The Electric Cycle Blog

With the on going saga of the world wide credit crunch and banks failing left, right and centre, people are looking to cut their costs down significantly. Enter in the electric cycle.

An electric cycle is about the most economical method of powered transport that you can get. The only thing left after an electric bike would be to forget the motor and just buy a normal cycle. But that takes effort. By cutting down on unnecessary car journeys you’re going to not only save a large amount of money due to less fuel usage but also from the reduced wear and tear on your vehicle. And around town that is significant.

In town you will be surpriised how much time you will save by using an electric cycle. You can get right to the front of every set of trafic lights, use cycle lanes (so long as you pedal on those) oh, and also check your own local laws about that! That time saved can be used for more worthwhile activities like drinking tea, relaxing, chatting…or even working.

The cost of running an electric cycle is so low that it’s hardly worth mentioning. It’s literally just a few pennies a day worth of electricity. And if you have a kindly employer you can save most of that by charging it up at work.

So, it makes a lot of sense to reduce or even eliminate one of the major expenses in any household; that of transportation. If you find that your car use has reduced significantly, then why not entertain the idea of getting rid of the car all together. If you work out the annual expenses of keeping a car and compare that to usuing an electric cycle and hiring a car for the times when you really need one, you may be astonished at the amount of money you will save. You will wonder why you didn’t get rid of the car ages ago.

Last, and only last as this post is about saving money, the environmental impact of an electric cycle is a very positive one. Less CO2 emmisions, less heat generated, little noise pollution, saves space, abnd that’s just to sart with. I’mn sure you can think of more.

This could be you …

Technorati Tags: e-bike, electric bike, electric cycle, save money

an electric scooter

Its over 100 pounds, so not allowed on bike paths in most places.

A 250w hub motor pushing a 118 pound ebike is not going to do very good on hills at all.

So if you are light and your terrain is real moderate, it might be OK.

Check with your local government to see if allowed and where.

For that money though, you could put a nice kit with a 400w hub motor on your mtn bike and have better performance, if you are any good with a wrench.

or get a nice Currie/Mongoose from Target or Northern Tools

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AWESOME New Hi-power electric 24 speed mountain bike from Hi-Power Cycles. Designated for off-road use only because it is capable of 30 Mph top speed. High torque brushless, internally geared hub motor provides nearly silent propulsion. Lithium Ion batteries are 52V, 8AH and weigh only 6.5 pounds.. Range is 20+ miles (upgradeable). Bike weighs only about 50 pounds. Check our our new website, www.hi-powercycles.com!!!

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Technorati Tags: 24, bike, brushless, electric, hub, motor, mountain, mtb, power, speed

Has anyone had a good experience owning a particular brand of electric bicycle? Or any models to avoid? Any real-life experience, good or bad, to share? Thanks…

Bionx:
http://www.birdrv.com/electricbike.php

I ride a lot and am very happy.

be sure to discuss your needs and riding style before buying.

Get a bike That has parts and service guaranteed.

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http://www.behot.com.au Read description first!
After testing the original motor, it proved to be too low in torque at low RPMs, meaning unless I gear it down a lot it will be pretty useless in power.

Instead, after much thinking of Ideas, I looked around for a more suitable motor. There were some perfect for the job, but the cost upwards of $300.

I then decided to spend a little extra and buy an electric conversion kit. I found one online for $395.00 (Australian) which Included:

– 500W/36v Rear hub motor, wheel & tyre
– 500W Re-Gen Braking controller
– Throttle control
– Battery gauge
– Re-gen brakes
– 36v Battery charger
– All needed wiring

No batteries included, so I bought:
– 3 x 12v SLA batteries $90.00

Main installation took about 3 hours, and then another hour for minor changes (such as a kill switch) etc. later.

Next video I will give a test run of the bike in action. It will take off without pedalling, it will even go up hills un-assisted! Here are some basic stats:

Top speed: 36km/h (22.5mph) no pedalling
Range: 20km no pedalling
Power: 500W / 36v

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Technorati Tags: 36v, 500w, assist, bike, conversion, ebike, electric, hub, kit, motor, part, pedal, rear, wheel

Yes, I live in Logan, Utah which is a college town. Both bikes and electric bikes are very popular with both students and faculty. There are twice as many bikes and electric bikes on campus then cars. In fact the campus had to get a grant to put in more bike racks.

