Santa Barbara Trip - Observations

[sabrewalt]

I am a Texan - I do not live in Austin. I am the only person I know who rides a bike(Electric or otherwise) to run errands in my city. Been doing it for over a year. I don't need to do this for monetary reasons. I do it for exercise and for the fresh air.

I was on a business trip to Santa Barbara this week. Saw LOTS of bikes being used for commuting.

NONE was electric, that was a big suprise to me. .

What that tells me is that the people using bikes for work out here are just too poor to buy a better vehicle be it a car or an Ebike and the people who CAN afford to drive ARE.

Wonder if this will ever change.

 

[Nimbuzz]

No comprende -- what does "out here" mean? If it means California lots of people purposely ride bikes for specific reasons that should be obvious. Around my parts thousands of peeps ride bikes that cost more than most 10 year old cars in Texas! = $5K

 

[sabrewalt]

I was just puzzled as to why COMMUTERS did not use ELECTRIC bikes to get back and forth to work when there was obvious struggling on the Human ones.IE tired from digging ditches all day and now has to pedel him/herself home. It just appears that those who CAN afford cars DON"T use bikes to commute. They just put them on the backs of there SUV's and use them for recreation and getting chicks. Just an observation.

 

[CGameProgrammer]

I was just puzzled as to why COMMUTERS did not use ELECTRIC bikes to get back and forth to work when there was obvious struggling on the Human ones.IE tired from digging ditches all day and now has to pedel him/herself home. It just appears that those who CAN afford cars DON"T use bikes to commute. They just put them on the backs of there SUV's and use them for recreation and getting chicks. Just an observation.

Um, exactly what did you observe? It sounds like you saw some people riding bikes and instantly made ridiculous assumptions.

People ride bikes around here (southern California) for exercise, or sometimes for environmental reasons. The only people that ride bikes for financial reasons would be some college or high-school students. Anyone with a job can afford a used car for real commuting.

The reason they don't use electric bikes is partly because they won't get nearly as much exercise, but mostly because they'd never heard of them.

 

[oatnet]

People ride bikes around here (southern California) for exercise, or sometimes for environmental reasons. The only people that ride bikes for financial reasons would be some college or high-school students. Anyone with a job can afford a used car for real commuting.

The reason they don't use electric bikes is partly because they won't get nearly as much exercise, but mostly because they'd never heard of them.

There is a mentality in SoCal of 'you are what you drive.'

In addition, people travel huge distances - people think nothing of driving 2-3 hours to visit friends, whereas on the East Coast I think that range was more like 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.

But like CG says - until I saw Knoxie's SnowKMX video and started looking around, every ebike I saw (safe the extinct Tidalforce) was an overpriced toy, underpowered, underranged, unable to climb the hills around here, and obviously cheaply and poorly made. I think xylte and the puma moter change that, but it just hasn't 'caught on' with the mainstream yet.

-JD

 

[sabrewalt]

Somebody wrote.

Um, exactly what did you observe? It sounds like you saw some people riding bikes and instantly made ridiculous assumptions

End of somebody wrote:

So what is so ridicilous about asking questions. I thought this forum was about education and inclusion. So if you get snarly when someone makes an observation, who will participate??

I was there for a day. Made an observation at thought it curious. I live in an area where Ford F350 Diesel Dulies run bike riders down for sport. I just found the environment out there curious.

The "two hour commute" comment makes perfect sense. It's sad but I think true. Here, I live 8 minutes from my office. I am lucky.

 

[CGameProgrammer]

But like CG says - until I saw Knoxie's SnowKMX video and started looking around, every ebike I saw (safe the extinct Tidalforce) was an overpriced toy, underpowered, underranged, unable to climb the hills around here, and obviously cheaply and poorly made. I think xylte and the puma moter change that, but it just hasn't 'caught on' with the mainstream yet.

-JD

I think it's because of the 20-mph speed limit. It's almost completely pointless motorizing something without gaining any speed. Sure, it can make things a bit easier, but who needs that? Nearly everyone who rides bikes either wants the exercise or they can't afford something else. Ready-made ebikes significantly reduce exercise and they're relatively expensive so they're appropriate for neither group.

Thus, the only way to have any fun on an ebike, in my opinion, is to buy a kit, which involves alot of research.

 

[xyster]

It's almost completely pointless motorizing something without gaining any speed. Sure, it can make things a bit easier, but who needs that?

Many cyclists or would-be cyclists just want assistance on the hills. 20mph uphill on a bicycle is virtually impossible for most people, and gearing down to where pedaling isn't horrifically strenuous means pedaling for a looooong time up that incline.

 

[Mathurin]

Most people I see riding won't hold 20mph over any significant distance in the first place... If you don't like riding a bike and want to ride a motorcycle instead, that' fine too, but don't bitch at bicycles not being motorcycles... Just get a motorcycle and be done with it.

 

[CGameProgrammer]

It's almost completely pointless motorizing something without gaining any speed. Sure, it can make things a bit easier, but who needs that?

Many cyclists or would-be cyclists just want assistance on the hills. 20mph uphill on a bicycle is virtually impossible for most people, and gearing down to where pedaling isn't horrifically strenuous means pedaling for a looooong time up that incline.

True, but even the lightest systems are going to add a bunch of weight, which makes it harder to pedal when not using the motor, which means you use the motor at partial throttle all the time just to do what you could already do without it at all.

 

[Lowell]

Most people I see riding won't hold 20mph over any significant distance in the first place... If you don't like riding a bike and want to ride a motorcycle instead, that' fine too, but don't bitch at bicycles not being motorcycles... Just get a motorcycle and be done with it.

I get around in rush hour traffic faster on my ebike than on a motorcycle. A fast ebike combines the best of everything for short to medium distance trips.

 

[TylerDurden]

I get around in rush hour traffic faster on my ebike than on a motorcycle. A fast ebike combines the best of everything for short to medium distance trips.

Amen.

Even a slow ebike beats car-travel in urban areas.

Anyone with a job can afford a used car for real commuting.

http://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Dimed-Not-Getting-America/dp/0805063897