First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

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JohnW
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by JohnW »

kwackers wrote:
ukdodger wrote:I think electric bikes will become popular long before electric cars. Beats me why Sinclair never invested in those rather than the silly C5.

.................. it got picked up by the motoring press who had a field day with it and once that happened you couldn't give them away.


In any case, it wasn't big enough for Jeremy Clarkson's head.
mrjemm
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by mrjemm »

Errrm, if I am not mistaken, both have come to pass- electric bicycles have become quite popular before cars, and Mr Sinclair I believe has gone into them.
http://www.sinclairzx.com/
ukdodger
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by ukdodger »

kwackers wrote:
ukdodger wrote:I think electric bikes will become popular long before electric cars. Beats me why Sinclair never invested in those rather than the silly C5.

I think the reasoning was "of its time".
These days electric bicycles make sense, back then they made no sense. People aspired to be car owners and cycling was mainly the transport of the poor, a childs toy or the province of a small number of enthusiasts.

He couldn't build a true electric car, the technology didn't exist and the research capital needed was too much but he could try and persuade folk to try something that superficially appeared better than a bike but not really a car.
Of course that meant it got picked up by the motoring press who had a field day with it and once that happened you couldn't give them away.


I dont know that that's true of cycling back then and there were electric bikes even then. What was missing I think was marketing. Sinclair pumped it into the C5 and that failed IMO because it put the rider so close to the ground.

I know someone who bought a C5 and still has it in mint condition. It's proved to be a worthwhile investment.
kwackers
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by kwackers »

ukdodger wrote:I dont know that that's true of cycling back then and there were electric bikes even then. What was missing I think was marketing. Sinclair pumped it into the C5 and that failed IMO because it put the rider so close to the ground.

Obviously I'm speaking from my perspective, but it seemed to me the only utility riders were people who couldn't afford a car or were incapable of holding a licence.

Marketing was an issue - he tried to sell it as a car. There's nothing that applies to it that wouldn't apply to a lot of trikes but then he didn't try to sell it as a trike..

I know someone who bought a C5 and still has it in mint condition. It's proved to be a worthwhile investment.

Funnily enough I saw two together on the road just a couple of months ago.


[edit]
Does anyone have a link to historical cycle usage in the U.K? I'm curious as to where on the graph the C5 lives...
I also noticed it sold 17,000 units which is a surprisingly large number. (Apparently a record until overtaken by the Nissan Leaf in 2011).
mrjemm
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by mrjemm »

Occasionally see them (C5s) in curiosity/junk shops. Think I saw one in GB Antiques in Lancaster not so long ago.
snibgo
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by snibgo »

kwackers wrote:Does anyone have a link to historical cycle usage in the U.K? I'm curious as to where on the graph the C5 lives...

The C5 came in 1985, somewhat of a peak for cycling. See graph of GB (not UK) cycling; data from DfT TRA0101.
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kwackers
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by kwackers »

snibgo wrote:The C5 came in 1985, somewhat of a peak for cycling. See graph of GB (not UK) cycling; data from DfT TRA0101.

:lol:

Looking at that graph, it looks more like a last gasp than a peak!
reohn2
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by reohn2 »

ukdodger wrote:I think electric bikes will become popular long before electric cars..........


From VeloVision magazine:-
.....The arrival on the scene of companies like Bosch and Smart(of Smartcar fame)confirms that this is big business,with around 300,000 e-bikes sold in Gemany alone and 20million-yes,million-sold in China.......


The time of the e-bike has definately arrived.
I can also see,in the not too distant,the remergance of the 21st century equivalent of the Honda 50.
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mrjemm
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Joined: 20 Nov 2011, 4:33pm

Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by mrjemm »

reohn2 wrote:I can also see,in the not too distant,the remergance of the 21st century equivalent of the Honda 50.


Bring back the Solex!

