What have you learned from your e-bike experiences?

[Gionnirocket]

I was riding on Sunday and a black hornet flew at full speed at my face. I didn't have half-a-second to react. It hit my teeth and stung inside my left lower lip. It swelled like a Hollywood collagen injection disaster. They feel in the mouth fuzzier than they look. It still hurts. I just hope it didn't lay eggs, like in a caterpillar or I would be effed.

View attachment 199952

Yeah but now with those knee pads... You can charge a premium!

 

[PedalUma]

I wrote and submitted a news story about it that was factchecked, edited, and published. Here is the news story:

A skunk-at-the-garden-party situation in Petaluma recently reminded locals of the endless unpredictability of local wildlife.
The incident, disrupting an otherwise calm morning on Friday, Aug. 22 just outside Petaluma’s Grand Central Café, began with a woman screaming.
“Oh, God! Now what?” thought Natalie Vinueza, co-owner of the riverside coffee and community destination.
“A skunk! A skunk! A skunk!” the woman shrieked.
Vinueza jumped to her feet, summoned her husband and business partner, Juan Carlos, and together they ran outside.
Although they had smelled a skunk earlier that morning, Vinueza said, the couple was surprised at what they saw: The woman, while throwing away a coffee cup, had startled a skunk inside one of the garbage cans and gotten sprayed. Some other people were in the line of fire and also were sprayed.
The unlucky customers were there that morning for a singalong led by local music teachers Tyler Johnson and Julia Cramer, who host a free preschool music hour as part of a grant from Play It Forward Music Foundation. On this particular Friday, they were performing to a crowd of no less than 30 kids and their caregivers.
Once the hullabaloo had died down, Juan Carlos placed the lid over the can and kept the skunk there until animal control could arrive a few minutes later. They safely retrieved the animal and removed it from the premises.
Vinueza said they removed the skunk-infused garbage can.
With the incident finally over, the Vinuezas said they went back to their cafe, grabbed a Henhouse Saison Ale, sat down in one of their Adirondack chairs, and looked over at the river, wondering, “What else does the day have in store?”
The normally skunk-free Play it Forward Preschool Music Hour takes place every Friday from 10-11 a.m. at Grand Central Cafe, 226 Weller St., Petaluma.
The mom took a direct hit and couldn't get in her car, because it would be totaled.

Beers - HenHouse Brewing

henhousebrewing.com

 

[6zfshdb]

I'm giving up the helmet & knee pads and getting one of these:

I can patch it after a spill but the problem is, it takes so darn long to inflate with my bike tire pump.

 

[Hewholaughslast]

I learned to do this. It is my most recent review on google maps. She is 71 and will ride coast to coast.

patrice mcdonald
1 review · 1 photo

a day ago
New

I came to Pedaluma eBikes in search of the right e-bike for a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country bike camping tour. After spotting Rick (“the bike guy”) on a forum and reaching out with a few questions, I quickly realized I had found the right expert. Rick immediately welcomed my questions, and what began as a casual DM turned into a detailed exchange of emails and calls about my riding history, needs, and plans. As a taller female cyclist planning to ride over 3,500 miles on mixed terrain with a 25 lb kit, my requirements were anything but straightforward. We soon agreed that no stock bike would perfectly fit my situation. Rick stepped in with deep knowledge, patience, and creativity, ultimately guiding me toward a custom build. From start to finish, the process was remarkably efficient—less than 60 days from our first conversation to bike delivery, even though the frame had to be sourced from the UK. Considering I live more than 1,100 miles from Petaluma, the fact that we managed this entirely via email and phone is a testament to Rick’s professionalism and responsiveness. The result? A truly exceptional bike. Sleek, powerful, quiet, and beautifully built, it’s everything I could have hoped for and more. I’ve already taken it on a bike camping trip, and it performed flawlessly. As Rick predicted, I had zero range anxiety on a 75-mile ride with a full pack, and the Colorado Front Range headwinds never got the better of me. Pedaluma eBikes delivered not just a bike, but a partner for my adventures ahead. I am grateful to Rick for his expertise, dedication, and care, and I am confident this steel steed will carry me through many miles of exploration. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a knowledgeable, trustworthy, and passionate e-bike builder.


View attachment 199938

I hope this isn't lion country? He-He! I wonder if they make lion repellent for use in Africa or the SW USA? I read a story about a woman jogger/runner taken down by a Mountain Lion some years ago somewhere in SW USA. I say this because the neighbors dogs seem to think that I am their prey, when they see me on my bicycle, while being held on a leash by their owners.

 

[PCeBiker]

I'm giving up the helmet & knee pads and getting one of these:

View attachment 199956

I can patch it after a spill but the problem is, it takes so darn long to inflate with my bike tire pump.

I'm keeping my helmet, elbow and knee pads, and adding an air bag,..

 

[Gionnirocket]

I'm giving up the helmet & knee pads and getting one of these:

View attachment 199956

I can patch it after a spill but the problem is, it takes so darn long to inflate with my bike tire pump.

If you poke a small hole in the rear... it might even act as cartoon jet propulsion!

