msu2001la

I finally got a chance to try out one of Chicago's Divvy (bike share) e-bikes today on my regular office commute route. What a huge difference that motor makes!

• Previous 5 mile commute route on regular Divvy, with stops: 5mi = 25:33 (12.5mph avg)
• Today's 5 mile commute on E-Divvy, with stops: 5mi = 19.47 (16mph avg)

On top of saving 5+ minutes on my already short commute time, I didn't even break a sweat. I could've easily done 10 or 15 miles at that same effort, and maintained the same speed with no more effort. A 15 mile commute in under an hour, no clothing change necessary! The e-assist makes headwinds and hills (not that we have those around here) totally disappear, and accelerating from stoplights feels amazingly easy. The bikes also have lock-to capability, so even if a dock is full (as they frequently are downtown during rush hours), I can lock it up to a regular bike rack for a small additional fee.

The only downside is that my ride cost me an extra $3.11, on top of my annual Divvy membership ($99). Cost-wise it's on-par with public transportation options, but in the COVID era I suspect these E-bikes will be very popular once we all start going back to the office.

My experience has me wondering if I should be investing in an e-cargo bike now. I am a bit limited on parking space, but would love to be able to easily ferry my daughter to/from school this way.

Darth Lefty 

Around here there are still a few but it seems like they've mostly been replaced with electric scooters, either smaller (push style) or multi-hp that can go city street speeds. No pedaling, either way. The scooters have a whole subculture of people who compete to pick them up and charge them for a buck or two

There has been some maneuvering about who owns them. I don't recall details but it was all about Uber.

kingston 

Urban commuting is the only ebike use-case that makes any sense to me at all, but at over a thousand dollars a year, you're probably not much cheaper than a scooter depending on your parking situation.

BobbyG

If your goals are time-saving and less physical exertion, then an e-cargo bike may be for you. If you live within a 5-mile radius of Chicago's Loop, then you have to also consider the possibility of theft if you don;t have secure parking, preferably indoor also considering the elements, especially in winter. At least with the bike-share bike, security and maintenance are not issues for you.

msu2001la

All good points. I think my goal is really just less driving. Bike share is awesome for my solo commute, but I can't ride my kid to school or carry a load of groceries on one. I feel like if I'm buying a cargo bike I'd probably opt for an "E-bike" version, though at quick glance they are REALLY expensive.

The parking situation is a bit tricky. I have a two-car garage at home that I share with my next door neighbor. I can fit two regular road bikes behind my car (one above the other on the wall), but a cargo bike would be a tight squeeze. At my office I have an indoor bike room, so I could theoretically commute with a cargo bike and park it in there. I rarely ride my own bikes to the office, opting instead for bike-share for the exact reasons you list. Maintenance, theft and ease of parking. Even in my bike room I feel the need to lock up, and worry about leaving an expensive bike in there. I also love being able to trash a Divvy bike on a slushy/salty commute and never worry about cleaning.

There's also the reality of riding with a young kid in the winter as well. I don't really see myself loading a 5 year old into a cargo bike when it's snowing or 20 degrees, but I suppose even if I only got 9 months of use out of it, it might still be worth it.

msu2001la

I hadn't thought of the cost that way. $3 per ride x 2 = $6 per day. $30/wk x 50 weeks = $1500 a year, plus my $99 annual Divvy membership. That's a lot of money.

A privately owned e-scooter would be a cheaper option for commuting. I assume I could park one in my office building bike room. Does anyone ride these in the winter? Not necessarily in snow, but wondering how wet/salty roads would impact the electronics.

In reality, I'll probably just keep riding mostly regular Divvy bikes, but interesting to think of how these e-bikes/scooters expand options.

kingston 

I was thinking gas scooter, but owning your own ebike is probably the cheapest option because you don't ever have to pay for license, insurance or parking. I have two gas scooters, and operating costs are a couple hundred dollars a year. If you can find a place to park it for free it's still way cheaper than the divvy e-bike surcharge, but you're always going to have the $99 divvy pass because it's so convenient to just ride someone else's bike from place to place.

chas58

Or get a used mountain bike and add your own motor. I did that 7 years ago (on a road bike) and it cost me about $500 for the e-bike kit. I used it so much that I sold one of my cars.
It is addictive once you try it. Given you live somewhere flat, you don't really need much power or complexity - a small hub motor does just fine.

noglider 

I would get an e-cargo bike if I had an excuse. I love those things.

Are the Divvy bikes like NYC's Citi Bike bikes? Our bikes are tanks and weigh about 50 lbs. I can't average more than about 10 mph, so my hat is off to you for going so fast on Divvy.