Buy:SleepWell.Lipothin.Lipitor.Benicar.Seroquel.Prozac.Ventolin.Female Cialis.Advair.Buspar.Aricept.Lasix.Acomplia.Zetia.Nymphomax.Cozaar.Zocor.Female Pink Viagra.Wellbutrin SR.Amoxicillin….

I believe that e-Bike have a place, but they need to be marketed as a replacement to a moped or a second car. Otherwise they seem too expensive for a bicycle. Also, they need good capacity to carry things so that they can be used for small shopping trips.

As volumes go up and technology gets better, price will come down. It may be a few years before we can buy an e-bike with a long-lasting battery below $1,000 though.

It’s a shame that the RTA wants to legislate against the throttle. That’s silly. The throttle is very intuitive for many people. Still, they mostly got it right. The worst thing about it tought is that will keep some bikes away from the market, potentially keeping prices higher. We would be better off without such silly rules.

Sometimes I wonder whether they consider the full consequences of their legislation, especially the negative side effects. I have seen far too often legislation that caused far more damage than delivered benefits. Such legislation is not only a waste of time & money, it is also damaging the respect for the rule of law. People ignore it and lose respect for the law.

There really should be an independent body that assesses new legislation and only lets it through if its demonstrated benefits are greater than its negative side effects and the cost of drafting and enforcing the legislation. That would prevent a lot of costly mistakes.

More importantly I’m really getting into it. I’m enjoying the trip in and home (it was hard at first) and also importantly despite all the criticism of electric bikes my fitness is improving rapidly. I’m hungry all the time and I’ve lots 2.5 kg in a couple of weeks. This is going to lead to a massive health benefit for me. I’m kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

I have been so impressed by the health benefits that I’m working with the wife to take the kids to school in a trailer (they are 6 and 3) behind an e-bike. As parents we find it impossible to get any exercise together. The kids can ride, but they are slow to a point where you don’t get any exercise yourself, and at any rate this is only once a week. By integrating this into her daily routine she could get all these benefits too. She would have to ride probably 10k twice a day.

So, we will be in the market for another e-bike or two soon. To all those that doubt e-bikes – shame on you! While I understand that many are so fit they don’t need them, for many people that live in HOT and HILLY areas like myself they really open up bicycles as an option.

These things are a life changer. Change the world, one less car at a time!

I think there is a risk that people seeing the high price tag on the better models will either not purchase one or worse yet, purchase a poorly made model. If I was given the job of marketing e-bikes, I’d probably pick a few of the best models and hire them out at about $10/day + damage deposit so people could see that this could be a reasonable alternative to a second car or public transport, without taking the plunge and buying an e-bike costing more than an old second hand car (the latter being a false economy of course, but the comparison is inevitable for many people).

As with most technologies, the early adopters will buy the e-bikes and their positive experiences will encourage the wider community to ditch the car and try an electric bicycle too.

Couldn’t agree more that E-bikes are the future for people who want to travel on bikes in comfort, ease and style.

As to the time frame for when they will dominate is an interesting question. I think a lot of that answer will come down to bike shops and how quickly they embrace E-Bikes and learn to properly train themselves and promote the benefits to customers.

Having said that, I think 5 years is a good time frame for your prediction!

Cycle safe,

Paul

I also think that these e-bikes will help get people out of their cars here in Australia.

In defence of David Hembrow, I think there are places where e-bikes in great numbers don’t make a lot of sense, but Australia isn’t one of them.

As an example, I’ve noticed that on my journey to work there are many hills & troughs (mostly gradients of between 7-10%) and unfortunately, due to poor cycling infrastructure and priority to cars, I have to often stop at the valleys of these hills to give way to cars at crossings. I am not able to cycle quickly downhill to gather speed to conquer most of the following hill. In this situation my e-bike is very helpful.

Also, in the heat & humidity of our summer the e-bike enables me to drop back a notch and arrive not-too-sweaty but in a reasonable time so I’m not sunburnt to a crisp.

The Gazelle that I have is a pedelec, with no throttle, but it is very, very intuitive. If the assistance is turned on, and you pedal, it sends power to the motor. You stop pedalling, the motor stops. It is idiot-proof really.

I like your idea of jacking up the price of fuel – the truth is that, here in Australia, we don’t really pay the true cost of things; we’ve become accustomed to using cheap energy with little thought.

I’m glad these regulations are being looked at and I hope the planets align for your filming this coming Friday, Mike.

All the very best.

Paul Martin
Brisbane, Australia