Comments on: In praise of power-assisted bikes http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/ Work is just something I do between bike rides Fri, 04 May 2012 07:22:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-1256 John Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:56:15 +0000 http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/#comment-1256 <p>Governments shoud support pedal assisted bicycles. Not only it provides people with heap transport but at the same time it is a good healthy sport since you still have to pedal here and there.</p> Governments shoud support pedal assisted bicycles. Not only it provides people with heap transport but at the same time it is a good healthy sport since you still have to pedal here and there.

]]> By: hielke http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-1255 hielke Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:32:09 +0000 http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/#comment-1255 <p>I never really looked down on power-assisted bikes. Usually the characters that ride them are truly that: characters, the spice of life. At least, that has been my impression. For instance, they all seem to have the old school white styrofoam helmets from the 70s. But I find the two-stroke a crime against the environment. It also seems maintenance intense which is not what you want in a commuter, but that is a personal observation.</p> <p>I know it is shallow but my principle "objection" against power assisted bikes is that they tend to be butt ugly. Tend to be. There are examples of better looking bikes (e.g. the <a href="http://www.sparta.nl/uk/sparta-ION-page.asp?id=20001&menu=1" rel="nofollow">Sparta Ion</a>) where the battery is integrated in the frame. If you didn't know it, you wouldn't recognize it as an electric bike. Cost you a small fortune though, but if money is no option then, hey, may as well look good out there. I'm sure there are enough cashed up seniors in Australia. There is also this group of people at <a href="http://www.suitabletransport.com/" rel="nofollow">Suitable Transport</a>. They rode from Melbourne to Sydney on power assisted bikes, one in a business suit, just to show you can commute "in uniform" without breaking a sweat. Nice. I hope that when I need power assistance somewhere beyond 2050 (inshallah) the battery will be the size of a mobile phone and have a 100km radius at 30km/h.</p> I never really looked down on power-assisted bikes. Usually the characters that ride them are truly that: characters, the spice of life. At least, that has been my impression. For instance, they all seem to have the old school white styrofoam helmets from the 70s. But I find the two-stroke a crime against the environment. It also seems maintenance intense which is not what you want in a commuter, but that is a personal observation.

I know it is shallow but my principle “objection” against power assisted bikes is that they tend to be butt ugly. Tend to be. There are examples of better looking bikes (e.g. the Sparta Ion) where the battery is integrated in the frame. If you didn’t know it, you wouldn’t recognize it as an electric bike. Cost you a small fortune though, but if money is no option then, hey, may as well look good out there. I’m sure there are enough cashed up seniors in Australia. There is also this group of people at Suitable Transport. They rode from Melbourne to Sydney on power assisted bikes, one in a business suit, just to show you can commute “in uniform” without breaking a sweat. Nice. I hope that when I need power assistance somewhere beyond 2050 (inshallah) the battery will be the size of a mobile phone and have a 100km radius at 30km/h.

]]> By: ozzmosis http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-1254 ozzmosis Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:51:24 +0000 http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/#comment-1254 <p>I have an electric assist bike on loan, and the experience riding it has generally been very positive. My main issue with it is battery life - it's uses two 6 volt batteries (I don't think they're NiMH or Lithium), and it looks as though one of them has gone bad and needs replacing. Getting replacement batteries isn't a huge hassle for me, but might be for some people.</p> <p>I also have to readjust the brakes fairly regularly. The bike is quite heavy so the brakes wear more quickly than on an ordinary MTB. Not really a big deal for me, but again, might be something not everyone will find simple to do.</p> <p>Also, the particular bike I've got on loan only has front suspension, which can make for bit of a rough ride on some roads. You can take the bike off road where the electric assist can really comes into its own, but the sheer weight (and extra length) of the bike can be a bit of a problem sometimes.</p> <p>The bike's motor circuit is designed so the motor stops spinning when you're doing about 20 km/h, which means you have to pedal on the flat if you want to maintain a decent speed. This is fine, but I can go faster on the flat with an ordinary road bike or MTB. In other words, if you live in a flat area I don't think a 200W electric assist bike is going to help you much.</p> <p>When the batteries were good I had a range of about 20-25 km.</p> <p>Some photos:</p> <p>http://picasaweb.google.com/ozzmosis/DynoCB24V200</p> <ul> <li>ozz</li> </ul> I have an electric assist bike on loan, and the experience riding it has generally been very positive. My main issue with it is battery life – it’s uses two 6 volt batteries (I don’t think they’re NiMH or Lithium), and it looks as though one of them has gone bad and needs replacing. Getting replacement batteries isn’t a huge hassle for me, but might be for some people.

