having an electric bike is like being an alien

[csm]

I was at a public event the other day, and saw a few electric bicycles there. I spoke to one person riding an Ultra Motor bike. He was friendly and even offered to let me ride it. I spoke to another person about my ebike.. and he said he has an ebike.. a currie "ezip". I asked some of the basic questions to these guys, like "what is the maximum distance you have gone on a single charge, what voltage is your battery. And it seems, understandably, that they did not know. Those companies do not make that info very upfront with thier customers. And both had bought their bikes used. I feel it is such a pleasure to ride my bike and would like everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy the opportunity, yet feel like most people are not interested or perhaps can not understand what the experience is like. And I understand how that can be, because so many of the early ebikes were not well designed and seems they were prone to failure, and lack of resources to get them back up and running conveniently and at reasonable cost, or even giving the rider some basic skills to be able to take care of many of the things that can go wrong with an ebike. Even the Golden Motor, at least the MP2 (MP3 apparently has much better cabling) is prone to some basic problems that require maintenance, just like any bike that is used and exposed to dirt and water in the environment. Perhaps I will give some kind of workshop to teach people some basic tips and tricks on keeping an ebike up and running on a budget.. and get the best value and fun out of thier ebike. I wonder if anyone else has done such a thing. Perhaps I can get more ideas to offer from them.

[DAND214]

Alien! That's a fact.

Very few people have any idea what a e bike is.

You mention about a powered bike and all they say is, WHY?

Why not, I say. It's fun and good excersise withlittle strain on your body.

I have a few inquires from time to time, but really no intrest in trying it.

If it's a biker that competes, there is no way he would change hus trairainig rutine as it might cost him the race.
A race that costs you money to enter but get nothing in retun, other than you beat the guy behind you.

i get passed a lot buy the Lycra crowd, It would be no problem blowing them away. But I don'tlet them go and go on my merry way.

I have asked many friends to try out one of my bikes (8) only at the moment as my favorite one is down with a broken swingarm.

I did get my son in law to try it last fall. I think I got as much enjoyment as he did just watching him have aball. He's even going to take a day off of work to do some serious riding. Maybe because the ride he had was fast enough to get hjis attention.

I mhave seen very few Ebikes around my area and if I do it's gone before I get a chance to say HEY IS THAT A EBIKE!

I love to ride my bike! From slow to fast it's a real enjoyment in doing it. It gets me away from work. Oh I forgot I don't work anymore.

ENJOY!

Dan

[Dauntless]

Ever see an old movie called 'Troll?' 'That man. . .On the electric bike. . .He's a POD PERSON from the PLANET NEPTUNE!"



Meanwhile, people with even the most expensive gas engine cars don't know how powerful the engine is, don't know how far they can drive on a gallon of gas, don't even want to know. Why would they be different about electrics? Not everyone is on one because they're motivated and have an agenda. They won't ever be popular if that's to be a requirement.

Oh yeah, the people at the event said "Hey, that alien from another planet keeps asking if we have the range to fly home," and I went ahead and took your picture.

[csm]

Alien! That's a fact.
I have seen very few Ebikes around my area and if I do it's gone before I get a chance to say HEY IS THAT A EBIKE!

That is my experience most of the time.. Sometimes I am able to catch them if they got a slower ebike or they get caught at a red light.

I think I need to start a club for people in the ebike community in my local community. Most of the people whom I suggest the idea to are interested. I spoke of, in addition to being able to exchange information, share information with each other about ebikes and riding them etc, we could organize a buying club for group purchases, and perhaps get vendors of electric bicycle products and services to show us what they got and give us chance to speak to them and maybe try out thier products.. I like how the electric bicycle club in Vancouver has created a growing community of electric bicycle enthusiasts.. that has even spread down to Seattle. And it has spawned electric bike businesses like GRIN, and expos fore electric bicycles.

One other thing I am exploring is the idea of getting the local community college to impliment the electric bicycle technician certification program which was created by people at the Lite Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA)

[Jeremy Harris]

Views will change with time, it will just take a while for folk to get used to them being around and then see the advantages they have. It's a bit like electric/hybrid cars. When I bought my first Prius back in 2005 people would stop in their tracks when I backed (on electric only) out of a parking space, or when I cruised down a street in EV mode. Nowadays the things are two a penny and no one even give my current Prius a second glance. The same isn't true of the ebike, though, as virtually every time I ride into town someone will stop and ask about it. So far I've only ever seen one other ebike when I've been out and about, an expensive (as in $3000) and very sluggish Kalkhoff, so ebikes around here are still a bit of a novelty.

[dogman]

Most people aren't nerds like many of us are. So they aren't interested in anything about their ebike, or car, or motorcycle, except if it goes, or doesn't go. We are interested because we are the 10% that always asks why stuff works, and why doesn't it work better.

