More Aussie Bob's Trike

I managed quite well on both test rides in the sun worshipper position.  As part of my fine print checklist, I did later question the seating position and the guy easily and quickly made the requisite adjustment - to a much more upright position.  I didn't ride it like that but did sit down, feet on pedals, and it instantly felt more natural.  Apparently there are further refinements that may be made, which I'll try out later.

One local website says the trike is very stable and you can just throw it onto the car roof and tie it there through the windows.  That has to be the Australian way!  As I said before, it does pack down quite compactly. Note, the 'handlebar' was subsequently swung down between the wheels with just a light touch; the seat had been removed.

 The GT20 is 31" wide, track 29." and wheelbase 39" : GreenSpeed Trike Comparison (greenspeed-trikes.com)

It's weight of 17kgs compares with my current bikes' roughly 13kgs, although with battery that goes out to 25kg.  If I get to do an extended test ride, there'll be plenty of bollards, tight turns and the usual bike path obstacles to test it against (or not!).

I've only been on a trike once before, as stoker in 2002 on a tandem ride along the then infamous Rock Creek linear park on the outskirts of DC.  Can't say I felt my outlook was in any way constrained, perhaps I'm not a natural rubbernecker?  By contrast, shortly afterwards I rode as stoker again on an upright tandem on the roads around nearby Poolesville.  At speed, I definitely felt I had to look 90 degrees sideways, just to get an impression of progress by reference to the hedgerows whizzing past.

Bob

Experiencing Mark's Vado 5.0 SL

On our ride today, Mark had his future Specialized VADO 5.0 SLEQ. Both Phil and I had ordered one and were interested in a trial run. My experience with Mark's new ride was both positive and negative when comparing to my road bike. I suspect the negative aspects that I noted would evaporate with experience. (See the Specialized page on this blog for the bike's spec's)

First, while pedaling it around the parking lot it was remarkably smooth. Mark said, "You don't have the motor turned on." Most likely, the great ride was due to the 37-mm tires versus my 28's.   Plus the Future Shock 1.5 suspension was a noticeable benefit. The VADO SL is advertised to weigh 33 pounds, but at the bike shop, the "large" EQ version came in at 37 pounds.

On our ride, when we got to the corner of Hollis Chapel and Moore Lane, I jumped on the VADO and rode it down Hollis Chapel to the Wilson Road. I then pedaled it back up the hill on Hollis Chapel. 

I noticed a lot of steering play in the VADO hybrid handle bars partly because they were slightly misaligned and partly because they were about 12-inches wider than my road bike handlebars. Also, my road bike steering tends to lock in place when the wheel is centered. (Helpful for sleeping while riding.) Nevertheless, I was uncomfortable with the excessive play in the VADO steering.

The VADO had three levels of motor assist. Down the hill on Hollis Chapel, I set the motor for medium assist. Reversing course once reaching the bottom, I engaged the motor at full power and adjusted the gearing, a step at a time, to higher granny levels. 

The bike had twelve-gears in its cassette with a 45-cog at the top. I don't think I got is all the way to 45.  I was trying to feel the benefit of the electric assist at each gear selection.

The motor provided far less help than I expected. Crap! I still had to work on the climb. I eventually conceded, "It's an eBike, not a moped." 

Nevertheless, at the top of the climb, where I typically tire out and sometimes debate whether I needed an off-the-bike rest, the motor assist became noticeably welcome. I powered down to medium assist and was surprised how quickly and comfortably I was back at my starting point. That day, both Phil and I put the VADO through its paces on Hollis Chapel and Mark rode it an additional 24 miles. 

On most rides, Mark struggles to keep up. Not this day. He was always at the front (I assume because many times he was out of sight). We drained the battery to 42%.  Phil and I figured on a normal ride, with our fat butts, that 60 miles and not the advertised 80 miles would be an upper limit.

