JohnC
10 W
$1 a gallon gas costs $4 because of taxes and speculators. I was tired of getting screwed, have a short commute and its fun to ride.
Why did you get into electric bikes?
- Thread starter Grizzlybear
- Start date
Pure
10 kW
Back in 03 I was living in DC and got a DUI. That was the first time I researched Ebikes. At the time batteries (that I could find) were still not up to what I wanted so I held off. Fast forward to 2009, I went on full disability for kidney failure. When I looked at my car, I crunched the numbers, and between the care payment and high insurance costs (DUI Insurance) I was shelling out over 500 a month to drive a car. Then in 09 the gas crunch happened, shooting my local gas prices up to over 5 bucks a gallon. That was the twig that broke the camels back. I called my financing company and told them to just come get the car, that I would no longer be sending them any more payments. I don't have kids and rarely ever need to travel more than 30 miles. So an ebike as my sole means of transportation makes more sense than anything else.
Timma2500
1 kW
I've been an avid mountain bike rider for 20yrs and dirt bike rider for 15yrs, a well balanced good quality e-mtb with a few kw is the perfect blend of both!
On a tight winding single track or steep rocky hills theres nothing better :wink:
Needless to say i no longer ride my normal mountain bike
As a side note, its great to hear e bikes are helping to get people out and about on bikes that would normally struggle to do so due to injury or ill-health, another positive point for e-bikes!
Paul
On a tight winding single track or steep rocky hills theres nothing better :wink:
Needless to say i no longer ride my normal mountain bike
As a side note, its great to hear e bikes are helping to get people out and about on bikes that would normally struggle to do so due to injury or ill-health, another positive point for e-bikes!
Paul
I got interested in E-Bikes by chance. I originally started researching converting a gas car to electric. I was a little frustrated that there are no viable electric cars available to the public at that time. After a little research, I decided it would be wise to first acquire some electrical knowledge and experience with a smaller, less complicated and less expensive project. I was hoping my experience with E-Bikes and electronics in general would be transferable to a car or motorcycle conversions at a later date.
I am now on my third e-bike build and I use my e-bikes as my primary transportation. My wife won't ride her bicycle on the streets so I have a Nissan Leaf on order for her.
Barry
I am now on my third e-bike build and I use my e-bikes as my primary transportation. My wife won't ride her bicycle on the streets so I have a Nissan Leaf on order for her.
Barry
dennyt
10 W
I've been a bicyclist for a long time, commuting & mountain biking, and I used to ride BMX when I could bounce back from big injuries Recently I moved even further away from work, 23 miles each way. The commute became 1:30 to 1:40 each way on my normal bike. I was driving a lot, and I got into hypermiling to reduce my fuel use. Got my '94 Subaru Loyale wagon up from 28mpg to 38mpg average, some 40mpg tanks. All the while dreaming of an electric car, but it was way too expensive to be worthwhile.
Then, one ride home, meditating on how much a headwind sucks for an hour and a half, a lightbulb went off - build an electric bike!
And so it began.
Recently I moved even further away from work, 23 miles each way. The commute became 1:30 to 1:40 each way on my normal bike. I was driving a lot, and I got into hypermiling to reduce my fuel use. Got my '94 Subaru Loyale wagon up from 28mpg to 38mpg average, some 40mpg tanks. All the while dreaming of an electric car, but it was way too expensive to be worthwhile.Then, one ride home, meditating on how much a headwind sucks for an hour and a half, a lightbulb went off - build an electric bike!
And so it began.
dougnutz
100 W
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2010
- Messages
- 138
John in CR said:
+1 to that!
I commuted by bike to avoid traffic, but one narly hill at each end of my commute started to become and excuse not to ride. Then durring summer last year I noticed that a couple of people on bikes wizzing past me on the hill were not in that good of shape. I caught a glimpse of some wires going into the wheel and realized why. A few months of cursing them and then I joined them, and I haven't looked back.
Plus I can eat more of my wifes cookies
MadRhino
100 GW
Speed and freedom, those are my first reasons.
I had to travel the bikes in a pickup truck to a mountain with chairlift and facilities. Now I ride any nearby mountain at will, and even the uphill trails have a freeride feel. :wink:
I had to travel the bikes in a pickup truck to a mountain with chairlift and facilities. Now I ride any nearby mountain at will, and even the uphill trails have a freeride feel. :wink:
Beavinator
1 kW
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2010
- Messages
- 362
I lost my license and I am friends with Lowell on the forum. One ride on his 100km/h bike was all it took for me to get hooked!
Hugues
1 kW
I got interested in e-bikes because my employer will reduce the number of parking spaces per employee and ask people to use public transportation.
At first i checked the regular 250w city bikes, but realized quickly that with a bit more power i could also use the bike over the week-end to ride in the mountains.
