Will 20$/ barrel oil, 1$ /gallon stop people from buying an ebike ?

[Ebiker01]

Is at 2.07$ or $2.07 in A few states. With cheap gas , people travel further , they visit places, spend more.

Is very easy to quantify what drives more

business- having cheaper gas yes it does hurt the

shale industry but it benefits tens of millions of

drivers and their families VS High prices that

puts the $ in the pockets of a very few (mostly

overseas families from the Middle east , families that have a very

expensive taste for luxury items, mansions) by taking it out from the majority of us. The only problem is the massive accumulated pollution from so many acoustic cars.

 

[AHicks]

Gas might go cheap for a bit, but it's nothing I would plan on long term. I would still much prefer to SELL my Hummer than buy one....

 

[Tars Tarkas]

btw- cents do go after. Isn't that absurd ?

Yeah, kind of like spelling coffee instead of kaughy. We have standards.

TT

 

[GypsyTreker]

Is at 2.07$ or $2.07 in A few states. With cheap gas , people travel further , they visit places, spend more.

Is very easy to quantify what drives more

business- having cheaper gas yes it does hurt the

shale industry but it benefits tens of millions of

drivers and their families VS High prices that

puts the $ in the pockets of a very few (mostly

overseas families from the Middle east , families that have a very

expensive taste for luxury items, mansions) by taking it out from the majority of us. The only problem is the massive accumulated pollution from so many acoustic cars.

I think it's true that the common guy ( I consider myself one) does benefit from low fuel prices. But when it goes below the cost to produce, you get problems. Another added aspect of this particular oil war is people will soon stop traveling, as much, till we get a real handle on the virus.

 

[indianajo]

I own several antique cars that got 14 mpg. I haven't driven one since 2009. I'm thinking of converting one to run on RFG while the $31/barrel party is going on. RFG is 40% butane, and if I don't empty the tank in a week, that evaporates and leaves a sludge that won't lift through the carburator. I don't drive enough to empty the tank in a week. I don't drive enough to justify buying a new car that would get check engine light disease at ~10 years even though it only has 20000 miles on it.

 

[john peck]

The only reason for oil to be that cheap is a decline in demand. I don't use 10% of what I did at the turn of the century.
I would use even less if I could get a bulk shopping expedition on the bus & from the bus home. I as senior here in WA
I can ride all day for a buck, $1.50 for those who aren't. It's much less stressful than fighting traffic, if not quite as convenient.

 

[Bigal1463]

I wouldn’t care if gas prices dropped below $1.00 a gallon. Riding my e-bike is strictly for recreational purpose as I’m sure it is for most e-bikers.

 

[john peck]

I wouldn’t care if gas prices dropped below $1.00 a gallon. Riding my e-bike is strictly for recreational purpose as I’m sure it is for most e-bikers.

Actually, my bike is my daily driver for 90% of shopping & errands, recreational use is just a plus.

 

[Geoffktm]

In the uk fuel prices have dropped due to lack of demand through covid lockdown, they will go up in a month or so.
Over here the vast majority of ebike users are leisure riders, with early summer on us I imagine sales are stable.

 

[Art Deco]

A lot price wars now in the oil industry and as a result we will very soon have very low prices for gas. More F-150's and SUV on the road. Good for the economy and very destructive for the climate ?

Unfortunately, many/most things that are good for our present economy are bad for our current climate, and the spread gets worse as time passes. But the economy is easier to repair.

 

[Art Deco]

JR is well informed. Except for cheap gas if the price wars go on it will hurt the economy overall. Layoffs will have a ripple effect. Oil more than the virus is what is cause the current drama in stocks, bonds, precious metals. As far as eBikes vs cars for transportation, I doubt if eBike commuters are going to purchase used Hummers and ditch their eCommuter bikes lol

Fracking firms like Chesapeake are lining up for bankruptcy protection as I type this. Big coal powered electricity plants already did so, along with other 100 year old tech. I won't bet on the past.

 

[GypsyTreker]

I was too lazy to go back to the front of the number lol

 

[Alex M]

Since mid-April crude oil has been going up as the world is reopening. Historically, gas price fluctuations were not causing people to switch between cars and bikes in masses. It takes a lot more than that - ex, gas shortages when you just can't get reliably any gas, or extremely high or extremely low prices, think >$20/gallon or <$1 gallon.

In $4-$2 range...When prices are higher, drivers plan their trips more carefully, trying to do more things on the way (to wherever they are heading to).
When prices are lower, drivers are more prone to go extra miles for something not much necessary at the moment or not necessary at all.

