| Cheap Electric Bike Saves Cash...But at What Cost |
| Written by Peg Fong | ||
| Tuesday, 06 May 2008 | ||
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The $350 hybrid electric bike 388-PP can reach top speeds of 18 miles per hour and the range is 15 miles. A rack-mounted regular Sealed Lead Acid rechargeable battery powers the all-terrain bike. The battery, which is detachable, takes between two to four hours to charge up. The good news is this cheap bike is available now for purchase. The bad news is if you're looking for something light, this probably won't cut it. The bike weighs a whopping 76 pounds and so if you run out the charge, it's going to be a heavy haul with that battery weighing you down. And the rechargeable battery has a short life span of between 200 to 300 charges before you need to buy a new replacement one from Currie for $120. Via TreeHugger
Comments
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written by MarkR , May 06, 2008
Something like this could be a good option for those who have a commute less than 15 miles and no shower at work to clean up on a hot day. No shower, has always been my struggle with my bike commute. especially when it gets into the 90's and 100's here in Tx. While this is a reasonable price , I'll probably stick with my regular bike, I just have a hard time thinking about adding another 50 lbs to my commute, when I know I need to lose about 20lbs from myself.
You Move Vehicle
written by nicster , May 06, 2008
I'll have to disagree with the preference for a vehicle that moves you. Moving via one's own power (walking, running, rowing, riding, etc.) is much more pleasant than being moved by a vehicle. There's much more connection to the environment and to one's own body.
That said, it would be great to be able to re-capture the energy lost through braking (although, judging from the hand brakes on this electric model, that's not an option here, either).
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written by rob , May 06, 2008
I wonder why the battery life is so short. I would normally expect a lead acid type, to give three years use minimum.
And $120 for a replacement is way over the top. Although I dare say, with a little DIY, it would be possible to get something "off the shelf" from Maplins, for a fraction of the cost. I cycle to work and a chap whizzes by me on an electric bike, almost everyday. It seems to have a surprising turn of speed. The only time I see him peddle, is on up hill stretches and even then he doesn't pedal much (he wears a motorcycle crash helmet!!). I don't know what range it has, but his route is at least 5 miles. One day I will catch him up and find out more about the bike.
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written by ebikehub , May 08, 2008
for more information on electric bicycles check out www.ebikehub.com
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written by steve crandall , May 10, 2008
I haven't tried this one, but heavy bike conversions are usually disasters. A good commuter bike (rare in the US) is a good starting point, but if you have hills or an especially long commute, powered hubs like BionX are great http://www.bionx.ca/en/main/default/1.shtml
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It's a no-brainer. Bicycling is cheap transportation and good for the environment. But not all bikes are created equal and while they're all cheap compared to cars...some can seem a bit steep. And then there's the whole pedaling thing...call me lazy, but I like the idea of my vehicle moving me, instead of me moving my vehicle. It's certainly a less green alternative, but far greener than a car. Unfortunately electric bikes can cost upwards of a couple of thousand dollars, but an extraordinarily inexpensive option is being produced by California company 
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