I also have to readjust the brakes fairly regularly. The bike is quite heavy so the brakes wear more quickly than on an ordinary MTB. Not really a big deal for me, but again, might be something not everyone will find simple to do.

Also, the particular bike I’ve got on loan only has front suspension, which can make for bit of a rough ride on some roads. You can take the bike off road where the electric assist can really comes into its own, but the sheer weight (and extra length) of the bike can be a bit of a problem sometimes.

The bike’s motor circuit is designed so the motor stops spinning when you’re doing about 20 km/h, which means you have to pedal on the flat if you want to maintain a decent speed. This is fine, but I can go faster on the flat with an ordinary road bike or MTB. In other words, if you live in a flat area I don’t think a 200W electric assist bike is going to help you much.

When the batteries were good I had a range of about 20-25 km.

Some photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ozzmosis/DynoCB24V200

  • ozz
]]> By: Tim http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-1253 Tim Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:00:00 +0000 http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/#comment-1253 <p>Power-assist bikes are only a problem when they're used as powered bikes that happen to have pedals.</p> <p>I think most of us hate seeing noisy stinky 2-stroke powered bikes trundling along with the rider doing nothing to assist except squeeze the throttle harder and grimace a bit. In my opinion, an electric bike in the same situation is not much better.</p> <p>But if the motor is used for assistance only... that's a different matter.</p> <p>I'm imagining a completely self-managed assistance motor, controlled by a throttle on a spring-loaded idler pulley on the tight side of the chain. The more effort you put in, the more the idler pulley spring deflects, opening the throttle a bit more. If you slack off, idler spring relaxes, the throttle backs off.</p> <p>It would be great for taking off from a standstill, and for climbing with a load (for loaded climbing on <a href="http://www.cargocycles.com.au" rel="nofollow">cargo bike</a>, such an assist motor would be a wonderful thing!).</p> <p>At cruising speed on flat land, you don't NEED an assist motor to help you along. Just spin along without much effort (ie not much chain tension, little if any motor assist).</p> <p>The <a href="http://cleverchimp.com/products/stokemonkey/" rel="nofollow">Stoke Monkey</a> does something similar - assists depending on effort.</p> <p>tim</p> Power-assist bikes are only a problem when they’re used as powered bikes that happen to have pedals.

I think most of us hate seeing noisy stinky 2-stroke powered bikes trundling along with the rider doing nothing to assist except squeeze the throttle harder and grimace a bit. In my opinion, an electric bike in the same situation is not much better.

But if the motor is used for assistance only… that’s a different matter.

I’m imagining a completely self-managed assistance motor, controlled by a throttle on a spring-loaded idler pulley on the tight side of the chain. The more effort you put in, the more the idler pulley spring deflects, opening the throttle a bit more. If you slack off, idler spring relaxes, the throttle backs off.

It would be great for taking off from a standstill, and for climbing with a load (for loaded climbing on cargo bike, such an assist motor would be a wonderful thing!).

At cruising speed on flat land, you don’t NEED an assist motor to help you along. Just spin along without much effort (ie not much chain tension, little if any motor assist).

The Stoke Monkey does something similar – assists depending on effort.

tim

]]> By: Chris http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/comment-page-1/#comment-1252 Chris Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:46:44 +0000 http://treadly.net/2008/04/18/in-praise-of-power-assisted-bikes/#comment-1252 <p>I've had an electric for about 2 years.</p> <p>Pluses:</p> <ul> <li>Believe me, you still get plenty of exercise (thanks in part to the pisspoor 200W power limit in Oz)</li> <li>I ride even when I'm feeling seedy or tired, I just use the motor a bit more</li> <li>I can arrive at work (no shower!) un-smelly</li> <li>I can carry a case of beer or box of groceries home</li> </ul> <p>Minuses:</p> <ul> <li>heavy bike! Go NiMH/Lithium over SLA if you can afford it</li> <li>snickering lycra boiz</li> <li>forgetting to charge is a bitch</li> </ul> I’ve had an electric for about 2 years.

Pluses:

  • Believe me, you still get plenty of exercise (thanks in part to the pisspoor 200W power limit in Oz)
  • I ride even when I’m feeling seedy or tired, I just use the motor a bit more
  • I can arrive at work (no shower!) un-smelly
  • I can carry a case of beer or box of groceries home

Minuses:

  • heavy bike! Go NiMH/Lithium over SLA if you can afford it
  • snickering lycra boiz
  • forgetting to charge is a bitch
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