martybucs

...and people that don't use their brains, just coast along on their "dinky" intelligence making statements like the above.

Stray8

Yeah, but what do they do when they get to the bottom of the mountain?


.

BroadwayJoe

Say it enough times maybe folks will believe you? But as you brilliantly pointed out - you're not stupid - you know exactly what you're doing which makes you precisely what you appear to be.

SeizeTech

I got lazy by sitting on my couch. the activity of an ebike is a positive change for me.

My ride to work is 1hr and 45 minutes on a regular bike, and that is not something I can do on a regular basis.

However, with an ebike, I've been able to reduce my time to 1 hr and 20 minutes, and most importantly I have control over the intensity of my workout. Riding to and from work in the same day is possible.

I hope you don't think that all ebike owners are lazy. my ebike adds exercise to my workday probably in the neighborhood of 450 calories per hour, which is pretty respectable when you consider that I'll spend 2 hrs and 40 minutes in the saddle each day that I ride.

I guess i could exercise at home instead of commuting on an ebike, but that is a personal decision, right?

SeizeTech

the battery range is maybe 10 miles, ie full throttle and pedaling at a similar effort that i would on a stationary bike.

I'm having to carry 2 batteries, recharge at work, then use them again in to get home.

This used to add 40lbs to my bike, but with lithium ion batteries, I was able to drop 40 lbs of batteries and replace them with 12 lbs of batteries. my bike feels like a bike again

alfonsopilato

errrm.. this is yet another opportunity for me to say that i love my ebike

it's made me a more do-it-yourselfer and i've learnt so much about mechanics (how basic bolts and other such thingies fit together)
it's made me self reliant, yep i don't have to wait 20 minutes for that bus, when i could have gone to work in that much time
it's days like today, whe i take a crowded bus, that makes me remember why i chose to ride

ok.. so at the light when regular cyclists catch up with me, i often get compliments : "hey dude, nice work" or "awesome" or "where can i get me one" to which i quickly answer: buy a cheap mtb, go to the net and order a kit. Their eyes widen: that simple? and to that i answer "yep", then i finish with a "gotta go, safe ride!" and they all wave

we're pioneers folks! the work we're doing here, today, riding to our jobs or just riding for fun, increases public awareness that there are alternatives at our reach.
we are messengers of peace and hope (ok that last part may have been a bit over the top just a little )

SeizeTech

someone wrote that I'm lazy if I rely on the motor to do some of the work,

well, that ought to cut both way, i think an enthusiast that rides a road bike should be called lazy for relying on the efficiency of their bike to do some of the work.

/my 2 cents worth

martybucs

That same person also stops at road work sites and tells the person using the jack hammer that they're lazy for not using an unpowered pick axe and that the jack hammer is doing all the work. Then, they stop at construction sites and tell the carpenters that they're lazy for using nail guns instead of hammers, and power saws instead of hand saws.

Then at home chides their spouse for laziness because they actually bought butter and bread that was pre made. When they could've baked the bread and churned it themselves.

While back on the road, they scream at the Amish for using horse and plow to till their fields. Lazy people, all of them, for using time/labor saving devices!!!!

alnvilma

I have to chime in:
I originally used my first pedelec to compensate for a bad knee. I built a much faster e-bike for fun after first wanting to electrify a VW bug for my commute. That proved prohibitively expensive so, building a e-bike applied identical technology at a fraction of the cost. I was able to get out of traffic with my scooter and back in the bike lane and only losing 5-8 minutes for the commute. I learned quite a bit and I can get as much 'workout' as I want at any time by pedaling. I think of this as an electric vehicle more than an electric bike.

crackerdog

I think what it comes down to is, if you are thinking of an ebike as replacing a car, it is terrific. If you think of it as replacing a self-powered bike, then not so much. I actually started back into biking 1 1/2 years ago with an electric bike. I hardly ever use it now because I got strong enough that I use my self-powered Xtracycle mostly. I am a handy man/remodeler, and I only drive my truck about once a month. So unlike what the original troll said, I actually got stronger on my electric not lazy. The OP still hasn't explained how he/she uses their bike and whether they use a car or not.

alfonsopilato

hear ye hear ye! i second that

chicbicyclist

It' a great substitute for a horse.

Seriously though, ebike has its place the same way road type cycling for utility purposes has its place. How would you feel if someone points out and asks what the appeal of road bicycles are? They are racer type bicycle after all, not the utilitarian bicycles more common on earth. They are impractical and promotes poor posture and bodily injury compared to those upright omafiets.

It's also a great solution for the car-free/green crowd. These things are alot faster than some buses in some metros. Besides, it's great for those cargo type bikes.

crackerdog

Also, let's imagine someone with an electric bike that doesn't even use the pedals. Still much better than a car.

bikefreaks

only about 5% of the public ride their bikes. The rest are busy with work, kids, out of shape, have health issues, do other things etc.

