My New Electric Bike

[Chuckanut]

This would be my concern already, at age 69, although the age at which falls become a problem is probably highly individual. At any rate, falls can be pretty serious as we grow older.

+1 Most of the older people I know who were seriously injured (usually in a fall) had a big decline in quality of life afterwards. I had one injury in my 20's that, while not crippling, has limited me somewhat (no running marathons, climbing Mt. Denali, playing pro ball) . The lesson was learned and remembered.

I have a non-electiric bike (off topic I know), that I ride for exercise as it is a lot more fun than sitting on an stationary bike in some stuffy gym. My main fear is being hit by a car or forced to hit the dirt to avoid a careless driver. So....I have mapped out a 6 mile ride near my home that has hills that get my heart beating fast and only requires me to ride for a very short time on high traffic streets. I walk my bike across busy streets 90% of the time unless things are unusually quiet. Other bikers think I am a wuss for walking my bike, but I think about not being injured for life and smile.

Back on topic. I live in an area that is hilly so an electric bike may make a nice addition to my life. At first I thought it might keep me from exercising using a normal bike, but more and more, I realize that because of some of the hills in my area, I end up driving my car to run errands or visit the local pub, and I don't bike at all. I think the e-bike would add a bit more exercise to my life by expanding the places I can go on a bike.

 

[braumeister]

Looking at the website for the referenced Haibike, I think weight would be a considerable drawback. At 120-130 kg, that's not something I could casually toss in the back of the SUV like I do with a regular bike.

 

[jimbee]

Hmmm ... not sure how well I can answer your questions ...

Being a relatively low cost ebike, it does not come with an odometer so I am not sure how many miles I ride. If I go for a 2 hour ride, I do not even put a dent in the battery capacity. It has a battery meter with about 5 bars indicating how full the battery is. After a few rides I might see it go down 1 bar and then I charge it overnight. I could not say how many hours I could ride before draining the battery but I am guessing I could ride all day for 8 hours and still not completely drain the battery. It has a 48 volt battery which I think is fairly large for an ebike. I think it also depends how much you use peddle assist vs throttle. The more you peddle the less battery you will use.

It has 5 assist levels from eco (more pedaling needed) to sport (lots of assist power). I usually use level 1 so I can get exercise and only put it on sport if I am going up hill or just want to go fast. It peaks at about 28 miles per hour (but there is no speedometer).

Thank you Earl, it's nice to get real user feedback on the bike.

 

[FIREmenow]

Looking at the website for the referenced Haibike, I think weight would be a considerable drawback. At 120-130 kg, that's not something I could casually toss in the back of the SUV like I do with a regular bike.

Was one of my criteria for the Voltbike - they are more like 60lbs each (with removable 8lb battery pack).

 

[Elbata]

Looking at the website for the referenced Haibike, I think weight would be a considerable drawback. At 120-130 kg, that's not something I could casually toss in the back of the SUV like I do with a regular bike.

Hi Braumeister, yes the bike does weigh a lot. I would guess much of that weight is from the battery, which is removable with a key.

From my understanding, these e-bikes are battery assisted up to 20 MPH. The reason it doesn't assist over 20 MPH, it's then not considered a bike. (Also, bike becomes unsafe).

For safety, as I do with motorcycle riding, I expect drivers to pull in front of me or move into my lane disregarding my presence, and run red lights. I don't get upset, I'm just aware it happens. Also, even with posted bicycle lane, I'll often still choose the sidewalk. A good mirror is a big help.

 

[RobbieB]

I have built a couple of electrics with "Magic Pie" kits from China. Pretty easy, just replace the wheel with the kit and add a battery.

I used 48 volt, 15 AH LiFePO4 battery made by Ping which costs more than the motor kit. Speed was 28 mph max with a 30 mile range.

So you can convert a bike pretty easy and they are fun. Forget lead-acid, too heavy.

 

[burch64]

I bought an E-Bike about 2 months ago. I knew nothing about e bikes so I went with largest watt motor and high volt motor and price. I ended up with Rad City Bike 48 volt battery 750 watt motor $1499 delivered. It works great in my neighborhood which is mostly flat terrain. The manufacturer say it will go up to 20 MPH and a distance of 20 miles on one battery charge. I believe it will exceed this as I have never depleted the battery, but I usually only ride for an hour or maybe 11/2 hours.

So my wife saw how much I was enjoying this bicycle and decided she had to have one.
She could not ride the Rad City because she needs a "step through" bike (what we used to call a girls bike)

We found a step through at Amazon for $500. It has a 250 watt motor and 36 volt battery. It is built in China but for our purposes it works fine. This bike is obviously not as nice as my Rad City bike but so far is good enough for casual neighborhood riding.

