[NA] Electric bicycle- good or bad?

Cap'n Jack

Cap'n Jack

Final Approach
Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Messages
8,783
Location
Nebraska
Display Name
Display name:
Cap'n Jack
It's getting warm, trails nearly to work, 10.0 miles door-to-door. The problem is- the only shower at work is the lab emergency shower (no drain nearby) and I'd rather not be sweaty all morning.

Possible solution- electric power to work, my own power home, or hybrid power and get home faster.

Anyone try an electric bicycle?
Any experience with this company?
http://www.currietech.com/
 
On most models you will still need to pedal some to keep the charge up if it falls below a certain percent. Another options is to find a decent scooter (They are pretty cheap)or just tough it out and bring a extra change of clothes to work. 10 miles isn't far at all once you get use to it.
 
Woody-

Are you familiar with the Currie Technologies? Is the company (and products) any good?
 
Unless you sweat like an unclean animal, you shouldn't have that big a problem with a change of clothes for 10 miles, unless they are all uphill. Unlikely in Nebraska.
 
Segway.
 
steingar said:
Unless you sweat like an unclean animal, you shouldn't have that big a problem with a change of clothes for 10 miles, unless they are all uphill. Unlikely in Nebraska.
Click to expand...

No, everything westbound in Nebraska is uphill. The state of Nebraska can be fairly accurately modeled as a flat rectangular plate tilted eastward at a 0.185% grade. :rofl:
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Possible solution- electric power to work, my own power home, or hybrid power and get home faster.

Anyone try an electric bicycle?
Any experience with this company?
http://www.currietech.com/
Click to expand...

Hmmm... It'd be a good thing if you could throw it in the back of the plane, too - No more relying on courtesy cars.

I looked at their web site, and IMHO it kind of sucks. Lots of fancy-schmancy stuff and there is info on each model, but it doesn't give you the least clue, as someone unfamiliar with their products, as to how to choose the right model. What's the difference between the e-series and the i-series? What exactly do they mean by "pedal assist?" Do the pedals drive the wheels, or charge the battery? :dunno:
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Take a $100 electric scooter.

Replace the back wheels with a bunch of gyros and software.

Raise the price to $5000.

What a great idea.:rolleyes2:
Click to expand...

Yeah 'cuz software and custom gyro chips and other hardware that knows how to keep a 250 lb human balanced on two wheels and go backwards and forwards when he shifts his weight doesn't cost anything.

Now. $700 for Microsoft Office, THAT's worth it.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I looked at their web site, and IMHO it kind of sucks. Lots of fancy-schmancy stuff and there is info on each model, but it doesn't give you the least clue, as someone unfamiliar with their products, as to how to choose the right model. What's the difference between the e-series and the i-series? What exactly do they mean by "pedal assist?" Do the pedals drive the wheels, or charge the battery? :dunno:
Click to expand...
You can glean a little of this through the FAQ section under each individual model. I agree it's a clunky presentation, though.

The biggest offputting thing, to me, is the weight. They're all listed at 50-60 pounds. So if you DO have to pedal it home w/o juice, you'll have a monkey on your back. Kinda cool, but I'd rather ride a motorcycle.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Hmmm... It'd be a good thing if you could throw it in the back of the plane, too - No more relying on courtesy cars.

I looked at their web site, and IMHO it kind of sucks. Lots of fancy-schmancy stuff and there is info on each model, but it doesn't give you the least clue, as someone unfamiliar with their products, as to how to choose the right model. What's the difference between the e-series and the i-series? What exactly do they mean by "pedal assist?" Do the pedals drive the wheels, or charge the battery? :dunno:
Click to expand...
I'm with ya. I gave up trying to get any product into after a minute or so. Sure got to see what the whassis look like, though.

I'm sure everybody who worked on the web site and approved it knew all about the products. Too bad you don't. :lol:

"This one has a the cool flames effect!"
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Hmmm... It'd be a good thing if you could throw it in the back of the plane, too - No more relying on courtesy cars.

