Merle Nelson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
In the towns some roads have gone from two lanes down to one for motor vehicle traffic and one dedicated to bikes. At first it shocked even me but, seems to be working okay for autos.
What's holding back the e-bike boom? Research, safety, and bias (article)
- Thread starter Solarcabin
- Start date
john peck
Well-Known Member
What´s holding us back is obsolete industry in the grasp of rich old ----s who
would rather see collapse than spending a dime making the world a better place.
They´ll be gone soon enuff. Meanwhile, we still regard materialism as a diety,
indenturing ourselves to obtain the most baslc human needs & exhausting our
energy to purchase the latest trendy toys.
would rather see collapse than spending a dime making the world a better place.
They´ll be gone soon enuff. Meanwhile, we still regard materialism as a diety,
indenturing ourselves to obtain the most baslc human needs & exhausting our
energy to purchase the latest trendy toys.
indianajo
Well-Known Member
I parked the car 2008. I do rent a u-haul truck 2 or 4 times a year. Last haul was a 500 lb mower deck. Nearest grocery is 3 blocks: nearest complete grocery 4 miles. I used baskets on a MTB instead of a cargo bike for 10 years. Since 2008 I've lost 53 lb, 50 points chloresterol, 20 bpm resting heart rate, 2 points A1C (diabetes).
john peck
Well-Known Member
I´d like to say I´ve totally. parked it. There´s a bonsai tree growing of my van in front of the wipers
has come back every year now for 5 years. Already has new buds. Just the same I´ve kept the
van in good working order & use in to haul things I can´t get on the bike. I drove less than 500 mi.
in 2020, but backslid to 1200 mi. in 2021 in a futile attempt a a vacation. 120 mi so far this year. I call it groot, the pink flowers are greta.
Last edited:
Ravi Kempaiah
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Halifax
Study shows lack of infrastructure biggest thing holding people back from cycling.
Actual scientific paper:
The potential for bike riding across entire cities: Quantifying spatial variation in interest in bike riding
Riding a bike is beneficial for health, the environment and for reducing traffic congestion. Despite this, bike riding participation in the state of V…
www.sciencedirect.com
john peck
Well-Known Member
While North America poses greater challenges of distance & topography, I think theStudy shows lack of infrastructure biggest thing holding people back from cycling.
Actual scientific paper:
The potential for bike riding across entire cities: Quantifying spatial variation in interest in bike riding
Riding a bike is beneficial for health, the environment and for reducing traffic congestion. Despite this, bike riding participation in the state of V…
Dutch infrastructure is an excellent model for what can & should be done
Yes and the benefit of buying quality from the start is that if you buy some expensive that is well made, the worst you are ever going to feel about it is the day you buy it. If you buy something that is not well made and costs less the best you are ever going to feel about it is the day you buy it.
The auto industry following World War II invested in a company that bought up all the electric street car lines in the nation and then tore out the rails and burned the street cars. They forced people to own automobiles to get to work or school or a park or to go shopping. The U.S. under the misguided president Eisenhower began the interstate highway program as he mistakenly believed that the autobahns he saw in Germany were effective ways to move people and goods around not realizing that the Nazi built them for show and all the men and materials used during the war were moved by train.
The result is a pro auto and anti pedestrian and anti bicyclist culture in this country. I have traveled in cities in Europe and China and SE Asia and Latin America and no where are the drives as thoughtless and aggressive as in the United States. I can tell just how far out I am from a large city simply by observing other motorists who won't allow traffic to merge or slow down for people on foot or bicyling but speed around at 80 mph even for a trip of a few miles. After 55 years of long distance bike rides it has become increasingly hazardous and I avoid places now that were safe 20 years ago.
The e-bike does help when I need to be moving along at 20+ mph with traffic in town but it is hardly a pleasant experience.
The result is a pro auto and anti pedestrian and anti bicyclist culture in this country. I have traveled in cities in Europe and China and SE Asia and Latin America and no where are the drives as thoughtless and aggressive as in the United States. I can tell just how far out I am from a large city simply by observing other motorists who won't allow traffic to merge or slow down for people on foot or bicyling but speed around at 80 mph even for a trip of a few miles. After 55 years of long distance bike rides it has become increasingly hazardous and I avoid places now that were safe 20 years ago.
The e-bike does help when I need to be moving along at 20+ mph with traffic in town but it is hardly a pleasant experience.
kevinmccune
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I had a friend who said[ an average tells you nothing] more or less agree, because of the "goose-egg" effect.
kevinmccune
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
One female bike shop employee told me how bike friendly her white lined city was( cant see it myself)Study shows lack of infrastructure biggest thing holding people back from cycling.
Actual scientific paper:
The potential for bike riding across entire cities: Quantifying spatial variation in interest in bike riding
Riding a bike is beneficial for health, the environment and for reducing traffic congestion. Despite this, bike riding participation in the state of V…
You are right. Distance, climate and also the cost of electric bikes is a factor here in the USA to be sure. I know lots of people who would like to have an electric bike but are held back by the cost. I believe as the glut on the market brings the prices down more will jump on the ebike bandwagon but for recreation mostly.
Less than 1 mile from my house there is an elementary school and none of the children walk or ride a bicycle to the school. 100% arrive in their parents cars or in a school bus. The reason is that it is not safe with roads having no shoulders or sidewalks and motorists driving faster than the speed limit and often paying more attention to their phone texts than to the road in front of them. The same applies to the high schools that depend on autos and buses to take students from home to school and back again.
Most housing project developers are allowed to have streets with no sidewalks due to corrupt or incompetent city officials. Public roads are used to provide parking of cars for hours and even for days or weeks and this eliminates safe places for bicyclists to travel. More than 50% of American cities are devoted 100% to owners of automobiles and this is a taxpayer subsidy.
