Class 3 Bikes: What Do Manufacturers Know That We Don't Know?

[Gmanx]

Great, just because you don’t want to ride in colder weather doesn’t mean we shouldn’t create the necessary infrastructure because you get cold or don’t want it. Thank goodness we have people that can understand there are 12 months in year or there are other needs but your own.

 

[J.R.]

I don't hear national politicians talk about cycling infrastructure or safety. Local people do. It may not be ideal for many places, but there are scores of abandoned rail lines in the country. Companies that retain the right of ways have to be convinced and given incentives to give them up. I'm not talkng about lines that will ever be used again, I'm talking about lines that aren't capable of ever being used again. They are ideal for bike and hike paths. Mostly flat with bridge and tunnels that are more than capable of carrying the load. We have a lot of rail trails and I know a lot of people that use them for commuting. They go through bedroom communities and lead to city centers. They appeal to a variety of people for travel and recreation, they attract visitors. I live just a couple miles from one and watched it being created 25 years ago. No, not cheap to do, but a lot cheaper than starting from scratch. It's the best of segregated cycle paths.

Rails to Trails Conservancy: Building A Nation Connected By Trails

Rails to Trails Conservancy is building a nation connected by trails, reimagining public spaces to create safe ways to be active outdoors.

www.railstotrails.org

 

[jabberwocky]

Dedicated infrastructure is its own giant discussion. It tends to be a local issue, even on projects that are state/federally managed and funded. For example, the I66 widening project here in NoVA is including a MUP not because the state/fed wanted it, but because the counties insisted on it as a necessary link in their bike network. Even then the final configuration isn't ideal (some stretches will be inside the interstate soundwall because local land owners made a fuss about it bringing undesirables near their property).

I don't hear national politicians talk about cycling infrastructure or safety. Local people do. It may not be ideal for many places, but there are scores of abandoned rail lines in the country. Companies that retain the right of ways have to be convinced and given incentives to give them up. I'm not talkng about lines that will ever be used again, I'm talking about lines that aren't capable of ever being used again. They are ideal for bike and hike paths. Mostly flat with bridge and tunnels that are more than capable of carrying the load. We have a lot of rail trails and I know a lot of people that use them for commuting. They go through bedroom communities and lead to city centers. They appeal to a variety of people for travel and recreation, they attract visitors. I live just a couple miles from one and watched it being created 25 years ago. No, not cheap to do, but a lot cheaper than starting from scratch. It's the best of segregated cycle paths.

Rails to Trails Conservancy: Building A Nation Connected By Trails

Rails to Trails Conservancy is building a nation connected by trails, reimagining public spaces to create safe ways to be active outdoors.

www.railstotrails.org

One of the nations older rail trails (the W&OD, named after the defunct railroad bed it now runs along) runs within a few hundred yards of my house. I used it to commute from Reston to Tysons Corner for many years at a previous job and frequently use it to connect things together out here in Loudoun.

 

[Gmanx]

so you're saying the automobile interstate highway is funded exclusively by the states?

 

[mschwett]

an interesting fact in the united states, the federal highway trust fund, responsible for much of the federal 1/4 of national road funding, is regularly shored up by general fund infusions, since the paltry federal gas tax has not been increased in ages. a tiny fraction of that ill-spent money, collected from motorists and non motorists alike, would build a shitload of bike lanes.

The federal government accounts for about one-quarter of all public spending on roads and highways, with the remaining three-quarters financed by state and local governments.

 

[RunForTheHills]

an interesting fact in the united states, the federal highway trust fund, responsible for much of the federal 1/4 of national road funding, is regularly shored up by general fund infusions, since the paltry federal gas tax has not been increased in ages. a tiny fraction of that ill-spent money, collected from motorists and non motorists alike, would build a shitload of bike lanes.

While it would indeed build a lot of bike lanes, that wouldn't be a popular idea. Try posting the idea on a non-cycling forum and see how many thumbs down you will get. Most people in the US don't ride bikes regularly and would fight tooth and nail not to convert car lanes into bike lines on roads that can't be widened.