Back at the Bike Shop, we related our experience to David Hardin, especially about not coming near the advertised 80 mile range. He thought that once we got used to the bike that the 80 mile range was possible. He also said that the VADO has a feature in which we can set our desired range, approaching 80 miles, and the bike would manage our ride appropriately.  I thought, "Maybe."

An important consideration is the "assist" of the VADO SL.  It is advertised to provide 180% rider assist (whatever that means). It is not a moped. I interpret it to mean, "If I am comfortable doing 30 mile rides, with the VADO I will be comfortable doing 54-mile rides" That target is reasonably in range of the battery and of our typical daily tour distance. Phil said, "If in 3 to 5 years we need additional assistance, we can buy an upgraded version."

I thought, "If I am still riding bike tours in five years, it wasn't the bike that got upgraded."

Tom

Another FOGBEE Crosses Over.

 As we left Mark today after a ride, he was on his way to buy this baby.

Cycling Without Age

Here is a TED talk inspired by an email from Malcolm (our friend in the Montreal Bike Club) It is called Cycling Without Age. As I listened to this TED talk, it reminded me why many of us so-called elderly do not wish to give up cycling -- it's smelling the flowers, hearing the birds, feeling the wind in your hair.

I do not plan to buy an electric rickshaw, but I have ordered the thing powering the vehicle – an eBike. As the speaker said, when people reach their seventies, most of them give up cycling because of physical limitations or fear of being hurt. 

But for many of us, I suspect the eBike is just the perfect alternative to extend this experience another decade.

Aussie Bob's eDrive

 http://www.greenspeed-trikes.com/gt20.html

 It may be a little jerry-rigged

It''s a Game Changer

John Cummins Tom, I'm a former Fogbee now living in BG. I've had an ebike for over a year now, and I wholeheartedly call it a total game changer. Mine is a Trek Allant 8+S, (pedal-assist) with a Bosch Performance Line Speed motor delivering a 28 mph max speed (+Class 3, the max), and importantly, 85 newton-meters of torque! I would advise anyone considering an ebike purchase to examine the specs as above and several others. But again, this bike is a GAME CHANGER for me. Hills are no longer a problem for me, and I usually can't wait to ride it again. (I was beginning to lose interest in riding). Oh, and I have gotten 50+ miles on a full battery charge, with almost 20% of battery power remaining. Of course distance is affected but several factors. I love ebikes! They're not cheap, but a hell of a lot of fun.

Make Your Bicycle an E-Bike

I have tried out three e-bike kits that turn a bicycle into an e-bike. The first two contained the motor and the battery in the front hub,which as you can guess, was rather large. One was pedal assist and one was throttle only and the weight produced a rather squirrely front end. Both worked reasonably well on an old Fuji hybrid but both companies are now out of business. Both were good for short neighborhood trips but I didn’t try them beyond a 10 to 12 mile radius.

In a continuing quest for e-bike knowledge I found a company on IndieGogo (a Kickstarter competitor) called Swytch. The  campaign is closed after they raised over $1 million. The motor is in the front hub and the battery hangs from the handlebars. I ordered a $624 kit  in November 2019 which contains the complete front wheel, battery and accessories. It arrived in September because covid-19 wrecked their supply chain from China. An unofficial Facebook group for owners is full of complaints about the lengthy delivery times.

https://www.swytchbike.com/

I placed the kit on the Fuji without too much trouble and I can assure you I am no bike mechanic. The kit includes the complete front wheel so you install a tire and then place it on the front fork. Then you must install a circular pedal sensor on the pedal crank and a wired pickup on the frame next to the sensor. You install the battery  mount on the front bars and complete by connecting the wiring which is color coded. The battery is easily lifted from the mount for charging. The instructions are pretty straight forward and I was able to complete the task by being very deliberate. There is a YouTube video that is somewhat  helpful.

https://youtu.be/Bg1gOLZXD1g

The kit worked as advertised and actually has more power than I expected from a 250W motor because my Trek Class 3 with a Bosch mid-drive is 750 watts. Riding on flat surfaces I will sometimes stop pedaling because the speed is greater than l want. The motor was not a great deal of help on fairly steep hills but I made it up all of them. I have not ridden far enough to really test the battery but 15 miles on a charge should be easy enough but beyond that I’m not sure.  One optional accessory is a twist throttle which I installed after a couple of weeks. I have not really used it that much but is helpful from a standing start.

