electric bikes

mreyes1 said:

I'm thinking of buying an electric bike next spring. I'll be using it mainly to get back and forth to work. Does anyone know if it is any good during the winter? If any has an answer, reply to [email hidden] as I'm not home till the weekend to get to my computer.

Michael

I heard that they're now street legal...in Ontario I'm told that you need a driver's licence, helmet, insurance, to use one...think that I'll stick to the Vespa

I have found a hybrid of an electric bike and gas scooter at daymak.com. They have three dealerships in the GTA for anybody interested in getting transportation that does not require a license or insurance. I hope this helps someone who like me does not have a car.

Michael

mreyes1 said:

I'm thinking of buying an electric bike next spring. I'll be using it mainly to get back and forth to work. Does anyone know if it is any good during the winter? If any has an answer, reply to [email hidden] as I'm not home till the weekend to get to my computer.

Michael

An electric bike? Riding it in the cold and maybe snow. I don't think so. Lol If its only cold out I guess if you could. No insurance payment instead of a car. The great extents we go to. Not much fitness involved in an electric bike though.

Well that's interesting. I'd love to learn more about this as I've never heard of it before. Sounds very cool though.

I've only noticed folks riding around with gas powered and hybrid bikes. They seem to perform reasonably well during the winter periods. I haven't seen anyone with these bikes stuck on the side of the road waiting for roadside assistance. I don't know if electric bikes will be more or less reliable than these, but I doubt there will be a massive difference. I do see these becoming more common as people gradually move away from the expensive costs of maintaining a motor vehicle.

London seems to have their own electric bike rental service, or at least I think they are electric.

Since from when this thread was made there may have been an increase in the use of electric bikes. I think London is using them and I think another place in the UK is running a similar scheme.

Being a more traditional cyclist shall we say, while I can obviously see the appeal of an electic bike, I also think it will take a lot of the enjoyment out of cycling.

I'm under the impression that they're made more for lazy people, although that's just my opinion of course.

That's sort of the same way as I see them. I mean I can see some of the benefits but I can also see it doing slightly more harm then good.

I'm kinda of seeing it as the modern take of strapping a lawnmower engine on to a push bike.

I prefer doing work with my muscles although riding an electric bike would be pleasuring and good when you feel lazy. However, they are quite expensive so it would be not worth it and you would have to charge it on a daily basis.