eBike Rebates

Let's get more people on bicycles:

The recently introduced E-BIKE (Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment) Act would create a tax rebate for people buying electric bikes similar to the tax incentive for buying an electric car.

Caron Whitaker, League of American Bicyclists

Death Publicity about CHEAP eBikes

“It’s the Wild West for e-bikes", said Dave Nghiem, the manager at College Park Bicycles in Maryland.

Consumer Reports warns about CHEAP ebike causing death due to fires.

Nghiem and other bike mechanics said the problems are not confined to one brand, but apply to many models of relatively inexpensive road e-bikes designed for recreation and commuting. These bikes typically retail for less than $2,000 and usually are sold directly to consumers, not through a bike shop. They make up the bulk of e-bike sales.

Consumer Products add that some companies that make low-quality e-bikes and batteries are subject to very little oversight. They are finding loopholes to sell their products on e-commerce sites like Amazon

A child’s death prompts questions about brake safety on e-bikes.

Nashville’s most dangerous streets

These streets are considered to have 

the highest concentrations of traffic injuries and deaths.

By Carmyn Gutierrez, Published: Jan. 19, 2023

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Several of Nashville’s most dangerous streets were revealed by Metro Vision Zero’s Safe Streets in Nashville Action Plan.

The number of drivers and pedestrians killed during vehicle-related incidents has increased since 2016, the Tennessee Department of Safety reports. The Vision Zero Action Plan aims to reduce those numbers to zero in a few years.

Four streets were deemed the most dangerous in Nashville, according to the action plan that was reviewed in August 2022. Those streets were Nolensville Pike, Charlotte Avenue, Murfreesboro Pike and West Trinity Lane. Data showed these streets had the highest concentrations of traffic injuries and deaths.

 

https://www.wsmv.com/2023/01/19/nashvilles-most-dangerous-streets/

 

The Cult of Bike Helmets

The history—and danger—of a modern safety obsession.

By Marion Renault, Jan 16, 2023

Last year, health officials in Seattle decided to stop requiring bicyclists to wear helmets. Independent research found that nearly half of Seattle’s helmet tickets in recent years went to unhoused people, while Black and Native American cyclists in the city were four times and two times more likely, respectively, than white cyclists to be cited.

Whether people should wear helmets was not the motivation behind the repeal, King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay said at the time. “The question is whether a helmet law that is enforced by police, on balance, produces results that outweigh the harms the law creates.” For lawmakers, the answer was clear: The potential benefits of a helmet mandate were not worth the harms it did to marginalized Seattle residents.

https://slate.com/technology/2023/01/bike-helmets-cyclist-deaths-do-you-need-to-wear.html

Happy Holidays

NY eBike Fire Problem

New York City Bill to Ban Reuse of Lithium Ion Batteries Is ‘Absolutely Crazy,’ Right-to-Repair Advocates Warn

In an attempt to do something about the horrific increase in battery fires from two-wheeled electric devices this year, the New York City Council has proposed a slate of legislation that would have the unintended consequence of hamstringing the right-to-repair industry for electronic devices, experts and advocates warn. 

https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy7eka/new-york-city-bill-to-ban-reuse-of-lithium-ion-batteries-is-absolutely-crazy-right-to-repair-advocates-warn 

eBike Batteries Wanted

With millions of electric bikes on the road, helping Americans replace car trips and reduce their personal carbon footprint, there are also millions of lithium ion batteries that will need to be disposed of properly.

Call2Recycle is here to simplify that process. The bike industry came together as the first transportation industry to establish a battery recycling solution and reduce negative impacts on the climate and our planet.

Help us make biking the most sustainable activity and transportation option by recycling your electric bicycle battery today.

https://ebikebatteryrecycling.peopleforbikes.org/

Li-Ion Battery Fire Prevention

Are you scared of increasing lithium-ion battery fire and explosion incidents? Well, you should be, as social media is flooded with the alarming news of battery explosions. For example, a laptop lithium-ion battery caught fire and injured a person, a smartphone battery exploded inside a student’s pocket, a vape pen explosion, and a lot more.

According to US research, almost 195 lithium-ion battery fire incidents occurred from 2009 to 2017. Undoubtedly, no one can deny the worth of lithium-ion batteries in electric devices, vehicles, and smartphones. However, there are some challenges that users still need to tackle carefully.

This article will hopefully help you in understanding the causes of lithium-ion battery fires.

Lithium-ion Battery Fire: Why It Happens & How to Prevent It?

https://etekware.com/lithium-ion-battery-fire/  

Fire Risk

'Fire! Fire! Fire!’ The Perplexing, Deadly Electric Bike Problem. 

Malfunctioning lithium-ion batteries in the increasingly popular form of transportation have been linked to numerous explosions, blazes, and deaths—and little is being done to reduce the danger.

https://www.consumerreports.org/health/electric-bikes/electric-bike-fires-and-lithium-ion-batteries-a4632489902/

When the lithium-ion batteries used in the bikes are poorly made, overused, or charged too long, though, they can cause fires. “It’s very violent, very fast, it’s hard to extinguish,” says Daniel E. Flynn, chief fire marshal at the Bureau of Fire Investigation in New York City’s fire department. “In the battery pack, when they do fail, they can shoot these cells as far as 60 feet, so multiple fires can be related to the battery failing,” he says

Bird eBike for Sale

Available for $1000 

Bird’s new electric bike combines the best features of commuter bikes, mountain bikes, and electric-powered bikes to create the ultimate ride. Built by the same team of vehicle designers and engineers who introduced shared electric scooters to the world, it's perfect for your everyday commute, leisurely riding, and everything in between. Thanks to its manual throttle for a fast recharge, an integrated backlit handlebar display, and a powerful 500w motor, you'll always get an effortless e-boost.

Storing eBike Battery

Several eBike owners were curious about how to store their eBike with winter approaching. The issue was how to handle the Li-Ion batteries. I have searched throughout the Internet and found no certain recommendation. The most informative came from https://www.dnkpower.com/lithium-ion-battery-storage/ Complete Guide for Lithium ion Battery Storage.

Short-term storage: Store the battery in a dry place with no corrosive gases and a wet temperature between -20℃-35℃, higher or lower temperature will cause the metal parts of the battery to rust or the battery to leak.

A new realm of e-bike adventures.

Trek hasn’t just changed our cycling vacation. They’ve changed how riders of different abilities can discover the world together on two wheels. With Trek Verve+ e-bikes, they’re proud to offer the newest, most advanced way to ride longer, farther, and faster than ever before. And the best part? Upgrading to an electric bike is available at no additional cost. So from the California coast to the vineyards of Tuscany, join them for an electric bike vacation in some of the most beautiful destinations around the world.

https://trektravel.com/trip-collection/ebike-tours/  

As a typical FOGBEE pp price comparison, here was our 14-day H2O ($2,200) vs Trek 6-day ($6,000).

- Lodging: Shared rooms - $1000
- SAG Van - $200
- Food (BLD) - $700
- Misc (etc. beer, snacks) - $300