What dont we like about electric bikes or electric motorbikes?

Question

thinking about starting up a company selling electric powered bikes for on and off road what do you think??

Answer 1

This seems like a product for a "non-biker".  I think people who commute by bicycle or ride often and are looking to make bike  or bike purchases regularly really won't be interested beyond discussing the novelty.

Really - what is the point of an electric or electric assist bicycle?  I wouldn't ride a weekend bike race on one.  One of the reasons I commute by bicycle is to get a work-out anyway while getting to work.

Seriously, I don't think any avid cyclist will be interested.  It seems like a product someone might buy, ride for a while and then store in the garage.  Your committed cyclists and repeat customers probably prefer their own two feet to get moving.

Answer 2

Are you thinking of building or importing?

there are quite a few urban capable Li-ion battery bikes of variable quality & performance avaialble. these are a definite improvement to single ocupant city car commute.

You could provide a package with an electrician who can fit suitable outdoor sockets, as per mobility scooters. Or negotiate with local councils, eg Westminster provide sockets & free parking in some of their car parks.

Off-road would need to be more bespoke solution. within a small defined track electric would outperform infernal combustio due to better torque characteristics (no gears) & radical 2 wheel in-hub drive options. Short range requirement & quick battery swap between races.

but not very friendly if used cross-country on footpaths etc. plus risk of flat battery in a remote wood would serve the inconsiderate rider right.

http://www.evuk.co.uk

http://www.batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk/...

Answer 3

Their limited range and additional weight make them a non starter for most people.

Answer 4

the only problem that comes to light was that off deaf people saying they would not hear them coming, other then that i think this as to be the way forward

regards x kitti x

Answer 5

Hi, I'd probably say the limited range, relatively slow speed and their silence.  However, I do think that they could be a great area of business to move into, going green is on the up!

Answer 6

I bought an electric bicycle recently and really like it.  I got this one made by Currie Tech. called the E-Zip Mountain Trailz bike:

http://www.currietech.com/html/07_ezip_m...

It only cost me $350 and it performs quite well.  I generally go 16-17 mph (average about 15.5 mph including stops) whereas with my old road/mountain hybrid bike I'd only average 13.5 mph over my 13 mile commute to/from work.  I got the bike to make the commute quicker (down from about 60 minutes to 50) and easier (electric motor assist makes it much less tiring).  I've found that most electric bikes cost at least $500, and kits to convert a regular bike to electric are on the order of $300, so the E-Zip was an awesome deal.

An argument can be made that electric bikes actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions when compared to regular bikes.  This is because you burn more calories on a regular bike, and producing and transporting the food to replace those calories has a greenhouse gas emission impact along with it.  That's something you might want to examine as a potential marketing point.

The point that avid cyclists can go fast enough that electric bikes are of no use to them is a valid one.  I get passed up by those hardcore guys with the multi-thousand dollar bikes and spandex and all that, but I go faster than the non-hardcore bikers and have an easier time of it.  It's a very good commute option.

As for electric scooters, the only downside as has been mentioned is speed and range due to battery restrictions.  Battery technology is rapidly advancing though, making them more appealing.  Again, they're a good option for around town commuting.  If you just need to make a quick trip to the store, why bother burning gas when you can just hop on your electric scooter?  Again it's a great option for commuting too.

Good luck if you decide to start up this company.  We need more like it!  I couldn't find anybody selling electric bikes in my area and had to go online to buy one without having the option of trying it out beforehand.

Answer 7

That don't make a hundred decibel VROOM. Perhaps they could be fitted with loudspeakers to simulate that racket.

Answer 8

I think you should go for it!!! Awesome idea..... Good luck x

Answer 9

I considered an electric scooter for traveling to work, but my wife squashed that because of her concern for my safety. I also have concerns about weather making it less useful as a full time transportation method and range due to battery technology. Also, I have questions about where to plug it in at my apartment building and it would be nice to plug it in at work, but my work does not have a policy for electric vehicles.

Timothy D.