 

[Gmanx]

lol - I guess they are good with the body counts for pedestrians and damage to the planet including more likely to reduce the traffic load.

 

[RunForTheHills]

lol - I guess they are good with the body counts for pedestrians and damage to the planet including more likely to reduce the traffic load.

Even generally well intentioned people tend to think about things in terms of how it affects them and perhaps their family and friends. Talking about body counts for pedestrians is a bit hyperbolic.

 

[Gmanx]

i find it interesting there is little to no concern or thought to lives that can clearly be saved by investing in the appropriate infrastructure. Any talk of the consequences of poor design, deaths aka body count, is wiped away as hyperbolic.

If loss of human life doesn't spur some to action or convey the severity, what will? What we should probably do is tell us americans we are taking away their bikes, then maybe we will get all kinds of support? Maybe we should say main stream media wants to take away all our bikes?

 

[AHicks]

i find it interesting there is little to no concern or thought to lives that can clearly be saved by investing in the appropriate infrastructure. Any talk of the consequences of poor design, deaths aka body count, is wiped away as hyperbolic.

If loss of human life doesn't spur some to action or convey the severity, what will? What we should probably do is tell us americans we are taking away their bikes, then maybe we will get all kinds of support? Maybe we should say main stream media wants to take away all our bikes?

That's not always true. In Florida, a little guy was killed riding his bike to school not too long ago - while riding in a bike lane, in town. Rightly so, the stuff hit the fan! There's a person sitting in jail, still, after that incident. Way more on the positive side, that poor little guy's death was the key to actions taken since to put in several miles of bike path, REAL bike path, separated from car traffic by not just a curb, but also several feet of sod. They named that section of bike path after him as a memorial. Still a damn shame, but at least some good came of it....

I agree 100% that a death due to lack of proper infrastructure happens way too often - and is generally treated as an "oops!", too bad for that guy.....

 

[Ken M]

One thing that always amazes me is how few bikers that ride in road side bike lanes have review mirrors. I put many miles in bike lanes but I'm always looking to the rear just to see if any car is even moderately veering into the bike lane. While I understand it's the drivers fault but the biker pays the price so why not get a $10 mirror that could save your life?

 

[AHicks]

One thing that always amazes me is how few bikers that ride in road side bike lanes have review mirrors. I put many miles in bike lanes but I'm always looking to the rear just to see if any car is even moderately veering into the bike lane. While I understand it's the drivers fault but the biker pays the price so why not get a $10 mirror that could save your life?

Have one and USE one!

 

[Ken M]

Have one and USE one!

My guess is you would agree that little mirror can save your life for sure. Just a second in advance visual of a car weaving into the bike lane and you can get out of they way of a rear-ender.

While I've never tried one Garmin has the rear radar system that is supposed to tell you if any car is approaching that could hit you. That sounds like good tech for a bike given how many drivers are distracted.

 

[jabberwocky]

I have a mirror on one bike (the gravel-e), but after years of road riding I'm pretty used to shoulder checking to see whats back there. Hard to get a mirror to really work super well on a drop bar bike, and everything I own that I ride on pavement has drop bars of some form.

Sound is good. All cars make a decent amount of noise at normal cruising speed. The one time I was hit from behind, I knew the car was coming, they just tried to squeeze by me on a narrow street with oncoming traffic and didn't really leave me anywhere to go (I swung as far over as I could but their mirror hit my shoulder and took me down and they ran over my arm/bike with the back tire).

While I've never tried one Garmin has the rear radar system that is supposed to tell you if any car is approaching that could hit you. That sounds like good tech for a bike given how many drivers are distracted.

Yeah, the Varia. I have a friend who has one. I'd probably try it if I was given one but hers hasn't been that impressive when we've ridden together.

 

[tmo1620]

i find it interesting there is little to no concern or thought to lives that can clearly be saved by investing in the appropriate infrastructure. Any talk of the consequences of poor design, deaths aka body count, is wiped away as hyperbolic.

