Why do we ebike?

[bob armani]

I rode motorcycles for years, 5 Harleys and several others. I was actually one that rode frequently and enjoyed it for years. Motorcycles are very dangerous, a lot more than ebikes for reasons we are all aware of. I haven't ridden for about 10 years and never looked back. I was one of the lucky ones that rode all those years without an accident. I think a lot of the older guys buy these big machines as their first bike and end up hurt or scared which may be the reason for the limited riding. Looking at them in the garage becomes somewhat satisfying.

I also rode mountain bikes on extremely advance trails. Lot of bumps and bruises. I gave that up as well after many years of dust, dirt and big rocks, the body can only take so much. Road biking was not very appealing to me, at least not around here, to many hills that I just couldn't overtake with any enjoyment. I gave it a try but it was short term.

Now that have an ebike, I have a new found passion. My fat tire Rover offers the thrills of the old days at a much safer speeds and now I can ride on the hilly roads we have around here. Pure enjoyment every time I get out.

Cody-I get it completely. I only owned one motorcycle, however, rode many others that friends had back in the day. One day I came very close hitting concrete and the next day the motorbike was in the sale paper. From that point forward, I only rode a standard bicycle until I discovered E-bikes. Now I am in the process of swapping most of my bicycles for E-bikes. I have been on a thrill ride ever since and I actually ride more now than I ever had in the past. I am sure many others on this forum would agree. Glad you were accident free.

 

[bob armani]

If ya want a cheap chuckle, check cragslist- motorcycles. The reason they set out on the lawn is cuz they can't sell 'em. Criminy,
with the dough they spent on that goldwing*, they cudda had a stable of ebikes & a couple good used cars. I won't lie: motorcycles
scare me. I've managed to get myself pretty bad busted up as a cyclist & pedestrian. I'm not that keen on uppin' the odds. 30mph
on a bicycle's fast enough for me. Fact is, I'm really starting to appreciate riding at 10 mph, stoppin to pick blueberrys as I go. Ya
miss a lot at highway spd.
*(cuz yur gold will fly away)

jp-
Classic-LMAO-Thanks for sharing. I know guys who own E-bikes and motorcycles and switch off now and again. They still have a need for speed and crave the adrenaline rush. The same guys tandem skydive. I guess some folks just can't get enough of it. I like to quite while I am still in one piece. Save the aches and pains for much later.

 

[john peck]

jp-
Classic-LMAO-Thanks for sharing. I know guys who own E-bikes and motorcycles and switch off now and again. They still have a need for speed and crave the adrenaline rush. The same guys tandem skydive. I guess some folks just can't get enough of it. I like to quite while I am still in one piece. Save the aches and pains for much later.

Still an adrenaline junkie, but at 70 with boocoo scars I'm a mite less rambuncious. Life's a marathon; ya gotta pace yourself .

 

[CodyDog]

Still an adrenaline junkie, but at 70 with boocoo scars I'm a mite less rambuncious. Life's a marathon; ya gotta pace yourself .

Very true. It sure didn't seem that way when we were younger!

 

[bob armani]

No kidding. Young and fearless. Then again, when you have guys like Yves Rossy-Jet Man @ 58 years old, he continues to break airspeed records, etc. When I first saw this guy on YT, I thought it was a hoax, then I found out it was all legit. Need for speed and the adrenaline rush continues. Truly remarkable...

 

[ebikemom]

Why ebike? So that my car gets lonely!

 

[john peck]

Why ebike? So that my car gets lonely!

Day before yesterday was the 1st & only time I've driven this month. A full tank usually lasts at least 2 mo. I had to do
a bulk buying run to walmart, costco, home depot, etc. 60mi. round trip. That's my driving for this month. Here I can
ride the bus anywhere in the county all day for a buck, ($1.50 if your not an old geezer). Next week, I'll put the battery
in a pannier. ebike on a bus, & travel 180 mi to the Pacific beaches for under $5. We have just about the highest gas
tax in the country. Same trip in my old van, $40 one way. I LOVE IT!!!! I can ride & sight see in comfort without having to
dodge holiday traffic on the bike. I arrive fresh to ride the trails with extra cash for having fun...,& the commuters in
Seattle pay for it with their gas tax. Priceless!

 

[PDoz]

I'm struggling with the message that motorcycles are more dangerous than bikes?

For what it's worth, there is absolutely no way I could commute through a city on a bike or motorbike any longer. I mostly ride on remote gravel roads or mountain bike trails, so I'm more likely to be crashed into by a kangaroo than by another vehicle. So I guess I'm asking for input out of curiosity rather than any intention of testing theories.

