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If you could afford an e-bike, would it be your "go to" commuter?

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If you could afford an e-bike, would it be your "go to" commuter?

Old 10-23-15, 09:55 PM
  #76  
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My commute is small - I wouldn't want an ebike. But if ebikes were more affordable, I can see my wife riding one, especially if it is setup to drop our son to school. So ebikes do have a place in commuting, it just depends on the person.
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Old 10-23-15, 10:01 PM
  #77  
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No
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Old 10-23-15, 10:06 PM
  #78  
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I wouldn't switch right now, because quite frankly my commute is pretty easy. If the conditions change, then my choices change, and I'd rather ride an e-bike than a car if those become my choices. At the same time, my "other job" would benefit from something that could transport a musical instrument, and I've been hoping that "city" electric cars that are not highway legal would become more widely available.

In Madison, I expect to see more and more e-bikes, as we see more bikes in general. One reason is Parking. The university no longer provides parking as a job benefit, and so a growing proportion of employees are finding alternative ways of getting to work. An e-bike is a motorized vehicle that can be parked in a bike rack.

It's just kinda weird to see a big ungainly bike go sailing past me, with the rider barely pedaling. I haven't gotten used to that yet. I guess that I don't like it from the standpoint of cycling aesthetics, but I like it in terms of providing more efficient transportation options.
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Old 10-24-15, 01:10 AM
  #79  
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I ride my commute for exercise, so, no. If I wanted such a thing, for the price, I'd get a scooter and take the road. Taking an e-bike on the bike path feels like abusing hospitality.

There's an extensive battle in the MTB community right now about whether e-bikes or pedal assist should be permitted on trails where permission to take bikes in the first place is often hard-won.
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Old 10-24-15, 04:20 AM
  #80  
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If you could afford an e-bike, would it be your "go-to" commuter?
Nope. Despite living in a hilly place and traveling ~ 10 miles each way three days a week (12 hour shifts), I like getting the exercise.
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Old 10-24-15, 06:17 AM
  #81  
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I like the exercise aspect of commuting. I've thought of getting a Copenhagen wheel but wouldn't want to change my effort level. Unfortunately, the Copenhagen wheel is limited to 20mph. I avg between 18-21 mph on my own so getting an electric assist wouldn't make much difference.

If they get something like the Copenhagen wheel sorted out and remove the speed limiter I'd consider it if I could shorten my commute time by 10 min. I don't think that's possible yet.
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Old 10-24-15, 08:33 AM
  #82  
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E-bikes are cheap and I can easily afford one, I just don't want one... Been car-free for the last few years and if I ever need something motorized I would just purchase a car which I can easily afford to buy.
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Old 10-24-15, 10:08 AM
  #83  
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Originally Posted by gregf83
I like the exercise aspect of commuting. I've thought of getting a Copenhagen wheel but wouldn't want to change my effort level. Unfortunately, the Copenhagen wheel is limited to 20mph. I avg between 18-21 mph on my own so getting an electric assist wouldn't make much difference.

If they get something like the Copenhagen wheel sorted out and remove the speed limiter I'd consider it if I could shorten my commute time by 10 min. I don't think that's possible yet.
That's the beauty of E-Assist bikes, NOT E-Bikes... E-Assist bikes you MUST PEDAL, so you still get all the exercise you want, but can get some assistance up hills or into the wind and keep up 20MPH basically the whole ride...

EDIT; E-Bikes are like mopeds, E-Assist bikes are like regular bikes, one must pedal to get anywhere...

Last edited by 350htrr; 10-24-15 at 10:19 AM.
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Old 10-24-15, 10:25 AM
  #84  
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I want an ebike but my commute is too far and on unfriendly to bike roads. I may get one just for fun but then I'm restricted on where and how I can ride it. I noticed the MUP here doesn't say no motorized vehicles it says no atv's. I was at a State Park where I'm sure has similar rules. I saw a guy with an e-assist in Professor protect the snowy owl territory and no one stopped him so if I don't cause a scene I can probably get away with it. I could only tell he was on one because I'd been looking at them recently he had what looked like the aftermarket add on motor which you can only tell by the battery square hanging there.
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Old 10-24-15, 10:25 AM
  #85  
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Originally Posted by 350htrr
That's the beauty of E-Assist bikes, NOT E-Bikes... E-Assist bikes you MUST PEDAL, so you still get all the exercise you want, but can get some assistance up hills or into the wind and keep up 20MPH basically the whole ride...