If loss of human life doesn't spur some to action or convey the severity, what will? What we should probably do is tell us americans we are taking away their bikes, then maybe we will get all kinds of support? Maybe we should say main stream media wants to take away all our bikes?

You act like thats a popular thought amongst a very large portion of the population but it definitely isn’t. Electric bikes aren’t solely being purchased by people wanting to replace cars and trucks for their commutes, the majority is being bought up by the people who are looking for a different type of hobby. One where you can go for long rides in hills, tour through cities and ride all day without having to be in tip top physical shape. On a regular bike riding those kind of distances is tough to do if you don’t do it all the time. People can get exercise and enjoy a day out without being sweaty tired messes at the end of the day. I personally would never wanna replace my 4 vehicles with a bike lol, everything I own has a purpose and commuting on a bike year round is virtually impossible in my climate. We get 6-7 feet of snowfall a winter and the season lasts for 5-6 months with an average temp of -15c. You call a vehicle a murder box lol, you sound afraid and must not be very good at driving lol. I love my vehicles, have an 02 f150 beater truck for going to work at the plant, hunting, fishing and doing landfill runs and hauling scrap material etc. Have a 2018 ram 3500 diesel for hauling snowmobiles to the mountains and towing the side x side and 5th wheel in the summer, have a 2016 Chrysler 200C for the wife to drive and have a 2019 Dodge Challenger HellCat for pleasure driving lol aka going fast and getting an adrenaline rush. My electric bike purchases are just another hobby purchase to keep me occupied, like my mountain snowmobiles and my Polaris general UTV. I enjoy riding a bike but with big hills and long distances it wasn’t enjoyable because I don’t have the time to do it regularly. Now I can enjoy a good bike ride when I get a chance to go for one. I will probably use it to ride to work in the summer when the weather is decent just to get a little exercise but if I get up at 430am to get ready for a 12 hr shift at work and it’s raining I’ll definitely be starting the truck no question about it lol

 

[timacn]

You act like thats a popular thought amongst a very large portion of the population but it definitely isn’t. Electric bikes aren’t solely being purchased by people wanting to replace cars and trucks for their commutes, the majority is being bought up by the people who are looking for a different type of hobby. One where you can go for long rides in hills, tour through cities and ride all day without having to be in tip top physical shape. On a regular bike riding those kind of distances is tough to do if you don’t do it all the time. People can get exercise and enjoy a day out without being sweaty tired messes at the end of the day. I personally would never wanna replace my 4 vehicles with a bike lol, everything I own has a purpose and commuting on a bike year round is virtually impossible in my climate. We get 6-7 feet of snowfall a winter and the season lasts for 5-6 months with an average temp of -15c. You call a vehicle a murder box lol, you sound afraid and must not be very good at driving lol. I love my vehicles, have an 02 f150 beater truck for going to work at the plant, hunting, fishing and doing landfill runs and hauling scrap material etc. Have a 2018 ram 3500 diesel for hauling snowmobiles to the mountains and towing the side x side and 5th wheel in the summer, have a 2016 Chrysler 200C for the wife to drive and have a 2019 Dodge Challenger HellCat for pleasure driving lol aka going fast and getting an adrenaline rush. My electric bike purchases are just another hobby purchase to keep me occupied, like my mountain snowmobiles and my Polaris general UTV. I enjoy riding a bike but with big hills and long distances it wasn’t enjoyable because I don’t have the time to do it regularly. Now I can enjoy a good bike ride when I get a chance to go for one. I will probably use it to ride to work in the summer when the weather is decent just to get a little exercise but if I get up at 430am to get ready for a 12 hr shift at work and it’s raining I’ll definitely be starting the truck no question about it lol