1. Health issues.
2. Elderly
3. Non sweat commuting. For pleasant office smells =P
4. Getting out of the house for some that are not so in shape
5. Grocery shopping
6. For the huge smile it puts on your face.
7. I hate wind
8. I hate hills

The list goes on and on and on and on.

misslexi

No, no, no. I ride both, they are mutually exclusive means of traveling.

They are both great fun though

recumelectric

Me loves ya, SeizeTech! It's that simple. The ebike allows us to pedal in ways, places, and times we wouldn't have otherwise.

I just tried to explain this to another cyclist at work the other day. I said, "I really am not up to 10 miles each way on my own."

Then she said, "Yes, you are."

And I said, "No, I'm really not. I'm good for about 5 miles. After that, I need some help."

And she said, "You can do 10 miles. You don't need help."

I said, "Yes, I really do."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do."

This went around a few times until I pleaded disability. ("I have advanced arthritis.") Then it suddenly became OK, and she got totally interested in the technology.

Why do I have to plead crippled status to be respected on my e-bike? Regardless of my condition, I think it's a d--- good thing.

alfonsopilato

i'm perfectly heatlhy (and good looking ) and use an ebike and i regard this as a doityourselfer project that makes it fun and easy to get around the city. it costs more than owning a simple bike, think of maintnance, parts replacement and you really gotta be up on your bike mechanics... if anything ebikers that look after their business should be regarded as pioneers (i probably mentioned that earlier )

ok, i got another true story: i was one of the first peeps to use a debit card, and you can imagine the rest o the line rolling their eyes when i'm at the front fiddling with the swipe device.. well guess what, it's now faster to pay by debit in some instances that it is by cash !

i am not intelligent enough to judge others, but i know myself quite well so when others judge me, i'm not offended.

did i mention i'm good looking

"vote for me, mayor quimby! "

VeloBusDriver

Why do I like my e-bike? Because I can say "It cost me about $2000" and "It weighs 62 pounds" in the same sentence and that's viewed as Ok.

Seriously though... I have a Trek Hybrid bike for when I want to sweat and my Giant Twist e-bike for when I don't (or when my knee is hurting...) It doesn't do all the work, I still have to pedal, but it is SO FUN. Even though it's expensive, it's far less expensive than operating a car. 250 Watts gets me about 18-20 miles on one charge for one battery (I have two). And that's with hills - it's not flat where I live.

Tourezrick

Growing up is still as hard as it was in the '50's, '60's . . . . ad nauseum, ad infinitum. Kids want to think of themselves as being tough, even though they don't have the life experience to be so. Tough are the guys who survived wars, being wounded and prison camps, torture and deprivation, not those that sag their britches, shave their heads, throwing up signs they don't know the meaning of and thinking Paris is a celeb, not a city. They want to be all grown up but don't know how. So, next time one of these threads appears, I'm gonna show some maturity (old age?) and just ignore it and the poster.

Kingofgreens

To be honest, I didn't read this whole topic yet but to answer the OP's query.

How about saving thousands of dollars a year in fuel & other automobile related costs by using only 15 cents a day worth of electricity to get back & forth to work with no pollution emissions. I could just ride a regular bike & I often do pedal much more than use my hub motor but sometimes after work I'm drained from my physically demanding occupation & just don't have the energy left in my body.

StanSeven

This has been informative to me. Thanks to everyone that took the time to explain why they ride electric bikes. I like to commute by road bike but my job usually doesn't allow it - have to waer a suit most days and be at multiple locations. But when I can, I ride.

I can see how electric bikes fit multiple needs.

TravelinB

I'll give you two perspectives. We started with ebikes 3 years ago. We sold our car and my husband wanted to bike commute. Problem: he had to climb a huge hill to get to work and would arrive sweaty and smelly with no shower available. Solution? ebike! You ask why would any reasonably fit person want to use one. Me: I have knee a knee problem and hadn't rode a bike in 15 years. Hills always gave my knee pain. I wanted exercise, but didn't want to hurt myself. So we opted for a pedal-assist variety, that would still give me a good workout but not damage my knee further. I went from half mile rides to 25 mile rides. Even for those who don't really pedal much, they're not polluting the environment or adding to traffic and at least they're outside getting some fresh air and not sitting in front of a tV. I love my e-bike. It's returned the joy of cycling to me.

VeloBusDriver

FYI: My Giant Twist uses about 250 watts to charge each battery. I'm averaging about 18 miles per charge in moderately hilly territory.

The batteries will add to that cost when they have to be replaced. That's my biggest concern, but either way it's far cheaper than a car as you describe. For what our cars cost us, I could buy TWO e-bikes every year...

blippo

The reason I got mine is I have a bad hip and am going to be getting a hip replacement. I get sharp pain in my hip when I pedal with moderate resistance. So with an electric bike, I can still get out and ride.

GingerSpice

Hey guys,

I think ebikes are a good alternative to regular bikes for a lot of people, but could someone explain to me how they're safer? I don't quite get that part.

Thanks!

Ginger