Converting a Conventional Bike to an eBitke

Several bicyclist have considered converting their current road bike to an ebike.  Although this approach is likely to be less expensive than buying a complete ebike, according to the following article from Evelo most often result in a less efficient and more difficult to handle alternative, especially with the typical Tennessee terrain.

https://evelo.com/blogs/ebike-buyers-guide/should-i-buy-a-new-electric-bike-or-convert-my-existing-bike

Specialized Range Extender Battery

 The rumor is our Specialized range extender batteries have been shipped. Here are the details about that feature.

More How eBikes Work from EVELO

Electric Bikes: How Watts, Volts, and Amp Hours Impact Performance

Adapted from: https://evelo.com/blogs/learn/electric-bikes-how-watts-volts-and-amp-hours-impact-performance

If you want to compare ebike power ratings, you need to understand watts (W), volts (V), and amp-hours (Ah). ‘Rated power,’ the metric some manufacturers use, doesn’t equal a motor’s actual power output or maximum potential power output.

An electric bike owner or shopper needs to understand how these electrical measurements impact an ebike’s performance.

Well Intentioned but Misinformed.

Today I picked up an article shared on Carey's Tennessee eBike Forum. In his article eBike Hysteria, Peter Flax was commiserating about complaints that he read on NextDoor. (LA area in CA). https://medium.com/@peterflax/e-bike-hysteria-3f392a5fe6be  

People were complaining about teenagers on eBikes. Flax came out strongly in support of the teenagers on eBikes stated that the complainers were either selfish or badly misinformed.  However, in his enthusiasm, he shared a general misconception about eBikes.  He said

Minors are allowed to ride Class 1 or 2 ebikes which have smaller motors [wrong] and can't exceed 20 mph [wrong]. This is what more than 95% of the kids are riding [statistics source?]. You have to be older that 16 to ride a Class 3 eBike. which can go 27-28 mph. Any parent who allows a kid to ride a Class 3 eBike is making a bike mistake.[give them a car instead]

eBike law varies by State. The author is referencing [not quoting] California law. In Tennessee the rider may be 14 and older for a Class 3 eBike.

What is a smaller motor? And smaller than what? Not necessarily a Class 3 eBike.

Class 1 and 2 motors provide assistance up to 20 mph. There are no rules as to how fast they may go. Likewise that is the same for a Class 3 ebike providing assistance up to 28 mph.

The dangerous misconception is Class 1 and 2 bikes travel at 20 mph while a Class 3 travels at 28 mph. They don't. A Class 1 bicyclist can pedal his eBike to 28 mph and faster and a Class 3 bicyclist may mope along at 10 mph and use the motor only to level-out the hills, which most FOGBEE bicyclists do.

Nearly all the FOGBEE ebike owners have Class 3 eBikes and rarely travel over 20 mph. Many may travel over 30 mph on a downhill with NO motor assist. When they coast, i.e. not pedaling, the motor turns off making it no different that a regular bicycle.

Let's make sure laws regulate behavior and not the vehicle.

U.S. e-bike sales should top 1 million in 2021, 3 million in coming years

The United States tends to make changes slowly until a tipping point is reached. And then, change can be startlingly fast.

That tipping point has occurred with electric bikes in the last two years. We are on our way to becoming the most profitable and largest western market for electric bikes.

Local eBike Conversions

In mid-May Aussie Bob and Bruce contacted Eco-Cycles to convert Bob's Paulson road bike to an ebike. Bob has not made a decision.  I suspect his plans will be determined by when he can visit the US and lead his H2O Tour that was originally scheduled for September 2020. I found this discussion about Eco=Cycle conversions on Carey's Tennessee Electric Bike Forum.

CAREY

Anybody know these folks? It looks like they do conversions.

FOGBEE eBike Lineup

Specialized Creo

• Woody W
  
• Harry P
  
• Ronnie P
  

Specialized Vado SL 5.0

• Ann P
  
• Mark H
  
• Doug D
  
• Phil V
  
• Tom E
  

Specialized Vado 3.0

• Jerry D
  

Giant

• Brett D

 Tandem

• Mike and Sherry K
  

 

LeMond Prologue vs Specialized Vado SL

Greg LeMond has recently got back into bicycle manufacturing with the hybrid Prologue and comfort Dutch products. He is promising a Road Bike in late summer 2021 but offers no details. Since his Prologue is comparable to the Specialized Vado SL popular with the FOGBEES, we thought we would do a comparison. At this time, the LeMond product line-up is limited to these two offerings, while Specialized has an extensive list of electric bikes varieties imcluding the Creo road bike.

B-Cycle on Greenways

Bcycle (which is owned by Trek) is requesting permission to allow class 1 on the greenways and we decided to support their request. We’ll argue the law later if necessary. Bob Mendes is a council member who rides an e-bike and is a lot better at politics than I so we’re following his lead.

WBN has a very good summary here.

https://www.walkbikenashville.org/e_bikes_on_greenway

Anyway you could get the word out to any Nashville riders? E-mails to board members (and council members) with personal stories are very important. As you know there are lots of misconceptions about e-bikes, which drives me crazy, and we’re definitely trying to educate some decision makers.

Carey

HERE IS MY RESPONSE