 

[PCeBiker]

I'm keeping my helmet, elbow and knee pads, and adding an air bag,..

If you eat a lot of beans before your ride, you can keep the air bag fully inflated.

 

[6zfshdb]

I'm keeping my helmet, elbow and knee pads, and adding an air bag,..



View attachment 199957

Hey! They would work great for the Iron Man bike / swim competition!

 

[6zfshdb]

If you poke a small hole in the rear... it might even act as cartoon jet propulsion!

I was actually thinking of filling it with helium to make the bike lighter.

 

[kevinmccune]

View attachment 199947

I will bet that @Gionnirocket will do it,
in exchange for a new bike.

He would also need to walk between all the trucks at an interstate truck stop. And drink beer at the counter so he has to go pee and visit the truck stop restroom lockers and showers often.

one question.does he do backs?( the most important part of a "Buccees shower experience"( cant afford it myself)

 

[kevinmccune]

go

Funny thing is this past Saturday I blew my knee out pretty good just crossing the street. I stepped a little awkward, heard a pop and then a few bone clicks... then excruciating pain and was hobbled pretty good. And this was on my way to have a screw drilled into my jaw for a tooth implant which ended up being far less painful.
Today I was finally feeling better so I threw a brace on and went for a 20 mile ride. Used more assistance than normal but the cycling motion actually felt good.
So I've learned that an ebike can be good physical therapy and having a throttle adds a layer of reassurance if things don't go well.


Glad your geriatrics builds are getting such good reviews... Ever consider an AARP affiliation?

As for the knee pads.... These wet dreams of yours will only get you arrested..... Again.

will get one meself in a couple weeks( trouble is I need a bone graft( the tooth has been missing 45 years) I used to do squats with weights until the day I hopped in the Mack truck hit the clutch and everything wanted to move out of place,ouch as we age its always a coin toss about what will go out next,take care of that knee and its no shame to use a little more pedal assist on the hard places( I finally gave in one day on the 40 mph hill and hit the button!)

 

[kevinmccune]

a

Great. As if cars and pedestrians weren't enough to worry about!

So sorry that happened to your lip. But think how it must've been for the poor wasp. You're flying along, wondering what to parasitize next, and out of the blue, this guy flies up and tries to eat you. Heck yeah, you're gonna sting the hell out of him!

Wonder how many lawsuits there've been over lip jobs gone horribly wrong? Maybe one of those lawyers would go after the wasp for you.
;^}

after frost these black hornets get mean and will light you up for spite I guess.

 

[kevinmccune]

I got stung in my upper lip about ten years ago, after a Yellow Jacket flew into my mug.
People have suffocated and died when they swallow a wasp and it stings them inside the throat. (It crawled inside a bottle of Coke)

I did have a butterfly fly in my mouth this year, but they just taste bad. They're kinda powder coated too.

ate a cockroach one time,talk about nasty( my Rambo days)

 

[kevinmccune]

don

What would I need to pay you to walk around downtown and the bus station restroom with these?
View attachment 199947

don't give me ideas,perhaps after some vados.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I was actually thinking of filling it with helium to make the bike lighter.

Hydrogen!
Even lighter and when you do the cartoon jet propulsion... it'll have afterburner capabilities!

 

[PedalUma]

how you merge them together

The speed sensor is easier to explain. First I take out the slack and have 1.25 cm of overlap. The outer black insulation gets removed. But, ask your partner for permission if it is okay to have a stripper in your workshop. Then strip 5mm from the red, white, and black wires. Twist, solder, seal. Then seal with 1/4 inch marine grade heat shrink and tuck it in the hidden compartment.

 

[PedalUma]

I hope that that hornet did not lay eggs in my lip like it was a caterpillar. Now I am putting the motor in a Surly gravel bike. I did stuff like boil the chain, derailleur, and cables in Brazilian hot wax.

 

[Hewholaughslast]

I had a Schwinn Varsity 10-speed in high school and one day on the way home I was hit point blank in the center of my left eye by a small beetle. It hurt for a very long time (months) even though I had no outward signs of injury. I had a friend with a motorcycle who caught a live bee inside his helmet and nearly crashed while trying to stop first then remove helmet and bee second. Has anyone caught a live bee in their bike helmet?

 

[PedalUma]

I had a Schwinn Varsity 10-speed in high school and one day on the way home I was hit point blank in the center of my left eye by a small beetle. It hurt for a very long time (months) even though I had no outward signs of injury. I had a friend with a motorcycle who caught a live bee inside his helmet and nearly crashed while trying to stop first then remove helmet and bee second. Has anyone caught a live bee in their bike helmet?

I have not myself. I often ride a wave-cell for that reason. A guy yesterday told me about one in a motorcycle helmet. It stung his temple. Because I do not have the hair coverage I once had I often use light cycling hats for sun coverage under my helmets. It just adds a layer of protection.

 

[Explorer-1]

If you go on long trips, one of the best things you can pack is a Helinox one chair. Allows you to sit and have lunch or just rest at the beautiful more remote or hidden spots you visit. Enjoy the great spots along the journey.