I've ridden motorbikes for 40 years but as time passes I'm becoming much less comfortable riding them amongst traffic - even that 40 years of defensive riding doesn't protect me from the modern texting occupant ( I can't call them drivers) . So I'm not trying to argue motorbikes are safe - each time I ride, I'm making the choice that the enjoyment I get is worth the risk, and I do as much as possible to reduce that risk ( I'm lucky to live in a small country town where traffic on my road is measured in vehicles per day)

I make the same choice with my bikes ( both ebike and oldbike) . I ride for fun / mental health / and partly for fitness but I'm not entirely convinced the fitness benefit / injury risk is in my favour. I don't ride amonst traffic, and I only ride for fun.

So comparing motorbikes / ebikes.

The ebike is more nimble at slower speeds, but also less stable. So I guess that's a safety bonus because I tend to ride the ebike slower?

I can stop my motorbike marginally quicker ( there really isn't much in it, the brakes / tyres on my giant are awesome)

Most importantly, on the motorbike I have the option of accelerating out of trouble if I need to. For those of you who commute - if you're amongst traffic at a similar speed and notice texters beside you - surely it must be a safer option to put some distance ( and another couple of vehicles) between you and that uncontrolled instrument of death?

I have no illusions about being visible to drivers. Many decades ago I was commuting 30,000 km a year - I strongly believe the only way to stand a chance of being noticed by other road users is to pose a visual threat. I've commuted on bikes that look like police bikes and it's dangerous - about 1/20 drivers actually notice you, which makes 1/20 drivers unpredictable. It's much easier to just work on the premise they're all going to do something dangerous.....

Trains and trucks get crashed into - what chance does a bike have?

 

[john peck]

I'm struggling with the message that motorcycles are more dangerous than bikes?

For what it's worth, there is absolutely no way I could commute through a city on a bike or motorbike any longer. I mostly ride on remote gravel roads or mountain bike trails, so I'm more likely to be crashed into by a kangaroo than by another vehicle. So I guess I'm asking for input out of curiosity rather than any intention of testing theories.

I've ridden motorbikes for 40 years but as time passes I'm becoming much less comfortable riding them amongst traffic - even that 40 years of defensive riding doesn't protect me from the modern texting occupant ( I can't call them drivers) . So I'm not trying to argue motorbikes are safe - each time I ride, I'm making the choice that the enjoyment I get is worth the risk, and I do as much as possible to reduce that risk ( I'm lucky to live in a small country town where traffic on my road is measured in vehicles per day)

I make the same choice with my bikes ( both ebike and oldbike) . I ride for fun / mental health / and partly for fitness but I'm not entirely convinced the fitness benefit / injury risk is in my favour. I don't ride amonst traffic, and I only ride for fun.

So comparing motorbikes / ebikes.

The ebike is more nimble at slower speeds, but also less stable. So I guess that's a safety bonus because I tend to ride the ebike slower?

I can stop my motorbike marginally quicker ( there really isn't much in it, the brakes / tyres on my giant are awesome)

Most importantly, on the motorbike I have the option of accelerating out of trouble if I need to. For those of you who commute - if you're amongst traffic at a similar speed and notice texters beside you - surely it must be a safer option to put some distance ( and another couple of vehicles) between you and that uncontrolled instrument of death?

I have no illusions about being visible to drivers. Many decades ago I was commuting 30,000 km a year - I strongly believe the only way to stand a chance of being noticed by other road users is to pose a visual threat. I've commuted on bikes that look like police bikes and it's dangerous - about 1/20 drivers actually notice you, which makes 1/20 drivers unpredictable. It's much easier to just work on the premise they're all going to do something dangerous.....

Trains and trucks get crashed into - what chance does a bike have?

Image my growing frustration at waiting 20 min to cross a busy highway on a regular bike. Overcoming the overwhelming
dread I finally succumbed to a death wish & darted across the road to the sound of screeching brakes.

 

[CodyDog]

I'm struggling with the message that motorcycles are more dangerous than bikes?

For what it's worth, there is absolutely no way I could commute through a city on a bike or motorbike any longer. I mostly ride on remote gravel roads or mountain bike trails, so I'm more likely to be crashed into by a kangaroo than by another vehicle. So I guess I'm asking for input out of curiosity rather than any intention of testing theories.

