Electrify your Bike - a $ saving adventure

[kramer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westernskies Maybe try to do this via your own blog?... If you want to sit out in the elements riding a high-speed electric bike or scooter, arrive at your destination looking like a third-world businessman smelling like diesel exhaust, with the wind in your hair and bugs on your teeth to save a few bucks on gas, please feel free to do so. I'll stick with my comfortable old LBYM truck over the gimmick of the month. It fits my needs, a bike or scooter doesn't. The problem I have with the thought process regarding these issues is when "encourage" becomes "mandate"... I want to be able to make my own personal transportation decisions, without any "encouragement".

My best friend bought a motorcycle and planned a trip down the coast of California and back with a friend, both of them software engineers. After the trip, he realized it was so much work and planning that his conclusion was: "Wow, something that I never appreciated is that a car is a great user interface."

That was one year ago. To add another somewhat sad but salient point, the nice 29 year old guy he rode that trip with, who was quite an experienced rider, died last December in a single vehicle motorcycle accident (with full cycling safety gear on, on a clear sunny day).

Kramer

[In-control]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer I think you got seriously ripped off on the scooter maintenance. A quick google search of such services in my hometown turned this up: Services We use only Amsoil Synthetic Scooter Motor, and Gear Oils in all Services! Our recommended preventative maintenance services include: Oil change Service & Inspection $35* Install Surf Rack $20 and up Valve Adjustment $55* Tune up $65* Tire replacement $35 and up* Brakes with fluid flush $45 Carburetor cleaning $55 Air filter inspection and replacement $25* Transmission gear box oil change $15 Drive belt replacement $75* Cooling fan and shroud inspection $10 Throttle and brake cable inspection $20 Battery and charging system testing $20 Electrical issues diagnoses $65 an hour * includes cost of associated parts I am not trying to be critical. But I think driving a scooter may be cheaper than indicated on this thread. Also, much of this maintenance is trivial and can be done by oneself (air filter, fluids change, etc) and a lot of the other maintenance is on a more as-needed basis. Kramer

Thanks Kramer,

I paid those prices as well but needed new tires which was about half of my cost. Most people with highway legal scooters seem to have to change them @ that time. I would agree with you regarding doing alot of this work yourself. A person certainty could do that. Since my scooter is under warranty I have found that the dealer is the best solution. My scooter is a 250cc with ABS breaks which will hit 85mph so I did not want to fool with it. If I had a 49cc scooter I would follow your lead and do alot of the work myself. My point is that their is an alternate, low cost, solution available to even a scooter. I look at it as a third car with a lower cost per mile ratio.

[In-control]

Excellent site on the topic. Enjoy

ElectricCyclist.com

[dgalbraith100]

I have a 6 mile commute (one way, 12 miles total). These are the vehicles I have to do it in the order of most used (spring/summer/fall).. winter is car only:

1. Single speed bicycle. Ride time 23mins (one way)
2009 SE Racing 700c Draft Single Speed Road Bike - Bikes/Frames

2. eZip 500 (Modified with 600 Watt motor with freewheel gear). Goes max speed 19mph. (average 15mph). Ride time 24mins.
Ezip 500 Scooters | Ezip 500 electric scooter | Ezip scooters
Note: This part has been discontinued by Currie Technologies. (motor)

3. Human powered Kick scooter (Micro) . Ride time 40 mins.

4. Toyota RAV4. Ride time 19 mins.

5. Sometimes I ride a real Road Bike when I plan on doing a long ride home (40+ miles home).

So as you can see, its basically a wash as to which one I ride as long as I stay away from the human kick scooter (I do that once every other week or so, just for the fun of it)

Typically if I'm tired I drive the eZip, otherwise I ride one of the human powered units... If there is rain, I take the car. If its cold (below about 40) I take the car.

Life is good.

Laters,
-d.

The one downside of the eZip is that in New Mexico, you can't legal ride it on the street... the sidewalk... bike paths... you can't legal ride it anywhere but private property (its classified as a "Toy"). The nice policeman I talked to said. "I can't officially tell you its okay to ride it, but I think you'd be completely fine as long as you obey all the traffic lights/stop signs, we have better things to do than harrass an adult riding a scooter)... I've been riding it for a couple months now... never been harrased by the police...

The route I use takes me on either residential streets or streets with bike lanes 99% of the time which makes my commute very nice. I have one half mile stretch of 30mph road with no marked bike lane, but it is a very wide road with little traffic, so I am comfortable on it.

[kramer]

Quote:

in-control wrote: My point is that their is an alternate, low cost, solution available to even a scooter. I look at it as a third car with a lower cost per mile ratio.

Yes, this has certainly opened up possibilities in my mind. Thank you for presenting this topic.

Kramer

[In-control]

While this is not me it is what an e-bike feels like to ride - you can get 4/5mph more if you switch to road skins w/ Kevlar. I like that fact that it is still legally a bike, 20mph or less, so you can pretty much go anywhere!

YouTube - Ebike Trip To The Home Emprovement Store

It's hard to explain - seeing is believing