In Europe and China there is the notion that government exists to serve the people. In the USA there is the firm belief (going back to the founding fathers) that government is meant to support the wealthy people and protect them from those in the working class or people who oppose the theft of their lands.
There is the concept of the public commons that belong to everyone equally. Privatization results in the commons being taken over by the rich and this is the same for public streets as it is with public airwaves and with public lands. A bicyclist is considered a parasite compared to someone who supports industry with the purchase of an automobile and the realization that the motorist is taking up public space and polluting the common air that others must breathe does not considered.
In Paris the mayor has been closing streets to auto and truck traffic and is creating living spaces for the working class people with grass and trees and benches and other amenities that have historically been accessible only to the wealthiest individuals and their families. In this case it is a belief in democracy that is the driving force which would never fly in the USA.
Most housing project developers are allowed to have streets with no sidewalks due to corrupt or incompetent city officials. Public roads are used to provide parking of cars for hours and even for days or weeks and this eliminates safe places for bicyclists to travel. More than 50% of American cities are devoted 100% to owners of automobiles and this is a taxpayer subsidy.
In Europe and China there is the notion that government exists to serve the people. In the USA there is the firm belief (going back to the founding fathers) that government is meant to support the wealthy people and protect them from those in the working class or people who oppose the theft of their lands.
There is the concept of the public commons that belong to everyone equally. Privatization results in the commons being taken over by the rich and this is the same for public streets as it is with public airwaves and with public lands. A bicyclist is considered a parasite compared to someone who supports industry with the purchase of an automobile and the realization that the motorist is taking up public space and polluting the common air that others must breathe does not considered.
In Paris the mayor has been closing streets to auto and truck traffic and is creating living spaces for the working class people with grass and trees and benches and other amenities that have historically been accessible only to the wealthiest individuals and their families. In this case it is a belief in democracy that is the driving force which would never fly in the USA.
This is a funny observation. My wife and I have been riding the Xpedition as much as her hip will let her, and her booty endurance as well. I tell her to let me know as soon as she feels pain coming and we'll head home. Anyways, strangers in the neighborhood wave and say "Cool bike!" and we always get stranded when getting on or off the ebike with a bunch of questions. Cost, range, speed, the usual questions. We've actually turned on two people that we met to purchase their own ebikes! So I think that if we owners make ourselves more visible and extend a positive outgoing attitude we can slowly convert others.
I'm not so sure. I consider any ebike of good quality starting around $1200. Now this is the discussion we had at work recently. A co-worker wanted to buy something for $1000. He didn't have the $1000 for this "great deal" and thus missed out. I was like "What adult cannot come up with $1000 quickly if needed?" and got the reply "Not all of us have disposable income.". Okay..... Its not disposable income, its called a savings account. It's there not only for an emergency but a rainy day impulse purchase as well. So to get back on subject: You can buy a pretty nice ebike for around $1200. I still find it funny when someone complains about the price of a DTC ebike then gets into a $30,000 and up car or truck. So maybe the Price side of this equation is accurate.
I think the 2 words are: Infrastructure and motivation.
If the ride isn't safe a rider will usually avoid it (me included). Also, you have to be motivated to ride. Its not like hopping in a car and chilling out, you have to put in the effort. Us Americans can be lazy as well (me included).
Art Deco
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Selinsgrove Pennsylvania
Yeah. Reliability and price don't become an issue until you start really thinking about buying a bike. Many people don't even consider riding a bike (even a rental) much less buying one yet.
Even on here, many of us had motorcycle experience before ebikes became a thing, and that's only a tiny percentage of people in the USA and Europe.
Without good infrastructure few are willing to ride, and without seeing other people on bikes, few others are willing to give it a try.
Even on here, many of us had motorcycle experience before ebikes became a thing, and that's only a tiny percentage of people in the USA and Europe.
Without good infrastructure few are willing to ride, and without seeing other people on bikes, few others are willing to give it a try.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
Plus cars have made people lazy and dependent.People cant handle less then nice weather either.
I guess its different in US than EU. I am more talking about assisted ebikes (<250W) not full power as sold in US. Price is often 2x with same components and motor breaks every few months if used for commuting (almost daily including during rain and kept outside at work). Electric scooters are actually cheaper and more reliable.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
not sure where your getting motor breaks in a few months. I guess its what level you by. I commute daily about 17 miles a day rain and shine and cold and my last motor got 14k miles before it rusted and was replaced on warrantly.
harryS
Well-Known Member
Since this discussion started in late 2021, I think there has been an ebike boom.
.
Crazies poured like $300 million into RAD in late 2021. That's a sign that the big suits think there's big money in ebikes. What has this done? Made them a litigation target and poster boy for individual liability and class action law suits. They still don't have local retail and support network.
.
Nonetheless, I see a lot of ebikes on the local trail that runs by my house. Seen couples ambling by at 10 mph. and the occasional madman at 25 mph. Most other ebikers seems to keep a reasonable speed. Also lots of e-scooters, No more one-wheels. I think attrition killed them off.
.
Crazies poured like $300 million into RAD in late 2021. That's a sign that the big suits think there's big money in ebikes. What has this done? Made them a litigation target and poster boy for individual liability and class action law suits. They still don't have local retail and support network.
.
Nonetheless, I see a lot of ebikes on the local trail that runs by my house. Seen couples ambling by at 10 mph. and the occasional madman at 25 mph. Most other ebikers seems to keep a reasonable speed. Also lots of e-scooters, No more one-wheels. I think attrition killed them off.
