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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Hybrid electric bike …with afterburners



In honor of national Bike to Work Week, I shot some helmet cam footage of my hybrid bike in action. Hills and cars are the bane of bikers everywhere. One problem at a time I always say.

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5 comments:

  1. Excellent. Thanks for taking the time to record and post your experiences. It's important for viewers to remember that having power-assist can be used by anyone; expecially those who need a bit of help up hills.
    Electric bikes are here, and growing. Thanks for sharing. Do it again...please.

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  2. Cool Video, Electric bikes are an awesome was to bike to work even in the cold. I don't think enough people know how much fun they are.

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  3. Hi - got you blog through a post on the Green Car Congress that I also read every day.

    Just got a new job with a longer commute. I found out by accident that our rail system will allow folding bikes all through peak hour however it bans normal bikes. I was thinking of buying an electric folding bike to ride to catch the train and then get off at a close station and ride it to work.

    Have you ever seen or used a bike similar to this one?
    http://www.ezycommuter.com.au/
    or this one:
    http://www.evehicles.com.au/Sherpa%20MK3%20Lithium.shtml?openmenu=

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  4. I'm not an authority of types of ebikes available. There are now hundreds of models. I can only offer some general advice.

    Like all vehicles, they break. Unlike other vehicles, there are no motorcycle, car, or bike repair shops. Many people just park their bike when it breaks ...game over.

    Consider buying from a dealer who will fix things they sell.

    The battery makes all the difference. I solved that problem with brute force but most people can't string A123 Dewalt power tool packs together. Do your research and get the best battery system you can afford, from a company that will back it up or at least sell you parts.

    Never buy a bike without a good long test ride first.

    24 volt has the least power. 36 volt is more common, some are 48 (mine is 72).

    The bike will be quite heavy. You might want to buff up if you plan to lug it around on a train!

    Good luck,

    Russ

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  5. Hi Russ,

    Thanks for that. I will try to get the lightest bike I can. Luckily I am an ex-electronics technician so I should be able to fix the electrics if things do go wrong.

    As I only have a short commute I should be able to downsize the battery to make it lighter.

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