We ride farther and longer with these bike than we ever could with standard bicycles. I am 71 and wife is 62 years old.

In Ohio if you stay under 750 watt motor they are considered bicycles and not regulated. I did not know this when I bought my bike, but the motor on my bike is not marked so I probably would try to pass it off as a 500 watt if questioned by police.

I have not saw any other e bikes in my neighborhood so we seem to be the first.

 

[Koolau]

This would be my concern already, at age 69, although the age at which falls become a problem is probably highly individual. At any rate, falls can be pretty serious as we grow older.

The technology as well as the exercise factor makes these bikes sound very tempting. Still, one accident could change your life forever. True, a car accident could do the same, but it's a lot less likely - especially at the same speed. Most car accidents cause lots of car damage but not so much bodily damage. Also, car drivers seem NOT to see bikes/motor cycles as easily as they do cars. I don't think it's always negligence. It's more a "just the way it is" sort of thing. Of course, YMMV.

 

[Walt34]

Also, car drivers seem NOT to see bikes/motor cycles as easily as they do cars. I don't think it's always negligence. It's more a "just the way it is" sort of thing. Of course, YMMV.

As David Hough, the author of Proficient Motorcycling wrote, "People pull out in front of freight trains. What makes you think they're going to see a motorcycle?" (Or a bicycle.)

Although the electric bicycle does sound interesting, a lack of safe places to ride anywhere close to home makes it an impractical purchase for me. That's partly why I bought a motorcycle instead of a bicycle for a 3.5 mile commute to my last job. If I'd tried that on a bicycle I'd have had a life expectancy of about 20 minutes.

 

[savory]

I think it is great you purchased the bike. During our North Sea tour we saw them every where. I know they are becoming popular here. I'm actually writing this on our current peddle bike tour CT to DC to Pittsburgh. Use your new bike in the best of health!

 

[bltkmt]

I think DH would love this. Would you mind sharing the price range?

I would like to know this as well.

 

[Osprey]

I have built a couple of electrics with "Magic Pie" kits from China. Pretty easy, just replace the wheel with the kit and add a battery.

I used 48 volt, 15 AH LiFePO4 battery made by Ping which costs more than the motor kit. Speed was 28 mph max with a 30 mile range.

So you can convert a bike pretty easy and they are fun. Forget lead-acid, too heavy.

Sounds like a great way to go! How much weight does the kit add to the bike and are the directions to build the kit understandable?

 

[Sunset]

As David Hough, the author of Proficient Motorcycling wrote, "People pull out in front of freight trains. What makes you think they're going to see a motorcycle?" (Or a bicycle.)

Although the electric bicycle does sound interesting, a lack of safe places to ride anywhere close to home makes it an impractical purchase for me. That's partly why I bought a motorcycle instead of a bicycle for a 3.5 mile commute to my last job. If I'd tried that on a bicycle I'd have had a life expectancy of about 20 minutes.

With that logic, the only real answer is to buy a truck..... We call motorcyclists "organ donors"

Sad but true, the auto is KING in America, I was very impressed in Vienna, where they have bike sidewalks (just for bikes), not the fake painted line bike lane on a road.
Lots and Lots of folks in Vienna using bikes, including police.

 

[Walt34]

With that logic, the only real answer is to buy a truck..... We call motorcyclists "organ donors"

Yes, that is what one SIL, a retired nurse said that's what they called motorcyclists.

That book I mentioned was kind of an eye-opener on the causes of motorcycle crashes, there are a lot of things a rider can do to reduce the risks. For example, fully 50% of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes involve alcohol. Even in high school I had better sense than that. Other things include lane positioning to keep yourself visible, following vehicles at a far enough distance to see and avoid road debris, and so left-turning drivers can see you, stuff like that. I wore full riding gear and a full-face helmet.

I rode it 25k miles and not a scratch.

But when I see other riders doing stupid stuff like weaving in & out of traffic at 120 mph or riding 5 feet off someone's bumper I know why the accident statistics look so bad. A little bit of common sense goes a long way on a motorcycle.

 

[Elbata]

I have built a couple of electrics with "Magic Pie" kits from China. Pretty easy, just replace the wheel with the kit and add a battery.

I used 48 volt, 15 AH LiFePO4 battery made by Ping which costs more than the motor kit. Speed was 28 mph max with a 30 mile range.

So you can convert a bike pretty easy and they are fun. Forget lead-acid, too heavy.

