real dumb question about Ezip Trailz

[dallasfoto]

My new Ezip Trailz (Currie) is on its way and I should have this before school starts next month to learn how NOT to get killed in Dallas riding one mile to work. I am a little confused about how this works, from reading the reviews.

You start pedaling and the motor kicks in. Do you control the speed of the bike with the hand throtle or does it coordinate with the bike gear (there are seven I guess) so that when you shift the derailleur (?) the bike goes faster? I know this seems really stupid. Or is it a juggling act between a throttle and the bike's gear shift?

I know this is a hybrid bike but can you just ride with the motor without pedalling?

My previous ebike was a scooter with no pedals so you just used the hand throttle.

Sorry to sound so stupid in the midst of all these experts!

Also...fellow Dallasites...the laws about sidewalks are VERY unclear. Up here in the burbs, riding on the street is virtual suicide as most drivers go about 75 in a 40MPH zone and they text message on their Blackberries and apply mascara while doing 75 and ignoring not only bikers but stoplights, stop signs, pedestrians (in Texas a pedestrian is considered Satan Spawn). I have read the laws regarding sidewalks but it's mostly regarding skateboards.

 

[Anonymous]

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[dogman dan]

I know zip about an ezip, but since I have a motor now, I barely use gears at all. I downshift only if it is an uphill start off. Once I get about a half a crank on the peadles, I just hit the throttle and zoom. You are gonna love it. With only one mile of ride, you will never need to charge at work, but if allowed, I'd bring the bike into the classroom. Boys get creative.

 

[dallasfoto]

Yeah when I was riding the little E scooter, the kids went nuts! It was a great lesson in "if this old guy can do this, so could we someday". Once I switched over to a regular bike the kids were very bummed out. But the little Xtreme scooter was just way too small for me and uncomfortable...even for two miles a day. I think they will love the new E bike because it's like their own ten speeds at home visually. Okay funny story...

One of my little princess-new money-living-beyond-their-means girls said that she felt so sorry for me because I was too poor to own a car. I told her I own a car but that my partner drives it to his job. (The kids know about my partner and all and it is cool here.) Anyway we got into a very good heated discussion about global warming, using up oil like there is plenty out there, what really matters in one's life in terms of values. She just did not understand anything about why someone would CHOOSE to ride a bike or walk or take the light rail to work. So all the kids chimed in, some very green-aware, others only concerned about the label they wear and brand of status car they own. Suddenly I told the kids I was the richest man in Dallas. And they just did not get it. A few days later Missy New Money was waiting in carpool for mom. Mom pulled up in a brand new Volvo sedan...a loaner car...because the Ferrari was in the shop that day. Missy refused to get into the Volvo because she was embarrassed that it was not the Ferrari. I told her to get in the gawddammd car because she was holding up the line. Well apparently at dinner that night my story about my Ebike and being green came up and her father told her that her teacher was right. And let her have it right between the eyes when Mom told him what had happened at carpool. I saw dad a few weeks later and we both laughed about the whole thing. He thanked me for setting her straight about what "rich" means. I guess the late sixties means nuthin' today.

 

[Anonymous]

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[dogman dan]

OH PLEASE! Of course the ebike is green, because it's efficient!!!! Just starting the car is going to take more energy than the whole 1 mile ride on the ebike. Soon enough they will be stringing wire from the new windmills to Dallas anywyay. Anything that's using less is green enough for me.

 

[dallasfoto]

The ebike is green, only if the power used to charge it is green ...

We buy our electricity here in Dallas from GREEN MOUNTAIN ENERGY, who use solar and wind to feed the grid. Is that green enough?

 

[TPA]

Solar panels require surface area, and a lot of it when used for commercial production. Surface area that could be used to grow shrubs, trees or even grass (unless used in desert climates).
Wind turbines do the same as well as kill birds.

Both types require dirty industrial processes to manufacture the necessary components.

And both still require the lines for power transmission which all adds to the sprawl.

It would be far better if we just lived in mud huts and did not commute at all. You know, just be happy where we are.

Or.....even better maybe the earth would be better off if we all died.

 

[pwbset]

Or.....even better maybe the earth would be better off if we all died.

Haha... like I always say to some of my eco-warrior friends when they claim "we're killing the earth".. I say, "no... we're just killing humanity and the critters and trees. The earth could care less if it was a pure methane environment, or frozen, or boiling or just a rock in space". The always just stare at me blankly as they finish their sushi and get back in their SUVs to go to Yoga class.

 

[nomad85]

Solar panels require surface area, and a lot of it when used for commercial production. Surface area that could be used to grow shrubs, trees or even grass (unless used in desert climates).
Wind turbines do the same as well as kill birds.

Both types require dirty industrial processes to manufacture the necessary components.

And both still require the lines for power transmission which all adds to the sprawl.

It would be far better if we just lived in mud huts and did not commute at all. You know, just be happy where we are.

Or.....even better maybe the earth would be better off if we all died.

Right... nothing is ever good enough for everyone. I think solar and wind is a vast improvement over gas and coal...

 

[dallasfoto]

It would be far better if we just lived in mud huts and did not commute at all. You know, just be happy where we are.

Or.....even better maybe the earth would be better off if we all died.

We are nearly there. We are not ready to face the end of oil. And there are predictions of major world chaos when it runs out. I do not own any land right now for growing food. I could probably survive with no electricity or car gasoline, but I would not be able to sustain life without food. And I cannot grow my own. I will need some kind of store where I can buy something to eat. And without some fuel, the food cannot get there from the farm. Rent the film "Crude Awakening". Thank god I am too old to see what will happen but it will be very ugly. America is not ready to face a world without oil. And she won't be. So long as we elect chimpanzees to run things.

 

[TPA]

Someone needs to make a "tongue in cheek" emoticon.