I've ridden motorbikes for 40 years but as time passes I'm becoming much less comfortable riding them amongst traffic - even that 40 years of defensive riding doesn't protect me from the modern texting occupant ( I can't call them drivers) . So I'm not trying to argue motorbikes are safe - each time I ride, I'm making the choice that the enjoyment I get is worth the risk, and I do as much as possible to reduce that risk ( I'm lucky to live in a small country town where traffic on my road is measured in vehicles per day)

I make the same choice with my bikes ( both ebike and oldbike) . I ride for fun / mental health / and partly for fitness but I'm not entirely convinced the fitness benefit / injury risk is in my favour. I don't ride amonst traffic, and I only ride for fun.

So comparing motorbikes / ebikes.

The ebike is more nimble at slower speeds, but also less stable. So I guess that's a safety bonus because I tend to ride the ebike slower?

I can stop my motorbike marginally quicker ( there really isn't much in it, the brakes / tyres on my giant are awesome)

Most importantly, on the motorbike I have the option of accelerating out of trouble if I need to. For those of you who commute - if you're amongst traffic at a similar speed and notice texters beside you - surely it must be a safer option to put some distance ( and another couple of vehicles) between you and that uncontrolled instrument of death?

I have no illusions about being visible to drivers. Many decades ago I was commuting 30,000 km a year - I strongly believe the only way to stand a chance of being noticed by other road users is to pose a visual threat. I've commuted on bikes that look like police bikes and it's dangerous - about 1/20 drivers actually notice you, which makes 1/20 drivers unpredictable. It's much easier to just work on the premise they're all going to do something dangerous.....

Trains and trucks get crashed into - what chance does a bike have?

For me ebikes our more safer than motorbikes. Here's why.... I rode my motorbikes on highways traveling at speeds of 70-75 mph. A fall at this speed is hardly survivable. I road in busy city traffic on my motorbike which I do not on my ebike. Overall, I put myself at higher risk on my motorbikes than I do my ebike. Don't get me wrong, ebikes can be dangerous around bad drivers.

 

[PDoz]

For me ebikes our more safer than motorbikes. Here's why.... I rode my motorbikes on highways traveling at speeds of 70-75 mph. A fall at this speed is hardly survivable. I road in busy city traffic on my motorbike which I do not on my ebike. Overall, I put myself at higher risk on my motorbikes than I do my ebike. Don't get me wrong, ebikes can be dangerous around bad drivers.

I guess my comments were more enquiring about the perception from commuters, because that's an area I don't have any recent experiences with?

For recreational riding, on the motorbike, you are presumably wearing appropriate protection? I've slid down racetracks at those speeds and barely been bruised, yet a walking speed crash left me with a punctured lung and 4 brocken bones in my foot. The difference was protective gear ( I was putting the bike in the shed so not geared up)

On my emtb, I'm wearing knee pads and my camelback has a back protector in it, but half the time I'm not wearing my elbow guards, the gloves are flimsy, and cycling shoes are a joke in terms of protection. On Tuesday, my computer tells me top speed was 51.8 km/hr - that's on groomed single line mountain bike trails - hitting a tree at those speeds would be a terminal event. My boost is speed limitted to 25 km/hr and it's going to stay like that! ( again, recreational riding - so time / speed isn't my intention)

 

[john peck]

Hell, steppin' off the front porch can be dangerous, but impact with a large object goin' 50 mph is likely to do more damage
than a snowball at the same speed. just sayin'. My protective gear consists of a helmet, a vest, & highly focused situational awareness.

 

[microfoundry]

Kudos Dan - A great topic often discussed with my fellow riders...

Like many others here I ride to maintain my health in my 50s, the convenience of riding to the office to avoid traffic and parking issues, but mainly for pure enjoyment. Southern Germany is covered with trails and I've seen more of this beautiful countryside and cities than I would of been able to enjoy behind the wheel of a car.

It's also a team building event as many of my fellow friends and coworkers ride too. We have a WhatsApp group chat aptly named "Bikes and Beer" and we'll get together for a ride and occasional bier garten stop along the way.

Another huge benefit, actually being able to enjoy the ride. There's nothing like carrying on a conversation with a fellow e-biker while plowing up a 10% grade, passing some poor soul on a non-ebike that's huff'in and puff'in and certainly not in the mood to talk. I got nothing to prove to myself or anyone else, just trying to enjoy my days... My road bike hasn't been off the trainer in a year.