Oh wait, they are back... http://www.velosolex.co.uk/

http://www.solexworld.com/en/

Now doing leccy bikes too.
Last edited by mrjemm on 11 Apr 2012, 10:06am, edited 1 time in total.
ukdodger
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by ukdodger »

mrjemm wrote:
reohn2 wrote:
ukdodger wrote:I can also see,in the not too distant,the remergance of the 21st century equivalent of the Honda 50.


Bring back the Solex!

Oh wait, they are back... http://www.velosolex.co.uk/

http://www.solexworld.com/en/

Now doing leccy bikes too.


Hang on. I didnt write that!
mrjemm
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by mrjemm »

Whoops, duff editing of quotes. Sorry UKDodger.

Sorted.
ukdodger
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by ukdodger »

mrjemm wrote:Whoops, duff editing of quotes. Sorry UKDodger.

Sorted.


No worries. I agree with the statement however.
songsforpolarbears
Posts: 154
Joined: 4 May 2010, 2:02am

Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by songsforpolarbears »

daveg wrote:Is it third day without a car today?....... and snowing like crazy where I am. Can't be good in Cumbria.
Hope the resolve holds.


Edwards wrote:I am wondering how you have got on with the recent snow at such an early time in the venture and what extra kit you have found you have needed to purchase of time? I would also like to know what type of bike you are using and if this is likley to change as things progress?


mrjemm wrote:Hey Songs, keep up the car free pedalling!


Thank youuu.

Resolve holding though haven't needed to do much cycling recently. Didn't need to bike more than 3 miles on the day it snowed so that was ok. An hour before my longest commute this week, a friend rang up, told me he was going that way and that he'd give me a lift.

I found I had to buy waterproofs. I already owned a bag and dynamo lights (both of which I love, B&M lights and a Agu Yamaska bag). Also, I bought a spoke key. I suspect I'll be spending a bit on replacement parts and stuff. I really want a repair stand. Replaced my back brake pads today....

Couldn't believe how dirty everything was. Looks like one ride in the rain and your bike turns into a complete mess!

I'm riding a 2005 Kona Smoke. Heavy but AWESOME! Wouldn't mess with it, it's like the toughest kid at school. Here it is 2 years ago:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=40968

I am considering buying a road bike. I've never owned a lightweight bike in my life. If I did buy a bike, lights, rack, mudguards would all be crucial. I'm also considering going down a different route though...

ukdodger wrote:
The Mechanic wrote:I read in the papers at the weekend that a new report by the AA suggests that the cost of running a new Nissan electric car for 5 years at 10k miles a years is over £15,000 more than a Ford Focus 1.6.


I think electric bikes will become popular long before electric cars. Beats me why Sinclair never invested in those rather than the silly C5.


I'm seriously considering buying this. In fact, the ONLY thing stopping me is I think I'm maybe being a wimp. I'm 31, maybe this is something I should purchase later in life.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... tedKingdom
Edwards
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by Edwards »

songsforpolarbears wrote:I'm seriously considering buying this. In fact, the ONLY thing stopping me is I think I'm maybe being a wimp. I'm 31, maybe this is something I should purchase later in life.


I suppose the question is do you need electric assistance? That is a lot of money to pay if you find that you are fit enough to be able to do every thing you need without.
Personally I would get a lighter road bike for the nicer days and the longer trips. Also I would be considering getting a trailer.
You know all the usual stuff about treating yourself from the money saved and having a spare bike.
Keith Edwards
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danfoto
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Re: First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

Post by danfoto »

Glad I found this thread. Were it not for The Lady Wife unexpectedly needing further hospital treatment this year, we would have been on target to give up the motor car last month. As things are, the target date has now slipped back to August (hopefully), purely because of the distance to the hospital involved and the less than brilliant bus service to it. We could of course cope with that if we had to, but keeping the car for the time being is a convenience we can just about afford - even if the thing rarely moves off the front of the house.

Based on our experiments over the last two years and our lifestyle adjustments, our two Kalkhoff Agattus + two Sherpas, the Roland trailer, the Christiania, local buses and a taxi service will do nicely :)
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
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