I paid $2000 for bike. He had it listed at $2200. Not sure if good deal or not. If not, please allow me to wallow in my ignorance and don't say anything

On converting a bike: I have a recent beach cruiser I bought at Walmart. Would I be able to put the kit on that bike? If so, perhaps I'll try and start a little side business/hobby.

I really believe these electric bikes are only in their infancy, and are only going to get more popular and better.

On my bike picture, the red thing on the handlebar is a combination bluetooth
speaker/light. Also have a holder on handlebar for phone. By doing that, I'm able to take calls and play music from phone to speaker.

 

[aja8888]

Our community had an electric bike shop open last year selling $3 - $5 K base cost bicycles. A friend on mine bought one. I noticed this week that the shop is out of business. Maybe the population has opted for BMW's as that dealership is doubling in size.

 

[midwestguy]

These e bikes seem like a lot of fun. I currently ride a bike for exercise So do you typically ride like a normal bike and use the power for hills? Or assisting to get back after a ride that may be too long? Or do you exclusively use the motor on some trips? Or a mixture of all?

 

[Jerry1]

I've been looking at Pedego.

Electric Bike | Electric Bicycles | Pedego Electric Bikes

But I have to admit that since I have not been riding a bike as an adult, I'm concerned about a fall (electric or not).

 

[Elbata]

Tim, depends on my mood, but most of all my bike riding is peddle assisted. The fact is, even though I go on long distances, I don't work too hard.

But, I'd bet I'm getting a better workout than I think. Plus it's great being in the outdoors and seeing the sights.

I'd like to comment on others mentioning the aspect of falling on a bike. I've never given it any thought, but I guess as we get older, it's something we need to take into consideration. I do know that if I thought about all the bad things that could happen to me, I'd probably never leave the house. I guess with age comes wisdom and things get thought through more, but I'd rather err taking a few chances.

 

[midwestguy]

Thanks. I'm thinking maybe I'll get one for my wife first.

On a bike rides with my wife I typically have to wait for her and am sometimes limited in distance due to her ability.

The electric assist may solve some of this.

 

[Elbata]

Holy cow Tim, it's 2:40AM here California time. Did your phone wake you up that I responded to your comment?

Yes, take your wife out for a test drive. If she's jazzed riding the bike, maybe get her one.

BTW, one good thing to come out of this for me, I learned how to post an image. I've probably learned in the past but forgot. For those who don't know how to do it, this is what I do: Go to an image hosting site like Flickr or Photobucket and each picture will have a URL. From there you can copy and paste.

(I know it's off topic and beginner stuff, but thought I'd throw it in.)

 

[midwestguy]

Elbata

No you didn't wake me. Thanks for asking. can't sleep here in Chicago Have to get ready to work in an hour or so. This should my last year of this crazy working stuff

 

[Earl E Retyre]

I paid $2000 for bike. He had it listed at $2200. Not sure if good deal or not. If not, please allow me to wallow in my ignorance and don't say anything

On converting a bike: I have a recent beach cruiser I bought at Walmart. Would I be able to put the kit on that bike? If so, perhaps I'll try and start a little side business/hobby.

I really believe these electric bikes are only in their infancy, and are only going to get more popular and better.

On my bike picture, the red thing on the handlebar is a combination bluetooth
speaker/light. Also have a holder on handlebar for phone. By doing that, I'm able to take calls and play music from phone to speaker.

I like the combination Bluetooth speaker/light. I just searched and think I found it on amazon. Is it called a Zealot S1 4000mAh? Looks like Amazon has it for $21.99. I assume it fits on any handlebar? Does it sound good? Does the blue tooth work well? Also, what holder did you purchase for the phone?

 

[Bestwifeever]

Looking at the website for the referenced Haibike, I think weight would be a considerable drawback. At 120-130 kg, that's not something I could casually toss in the back of the SUV like I do with a regular bike.

I wonder if that's the maximum weight for the rider? I picked a random Haibike ebike's specs and found:

WEIGHT
21.2kg
TOTAL PERM. WEIGHT
130kg

The 21.2kg weight is a little more than my very heavy old nonelectric three-speed weighs.

 

[Sunnymar]

I love my ebike, I converted my hybrid Trek 7500FX. I bought a Bafang 750 watt, 48V middrive motor and a 50V Samsung battery. These were less money, but bigger motor and battery than the complete ebikes I found in stores. Buying foreign I also don't have a speed regulator, I'm able to go over 20mph, not that I go over much but it is nice not to worry about losing my power. My big battery lasts a long time, I also never worry about losing it.