Doug64

I'm pretty neutral on this topic. Sure, e-bikes are bicycles, they are e-bicycles. The "e" tells me it is a bike with an electric motor.

Reply to OP:
I believe e-bikes add another dimension for touring/traveling on 2 or three wheels. If touring on an e-bike suits a person's temperament, and meets their needs, it is a good alternative.

350htrr

Ha, Ha, Not in this touring forum anyways...

Happy Feet

As well as for the physically impaired, E bikes offer mobility to some in the lower economic stratum. In my area E bikes (and mopeds) are often used by retired people and those on disability because they can get around town, shop, and make appointments with a sense of independence that a motorcycle or car driver feels (though to a lesser degree due to limited range) but without the additional cost. Many people give up their drivers license (In BC maintaining a license when you are older can be quite a hassle) but get around on E bikes. No gas, no insurance cost, limited repair and maintenance, no parking fees etc... Developing a viable touring E bike would allow some of them to also vacation inexpensively as well.

While I don't for see an E bike in my near future I am always interested in developing ideas. The wing solar panel array pictured above does present a wind issue that would be a barrier both in design and bulk (mainly the result of backyard design using available off the shelf products) but I could see a light frame with an extensive aerodynamic fairing coated in flexible solar panels designed to capture some sun from any angle. Every surface area could be used with corresponding panels designed to capture power from direct or indirect sunlight. Married to a light, high capacity storage battery driving a very refined gearing system might create a long range touring E bike that is almost self sufficient as far as external power input is concerned. Consider the power input vs Lumen output between incandescent and LED lighting as an example.

Flexible solar panels: https://www.bruceschwab.com/solar-pow...ian-flex-high/

Simple fairing along that idea: https://renewableenergyspace.blogspot...recumbent.html

DropBarFan

Probably so in general but locally there's a lot of bike paths/lanes/sidewalks; one can travel quite a ways w/o venturing onto a street. OTOH non-bikers aren't esp aware of that. Ironically it's hard to find (even for researchers) energy costs of making bikes/e-bikes.

But working off one link (https://momentummag.com/how-green-is...manufacturing/) I roughly calculated lifetime energy cost of e-bike equivalent to 2 gallons of gasoline. Even if I'm off by factor of 100 an 3-bike would pay off energy-wise in 33 weeks. Researcher from link above claims e-bikes, over lifetime, only consume about 1/4 more than reg bike.

A student analyzed this & concluded e-bikes could be quite a bit (half or less) energy consumers than reg bikes if one factors in the considerable energy costs in producing conventional diet.

https://www.ebikes.ca/documents/Ebike_Energy.pdf

DropBarFan

How about if e-bikers allowed to post on the Touring forum but required to acknowledge using e-bike, perhaps also post a medical certificate explaining the need etc. ;^) Seriously, e-bikers & tourists face mostly the same issues. Personally I wonder about hand-carrying a loaded e-bike up steps etc. Even unloaded 25-kg e-bike no picnic to lift/carry.

Caretaker

Let them post away on 'Touring' with their stories and tell what they want or not, just like everyone else here.

alan s 

Absolutely. I'd love to hear stories about running out of power in the middle of nowhere, and calling AAA.

Robert C

I realize that you are kidding; but that would be a higher bar than a person would be required to enter a physical location.

This is straight out of the Department of Justice Wheelchairs, Mobility Aids, and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices document.

The key point of this document is that:

(This should be taken lightheartedly, the reality is that I was trying to find this document for another purpose. It just seemed applicable; so I threw it in.)

axolotl

How about stories about ebikes spontaneously combusting:

350htrr

I think I should start to go on touring threads where people are asking what gear set? what weight for the bike? what will allow me to do a tour without problems... And, Just keep on repeating how much of a fail the person asking those questions is...? Get off your fat butt and get in shape is the cure/answer, to all your questions... You should be able to do the whole tour with a fixie, and anything else is a FAIL... and, if you cant, you are a failure as a human being... At least as far as touring is concerned, don't do it, don't even try it, even if you think you "succeed" you FAILED, if you didn't do it on a fixie!!! Only people who fail at everything else tour on bicycles, normal people use camper trucks, 5th wheels, motorhomes, Hell no they stay in motels/hotels, camping in tents/or a lean-to are for people who have social issues, or at least those that stealth camp do, anyways/for sure actuaqlly...

Happy Feet

Just ignore the trolls... if they lure you into a pissing match they just get the thread locked.