So i do use it almost every day to commute, and every week-end (if not more) to have fun in my "backyard". Below is a picture from Google Earth showing the traces i recorded using my Iphone, in the past 3 months. The area "traced" is about 10x10 km, i live at the bottom of the image where most traces come together.
At first i checked the regular 250w city bikes, but realized quickly that with a bit more power i could also use the bike over the week-end to ride in the mountains.
So i do use it almost every day to commute, and every week-end (if not more) to have fun in my "backyard". Below is a picture from Google Earth showing the traces i recorded using my Iphone, in the past 3 months. The area "traced" is about 10x10 km, i live at the bottom of the image where most traces come together.
TonyReynolds
1 kW
Grizzlybear said:
+1 !!!
This is me EXACTLY!
Grizzlybear
100 W
TonyReynolds said:
Ha Ha Ha that's brilliant!! at least their moaning ended up starting something great in our lives for a change hey?
Icewrench
10 kW
Hi my name is Icewrench and i am a gasoholic, have been for a long time.
Can`t quit using but higher prices and e bikes persuade me to use less.
Still have the boat and a big old 1 ton Doge Van to pull it around with.
The motorhome is history as well as large American cars with large V-8`s.
For work as a mechanic i depend on other gasoholics to breakdown.
Some of them are also cutting back and their cars are more durable than ever before.
As gas went up in 2008 I started to wonder about electric for in town tranpotation.
Stumbled across electric bicycles on the internet, cool.
Found one listed for sale nearby and came home with an ezeee folder and a grin.
Thought it might lead to building an electric car...
But an e car would still get stuck in traffic.
Can`t quit using but higher prices and e bikes persuade me to use less.
Still have the boat and a big old 1 ton Doge Van to pull it around with.
The motorhome is history as well as large American cars with large V-8`s.
For work as a mechanic i depend on other gasoholics to breakdown.
Some of them are also cutting back and their cars are more durable than ever before.
As gas went up in 2008 I started to wonder about electric for in town tranpotation.
Stumbled across electric bicycles on the internet, cool.
Found one listed for sale nearby and came home with an ezeee folder and a grin.
Thought it might lead to building an electric car...
But an e car would still get stuck in traffic.
TonyReynolds
1 kW
Yeah, but actually it was my wheezing, not her moaning...
TonyReynolds
1 kW
Hugues said:
Excellent rides! It looks like your ability to "get rural" is much easier than mine here in a very large metro area.
NeilP
1 GW
I lost my licence too...and was then cycling to work every day...18 mile round trip...but no place to shower at work and I never used to cycle the road race bike slowly, I was always flat out and hot and sweaty when I got there...so the first build was petrol, while I made my mind up what the electric build was going to be, and the parts arrived.
Gordo
100 kW
Both ankles are screwed together and don't peddle well. Wife has been riding almost daily for years. I bought an e-scooter, but looked like a dork, following a bike. Now we ride together, me on a $20 Giant from the recycle depot.
Still too warm and sunny to build my second one in a shinny new CCM Apex sitting in the shop.
Still too warm and sunny to build my second one in a shinny new CCM Apex sitting in the shop.
Samd
10 MW
- to commute to work.
- to stop losing $15k per year on the value of a car
- to show people that the 'future of transport' in the magazines actually already existed and was simpler than a car
- to tinker in my shed
- to fit in with my plan to generate all my own power to avoid paying unethical corporations and foreign dogmatists my hard earned cash
- to see more of my neighbourhood that i drove past everyday without blinking
- to get more incidental exercise
- to rehabilitate my middle aged knees
- to build a viable alternative to my car that got me to work in pretty much the same time
- to build something cool to look at that would make adults and kids ask questions
- to stop losing $15k per year on the value of a car
- to show people that the 'future of transport' in the magazines actually already existed and was simpler than a car
- to tinker in my shed
- to fit in with my plan to generate all my own power to avoid paying unethical corporations and foreign dogmatists my hard earned cash
- to see more of my neighbourhood that i drove past everyday without blinking
- to get more incidental exercise
- to rehabilitate my middle aged knees
- to build a viable alternative to my car that got me to work in pretty much the same time
- to build something cool to look at that would make adults and kids ask questions
Sunder
10 MW
I went eBike to ride to work with no shower at work - electric all the way in, pedal most the way back.
The reasons I wanted to ride was:
1. My Dr told me I was Vitamin D deficient (Yes, in Aust!)
2. I get mild depression, and exercise helps
3. I did eventually want to do a triathlon, and the only way I can get enough time to exercise, is by incorporating it into work. For the very first time today, riding was faster than the train - normally it's about equal or longer, but I left late, and it was raining, so unlike normal on full electric, I went full throttle and pedaled as well because there was nobody on the bike tracks.
