Comments on: This is a Confession, not a Bike Review

By: peteathome

peteathome — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:59:48 +0000

On a pedelec ebike – the type that only assists your pedaling – you still get plenty of exercise. But you can avoid heavy sweating, so they are great for going to an off-site meeting at work without having to change or shower again. Or for going to work without having to change or shower.

I think they have the opposite effect of a slippery slope leading to a car. Instead, you end up with fewer excuses to take a car. A large load of groceries – no problem. Can’t get too sweaty – no problem. Don’t want to get too tired – only a slight problem. Running short of time – the ebike might help.

I have a Bionx add-on kit on my bike. Top speed 20 mph, typical range on a charge, using level 2 assist, about 35 miles. And the kit is light enough that I can easily continue without assist power ( I typically have to go one gear lower than with my regular bike) so no range anxiety. I think I actually get more exercise with this assist kit than before because I do ALL my transportational trips by bicycle. I also achieve a higher over-all speed with the ebike than an unassisted bike, so longer trips of, say, 15 miles are more doable.

I still use a regular bikes for recreational rides or when I just feel like getting out there and bicycling because it is just more fun than the ebike. But for utility, the ebike wins.

By: Columbus commuter

Columbus commuter — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:20:49 +0000

Cars and e-bikes provide no temptation to me whatsoever. I love riding my bike and I would not get to work any other way. With that said, I am intrigued by e-bikes. I figure that when I get to an age (hopefully a long time)that I am unable to bike unassisted, this will provide me a way to continue to bike.

By: Bob P.

Bob P. — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:12:15 +0000

My bike commute is my exercise time, although I can get too warm on the ride in. I am experiencing dissonance when I think of one. Maybe I should take one for a test spin.

By: Pete at Electric Bike Report

Pete at Electric Bike Report — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:31:07 +0000

Hey Ted, I have a couple more e-bikes to tempt you with!

@Josh, I like that idea! Might be a funny Facebook page

By: John Romeo Alpha

John Romeo Alpha — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:28:32 +0000

I am torn about e-bikes. Once they become as affordable as non-e-bikes, and can take me much further (say, two or three times) on a charge than I can ride, and let’s say at a similar or faster pace, and there are more places to charge them when you need a charge, they may appeal to me more. For now, though, I like riding too much to start sliding down the slope at all.

By: Ted Johnson

Ted Johnson — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:43:06 +0000

I didn’t take the single-speed home. My wife picked me up in the car and gave me a ride home. I had no idea the slope would be that slippery.

By: Josh Lipton

Josh Lipton — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:30:58 +0000

Perhaps we should start up ConfessByBike.com.

By: Rob E.

Rob E. — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:30:21 +0000

This is why I shun e-bikes. Not because I think that they are useless, evil, or a bad idea, but because I’m afraid I would love them too much, and unassisted rides would become more and more rare. I can’t quite see them leading me into a car. I’ve already been led into a car, and I’ve come back, but I can easily see where I became so reliant on a motor that that last hill on my commute, the one I used to walk up, went back to being something I couldn’t pedal up under my own steam. Don’t tempt me, electric assist, you cannot rob me of the only exercise I get.