Wow. 20 pages with mainly off topic rage. I hope if I meet some of you guys on a bikelane that I`ll be on my e-bike so I can get out of there fast
Trying to remember the OP`s first post, it was about not worrying about weight, tyres, energy sucking suspension and so on. I am not sure I agree. With all types of powered transport we try to "get as much as possible out of what we have", it being a litre of gas or what is left on a battery. For sure it gives you the option of touring without a dedicated touring bike but we tend to push bounderies and try to get more (milage) at the same price. Is`nt that what humans do?
I like the idea of solar panels but not the rigid ones, I hope they are for testing only. I would think that touring with an e-bike and solar panels I would use a trailer to be able to atatch softish solar panels to the top of the trailer for maximum charging. I would put some on the rack of the bike too, on top of bags. I have been thinking of adding a cower (windshield type of thing) for my trike. Maybe that can take some panels too.
This adds up. Maybe the value of the gear makes touring more dangerous since stealing your rig could be tempting for some?
For the poster that is thinking of touring with solar power as a task for students recumbents are expensive but they can be built if you want as many wheels as possible on the road. I just built a xyz trike and as soon as I find a practical way of charging it with solar power (it is not electric yet) I`ll be off to places I would not go on a regular bike.
my trike:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/778361...posted-public/
the xyz page:
https://www.google.no/search?sclient...yz+spaceframe+
Free plans on the page.
Tribolt Recumbent Trike: Photos and plans
It is possible to discuss if going to places you want to ride on a plane or a bus i cheating, if creditcard touring is real touring, if buying your meals instead of making them from road kill is cheating or if gears on the bike is cheating but lets do that in another thread and dedicate this one to e-bike touring and suggestions on how to do that and celebrate that this could bring some more peopel out of theyr coach and onto a e-bike. Maybe they get fit and also get so fed up with batterys and loose wires so they go on to "real" touring one day?