorized "surfboard" thingee and/or a trailer/hitch thingee that can be attached to the back of "junior". (OK, NOT to the child/children, but to the carriage/stroller, etc. Family dog/pet?)

Now JR (short for "Junior", watt we'll call the little darling/terror) can pedal too, to help his nanny/mummy etc (OK, in a pinch, the father too - assuming paternity tests produce no awkward moments).

The Master of the Electric Bicycle Promotion has spoken! So, do the ES denisons like? Any ideas how this idea might be improved, or did it make anyone barf?

L
(PS, would be happy to impregnate some willing female - or females - to test this product idea out to it's fullest.)

 

[LockH]

Watt?!!! No reply/response from any of the ES Denisons yet eh? OK... Another idea (to promote electramaterrific transportation).

Form a (watt is termed in Canada a "not for profit") corp.

Then install in one (or more, or a bunch of coffee shop, etc thingees, anywhere where young mothers and their darling "rug rats" like to "hang out") a basketball hoop etc (ring plus net, hung up anywhere highish), and "fish" for the little darlings to throw coins (pennies, nickels, or quarters, etc) up and into the basket/hoop, with a small sign "Net proceeds to support..." (insert favourite "charity" here, eg old sailors - present company excepted of course... cough, cough... or our fav charities, the electric bikamathingee, and "ES"). Expanding on the concept slightly, manufacture "old school" high strikers, (also known as a "strength tester", or "strongman game", an attraction used in funfairs, fundraisers, and carnivals) w/ a coin op (quarters only please) thingee, to attract the big boys and grrrls that might think they are pretty capable w/a mallet (winners get some bit of candy - dentists will love that - or cheap trinket, maybe rings the bell or lights up stuff, etc).

I am sorta suprised there is nobuddy on ES that like to be in biz, for fun and for profit. Guess I will maybe try this myself.

Will report back (post on ES).

L

 

[LockH]

Come to the cabaret, my friend! (Ohhh... I feel a song coming on.)

The other day, arrived early at the cabaret, put on by these folks:
http://www.zerogravitycircus.com/

They put on a more-or-less monthly "Comedy Cabaret" night. So my friend Christopher and I got there early, and camped out/ate at a restaurant next door, these folks:
http://www.teanbannock.ca/

While the street has developed into our own "little India" in sorta downtown Toronto, plunked down at the western end of our little India is a real, honest-to-goodness "Indian" (native north american type) restaurant, serving straight up yummie stuff like "bannock", moose, elk, etc, etc.

So our visit to the T-n-B was sorta a trial run... My friend Mr.Pin is watt some might call an "artsy fartsy"... the "Artistic Director" for this outfit:
http://swizzlesticktheatre.com/

... so he's quite used to making/painting performers up. Like this:


(the real sorta "Indian" looking guy on the right.)

The thinking is, to waylay some folks on their way to the cabaret, etc with two "Indian" gentlemen standing outside on the sidewalk, as "greeters" to a ("under new management") "Indian" resto (watt EVen advertizes on one window sign about them offering "Indian" snacks/somethingorother).

Once the unsuspecting are inside, then they are presented with their standard "Indian" menu (plus my friend can also whip up a yummy curry, failing that a "callaloo" - a popular dish from the Carib.

And for a "grand finale", the customers/guests are given a REALLY BIG TIP by the "Indian" greeters... who are already "armed" with a wad of brochure/cards from at least one area ebike seller (each card marked with the mysterious word "Lock" hehe) from whom I get some small reward/kickback/"commission" from that area ebike seller, if that card subsequestly shows up at her shop and the card "converts" into the sale of an ebike).

So now I have to write/email the resto owner, to ask him if he maybe wants to turn us into a regular EVent... to bump up biz at his resto. And I might maybe sell ebikes too.

More TBA
L