EDIT; E-Bikes are like mopeds, E-Assist bikes are like regular bikes, one must pedal to get anywhere...
I don't think there's a difference. Most bikes referred to as e-bikes offer an assist mode or are assist only, e.g. Specialized Turbo Ebike. $6k seems a little steep though.
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Old 10-24-15, 10:30 AM
  #86  
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Originally Posted by 350htrr
That's the beauty of E-Assist bikes, NOT E-Bikes... E-Assist bikes you MUST PEDAL, so you still get all the exercise you want, but can get some assistance up hills or into the wind and keep up 20MPH basically the whole ride...
You're missing out on the benefits of hill climbing... Climbing hills is what makes a cyclists stronger and fitter... climbing hills is where the real fun is...Sure you can easily maintain 20mph on an e-bike but you're not doing it by your own power, and that's cheating. If somebody is only interested in cutting their time, then by all means ride an e-bike but if you're riding for fun and exercise then pedal power is the way to go.
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Old 10-24-15, 10:35 AM
  #87  
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
You're missing out on the benefits of hill climbing... Climbing hills is what makes a cyclists stronger and fitter... climbing hills is where the real fun is...Sure you can easily maintain 20mph on an e-bike but you're not doing it by your own power, and that's cheating. If somebody is only interested in cutting their time, then by all means ride an e-bike but if you're riding for fun and exercise then pedal power is the way to go.
If you don't have a speed limiter on the bike you can put out the same power on the ebike and you'll just go faster. If you're reasonably fit, I agree there's no benefit if the bike is limited to 32kph but Specialized sells their ebike in the US at least with a 28mph assist so you'd have no trouble getting a decent workout.
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Old 10-24-15, 10:45 AM
  #88  
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OP was about .. NL eBike sales , they have invested in the infrastructure to not have to compete for highway space..

Bromfietspad is a moped allowing path, shared with just bicycles.. & walking of course, a separate road system.

they also have some hellacious Headwinds coming off the Nort Sea to battle .. regularly.
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Old 10-24-15, 11:05 AM
  #89  
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I don't want an e-bike. I would however like to ride one, I think it would be a lot of fun. One of the main advantages of cycling is environmental friendliness. It may not be as bad as a gas motor, but the technology they use on e-bikes is far from eco-friendly. 66% of the nation's electricity comes from burning coal and natural gas. Add solar panels and regenerative braking, and you've got yourself a fun, efficient means of transportation.
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Old 10-24-15, 11:18 AM
  #90  
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I really like the high end ebikes. For instance, I'd love something like the Stromer ST2, but yeah, $7,000 . The more affordable models that make some sacrifices in range, speed, or with parts that don't integrate as seamlessly, don't appeal to me nearly as much.
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Old 10-24-15, 12:41 PM
  #91  
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i would consider an e-assist if it were more reasonably priced. i actually looked up a few just last week, but the pricetag fr a decent is too steep, and there is just not enough return for the investment.

my commute is 20km one way, and most mornings i do 40-45 befor i arrive at work. but some mornings i run 10k before going to work, so that is when i'd ride the ebike. but even riding 20k under my own power isnt too strenuous anyway.

i'd love to try one though.
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Old 10-24-15, 12:52 PM
  #92  
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Originally Posted by wolfchild
You're missing out on the benefits of hill climbing... Climbing hills is what makes a cyclists stronger and fitter... climbing hills is where the real fun is...Sure you can easily maintain 20mph on an e-bike but you're not doing it by your own power, and that's cheating. If somebody is only interested in cutting their time, then by all means ride an e-bike but if you're riding for fun and exercise then pedal power is the way to go.
No, you would not miss out on any benefits riding up any hill with E-Assist or riding on flat roads, what would happen is... You would make it up the hill faster with the assist but you can still put in the same amount of pedaling for the exercise... Same for flat roads. As long as you don't use the throttle, it's just like riding a real bike, you can still get as much exercise as you want but can travel faster up hills/into the wind... or not get as sweaty if where you are going is somewhere it matters...