[csm]

Most people aren't nerds like many of us are. So they aren't interested in anything about their ebike, or car, or motorcycle, except if it goes, or doesn't go. We are interested because we are the 10% that always asks why stuff works, and why doesn't it work better.

I guess I need to find my people, for socializing and support. I think there probably is a significant number of people in my community that would jump at the opportunity to be part of an electric bicycle (and other electric personal transport, like segways, scooters, unicycles, electrified skateboards, electrified roller skates, etc). It is just a matter of outreach to them and organizing opportunities for them to connect. And I think the internet, forums, youtube videos are great. But, the physical opportunity to touch and feel the stuff we talking about would help to better understand these things, And if enough people participate, there is bound to be opportunities to get experiences with a broad range of technology that may be cost prohibitive for most folks. I suppose I will be looking at modeling what was done with the electric bicycle club on the University of British Culumbia campus.

[John in CR]

You silly earthlings, having an electric bike is nothing like being an alien. Now that the gig is up, take me to your leader.

[The fingers]

My LBS has a recumbent club and the shop works on and sells e-bikes. Maybe Ill ask the owner about how he started his club.

[Ykick]

From the m/c side of the spectrum this reaction is nothing new. 25-100 years ago people were often amazed you could ride "that thing" in wet, cold, heat, cross country, dense city traffic, lane share, etc. it just doesn't register to so many people in society because it's outside the "normal" life many live. Of course, the eBike is a whole new category but similar principles do apply, IMO.

However, I firmly believe there's a segment of society that should never drive/ride anything! These individuals simply don't have the brain wiring to properly interpret traffic situations, render proper reactions and/or care what happens to the "other guy" on the road. While distractions and class entitlement have only gotten worse!

More folks are joining the party and it's gonna be a great party when enough of us take to using cycles enough so that the number of cars/trucks is notably reduced.

[Kingfish]

Certainly, experiences can be outworldly for the pedestrian as well as the ryder, especially considering how I dress for protection. One that I shall never forget…

On the Road: California 2011 – Tionesta, taking in an opportunity-charge at this backwater RV park, surrounded by the local Hells Angels gathering for a Sunday brunch. Iron horses meets Electric ponies; not one had seen an electric bike before. Very strange, and yet I was accepted for all the geekiness, technomania, and lycra shorts within the Clan of leather and lace and carbonaceous cacophony, as if beamed in directly to this cloudless dry scrub brush desert far and away from the Emerald (Rain) City. The most telling bit was the level of acceptance and peaceable nature between the dichotomy of culture and industry, yet we as people are tinkers at heart regardless of the 40 years of technological separation.

Clear to the other extreme was some buggered-in-the-head Vietnam Vet Agent Orange victim that was nearly overt in his desire to steal my ride so he could haul buckets of water around for his window-washing business. Dealing with him was pretty weird and alien.

Generally, if I stopped to take a good long pause… eat, drink, opportunity-charge… someone would curiously approach and inquire. Having features on the bike that resembled the familiar – yet organized in such a manner not perceived before is a magnetic for attraction. We are witnessing the explosion of growth and acceptance of this new market, especially in the cities. The real challenge that awaits is for us to venture out into the rural realm, the heartland of the country which contains the most conservative populace, and share these experiences… ignite the spark of friendly acceptance and alternate solutions to motivation.

That said, when traveling to new worlds, Beware of Orange People.


Endeavoring to continue the search for Alludium Phosdex, the illusive shaving cream atom... KF

[Dauntless]

You know, I guess it is pretty easy to pick out the alien of the group.

[joepah]

That's kind of funny... I get questioned all the time, and let people ride my UltraMotor A2B if they want. Some people accuse me of cheating? Others think it's a great idea esp in the summer heat.

I try to tell the naysayers that China has over 100 Million E bikes on the road. They don't relate.

[MikeFairbanks]

I moved my battery from inside the triangle to a rack over the back wheel specifically because I was getting looks. Now they don't notice. Just normal-looking bike.

I was in New York City last weekend and counted seven Ebikes on one block alone. They are everywhere. I also noticed (and this might be in many cities) that New Yorkers want their bikes to look as shitty as possible, Ebikes or not. They had primer, ratty electrical tape.....just seriously ugly, and I figured that it was possibly attributed to three reasons:

1. They are core, and they value utility and nothing else.

2. They want to look core, because they want street cred.

3. They don't want their bikes ripped off, so they ugly them up.

But returning to Ebikes: NYC is swarming with them.


In my town we have three that I know of, and one works at the LBS. the other is on a tadpole trike, chain drive, and the first time I saw him cruising on the flats at an unrealistic speed I said, "Hey, is that thing motorized?"