In my continuing quest for e-bike relevancy I decided the Fuji hybrid was not the proper platform for a full experience. I found a Linus Roadster 7i that seemed to be an interesting hybrid city bike that was reasonably priced ($829)  and  utilized a Shimano Nexus internal 7 speed hub. I’ve never had one so the experiment was broadened.  I pre-ordered it online last fall with a promise of delivery in the spring. It was delivered to the local Linus dealer Green Fleet Bikes in January and they assembled the bike. After a few unpowered rides I installed the Swytch kit.

The Linus is a nice looking bike and it’s a pretty typical aluminum framed hybrid but it came with fenders and a rack which I would have installed anyway. The metal fenders are not really high quality and a short ride on the cheap saddle convinced my sore butt that a Brooks is called for very soon.

https://linusbike.com/products/roadster-7i

The riding experience on the Linus is superior to the Fuji and the Nexus hub shifting is very smooth if a little slow. More miles may lead to a different conclusion but I think this combination will work. I found that I used the old Fuji to ride the around the neighborhood rather than the Trek which I use for longer rides.

I think the Linus and Swytch combination is a good way to start in the e-bike world although it’s a lot more trouble than just buying a Trek or Specialized at the dealer.  I’ve noticed that Rad Power e-bikes, sold on line, are becoming popular. The price is comparable to the $1,400 I have in the Linus + Swytch. I dare say that the Linus is a comparable if not a superior bicycle. Only time will tell and I may come to a different conclusion after a thousand miles.

Carey Rogers

The Swytch bike chat owners facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2679153205653978

The official FB page
https://www.facebook.com/swytchbike

Green Fleet Bikes
https://www.greenfleetbikes.com/

FOGBEE Acquisitions

 Ann shares a picture of her new ride (check out the bike's NAME)

Phil and Tom have ordered its two big brothers.  They are assuming their bikes will not be called Ann's Big Brother but Specialized Vado 5.0 SLEQ

Tax Credit for EBike Purchase

The Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment (E-BIKE) Act, led by Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), prioritizes electric bicycles as a zero-carbon mode of transportation by making them more affordable and accessible for all Americans.

“E-bikes are not just a fad for a select few, they are a legitimate and practical form of transportation that can help reduce our carbon emissions,” said Congressman Panetta. “My legislation will make it easier for more people from all socio-economic levels to own e-bikes and contribute to cutting our carbon output. By incentivizing the use of electric bicycles to replace car trips through a consumer tax credit, we can not only encourage more Americans to transition to greener modes of transportation, but also help fight the climate crisis.”

If signed into law, the E-BIKE Act would offer individual consumers a refundable 30% tax credit for purchasing an electric bicycle — up to a $1500 credit for new bicycles less than $8000.

The credit would be allowed once per individual every three years, or twice for a joint-return couple buying two electric bicycles. The bill also mandates a report from the IRS after two years to understand the distribution of the credit by income tax bracket and adjust for equity in the future. 

Electric bicycles keep people moving with efficiency and ease, no matter their age or physical abilities, while also displacing trips by car. Studies show that across the United States, we can expect an 11% decrease in carbon emissions with a 15% increase in electric bicycle mode share. An all-in approach to reducing carbon emissions must recognize the power electric bicycles have to take cars off the road while keeping people moving, active and connected to their communities.

E-bike predictions for 2021:

What to expect in the electric bicycle industry

While the electric bicycle industry has been showing impressive growth for the last several years, 2020 witnessed rapid gains in the industry, unlike anything before. Here are the top five predictions for 2021.