Reported.

350htrr

Yes, good advice... But I have made a list of those trolls,... And I just "may" do some "trolling" in their threads...

Not proud if my decision but... What can one do...?

Doug64

If you are a member of AAA in Oregon, you can call AAA for help with your conventional bike.

DropBarFan

Hey, I read they have that in Mid-Atlantic too. they don't repair but give a ride to bike shop or home etc. Basic memembership only gives 3 miles transport distance while Plus gives 100 miles.

PhotoJoe 

Excellent advice.

Not the recommended approach.

Altair 4

I haven't been following this thread past page 1 (TLDR).

But I thought I'd throw this out for you all - a blog from someone who actually toured across America on an ebike: https://aerotechdesigns.wordpress.com/

The rider was 57 year old Cathy Rogers, the owner of Aerotech Designs. Some of you may recognize the company as a manufacturer and seller of bicycle-oriented clothing. Ms. Rogers rode a Pedego Interceptor. It's an interesting, if long, read (I read it in segments while she was actually completing the ride) Certainly riding an ebike opened the opportunity for her to complete the Big Ride Across America.

Carry on.

Caretaker

^^Read bits and especially the one about the bike and her enthusiasm for it. Can understand her point of view even if I don't share it.
One thing struck me.....she keeps talking about being old at 57. You're not old (I'm 10 years older) Cathy and you rode an Ebike across America not a 'bicycle'.

Doug64

Yeah, folks tend to talk themselves into being old. Ms. Rogers seem to be doing a good job of doing just that.

My wife rode 3700 miles across the U.S. in her mid-50s, and another 14000 touring miles and 11 countries since then. She has a whole different self concept about what is old.

Happy Feet

Strong people try to raise themselves up by reaching further than they usually do...
Weak people try to raise themselves up by pulling those people down.

Maybe she calls herself old so she can appeal to the target audience (people who consider themselves old) to inspire them to try something also. By the many positive articles written about her ride I would say she was successful. I wish more people who are 57 would do awesome things like that so I have nothing but high praise for her adventurous spirit and the way she communicated the value of it so well to so many.

Person rides across America and some people can only criticize. What kind of lame forum is this?

350htrr

Why it's a closed minded forum, where it's OK, to post TOTAL BS, just to try and get the thread closed, when the topic drifts off to never land because of the trolls... Who need to be warned/banned by the moderators...

Doug64

I' m not sure folks are criticizing her effort or accomishment. The the point I was trying to make is people tend to act the way they portray themselves to others.

I have a brother-in-law who does it all the time, and I'm pretty hard on him when he tries to play the "old card."

Happy Feet

Doug, my comments were not directed at you. I think you and your wife are awesome.

I think there are two ways of looking at the age thing. You can use being old as an excuse not to do something (I see that all the time in my department at work) or you can say I am doing something, even though I am old. That can be a good example for others of a similar age who are feeling their active lives are past them. This is what I see the lady in the link doing.

You or I may say "hey I'm not old yet" but many people feel that 50+ is the time to settle and relax, often into an early grave it seems. I sometimes bite my tongue around the lunch table because my peers at work (50-60YO's who all say they feel old btw) don't really do anything too active at all on their weekends. Saying "I went paintballing, rode 100km and did a couple of dives" begins to sound like bragging when they say "put my feet up, got a pedicure, went to a movie..."

My primary example for living to the fullest was a negative in that it was my father who led a very sedate lifestyle outside of work and always talked about what we would do when he retired. He became ill in his late 50's and died before he retired. I was 30 when that happened and since then have always considered my lifespan to be a finite number since then and so I don't waste any time putting off plans for the future. Someone like this lady can act as a positive example in that she is of a certain age and doing something many people would consider adventurous. We should celebrate inspiration like that, not minimize it.

As I said above, I consider my time limited and while I enjoy talking about my passions I sure don't want to be a part of any community (online or otherwise) that tears people down. As a member of a supposed touring community it's embarrassing.

Caretaker

Haven't seen anyone 'trying to tear Cathy Rogers down'. I think HF is over reacting to some very mild criticism of her blogging style.
For the record I think what she did was commendable.

Happy Feet

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Doug64

I saw a quote this morning when we stopped for pie and coffee that could be interpolated to apply generically to "touring."

"Life is about using the whole box of crayons."
Rupaul

The touring box is large, and we all have our favorite color.