When prices are low like now and there are no jobs - both drivers and riders use their vehicles less, except for leisure riding that they now have more time for. Many steer away from public transit in favor of bikes, this I definitely noticed in the past several weeks.

 

[Ebiker01]

Go

Since mid-April crude oil has been going up as the world is reopening.

t


Let's think for a minute how that works ;

"It went up"
Behind this upwards curve there were simple people with basic hopes, expectations and most imp., a huge disrespect, disregard for this virus and how it affects the reality.

The stocks if you watch are completely disconnected from reality !!

Is just a few , soon to be EX. billionaires that had a few strings left, and pulled and pulled on them.
Some have broken and there are very few left that are fraying as we speak and will break soon.

And now , actually since March the reality shows very clearly where we are headed. But they just kept on dreaming , pumping the sticks Up a little down then UP again. Maybe it will work they think...

The Aramco oil giant is still valued at 1.7-2T $. Nr. 1 on paper. Apple is on 2nd place, Amazon 3rd.



Do we see those many oil container ships sending the oil very soon anywhere ? Do we see any planes taking off with loads of travelers/ tourists from EU/Asia to US and back ?? Or any other well travelled route.

The cruise ship industry talks about reopening. Another group that daydreams.
Nobody will be going on any cruise ship for awhile until that safe vaccine comes out.

They reopened the rest./bars here in Nj and loads of people w/o masks inside and outside. Give it a week and unfortunately we will have 2nd wave.

Btw, it spreads through the eyes too.

Do we see anyone advising people to wear glasses ?
That's the reason they wear full face shield in some hospitals in western world and in ALL hospitals in China.

 

[byunbee]

I didn't purchase my ebike for gasoline savings, 2 years ago... (Though I hoped when I bought it, I would end up commuting to work on it eventually -- which I have, 222 times since then -- but that wasn't one of the top "purchase reasons" for me.) I've been driving a hybrid car for 10 years though, so my gasoline costs have been low, relative to my prior cars, for a long time.
I know some folks buy an ebike to move to a car-free/gas-free diet, but plenty more (like me) aren't basing the purchase on that factor. My principal motivator in the purchase was to regain regular exercise.

I agree that many people don't buy ebikes because of gas prices. If that was the main concern, they would just buy an electric car or a hybrid like Prius. I for one wanted an ebike because it was so much fun and also allowed me to get some exercise in which I've been lazy to do for too long. Rather than dreading the bike ride, I look forward to my next ride these days.

 

[AHicks]

Covid-19 trumped all of that, and flipped the entire bike and ebike industry onto its 'seat and handlebars.'

So the answer is, very little chance that any low price of gas is a major factor in someone's decision as whether to buy an ebike. Now maybe if gas got to $10/gallon it could have a meaningful impact in a similar way that the lockdowns have, and social distancing activities that drove ebike sales to increase for some eBike OEM's and even dealers some 300% to 600% year over year.

Agree Mike. Current inventory crunch is mostly about boredom relief and getting some fresh air. -Al

 

[Ebiker01]

So many changes since making this thread. For a brief moment in April oil was actually -37$/g. Minus !

And Apple now is world's most valuable company. Dethroning Aramco. Also we've had many bankruptcies in the oil/gas industry.
Power from the Sun/wind/water !!

 

[byunbee]

Right now what the bike industry is experiencing is the toilet paper rush. I expect this to die down and go back to normal this time next year.

 

[Ebiker01]

In Italy they gave by law a 60% rebate check to buy a bike or ebike that costs up to 1.500Eu . People who never rode are buying bikes there and there are fights over buying them !!
But also many poorer people don't have the upfront money. The check comes a little later from the gov.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Imagine if they would do this in America ?? The biking and ebiking would explode in popularity.

 

[J.R.]

In Italy they gave by law a 60% rebate check to buy a bike or ebike that costs up to 1.500Eu . People who never rode are buying bikes there and there are fights over buying them !!
But also many poorer people don't have the upfront money. The check comes a little later from the gov.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Imagine if they would do this in America ?? The biking and ebiking would explode in popularity.

April 2020 bike sales in the US were $1 billion dollars for the month. I'm not sure how much bigger it could explode?

Bike market skyrockets, with sales up 75% in April

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (BRAIN) — U.S. cycling sales through all retail channels grew 75% in April to a total of about $1 billion in retail sales for the month, according to The NPD Group. NPD said April was the first month since NPD began tracking the cycling market that sales have reached $1...

www.bicycleretailer.com

There are bike and ebike shortages across the country. I've seen big box stores that usually have dozens of bikes on display that are literally empty. I asked a clerk and she told me bikes are sold as soon as they hit the floor.