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#1
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Is an electric bike cheating?
I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? |
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#2
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On Oct 27, 8:01*am, dgk wrote:
I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? I don't know much about electric bikes. You still pedal the thing, right? As long as it requires some sort of physical exertion to operate, you're not cheating. Cullen Appleton, WI |
#3
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On Oct 27, 8:01*am, dgk wrote:
I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? Looks like great fun! People **** away twice the street price of the Tailwind just to make their HD look like a bad lamp or 15X to get the luxury of a tokenist P***s that fails to impress at Trader Joe's. The design is stellar and Dutch and love the quick charge battery. Just check on how much it will cost to eventually replace it. There are a few electric bikes around here--most often people in their 50s+ that want to keep up with a fitter or faster partner on our rolling hills. I hear nothing but raves, TBH. Makes sense as the motor effectively turns any landscape into Holland. |
#4
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On 27 Oct, 13:01, dgk wrote:
I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? No it's not cheating. 80 minutes at each end of a working day must feel bad when you're not up to it. I'm thinking that perhaps you should be making a little better headway, perhaps 60 minutes for the 15 miles. Just try riding to work once or twice a week and maybe your speed will improve. Try to find a non-exposed route when you are otherwised faced with a headwind (or make this an off day). Drop handlebars will help against winds and supple tyres will improve your speed for any day. i always wonder, "but what if the motor fails", I'd have to lug that as well. |
#5
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On Oct 27, 8:01*am, dgk wrote:
I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? I rode one of those around the LBS parking lot a bit about a year ago. It was a weird feeling when the motor pushed, it would take some getting used to. I think I would prefer a straight up throttle control rather than the way these Schwins work, sensing when the pedals were turning and all that. |
#6
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On Oct 27, 1:00*pm, DennisTheBald wrote:
On Oct 27, 8:01*am, dgk wrote: I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? I rode one of those around the LBS parking lot a bit about a year ago. It was a weird feeling when the motor pushed, it would take some getting used to. *I think I would prefer a straight up throttle control rather than the way these Schwins work, sensing when the pedals were turning and all that. Oh, yeah - the cheating bit: without a doubt, no. |
#7
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Is an electric bike cheating?
if you only ue the electric assisyt to help you through those parts of
the ride that you can no longer handle on your on, then no, it's not cheating. As to whether you'll become a "mobile couch potato", that's up to you; I don't know you well enough to judge your resolve.. - - Compliments of: "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman" If you want to E-mail me use: ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net |
#8
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:10:16 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote: On Oct 27, 8:01*am, dgk wrote: I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? I don't know much about electric bikes. You still pedal the thing, right? As long as it requires some sort of physical exertion to operate, you're not cheating. Cullen Appleton, WI There seem to be two kinds. One has a throttle that really seems like cheating. The Schwinns are "pedal assist" so at least you have to be pedaling and then the assist kicks in in varying amouts depending on a setting somewhere on the handlebars. |
#9
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:49:34 -0700 (PDT), landotter
wrote: On Oct 27, 8:01*am, dgk wrote: I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? Looks like great fun! People **** away twice the street price of the Tailwind just to make their HD look like a bad lamp or 15X to get the luxury of a tokenist P***s that fails to impress at Trader Joe's. The design is stellar and Dutch and love the quick charge battery. Just check on how much it will cost to eventually replace it. There are a few electric bikes around here--most often people in their 50s+ that want to keep up with a fitter or faster partner on our rolling hills. I hear nothing but raves, TBH. Makes sense as the motor effectively turns any landscape into Holland. The deal with that quick-charge battery isn't only a quick charge. According to Toshiba, the number of recharge cycles is like 5000 or something. You shouldn't have to replace it for many years. Folks in an EBike forum are dying to get them but Schwinn seems to have an exclusive deal right now. The WorldGSE bike that I prefer (because it's 24 speed with real components) does not have that battery. It has a very good one, but not that one. |
#10
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Is an electric bike cheating?
On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:47:35 -0700 (PDT), thirty-six
wrote: On 27 Oct, 13:01, dgk wrote: I hate hills. I hate headwinds. I'm in my late 50s. It takes me 80 minutes to commute in and the same going home. That's a lot of time (15 miles at 10.7 mph or so). So, maybe I can shave 25 minutes off and bike even more often if I get something like this: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/Tailwind.aspx Looks like a decent commuter bike. Of course, it's at least $2000 and is about the weakest motor I've seen, but I'm not looking for a moped. Or maybe the WorldGSE model which seems like a real bike, but oddly only comes in 17" or 21" sizes: http://www.schwinnelectricbikes.com/Bikes/WorldGSE.aspx Decent components I think; it would be a good bike if non-electric. Well, is this cheating? Will I end up being just a mobile couch potato? No it's not cheating. 80 minutes at each end of a working day must feel bad when you're not up to it. I'm thinking that perhaps you should be making a little better headway, perhaps 60 minutes for the 15 miles. Just try riding to work once or twice a week and maybe your speed will improve. Try to find a non-exposed route when you are otherwised faced with a headwind (or make this an off day). Drop handlebars will help against winds and supple tyres will improve your speed for any day. i always wonder, "but what if the motor fails", I'd have to lug that as well. I suppose I could put more effort into it, but I'm thinking less, not more. Much of my ride is along the water (East River) and wind can be pretty wicked there. The other option is riding with lots of traffic and I prefer to avoid that. It just isn't pleasant. |
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