On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

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mercalia
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by mercalia »

I thought the Motorman looked like a 1920's style motor bike,
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reohn2
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by reohn2 »

mercalia wrote:I thought the Motorman looked like a 1920's style motor bike,

Yes that's what it reminded me of
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landsurfer
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by landsurfer »

As a fully paid up MAMIL ..albeit on my steel SPA bicycle, I think we are off on a tangent here.
Electric assisted pedal bikes .. are a great intro to cycling for those that lack the fitness, by whatever means, to cycle. My wife loves hers, it allows us to go riding together despite her disability issues.
Off road Electric Motor Bikes, as sold in great numbers by my local LBS, JE James, seem a clean way to enjoy the experience of Motorcycling without direct pollution of the environment.

But pedal powered cycling is a different country.

As I head into the third age i will use the power assisted pedal bike as my age and fitness decline.
But i will become a cyclist rather than a Cyclist. Which i am happy to accept.
I would love to see Sportives add an Electric Assist category to their events to allow those who need assistance join us in group riding events.
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reohn2
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by reohn2 »

landsurfer wrote:As a fully paid up MAMIL ..albeit on my steel SPA bicycle, I think we are off on a tangent here.
Electric assisted pedal bikes .. are a great intro to cycling for those that lack the fitness, by whatever means, to cycle. My wife loves hers, it allows us to go riding together despite her disability issues.
Off road Electric Motor Bikes, as sold in great numbers by my local LBS, JE James, seem a clean way to enjoy the experience of Motorcycling without direct pollution of the environment.

But pedal powered cycling is a different country.

As I head into the third age i will use the power assisted pedal bike as my age and fitness decline.
But i will become a cyclist rather than a Cyclist. Which i am happy to accept.
I would love to see Sportives add an Electric Assist category to their events to allow those who need assistance join us in group riding events.

I can't argue with any of that other to say you don't have to be disabled,unfit or old to ride pedelecs people ride them for many reasons other than that.
And I can't distinguish between cyclists and Cyclists,to do so would be elitist which isn't a catagory I wish to join :wink:
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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landsurfer
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by landsurfer »

reohn2 wrote:And I can't distinguish between cyclists and Cyclists,to do so would be elitist which isn't a catagory I wish to join :wink:


Go on join it .... you know you want too ..... i am better at things than others ... others are better at things than me .... I am elitist, you are elitist, they are elitist .....
Welcome to Elite Cycling ........ :lol:
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
reohn2
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by reohn2 »

landsurfer wrote:
reohn2 wrote:And I can't distinguish between cyclists and Cyclists,to do so would be elitist which isn't a catagory I wish to join :wink:


Go on join it .... you know you want too ..... i am better at things than others ... others are better at things than me .... I am elitist, you are elitist, they are elitist .....
Welcome to Elite Cycling ........ :lol:

If you say so......
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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Bob Malston
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by Bob Malston »

I am a 64 year old who has just purchased a 750Watt legal Pedelec which had to be registered with the DVLA under an L1eA classification to make it Road Legal and requires a rear plate to be fitted. Something that took a considerable time and effort to do. It has 5 levels of Pedal assist so I still get some exercise but also has a throttle which because of the bikes weight is very useful when pulling away from traffic lights. I think the government should be embracing these not making it difficult for those wishing to use these bikes. I travel to work...a distance of around seven miles...I probably wouldn't make the effort on a normal pushbike mainly because I do not have shower facilities at work. The Electric bicycle makes the journey comfortable and is so much more beneficial to the environment.
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horizon
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by horizon »

Bob Malston wrote:I am a 64 year old who has just purchased a 750Watt legal Pedelec I travel to work...a distance of around seven miles...I probably wouldn't make the effort on a normal pushbike mainly because I do not have shower facilities at work. The Electric bicycle makes the journey comfortable and is so much more beneficial to the environment.


Hello Bob and welcome to the forum.

My purpose in starting this thread was to discuss whether (or to claim that) e-bikes were going to eclipse non-powered bikes in a few years. I presume from your post that you agree with me on that one.

However, I wasn't saying it was a good thing (or a bad thing), just that it was likely to happen. I'm also 64 and would be pleased to commute seven miles each way each day provided it wasn't stupidly hilly - it's half an hour on the flat.