With regards to the motorcycle vs bicycle debate, invisible is invisible and we're the only ones that care for our own safety. I rode a Harley for years and never had to lay it down or got a scratch on me. But within the first week of riding my Supercharger I took a really sharp turn, albeit too fast resulting in too much lean and slipped the bike out from underneath me coming to a stop in some awkward splits position over my bike. Since I was on a car road, I rapidly got me and my bike up and out of the way as to not get ran over, but my first step to the curb I realized I'd jacked my ankle pretty good. Being the stubborn male I am, I figured I'd sprained it and gimped around the rest of the day, rode home after work and limped through the weekend. But by Sunday evening my whole foot was swollen beyond belief and many shades of black and blue down to my toes. My wife forced me to go to the doc Monday morning who promptly sends me to the ER with a spiral fractured Fibula x-ray. One plate and 8 screws later I'm a good as new. Bummer was my new bike I waited so patiently for sat for a couple months longer for the doc to clear me of my walking boot. 1000km later, I'm not slowing down except for the really sharp 180 degree turns...

Best regards and enjoy the ride,

-Terry

 

[Chris Hammond]

I guess my comments were more enquiring about the perception from commuters, because that's an area I don't have any recent experiences with?

So I have commuted on a bicycle off and on for 30 years. To your point, my biggest fear has always been the drivers in the cars around me. I have fortunately only had one accident when some idiot pulled out in front of me and I went over the handlebars in a panic stop lockup. The as*hole stopped and then drove off before I could get off the ground. That was ~25 years ago.
I honestly feel safer on the ebike than I do on a regular road bike. Because of the ability to attain higher speeds the difference in speed far less between me and traffic, this allows me to merge into the traffic lanes much more easily to make left turns, avoid obstructions in the bike lane/ shoulder, etc. I also am less shy about "taking the lane" when the situation dictates its safest for me. Most of the roads I commute on have speed limits 30-45 mph, I figure when I am travelling at 30 myself, any traffic behind me can deal with slowing for a few seconds when needed. I do have my taillight, helmet taillight, and headlight flashing ALL the time I am riding, and I wear brightly colored clothing. Being seen is a big deal, and I ride in a manner to maximize my visibilty to drivers.

 

[john peck]

[QUOTE="Chris Hammond: I have fortunately only had one accident when some idiot pulled out in front of me and I went over the handlebars in a panic stop lockup. The as*hole stopped and then drove off before I could get off the ground. That was ~25 years ago.
I honestly feel safer on the ebike than I do on a regular road bike. Because of the ability to attain higher speeds the difference in speed far less between me and traffic, this allows me to merge into the traffic [/QUOTE]

 

[john peck]

I hear that loud & clear, Chris! Twice now since getting my CCS I've done the handlebar lockup vault after being
cut off (by Mr. Magoo?) Damn good thing that after 70 years I've learned to roll with the punches. He's lucky he
took off before I got up.

 

[6zfshdb]

Firstly, I would like to apologise if this subject has been previously covered. I'm new to these forums but could not find this subject covered when I searched threads.

I am really curious as to why people choose to use an ebike. We have a broad spectrum of needs, restrictions, geographical locations and experience but I believe that the reasons people use ebikes can be condensed into 4 main categories; Financial, Health, Environmental concern, and Convenience. I may have overlooked a category that is the main reason why you ebike and if so, I apologise, but it's my thread so suck it up!! For me, it is a combination of these factors but I really want to know what is your strongest motivator out of these 4 reasons. So let rip, why do you use an ebike? For clarification, if you do it mainly for fun (who wouldn't deny that), maybe that should be under the category of health.

So to get things started, my vote...…..Financial

Financial - Not really. I paid more for a conventional MTB than I did for my ebike. Being retired, commuting is no longer a factor.

Health - Yes. Bicycling has been my main form of exercise for over 30 years. Now, in my early 70's, I can't keep up the pace I once did. Ebiking has me out there getting more exercise than I ever did.

Environmental Concern - No. For my recreational use, it has no impact on the environment. Ebiking is no more or less eco friendly than conventional biking.

Convenience - No. I live in a rural area and using my ebike for local transportation isn't practical. It would require riding on high speed highways to get to town. For me, that is neither fun nor safe.

 

[john peck]

Why? Well, I've only used a car once this month, 60mi. bulk shopping. Cudda put the bike on the bus for
the same trip, ($2 round trip), but I couldn't haul quite as much.

 

[PaD]

I found out I couldn´t ride my little motorcycle on all those small roads I wanted to explore. Sold it.

Also got fed up with protection like boots, heavy jacket and helmet that shut me off the reality. I can still pedal my carbohydrate driven Gary Fisher Utopia but wanted to find out if an e-bike could take me further away more often.
Seems to work fine. This last Saturday I rode 30 miles in the afternoon/evening without any planning at all really except for checking the battery before leaving

Edit! Correction.
Ahem, I happend to mix up miles and km and have now corrected my post. I rode just under 50km on Saturday afternoon.
Feel free to unlike

 

[john peck]

Bike armor gives one a false sense of security; better to ride scared.