He said no, so I replied, "Are you sure? Because there's no way you coasted that far while maintaining that speed."

He then admitted it, although he didn't like that he had been busted. Eventually he filled me in on the details, but I still wondered why he would lie at first.

Now I know. People will never get it unless they try it. No amount of talk will have a significant impact, but when they try it they immediately get it.

I'm no longer an E-vangelist because I live in America, and most Americans don't want to get it. They just want whatever is easiest, which is why we have such an obesity epidemic in this country.

Having a large closed-minded segment of the population isn't helping either.

[csm]

IThey had primer, ratty electrical tape.....just seriously ugly, and I figured that it was possibly attributed to three reasons:

1. They are core, and they value utility and nothing else.
2. They want to look core, because they want street cred.
3. They don't want their bikes ripped off, so they ugly them up.

But returning to Ebikes: NYC is swarming with them.

the other is on a tadpole trike, chain drive, and the first time I saw him cruising on the flats at an unrealistic speed I said, "Hey, is that thing motorized?"

He said no, so I replied, "Are you sure? Because there's no way you coasted that far while maintaining that speed."

He then admitted it, although he didn't like that he had been busted. Eventually he filled me in on the details, but I still wondered why he would lie at first.

Now I know. People will never get it unless they try it. No amount of talk will have a significant impact, but when they try it they immediately get it.

I'm no longer an E-vangelist because I live in America, and most Americans don't want to get it. They just want whatever is easiest, which is why we have such an obesity epidemic in this country.

I would go with "3. They don't want their bikes ripped off, so they ugly them up". I read about this technique int a book of tips and tricks to keep bike for getting stolen. The author called it a kind of urban camouflage. And it works!

I get asked if my bicycle is electric several times a day.. And some people are very aggressive.. It can be dangerous.. They sometimes don't seem to care what i am doing.. so i sometimes have to ignore them.. kind of like a girl getting cat called or propositioned all the time or a famous person getting pursued.. have to develop a kind of barrier. If people catch me at a time where it is safe.. (I have had some drunk people start chasing me on foot. running into the street traffic. It gets very dangerous to me and to them) and I have some time, and they seem to ask intelligent question, i will respond. It doesn't surprise me that the guy in the tadpole at first responded to your question "is it electric?" with "no".. I think another way to approach a cyclist that has an electric bicycle is to tell them I ride an electric bicycle. And then if I want to talk to them about their bicycle, ask them if i can talk to them for a couple minutes about their bicycle. Many people usually are agree-able to that.. and they show me their bicycle and tell me about it.. and answer my questions. They even let me ride it. And at the same time.. i exchange contact info with them.. speak to them about wanting to organize an electric bicycle owner/riders club.

[iamsofunny]

They accuse me of cheating too!!

But I was here way before them!

I built the trails too. I built one technical trail 4 other guys. I built another trail along with the bike club we had a long time ago. And I made all the signs for each trailhead when I was 15 and all the signs are still there.

Cheating.

I'll tell you who's cheating.

Them, for driving cars and taking on debt. They're cheating themselves into slavery.

But you know... when I was in Asia people thought I was really cool for riding an ebike.

[csm]

They accuse me of cheating too!!

But I was here way before them!

I built the trails too. I built one technical trail 4 other guys. I built another trail along with the bike club we had a long time ago. And I made all the signs for each trailhead when I was 15 and all the signs are still there.

Cheating.

I'll tell you who's cheating.

Them, for driving cars and taking on debt. They're cheating themselves into slavery.

(applause and smiles)

I think you got an awesome point about the "cheating themselves into slavery". Plus, some of these people will drive thier cars through the week, and then ride an occassional few miles "for exercise" or "entertainment". I realise many of these people are just ignorant, not in a bad way, but just kind of like they have a disability, like being color blind, they can not see what thier eyes do not give them capacity to perceive. Too also, the technology has made some huge leaps in advancment and improvement over the last few years, such as high efficient, safe, quiet hub motors and advances in lithium battery technology. And I want to thank, in part, people in the RC community, for making brushless motors, controllers, lithium batteries and chargers more accessable and cheaper for the ebike crowd, even though they hadn't necesarilly intended that purpose. And also to thank the computer industry for making laptops lithium batteries and chargers cheaper and more plentiful and cheaper for driving down the cost of lithium batteries and chargers for ebike use. Also want to thank the cordless power tool industry for helping drive down costs and making improvements in lithium battery and charger technology, etc etc.. the ebike crowd is riding the wave of many improvements and lower costs as result of the proliferation of technologies that can and are being retooled for use with ebikes. OPEC can't do anything about that (smile).