Answer 10

It would be interesting to see this question asked in "sports cycling" section also.

I'm a keen cyclist but don't consider myself a purist. I don't mind people getting out there on an E-bike this is still a far better option than driving.

Most of the problems stem from range and government restrictions (particularly speed). Battery life also an issue.

The biggest bug bear is speed most places are limited to 20mph of assistance (legally). Most reasonable cyclist can manage averages over 20 mph without the motor.(and can travel at this speed for more than the range of the batteries.)

There are some great motors available and some are quite cheap also. Efficiencies over 90% are not uncommon. Battery technology has gone ahead in leaps and bounds. Lithium manganese is probably the best on the market at the moment. A combination of these two gives an excellent result. Total bolt on weights of about 5kgs (11 lb). This can get the average couch potato doing quite respectable cycling speeds. Taking care of all those short trips. But then there are these speed and or power restrictions. Really puts a damper on things.

Battery life over the cheaper lead acid batteries is not good. If the bike is used every day expect to change the batteries almost yearly. The extra weight slows the bike down also.

The life and performance improves with more expensive batteries. The cost of replacing them dulls the enjoyment.(recyclable). Not paying rego dulls the pain.

The best part an electric bike (or motorcycle) will emit only about 1/60 th of the emissions of a hybrid motor vehicle for the same distance. Based on 200 watts/hour 20 mph (32km) charged from the dirtiest coal fired power stations. (zero from renewables)

Good luck to you. This is a worthwhile exercise. Should go well.

Answer 11

I ride 9 miles a day on my bike and looked into gettin an electric bike. The main problems i found were that they weren't fast enough, the range was fairly limited and because they're that much heavier than normal bikes they're a lot more work when you do pedal them.

Answer 12

Cant beat the smell of petrol fumes.

Answer 13

I know it sounds good with the cost of gas and all, but there are a lot of reasons, I feel, why they don't really go over.  

1.  Very slow usually...I had a small gas powered bicycle once and it seemed to take forever to get to the local grocery store in back.  I was up on a hill so going in wasn't too bad but going home was very slow.

2.  Where I live now in Arizona, I would have to go about 4 miles and it is on a very busy highway.  The cars are traveling at 60 - 70  and they require you to travel on the right side of the road.  I have done this with my bicycle and it is just too scary.  In other words there is no real good infrastructure for bikes.  They have a few little bike lanes here and there but it is a token offering only.

3.  For shopping using my bike I did have a little success using my backpack but I am single and can carry two days groceries.  I don't do it anymore because I am just to scared of the traffic.  Cell phone drivers are really frightening if u r on a bike.

I don't think this would work very good for a family.

4.  There are many places to buy electrics already for those people in a niche where they are practical.  Lee Iacoca (the Chrysler guy) helped develop the E-bike.  Even Fred Myer and Walmart have some electrics sitting in their stores.

I think in Japan they are working on some higher powered electric scooters and bikes.  A little better range and 40-50 mph to keep up with traffic.  Maybe some possibilities there but then they start getting pricey like the Sedgeway..hmmm wonder how that thing is doing?

Good luck if you try it.  There's probably some technology and marketing out there that might work in some areas of the country.

Answer 14

there are a few realistic problems with electric powered vehicles:

a) slower speeds

b) lack of range

c) useage of lead cells and replacement/disposal

D!) the claims they pollute less is not necessarily true, they may locally right where youre driving them, but the power does have to come from somewhere, all that happens is to displace the location or source of the pollution.

-not to be knocking youre idea either hey, theres some other good ideas happening now too.

http://waterpoweredcar.com/stanmeyer.htm...

http://www.befreetech.com/feinfo.htm

-some may say "perpetual motion" is impossible, but this does look like a real potential solution for energy and pollution both.

Answer 15

Get in line

there are a bunch of companies already.

You can get a kit to convert ANY bicycle to electric power for about $300 on E-Bay.

Answer 16

Probably just cos they're not trendy and don't fit the biker image, plus not many people have heard about those bikes or their capabilities.

Answer 17

cauz thier g*y