Wave of affordable mid-drive e-bikes

Mid-drive e-bikes, which have a centrally-mounted motor that powers the e-bike through its bicycle gears, have long been dominated by industry heavyweights like Bosch.

Popular mid-drive e-bikes have offered high-quality drive trains and mid to top-shelf components to match. But that has traditionally kept the prices high, often in the $4,000+ range.

However, 2021 is likely to see a new wave of affordably priced mid-drive electric bikes. There are plenty of Asian mid-drive suppliers that are growing their market share and helping drive down prices.

We’re actually already starting to see this trend play out with new entries from companies like Ride1Up, who just unveiled the Ride1Up Prodigy electric bike. It is likely the most affordable Brose-powered mid-drive e-bike on the market at just $2,195. (And for the record, expect to see more e-bikes like this unveiled in 2021, and the inclusion of non-EU motors will only intensify this trend.

More e-bikes with small diameter fat tires

2021 will be the year that smaller diameter fat tires really catch on.This trend began with the electric moped wave of 2020, where small diameter fat tires became a popular way to provide motorbike-style handling and design.

Other e-bikes like the popular $899 Lectric XP have adopted these small diameter fat tires in the company’s folding bikes, forgoing expensive suspension in favor of cheaper air cushions of fat tires.

Not only do fat tires provide extra cushion for the ride, but the small diameter 20″ versions minimize the extra bulk that comes with fat tires. They prevent the e-bike from growing too heavy and unwieldy. They also help designers reduce the stand-over height, making the e-bikes more accessible to a wider range of riders.

Small diameter fat tires won’t replace traditional 26″ and 700c tires found on many e-bikes. But for anyone not worried about extreme efficiency, their advantages are too numerous to ignore. That means e-bike manufacturers are going to find a growing demand for this style of e-bike.

E-bike battery breakthroughs for 2021

Nothing major new will happen to e-bike batteries in 2021.Other than small incremental increases in capacity, there will be no major breakthroughs in e-bike batteries. Incremental increases in capacity  will simply be the result of manufacturers shoving in a few more cells.

The most popular format of battery cell for e-bike batteries, the 18650, hasn’t seen a meaningful capacity increase beyond 3.5Ah in years. Some e-bikes use the slightly larger 20700 and 21700 format cells, but these are much rarer and don’t offer much advantage for packing in more capacity.

That doesn’t mean we won’t be zooming around e-bikes sporting solid-state batteries in the next 5-10 years, but it won’t happen in 2021.

Long waits for e-bikes

Unfortunately, expect to wait a while for new electric bikes in 2021, especially the first half.

The COVID-19 pandemic positively wrecked e-bike supply chains saw devastating lock-downs in 2020. While those countries got back to work sooner than much of the west, they were smacked with unprecedented spikes in demand as soon as their factories reopened.

Supply chains are SLOWLY starting to catch up. Many e-bike manufacturers are still being quoted lead times of a year or more on components such as brakes and handlebars.

Popular e-bike companies have struggled to keep e-bikes in stock, leading to the second half of 2020 becoming the year of the e-bike back-order.

It will take most of the year for that to improve.. Expect many e-bike manufacturers to continue working on a pre-sale or back-ordered basis.

More e-bike startups

2021 is likely to see a boom in new e-bike startups, especially from Asia. More like random Indiegogo campaigns and “let’s see if this venture works” type of startups. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some very interesting e-bikes have come out of these types of ventures.

The massive increase in demand for e-bikes will be the largest driver behind a wave of new e-bike startups. It will be hard for many entrepreneurs to see the market demand and not think to themselves, “Maybe I should start an e-bike brand.”

2021 should be an interesting year for e-bikes. We may not see any massive battery advancements, but prices should continue their slow crawl downwards, and new products.

Adapted from:

https://electrek.co/2021/01/31/e-bike-predictions-for-2021-what-to-expect-in-the-electric-bicycle-industry-this-year/

by Micah Toll, Jan. 31st 2021