On earth day the city and county of Denver launched a $9 million dollar program offering rebates to any resident to get $400 off the purchase of an e-bike or up to a $1200 rebate for various electric energy efficiency upgrades. With larger rebates available to low income residents.
https://denvergov.org/Government/Age...Electric-Bikes
Whereas the State of Washington added special taxes on bicycles and bicycle parts recently...
Seems like if it's setting some sort of precedence for carbon reduction, that they should kick in for regular bikes too. If eBikes get to be common I predict some safety issues on the multi use trails and in traffic.
Class 2 Ebikes are limited by law to a top speed of 20mph unaided.Originally Posted by Rogar
Class 3 Ebikes are limited to 28mph, and must be pedal-assist, and not function unaided.
I can pedal my non-electric bike in those speed ranges on flat ground - 20-25mph, and I'm nearly 60 and have a nearly-3-digit BMI :-). That said, I bike quite often and am noticeably faster than a novice bicyclist.
I think the Ebikes are somewhat safer in traffic, as they can accelerate a bit faster and get out of the way better, for your average non-bike rider.
I've thought about getting an e-bike. We live about 2 miles from the nearest grocery store, library, dry cleaner, UPS store, etc. Currently I drive there once or twice a week. It's a quick, easy trip. We're right near the freeway and it's one exit away. But there's also a bike path alongside the freeway that would be equally easy and almost as quick. But the reality is that I have a car that was gifted to me when my dad died that rarely needs repairs and at 30 mpg and even with gas at $4.99/gallon I can make a lot of trips to the stores/library before it would ever pay off for me to spend the upfront money on an e-bike. I may do it regardless but even a few hundred dollars from a program like this would go a long way towards making me pull the trigger.
Class 3 eBikes are generally not allowed on public multi use trails around here. My personal experience regardless of my own conditioning is that eBikes add an additional traffic speed factor relative to other users, including common cyclists. I won't use my local trail on weekends because of heavy use and too many things for people to watch out for. On the streets and dedicated bike lanes on the streets I've seen eBikes that are not that far away from a motorcycle or moped, where some version of street licensing is required. I've cycled 2 or 3 thousand miles a year every year for quite some time, so I get around enough for some general observations, but it may be different other places. I guess time will tell how it will work out.
I'm skeptical that the return on the investments in terms of reduced CO2 emissions will be of much significance, but it's a decent idea to keep in front of people. Maybe they are gateway bikes for some people to move up to regular bikes.
But you don't have to use the electronic part of the bike, do you?
Also, does it do any charging from the pedaling?
I have thought about the e bike, more of a range extending thing (push oneself a bit and still be able to get back), although those $99 gas motors seem to be the way I would probably actually go (make it look like an early 1900's motorcycle, but unlike my one motorcycle ride, one that has brakes). I've wanted to build a motorcycle since I was a kid, and it just seemed the best compromise.
Where a regular bike, I view more as exercise and fun.
I keep thinking about an ebike as well. If I end up getting moved to the other school for work, I will be 2.5 miles from home. However, there is a massive (to me! lol) hill both directions and I would definitely want/need the assistance. It would be a bigger than normal purchase, so I'm really unsure what to get, etc.
To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." Mahatma Gandhi
Be nice whenever possible. It's always possible. HH Dalai Lama
In a world where you can be anything - be kind. Unknown
Biking seems super unsafe, I guess one has to have a high risk tolerance, because it seems so easy for a car to a hit a bike and well the results to not be pretty. I admire people willing to take their lives in their hands whenever they go somewhere I guess but that's probably not me. But I do think if one is going to bike ebikes have a difinite market of many people who don't want to peddle all the time. Me I'm still hung up on safety though.
this shocked me, gas has been near $6 for months, I figured that was California and it's the price we pay for a civilized societyand even with gas at $4.99/gallon. But that's not California? Ok gas has dropped a bit it's still around 5.60 and up a gallon. Do you drive further to get the cheapest gas in town? That super cheap 4.99 a gallon gas I don't know.
Trees don't grow on money
The $4.99 gas was at the Vallejo Costco. I just checked gas buddy and now it's $4.97 there. The cheapest I can find anywhere else in the bay area is $5.29.
In my experience bike riding is a safe activity. In the 14 years that I lived in midtown manhattan I logged probably 40,000 miles riding all over the city. I was in 2 relatively minor accidents during that time, one of them my fault. The other involved only another bike and it was his fault.
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