ST2 owner checking in

How long was that 407whr commute? Thus W-hr/hr = average watts I would expect you to be in the 300W average range.

My each commute normally takes 1 hr 30 mins door to door. I can safely say I pump in 275 Watts.
I read few pages of the book @Brambor suggested about aerobic vs anaerobic workout and it makes total sense. My stamina has been steadily going up. Eventually, I will get to your Opti level commute this summer :)
 
Just to be clear, you will basically be a paid (at least subsidized) promoter of this particular bike?

Just to be clear , I'm teaming up with Stromer to attempt few records in the near future and possibly a Guinness world record in a years time. Right now, it's all just training phase. Len from crazy Lenny, who is a dear friend of mine will be sponsoring the support wagon to carry my gear, food etc.

Right now, the Guinness world record stands at 4200 miles. I'm waiting to finish my doctoral thesis work and I want to push it up to 7000+ miles in approx 35 days.
I didn't want sound verbose or someone with lofty goals without anything to back it up but since you asked, I'm letting it out :)

Our first record attempt will be in late May or early June. I have my doctoral candidacy exam coming up in 10 days, so I'm taking it slow on training but you'll see some exciting stuff in the coming months.

So, in short,yes promoting ebikes in general but the goal is to see how far we can push the limits. I wanted a bike with min 750 Whr capacity and Stromer happened to have it. Win-win for everyone :)
 
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:)
 
Seems to me the question was answered, you even quoted it. I read his reply carefully.

The question was NOT answered. He said "yes promoting ebikes in general". That is vague, almost political. :)

The question was: are you promoting the Stromer for money or subsidization?

The spirit of this forum is people who are selling something are clearly identified. Just trying to make it clear what the case is here.
 
Let me repeat the question: yes or no... promoting this particular bike, Stromer?

You'll have to read more carefully when you're going for your doctorial exam!

;)

For a guy who uses nose-less saddle, you're a pretty nosy guy :D
  1. I'm not promoting Stromer for money or subsidy. I am just pursuing my passion.

  2. At first, they sent me an invoice to pay and after discussing each planned event in detail, they made a smart decision to sponsor me a bike and support this whole idea.

  3. One reason, I din't publish my blog is that I wanted to be really comfortable about the performance of this bike and its reliability. So far, no qualms. If something comes up, I simply purchase this bike or turn it in.
I have had extensive discussions with major bike suppliers, have had 3 offers and picked the one who supported the best.
I could have picked Haibike or Specialized... well I might in the future. You think you can read a person just by reading few posts here and there? :) and pigeonhole them into something?
Sometimes, I get a kick out of answering condescending questions and makes me want to pursue this dream ever so strongly.

You started with a question about EG on this forum and ended up with Haibike. Each one's journey is different and there is much more to it than what you see on the surface. Enjoy your nose-less ride. May be I'll stop by and hi-fi you when I'm passing by Colorado.
 
For a guy who uses nose-less saddle, you're a pretty nosy guy :D
  1. I'm not promoting Stromer for money or subsidy. I am just pursuing my passion.

  2. At first, they sent me an invoice to pay and after discussing each planned event in detail, they made a smart decision to sponsor me a bike and support this whole idea.

  3. One reason, I din't publish my blog is that I wanted to be really comfortable about the performance of this bike and its reliability. So far, no qualms. If something comes up, I simply purchase this bike or turn it in.
I have had extensive discussions with major bike suppliers, have had 3 offers and picked the one who supported the best.
I could have picked Haibike or Specialized... well I might in the future. You think you can read a person just by reading few posts here and there? :) and pigeonhole them into something?
Sometimes, I get a kick out of answering condescending questions and makes me want to pursue this dream ever so strongly.

You started with a question about EG on this forum and ended up with Haibike. Each one's journey is different and there is much more to it than what you see on the surface. Enjoy your nose-less ride. May be I'll stop by and hi-fi you when I'm passing by Colorado.

I did shop around for my bike. Was that wrong? That's one of the things I love about this site, I looked at lots and lots of Court's reviews.

So you are getting a free bike to use and writing a blog about it. Welcome to the ebike business!

I understand now, thanks for the answer.
 
I did shop around for my bike. Was that wrong? That's one of the things I love about this site, I looked at lots and lots of Court's reviews.

So you are getting a free bike to use and writing a blog about it. Welcome to the ebike business!

I understand now, thanks for the answer.

I love E-bikes and the technology ...I'll be owning equity in Len's shop, very shortly.
I was there when Len purchased 40 Haibikes including your 29ers. Just be glad that you own Haibike Xduro 29er because of people like Court and Len.
I am far more into E-bikes than you ever will be. Just be glad that you're part of this awesome community and contribute if you can, meaningfully.