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I'm thinking of getting an electric bicycle (to save on fuel costs)–does anyone have any personal information on electric bikes or recommendations on which brand?
Would also like to hear good/bad experiences any of you have had and especially what to avoid when purchasing one.
Thanks

Congratulations on considering your ebike purchase. It is one of the best transportation decisions you can make; you will be healthier and have more money in your pocket.

A recent case study:
An 8 mile commute to work, for a employee..desk job,. works out at the gym twice weekly.

has stoplights, hilly terrain. usually picks up odds and ends at store on way home from work.

fairly dry climate, 6 month fairly comfy riding season; mornings 45F or better, afternoons seldom above 90F, usually mid 80's.

married, 1 child, two car family. : Driving in town 9000 miles per year on car #2. Going to cut that in half –down by 4500 miles — most trips under 10 miles each way.

Car averages about 15 mpg in town so that is an even 300 gallons of gas, figure 3.50/gal… $1050.

not taking the car to work much any more, will save about $100 for six months insurance.

that's $1150. plus an oil change or two,. for $1200.. maybe a little more. Also looses about 5 pounds per month.

what can one getfor that?
You can get a top rated ebike kit a Bionx 350 w 36v NIMH kit for $1200!
A Bionx NIMH 36v 350w Ebike kit, judged one of the Best in the USA, to go on Your bike for $100 labor, or do the work yourself and save the$100.

http://www.birdrv.com/bionx-p350-electric-bicycle-kit.php
Dealer in Denver with service, parts, test rides, outstanding support.

Ok another well rated Ebike is the EZEE brand, Try Seattle or Oceanside:
http://www.electricvehiclesnw.com/main/contact.htm Cost a little more, but comes on a bike.

I support both of these and they are great in all respects.

East coast– another good guy:
http://nycewheels.com/

What are the horror stories I hear:

People that dont respect that these are Electric ASSIST bicyles and require you to pedal (but not hard), they treat them like mopeds, and they dont last. (however there are many people that understand that these are e-assist bikes and get 8 + years out of them)

People that overestimate their mechanical ability and try to install complicated kits themselve- yet they could not change a tire.

People that get scammed on ebay by trying to get a bargain on something they know little about.

So good luck. If you do your research, honest about your needs, get references about the bike and the dealer before you buy, you will be happy.

there will be an ebike race In Portland OR. at the end of May. Email me for more info.

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I have lost my license for life, due to a pass alcoholic life style. I have been alcohol free since Feb.7,1994,but the presant laws will not allow me to even obtain a hardship permitt. Here in south Fla. It's almost imposible to get by without trasportation . I became dissabled due to cancer in 1997, I recieve a small check from S.S.D. & have limited funds . This is why I'm trying to find a used electric bicycle , You are not required to have a drivers license on an electric bike. Could any one help me with this matter.

Well, for used (and even new) equipment, there's nothing like E-bay.

But what I've frequently found is that the people selling things on E-bay originally bought the things off of Craig's list, or from a local auction. So if you pick up the classifieds in your local paper, you might be able to get it before someone else does and puts it up on E-bay.

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Showcasing electric bicycles from EB Electric Bicycles in Nanaimo BC

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Technorati Tags: bicycles, bikes, eb, ebikes, electric, environment, environmentally, friendly, gas, gorddie, high, ludvigson, nanaimo, prices

I want to buy an electric bicycle that uses SLA battery, but in the future I want to replace it with LiFePO4 battery once the SLA runs out. Is that possible? Or if you buy an electric bike now your stuck with that battery technology?

You will be happy to know that your battery upgrade is perfectly doable.

There are some limitations, in that 24v LifeP04's are hard to find, so 36v or 48v is more desirable.

Most chemistry swaps are possible except you have to be real careful when going to NIMH or going to LifeP04's at 24v.

There is a possibility of getting a little more power from slightly over-volting.

You will of course need a new chemistry matching charger.

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