What I am not sure about is whether you see your bike as an alternative to an ordinary bike or to a car. I might suggest if I may that it might be the fomer!
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
Vorpal
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by Vorpal »

When I put my bike in the indoor parking at work on Monday, half of the bikes in there were electric. Although, I think several of them belonged to people who exclusively drove to work previous winters.
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horizon
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by horizon »

Vorpal wrote:When I put my bike in the indoor parking at work on Monday, half of the bikes in there were electric. Although, I think several of them belonged to people who exclusively drove to work previous winters.


I think it's going to be very hard to untangle this. I'm not closed to the idea that electric bikes will get people out of their cars, if only for the same reason people took to motorbikes - you can get past the jams and still commute. But whether people really even know themselves quite what they might otherwise have done is a moot point - after all they have made a conscious choice not to use an ordinary bike even if they were previously using a car - the option to switch to a bike was there.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
reohn2
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by reohn2 »

horizon wrote:
Vorpal wrote:When I put my bike in the indoor parking at work on Monday, half of the bikes in there were electric. Although, I think several of them belonged to people who exclusively drove to work previous winters.


I think it's going to be very hard to untangle this. I'm not closed to the idea that electric bikes will get people out of their cars, if only for the same reason people took to motorbikes - you can get past the jams and still commute. But whether people really even know themselves quite what they might otherwise have done is a moot point - after all they have made a conscious choice not to use an ordinary bike even if they were previously using a car - the option to switch to a bike was there.

Which begs the question,if an ordinary bike could do the journey why wasn't the take up that big?
The answer is that people wish to travel in relative comfort,if a Pedelec solves that problem for more people then it's a winner not only for its user but it's one less car,if the infrastructure is put in place to accomodate the upsurge of pedelec and ordinary bicycle use everyone gains :wink:
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horizon
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by horizon »

reohn2 wrote:Which begs the question,if an ordinary bike could do the journey why wasn't the take up that big?
The answer is that people wish to travel in relative comfort


As I have probably said above, using an ordinary bike is a double-edged sword: no, it isn't comfortable or pleasant cycling unpowered uphill for most people. The pay-off comes later in fitness and health (and even the enjoyment of cycling strenuously). While I am sure there may be lots of good reasons for people to use e-bikes, others may be missing out on something more important. Of course, for those that have known fitness or who do very long commutes etc etc, it's a different argument. But we are confronted with having to say to people - yes it won't be nice but it will do you good; not many people buy that one when salivating over an e-bike.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
reohn2
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by reohn2 »

horizon wrote:
reohn2 wrote:Which begs the question,if an ordinary bike could do the journey why wasn't the take up that big?
The answer is that people wish to travel in relative comfort


As I have probably said above, using an ordinary bike is a double-edged sword: no, it isn't comfortable or pleasant cycling unpowered uphill for most people. The pay-off comes later in fitness and health (and even the enjoyment of cycling strenuously). While I am sure there may be lots of good reasons for people to use e-bikes, others may be missing out on something more important. Of course, for those that have known fitness or who do very long commutes etc etc, it's a different argument. But we are confronted with having to say to people - yes it won't be nice but it will do you good; not many people buy that one when salivating over an e-bike.

Exactly!
Those people want to just transport themselves about the place for reasons of their own,trying to convince them that the initial pain is good for them won't wash when all they want to do is get to their destination without pain.
It's hard enough as it is trying to extract people from cars without the promise of pain and sufferance however short lived the promise.
I admire your purity of spirit but life's a compromise,e-bikes make that compromise less,well,err,less compromising.
In short a lot of people are soft gits :wink:
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Vorpal
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by Vorpal »

I guess where I work, a ebike is probably more logical than a standard bike, for most people, especially in winter. It's at the top of an almost 300 metre climb (from anywhere except the closest village) and in winter, studded tyres are a requirement most of the time. We've had several freeze-thaw cycles, so the cycle paths are quite icy. Using the streets instead doesn't help much because most minor roads / streets also have some ice.
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horizon
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Re: On the cusp of cycling's greatest revolution

Post by horizon »

Raleigh recently reported that last year they sold more e-bikes than non e-bikes for the first time ever.


I haven't been able to verify this but given the folowing report it is very believable:

http://www.bike-eu.com/home/nieuws/2017 ... s-10130122

My prediction still stands as far as I am concerned. I had reckoned maybe on some battery improvement but I'm not sure that will be necessary. You can achieve (AFAIK) lower battery weights by curtailing mileage and power which may still be enough for most people (ten miles on the flat and plug in at work?). Prices of the other bits will come down with increased production. And if you read the marketing blurb from Evans then Nirvana lies just around the corner:

https://www.evanscycles.com/coffeestop/ ... F=21167299
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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