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Okay @stevenast, @Ravi Kempaiah and everyone else who is engaged in this semi-heated discussion... a few things come to mind.
  1. Transparency... and privacy. It's nice to know when a member is paid or getting gifts etc. so we can filter information and balance our response but it's also good to respect individual privacy and not pester them too much. We all have biases right? I try to be clear about mine to set a positive example and I do my best to be objective but that is a standard I set and hold for myself.
  2. Friendliness... I like to tease as much as the next guy but tend to joke about myself to avoid hurting feelings or making an assumption that turns out to be incorrect. Please avoid personal attacks and name calling so that others feel welcome here. Please.
  3. Opinions... I like the color hot pink but always felt sensitive about sharing this preference as a young man because some of my peers had preconceived notions about what that might mean about a guy. These viewpoints were likely stoked by their insecure, abusive family members and friends and a social perception that blue is for boys, pink is for girls and hot pink is for #### which is unfortunate. I'm glad I outgrew these "friends" and am delighted to see that several of them outgrew their oppressive attitudes towards others. Most of us aren't in middle school here, if you are in middle school... hang tough and eventually you'll get through and have gained empathy.
I guess the point I'm trying to make here is, please support each other. Ebikes are positive but corruption, misleading marketing and paid articles are less positive. Ravi, I'm stoked for you regarding the Stromer gift bike (you get something and they get something and you probably hadn't mentioned it yet because the project hasn't fully launched). Thanks for responding mostly positively to stevenast who is clearly concerned that your "opinions" might be partially shaped by your enthusiasm for this gift. Your hard work, investment in helping people find solutions on this forum and your visit to Interbike have earned you this "influencer" opportunity and that's cool, but it's also nice to be up front about the situation so that people won't have to get worked up and feel like voices are "paid".

We live in a world with four major media companies that seem to own everything, voices that are silenced by authorities and systems that empower those who are already in power... and don't always offer compassion to the normal people. It's very frustrating. I don't want this space to feel that way but I cannot choose for you. Nor can I read and guide every comment here as I once did. I have begun paying Ann to help gently moderate this space as I feel she can draw from many years of experience as an ebike shop owner and that she is generally kind and supportive. I hope that her voice continues to guide conversation here towards friendliness. Please be good to each other and remember that we all have rough days. If someone is attacking you here, maybe it is based on something else in their life that is becoming difficult and what they really need is a friend. Maybe message them directly and ask if you can help them and if they are okay? This has worked for me and actually created a lot of friendships over the years.

I get paid by Accell, BionX, Pedego, Felt, Specialized and a few smaller brands and shops to do ads here. It's enough to help Ann, to pay a programmer to make the site faster, to pay for software and gas for road trips (just got a used Prius to help with the gas!) and to occasionally back things like the Sondors (to see what will happen first hand). I hope to continue making money and growing my business so I can do more and begin saving for retirement and unexpected emergencies etc. which is great. I wish all of you success and I will not attack you for getting a free bike or doing well with your craft. I hope to have your continued support and recognition that I cannot be as fully involved as I once was. My focus now is primarily on getting new reviews and doing website updates. Please be my eyes and ears here and use them to help people, not attack them.
 
Ravi: Equity play in Len's shop..............Len is a smart guy with some grey hair and a lot of retail experience. I believe you will learn a lot from your investment. You have my full support on your Stromer trek (no pun intended). I suggest you find someone who will run a B-roll for you and send it out to lots of TV stations to gain some publicity (ask the Stromer folks to do this). The e-bike industry is so nascent that it desperately needs a lot of attention. 60% of mountain bikes sold in Germany are e-bikes. Europe (and Asia) are perhaps a decade more mature than North America. I do suggest that you get together with Stromer US mgmt. and agree on a simple one sentence marketing position when folks along your ride ask why an e-bike. The correct response is, "E-bikes are legitimate alternatives to automobiles for short range commuting." If I were Stromer I'd have you wear a t-shirt that says, "Leave the car at home." I look forward to your blog.

You have my full support.
 
Just to be clear... Good post Court!

I do find this forum a bit friendlier and well intentioned compared to the Endless Sphere (ES) forum. Both are great a with different focuses.

Hands down, this is the best retail site I have found to date. Court listens to input and continues to improve his presented content. Just having good quality video, with a friendly smile, gives so much insight into the function of the bike and is enjoyable to watch.

My 2c, the ratings system is still heavily subjective, and to be fair, almost better to not exist. What really constitutes a 9, 9.5, 10? Why never a 2 or 3? Why do the bikes from site sponsors always seem to get a slightly better rating than the upstarts, and non sponsors? Not a big deal, but I take note.
 
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Ravi-

I support your efforts 100%. For an emerging market, it is great to see people networking to promote the interests and sustain themselves.

Good providence with the dissertation and trip.

Stevenast- Everyone here is forgivable. Keep the curiosity alive.
 
My each commute normally takes 1 hr 30 mins door to door. I can safely say I pump in 275 Watts.
I read few pages of the book @Brambor suggested about aerobic vs anaerobic workout and it makes total sense. My stamina has been steadily going up. Eventually, I will get to your Opti level commute this summer :)

Back in my hey day with the opti 850, and a fairly fresh battery, my daily commute was 22-25 miles and I averaged 22-23mph. When I pushed it, I got 24-25mph on the return home (more downhill). I use think, "this is a great way to commute, but I think I can do better." Actually, compared to 98% of the bikes on this forum, I can't do much better. It was great exercise, but primarily commuting. I never wanted to strap on a backpack and commute 22+ by legs, x2, in the hot summer. Too tired! Speed pedelecs are a real sweet option and a good silent hub is hard to beat on smooth pavement with moderate-low hills climbs. You will really love that ST2.

So my best commute year was about 4200 miles, from April-Dec. That is a lot of seat time, even averaging in the low 20's. And you will break that in a month??
 
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