I looked at their web site, and IMHO it kind of sucks. Lots of fancy-schmancy stuff and there is info on each model, but it doesn't give you the least clue, as someone unfamiliar with their products, as to how to choose the right model. What's the difference between the e-series and the i-series? What exactly do they mean by "pedal assist?" Do the pedals drive the wheels, or charge the battery? :dunno:
Click to expand...


Ken Ibold said:
You can glean a little of this through the FAQ section under each individual model. I agree it's a clunky presentation, though.

The biggest offputting thing, to me, is the weight. They're all listed at 50-60 pounds. So if you DO have to pedal it home w/o juice, you'll have a monkey on your back. Kinda cool, but I'd rather ride a motorcycle.
Click to expand...

That's why I asked here- I was hoping someone had some real-world experience.
 
steingar said:
Unless you sweat like an unclean animal, you shouldn't have that big a problem with a change of clothes for 10 miles, unless they are all uphill. Unlikely in Nebraska.
Click to expand...
Spoken like someone who hasn't tried it.

Last year- I averaged an hour door-to-door on a regular bicycle. I can add 20 minutes to that time if we get a decent headwind up and I don't get it back the going other way. 15 MPH drops the time to 40 minutes, or only 10 more than driving. IF I get the 15 mph.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
It's getting warm, trails nearly to work, 10.0 miles door-to-door. The problem is- the only shower at work is the lab emergency shower (no drain nearby) and I'd rather not be sweaty all morning.

Possible solution- electric power to work, my own power home, or hybrid power and get home faster.

Anyone try an electric bicycle?
Any experience with this company?
http://www.currietech.com/
Click to expand...

I bought one of their earlier offerings known as the e-Folder - which I found to be little more than an interesting toy. Definitely not practical transportation. The kids had fun riding it around the yard until they broke it.

The Izip Evo-Drive Express looks interesting - but the price is really high. A word of advice - try before you buy. This is likely to be difficult, as dealers are few and far between. I'd stay away from lead acid batteries - and anything that doesn't have the battery mounted at the center of gravity.

Dave
 
Did someone say Segway?

puma.png
 
FlightFollowing said:
On most models you will still need to pedal some to keep the charge up if it falls below a certain percent. Another options is to find a decent scooter (They are pretty cheap)or just tough it out and bring a extra change of clothes to work. 10 miles isn't far at all once you get use to it.
Click to expand...


One of my friends had the Rapido, I rode it a few times and yeah it was fun. It was just mainly used it for work for about a 10 mile ride. I would ride with her on my my regular bike and had no trouble keeping up. Once you would hit a hill she'd have to start peddaling to help it catch up with me and thats when i would over take her.

She complained that it doesn't do well with most inclines and after a season of riding and storage the battery gave out and she sold it. She's now riding a regular road bike.

I really suggest a scooter or a regular bike if your looking for a fuel economical choice. I can point you in the right direction if you need bike suggestions.
 
We lived in China awhile and the place is awash in electric scooters. The quality is definitely hit-or-miss. Understanding the quality issue, we just went to the local Auchan and bought 2 different models - a really big one for me and a big one for my wife. I did a 2 minute google search and found:
http://urbanscooters.com/P/Electric-Scooters/X-Treme/xb500electricbikes.html
Pretty similar to what we had (though they all look alike so I'm definitely not making a recommendation here). I'm shocked to see it listed at $800 (similar would be about $350 at today's exchange rate retail in China). Anyway we could pile two kids on and ride into town, around town and back on the weekends. My scooter had a vicious wobble (if you took both hands off of the handles, it would go unstable and self destruct after about 15 seconds). My wifes scooter was fine. But in all honesty, with hands on, mine was easy to ride and plenty powerful. If I was 10 miles from work today and had a good bike path, I'd buy one (even as bad as my China scooter) and use it daily, but for $800 I'd want to try it first. Lower your expectations on quality and one of these Chinese electric scooters will work fine.
Jeff
 
Is this "I Was Wondering?" ;)

Actually, this is pertinent to me, I have to start riding a bike soon for some contest at work.... I wonder if an electric bicycle counts as healthy for me. lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top