The reasons I wanted to ride was:
1. My Dr told me I was Vitamin D deficient (Yes, in Aust!)
2. I get mild depression, and exercise helps
3. I did eventually want to do a triathlon, and the only way I can get enough time to exercise, is by incorporating it into work. For the very first time today, riding was faster than the train - normally it's about equal or longer, but I left late, and it was raining, so unlike normal on full electric, I went full throttle and pedaled as well because there was nobody on the bike tracks.
hydro-one
10 kW
To Go Fast, Have fun, and above all else Stick it to the man!!!!!!!!!!
Ebikes Ebikes Ebikes Ebikes Lithium LithiumLithium !!!!
Ebikes Ebikes Ebikes Ebikes Lithium LithiumLithium !!!!
My uncle suggested that he was going to get an ebike. I really liked his idea and began to do some research and ended up here.
I perused the options that best suited. I already knew about the Carry Freedom trailer and possibly the Veltop so it was a question of putting the jigsaw pieces together for a car substitute.
Simple economics and an awareness of the global recession that will swamp us in the next three or four years made up my mind along with the inevitable fall of the Euro. Plus I loved the idea of using my old bike again and having gone self-employed with a two-year grant for my online site - all unnecessary costs had to be cut and quickly.
Price was a big consideration for what I wanted but I also needed something solid and highly reliable. I purchased the bike trailer, and an aluminium box first along with some rudimentary cycling accessories. On a good day it would take me 50 minutes to travel with the trailer the 18 kilometres to work on the site with my partner.
I could live with that but I couldn't live with the gale-force wind that seems to come calling from the Sun-heated Atlantic far too frequently than was preferable. The rain was also annoying and I quickly realised that the Veltop I intended purchasing would undoubtedly slow me down on windy days without a motor. All of this solidified my resolve to press on with the electrification and the plunge for a Mac and A123s was made after over 500 kilometres of unassisted cycling.
It has been a blessing. I now have obtained mandatory good lights (magicshine 1400), the Veltop, which is great (the side curtains pulled down are not a good idea though in windy weather and i see the latest design is very different) and the joys of electric-assisted cycling have been amplified even further.
I perused the options that best suited. I already knew about the Carry Freedom trailer and possibly the Veltop so it was a question of putting the jigsaw pieces together for a car substitute.
Simple economics and an awareness of the global recession that will swamp us in the next three or four years made up my mind along with the inevitable fall of the Euro. Plus I loved the idea of using my old bike again and having gone self-employed with a two-year grant for my online site - all unnecessary costs had to be cut and quickly.
Price was a big consideration for what I wanted but I also needed something solid and highly reliable. I purchased the bike trailer, and an aluminium box first along with some rudimentary cycling accessories. On a good day it would take me 50 minutes to travel with the trailer the 18 kilometres to work on the site with my partner.
I could live with that but I couldn't live with the gale-force wind that seems to come calling from the Sun-heated Atlantic far too frequently than was preferable. The rain was also annoying and I quickly realised that the Veltop I intended purchasing would undoubtedly slow me down on windy days without a motor. All of this solidified my resolve to press on with the electrification and the plunge for a Mac and A123s was made after over 500 kilometres of unassisted cycling.
It has been a blessing. I now have obtained mandatory good lights (magicshine 1400), the Veltop, which is great (the side curtains pulled down are not a good idea though in windy weather and i see the latest design is very different) and the joys of electric-assisted cycling have been amplified even further.
wineboyrider
1 MW
I love sticking it to the man too! I got my charge getting my license back by charging my electric bicycle at the DMV station! LOL. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:hydro-one said:To Go Fast, Have fun, and above all else Stick it to the man!!!!!!!!!!
Ebikes Ebikes Ebikes Ebikes Lithium LithiumLithium !!!!
And I like having fun and going fast too.
Duc998
10 W
Will I used to ride a nice Ducati 1198S into work, Was a thing of beauty and loved it. Problem was it cost alot on insurance and then work wanted to start charging $200 for MC parking per month. I did'nt drive the MC on weekend as I've got young kids which I'd rather spend time with them...
Then I started going by train to work, However this took a long time and was annoying. First I'd drive to the station 15mins > Sometimes parking was a bitch > Walk to station 5mins > wait for train 7mins > Train ride to City 15 mins > Walk to work 10 mins. It all added up.
Now I setup an ebike and it takes me 40mins to get to work and its enjoyable! I take different routes home and its just so much fun. I rode to work in my work gear so that's great too saving me 20mins getting ready.
Then I started going by train to work, However this took a long time and was annoying. First I'd drive to the station 15mins > Sometimes parking was a bitch > Walk to station 5mins > wait for train 7mins > Train ride to City 15 mins > Walk to work 10 mins. It all added up.
Now I setup an ebike and it takes me 40mins to get to work and its enjoyable! I take different routes home and its just so much fun. I rode to work in my work gear so that's great too saving me 20mins getting ready.
ohzee
100 kW
first it was to commute and then my a type personality to over do anything I enjoy
kicked in. from there its just my most fun obsession to date.
kicked in. from there its just my most fun obsession to date.
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