I like the infrastructure idea for a variety of reasons: usefulness, safety, amusement, exercise, etc. Even tourism? Back during "The Bike Boom" in the Seventies and Eighties, Pennsylvania seemed like it was trying to get recognized as a "Bicycle Friendly State." There was lots of biking news and interest happening. Cannondales were first made in Pennsylvania, The Trexlertown Velodrome opened, and a couple of big bike races with heavyweight international competitors took place. (The race with the infamous Manayunk Wall in Philly comes to mind.) There was talk, as I recall, of large scale initiatives to section off portions of roads throughout the state for "bikes only" use. Pennsylvania is an exceptionally beautiful state and I think people had high hopes for popular bike trails and associated B&Bs, Restaurants, Taverns, etc. cropping up for bicycling aficionados who would be drawn to the state. Sadly, I think that somewhere along the way the idea fizzled out. I'm not sure if they even do the races anymore.

 

[Gmanx]

Notice how when you don’t have anything of substance to add, my character is attacked. Im scared or not a good driver lol

I know there are some who think ebikes are the center of the universe, but there are significantly larger amount of non-ebikes that work just as fine and are in need of infrastructure. Just because you’re okay with truck drivers like yourself (compensating of course) driving bigger and bigger vehicles on the road that are higher thus more lethal to pedestrians, doesn’t mean we should listen to your excuses and cavalier attitude to non truck drivers.

not surprised a truck driver runs their mouth and doesn’t know what they are doing or talking about lol, wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen that and won’t be the last. But hey, you drive a big truck and play with toys, so you’re a badass right? lol

there are 7billion plus people on this planet and growing, and we as a human race are at risk of dying out due to climate change, bikes thus bike infrastructure, will do more to reduce pollution that EV’s. I also find it funny for all the tough talk, a little cold weather makes mr truckie run for the heater

 

[Hasaf]

You act like thats a popular thought amongst a very large portion of the population but it definitely isn’t. Electric bikes aren’t solely being purchased by people wanting to replace cars and trucks for their commutes. . .

. . . I personally would never wanna replace my 4 vehicles with a bike lol, everything I own has a purpose and commuting on a bike year round is virtually impossible in my climate.

. . . and it’s raining I’ll definitely be starting the truck no question about it lol

I use my eBoke for commuting too. However, as you touched on, rain is my limit. I will even consider snow. However, rain and I am in my FJ Cruiser. Oh, and the FJ gets used once per week to take my daughter on our weekly shopping trip.

 

[rawlus]

this thread is all over the place.

as someone who lives on some nice infrastructure i can say…

the “they” and “them” that some people might think aren’t doing their part of delivering to the masses. it’s you.

waiting for infrastructure to show up will do nothing. act locally. the infrastructure isn’t built, it’s grown, from smaller accomplishments.

 

[tmo1620]

Notice how when you don’t have anything of substance to add, my character is attacked. Im scared or not a good driver lol

I know there are some who think ebikes are the center of the universe, but there are significantly larger amount of non-ebikes that work just as fine and are in need of infrastructure. Just because you’re okay with truck drivers like yourself (compensating of course) driving bigger and bigger vehicles on the road that are higher thus more lethal to pedestrians, doesn’t mean we should listen to your excuses and cavalier attitude to non truck drivers.

not surprised a truck driver runs their mouth and doesn’t know what they are doing or talking about lol, wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen that and won’t be the last. But hey, you drive a big truck and play with toys, so you’re a badass right? lol

there are 7billion plus people on this planet and growing, and we as a human race are at risk of dying out due to climate change, bikes thus bike infrastructure, will do more to reduce pollution that EV’s. I also find it funny for all the tough talk, a little cold weather makes mr truckie run for the heater

I’m educated not a truck driver lol, just because I own a nice truck doesn’t make me a truck driver, I’m a plant engineer and run a 500 million dollar BCTMP pulp facility from a control room and make a product that provides you with tissues to cry into when you think about having to drive somewhere As for afraid of cold I’d really like to see how you handle -40 degree cold snaps that last 3-4 weeks, snow banks taller than people, and having snow on the ground from October to May.