Last edited by 350htrr; 10-24-15 at 12:58 PM. Reason: spelling
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Old 10-24-15, 12:59 PM
  #93  
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Originally Posted by 350htrr
No, you would not miss out on any benefits riding up any hill with E-Assist or riding on flat roads, what would happen is... You would make it up the hill faster with the assist but you can still put in the same amount of pedaling for the exercise... Same for flat roads. As long as you don't use the throttle, i's just like riding a real bike, you can still get as much exercise as you want but can travel faster up hills/into the wind...
but i wonder how many would opt to riding into a 30mph wind under his own power when he has e-assist at his disposal. i couldn't resist hitting the 'button' or however the assist is actuated.
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Old 10-24-15, 01:00 PM
  #94  
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Originally Posted by mcours2006
but i wonder how many would opt to riding into a 30mph wind under his own power when he has e-assist at his disposal. i couldn't resist hitting the 'button' or however the assist is actuated.
That is a different problem, the point is, one can still get as much exercise as one wants, but just get there faster. You only get a measured amount of assist, usually 4 levels, you get to decide how much assist... That's why I differentiate between E-Bikes and E-Assist, big difference.

Last edited by 350htrr; 10-24-15 at 01:05 PM. Reason: add stuff
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Old 10-24-15, 01:03 PM
  #95  
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Originally Posted by 350htrr
That is a different problem, the point is, one can still get as much exercise as one wants, but just get there faster. You only get a measured amount of assist, usually 4 levels, you get to decide how much assist...
tru enough.
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Old 10-24-15, 01:18 PM
  #96  
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This not getting any exercise is wrong, if you use the assist for what it was meant to be used for it can certainly be effective for exercise... It was meant to enable people to ride more, further, faster, carry more... Unfortunately it can be used to avoid pedaling all together too... And there's the rub, Most people do use the throttle more than they should I suspect, thus it can be a fail for exercising, but as long as they pedal and just use a bit of assistance once in awhile...
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Old 10-24-15, 02:02 PM
  #97  
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Again, it matters if the bike is the means or the ends. For a lot of you the bike is clearly the ends. For me it isn't.

The final decision to order a kit (it still isn't here) was last Sunday. The wind was blowing and I just didn't feel like fighting it to go to mass; so, I didn't go. For me that, other than work, is my only social interaction (yes, I am a bit of a cave dweller. . . a gal at the hardware store tried to chat me up; but I fumbled that one . . .).

For those of you for whom the bike is the ends, great. Please lay off the snide insults. Going to work isn't a race, no one is cheating. An electric assist bike isn't a moped, or a scooter, or a motorcycle; it is a tool.
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Old 10-24-15, 04:04 PM
  #98  
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I think this thread shows how deeply the "toy" and "sport" mindset is ingrained in the US bike culture, and the unwillingness to admit it.
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Old 10-24-15, 04:20 PM
  #99  
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Originally Posted by kickstart
I think this thread shows how deeply the "toy" and "sport" mindset is ingrained in the US bike culture, and the unwillingness to admit it.
The competitive spirit of riding a bicycle is nothing new, bicycles have been used as toys and for sport since the late 1800's and it's not unusual to see regular, non-racing, casual cyclists and commuter cyclists get competitive with each other. I mean how many times we have threads on bikeforums about somebody getting their ego hurt just because another cyclists was faster and passed them ??...I like the simplicity of a bicycle as it is. The physical part of pedaling is what makes it exciting, once you add a motor to a bicycle the riding experience gets all corrupted.
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Old 10-24-15, 05:09 PM
  #100  
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Regardless of the sport there are always going to be people with 'purist' attitudes and those who just say, hey, whatever works for you. Pointless to try and convince one that the other is the right attitude. Just ride, whatever you ride.
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