Electric Scooter Bicycles

[Fibb222]

I'm planning on getting a electric scooter bicycle (such as the one seen here) for a 40km round trip, daily commute. Does anybody have any experience with these power assisted bicycles? It has a 500W brushless hub motor and up to 100 km range. Apparently it can climb hills pretty well, unlike older models of a few short years ago..

[itsme]

I dont know about that type but here is one I built and it has both a gas motor and electric also pedal power so you will get where you need to go.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/ou...z2/0dd9efe4.jpg



cost including bike and both motors around 500.00 but I think the cost have gone up since 2 yrs ago

[daniel]

I have no experience, but there was a thread about these a while back, and the concensus (not unanimous) was that they are so heavy that once the battery runs down they're virtually impossible to pedal.

Try one before you buy it. Make sure that its range is adequate to get you where you need to go. Make sure that its acceleration is adequare for safe travel in traffic. Make sure that its speed is adequate for safety. Then pedal it without the electric motor so you know what it would be like if you run down the battery. Oh, yes, and try it on a hill if your commute inclused hills, to make sure it can really handle them.

Most people felt that you'd actually travel easier, with less work, on a bicycle. I do not believe it is really capable of 100 km (62 miles!) on battery power.

[Fibb222]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(regenme @ Mar 23 2007, 11:56 AM) [snapback]411057[/snapback]</div>

I dont know about that type but here is one I built and it has both a gas motor and electric also pedal power so you will get where you need to go.

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n210/ou...z2/0dd9efe4.jpg
cost including bike and both motors around 500.00 but I think the cost have gone up since 2 yrs ago
[/b]

Wow, that' quite the machine!

[itsme]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 23 2007, 04:47 PM) [snapback]411164[/snapback]</div>

I have no experience, but there was a thread about these a while back, and the concensus (not unanimous) was that they are so heavy that once the battery runs down they're virtually impossible to pedal.

Try one before you buy it. Make sure that its range is adequate to get you where you need to go. Make sure that its acceleration is adequare for safe travel in traffic. Make sure that its speed is adequate for safety. Then pedal it without the electric motor so you know what it would be like if you run down the battery. Oh, yes, and try it on a hill if your commute inclused hills, to make sure it can really handle them.

Most people felt that you'd actually travel easier, with less work, on a bicycle. I do not believe it is really capable of 100 km (62 miles!) on battery power.
[/b]

thanks, I get about 40 or more mpg best was 46 mpg and thats with the bags full.

[Fibb222]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 23 2007, 03:47 PM) [snapback]411164[/snapback]</div>

I have no experience, but there was a thread about these a while back, and the concensus (not unanimous) was that they are so heavy that once the battery runs down they're virtually impossible to pedal.

Try one before you buy it. Make sure that its range is adequate to get you where you need to go. Make sure that its acceleration is adequare for safe travel in traffic. Make sure that its speed is adequate for safety. Then pedal it without the electric motor so you know what it would be like if you run down the battery. Oh, yes, and try it on a hill if your commute inclused hills, to make sure it can really handle them.

Most people felt that you'd actually travel easier, with less work, on a bicycle. I do not believe it is really capable of 100 km (62 miles!) on battery power.
[/b]

Thanks for the good advice. The sellers have told me that you shouldn't and wouldn't want to pedal at all except to assist the motor in a steep uphill climb. They say it really isn't meant for pedaling because a) it really is too heavy and the sprocket ratios are all wrong for pure pedal power. Basically they admit that if you run out of juice that you will be walking it home.

I like it because it is legally classified as a bike and can legally go on shoulders and bike paths which would be handy in my town as there is a long paved trail to work. It is electronically restricted to a top speed of 32 km/hr (20 mph) in Canada.

I searched for posts on electric scooters but didn't find anything.

The 100 km range is probably referring to a light person going only 10 mph on flat terrain or something.

[Mirza]

Would you consider an electric bicycle?

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Fibb222 @ Mar 23 2007, 05:02 PM) [snapback]411212[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for the good advice. The sellers have told me that you shouldn't and wouldn't want to pedal at all except to assist the motor in a steep uphill climb. They say it really isn't meant for pedaling because a) it really is too heavy and the sprocket ratios are all wrong for pure pedal power. Basically they admit that if you run out of juice that you will be walking it home.

I like it because it is legally classified as a bike and can legally go on shoulders and bike paths which would be handy in my town as there is a long paved trail to work. It is electronically restricted to a top speed of 32 km/hr (20 mph) in Canada.

I searched for posts on electric scooters but didn't find anything.

The 100 km range is probably referring to a light person going only 10 mph on flat terrain or something.
[/b]

You should've dropped by EPIC Vancouver last weekend for the sustainability expo. They had electric scooters and bikes on display.

Cost was $1,500 for both. The reason why the scooter was the same price as the bike was because the scooter had Lead-Acid batteries and was made in China. The electric bike uses Li-polymer batteries.

[daniel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(regenme @ Mar 23 2007, 04:58 PM) [snapback]411210[/snapback]</div>

thanks, I get about 40 or more mpg best was 46 mpg and thats with the bags full.
[/b]

Regenme: Your bike with the motor is an entirely different animal than the scooter in the OP's thread. Yours probably weighs 1/4 as much, and is designed to be able to pedal. You add a very small, relatively lightweight motor, and you burn gas, which is much lighter than batteries for the energy carried. Your motorized bicycle looks like a very serviceable machine.

My comments were directed to the OP and the electric scooter.

Although your 46 mpg "best" and 40 mpg typical seem awfully low, when most folks get mid-40's or considerably better in their Priuses. And if that engine is a two-stroke, Priuses are much cleaner as well.

[itsme]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 23 2007, 08:00 PM) [snapback]411259[/snapback]</div>

Regenme: Your bike with the motor is an entirely different animal than the scooter in the OP's thread. Yours probably weighs 1/4 as much, and is designed to be able to pedal. You add a very small, relatively lightweight motor, and you burn gas, which is much lighter than batteries for the energy carried. Your motorized bicycle looks like a very serviceable machine.

My comments were directed to the OP and the electric scooter.

Although your 46 mpg "best" and 40 mpg typical seem awfully low, when most folks get mid-40's or considerably better in their Priuses. And if that engine is a two-stroke, Priuses are much cleaner as well.
[/b]

It has a front hub motor as well and three 12 volt 12 AH batteries on rear rack total weight is around 70 pounds for bike and motors etc.. plus my heavy arse 295 pounds of steel( ok a little steel) lol thats why it's lower mpg if I weighed 150 pounds 80plus mpg easy
but I can do 30 mph uphill no pedal on either gas or electric motor
I also wasn't comparing the two just another alternative.