Weekly wrap 7.28.06
This week’s mileage: Approx. 26 miles
Total mileage since July 10, 2006: Approx. 102 miles
Gas savings this week: 3 gallons
Total gallons saved since July 10 – Approx. 8
Price of gas today: $3.30
Gas savings since July 10 based on today’s price: $26.40
Quick notes: These numbers are a little misleading. Prior to using the electric bike, I typically burned about 10 gallons of gas a week – but not always. Sometimes I used a little more, sometimes a little less. But for simplicity I’m using 10 gallons as my average. It’s pretty close, but still a ballpark number.
I had to make a lot of trips to the hardware store this week. All those trips were made with my car. I don’t see any practical way to haul 12-foot-long 2x4s on a bike. But paint and even the heavy bundle of roofing felt I bought could be carried on a bike trailer. I have the advantage of living downhill from the center of town, so gravity helps me get home regardless of the load or the power in my batteries.
I’m keeping my eyes open for trailers at thrift stores.
One could ask the question: Why not just use the car?
I could answer back: Why not just use the bike?
The time differential is minimal when comparing the two modes of transportation, at least in my case.
It’s also worth noting that the weather has been spectacular.
Hauling loads
Local readers of this blog are probably familiar with Jerry Eaves.
Jerry is the sole proprietor of Jerry’s Recycling, a recycling business that he operates with a bicycle and a trailer. He basically goes around town picking up recyclables from businesses and then redeems them for cash at the local recycling center.
Jerry hauls amazingly large loads.
How big? Sometimes he has two supersized trash bins filled with cans and bottles, precariously stacked on a large metal trailer.
I would be intimidated enough hauling the trailer, let alone the stuff inside. I’m not sure what would be worse – the strain of pulling it uphill, or the potentially disastrous tracking problems when going down hill. Wouldn’t the trailer wiggle back and forth and ultimately cause the rider to lose control?
That almost happened to me once when I hauled a trailer behind a VW Bug. The trailer wiggled side to side. Then the car started wiggling and I thought I might lose control. I slowed down and ultimately pulled over on the freeway. Disaster averted.
Jerry has never mentioned any such incidents, but I wonder. Especially after seeing the load he apparently hauled on Tuesday.
I didn’t see Jerry, just his bike parked in front of a business. Inside his trailer were a bunch of metal objects. I don’t know whether they were steel tubes or rain gutters or what. But the entire load appeared to be 2 feet wide, 2 1/2 feet tall and 6 feet long. The entire mass was so heavy that his attached bicycle was elevated about 2 feet off the ground due to the weight of the trailer.
I assume he hauled that load across town to the recycling center. Next time I see Jerry, I’ll try to get an exclusive interview for those that are interested in the ins and outs of hauling large loads on a bicycle.
This topic came to mind today when I went to the hardware store to purchase some supplies for a small construction project. If I had Jerry’s trailer, I probably could have accomplished my mission on the bike. Instead, I was forced to use the car and the utility trailer.
I burned gas, which means my end-of-the-week gas savings will be less than expected.
I usually don't like to post pictures of myself, but here's a photo of me polishing my bike.
Preliminary numbers (Miles, gas savings, etc.)
Within a period of less than two weeks, I’ve put about 76 miles on the e-bike. That’s a conservative estimate based on measurements on a map. I don’t have an odometer. I didn’t include my various sidetrips (cruising around a parking lot, visiting a waterfall, etc.) nor my trip to downtown Arcata, a nearby town. (Note to self: Only travel to Arcata with a full charge, otherwise you’ll have to pedal back using your own power.)
Some of those miles I pedaled, some I used the motor, and some I pedaled and used the motor at the same time.
I don’t know the breakdown of pedaling vs. non-pedaling.
My overall impression is that with a mixture of pedaling and motoring, I can travel about 7 miles at full speed, minus the sweat, That means I’m going fast – kind of like standing up on a bike and pedaling at full strength. Then it gets sluggish. But sluggish is still a respectable speed – about as fast as the sluggish cyclists in the fancy outfits that I pass on the Hammond Trail.
They wear lycra, I wear denim.
It's worth saving a little power so that you can blast by these folks at rocket speeds. To them, I look like a normal cyclist.
With few exceptions, I return home with power still in the batteries. The bike still moves with motor power, even at the end of the day. But I don’t like to poke around. I like to travel at a decent speed. I'm not into tootling.
So the range, even with the small hills in my town, is probably 10 to 12 miles if you don’t mind a slower speed.
In the first week, my gas consumption decreased by a little more than two gallons. This last week, it was a little more than three gallons.
That might not sound like much, but I drive a compact car to begin with. If I drove the typical car I see on the streets in my town, the savings would be in the range of four to six gallons a week. That's huge.
Either way, I’ve reduced my fuel usage by 20 to 30 percent a week.
With gas going for $3.30 a gallon at my discounted card lock station, that’s a savings of $6.60 to $9.90 per week.
Realistically, I think I can see a 35 percent reduction in fuel use with the bike as long as there are no unforeseen business trips. But a 40 percent reduction would be highly unlikely given my long trip every Monday which requires a vehicle.
A 35 percent reduction would equal a savings of nearly $12 a week based on the average price of gas at the regular stations. Sounds impressive.
But don't break out the party balloons yet – eventually I'll need to replace my batteries. I've charged them about 12 times so far. How many more charges before they need to be replaced? Somewhere I read 200. Is 200 the magic number that marks the point at which I notice a significant reduction in performance? Or is it the point when my batteries no longer work?
It's guaranteed that the battery subject will occupy this blog in the near future.
(Coming soon: Jack, who doesn't know the difference between a watt, volt or amp, gets nerdy and learns about battery technology. Maybe.)
Be Prepared
“Be prepared”
– Boy Scout motto
As I left the office today I discovered I had a flat tire.
No problem, I thought. I’ll just whip out the tool kit and patch it up. After removing the wheel I decided put some air in the tire to assist in finding the leak.
That’s when I discovered my bicycle pump doesn’t work. There are some missing parts. Where did the pump come from? Had I ever used this pump before? Did it ever work? Probably not. All my recent flat tires have occurred close to home, so I always used the superior floor pump.
So it was on to Plan B – I would use the air at the nearby gas station. But when I got there, I realized that the air machine required quarters. No problem, I usually have some change on me. Today my pockets were empty. Even my wallet was empty. Penniless like a vagrant.
On to Plan C – take advantage of all the piggy banks, aka newspaper racks, I have around town. If I could open one of them up, I could get the quarters I would need for the air machine. But the keys to the racks were at home in my car. The racks were useless.
So it was on to Plan D – with the “D” standing for defeat. I walked the bike home, head hanging low, as I trudged down School Road and made my way home. It wasn't too far, but there's nothing more pathetic than having to push a bicycle.
The flat was fixed and this evening I purchased a new portable bicycle pump. I also made sure that my tool kit is properly equiped.
(Note: The flat was caused by a small staple.)
Photo of the Bike
Here's a photo of the electric conversion kit on my Specialized mountain bike. Notice the giant hub on the front wheel. That's the motor. The small black bag on the rear rack contains the batteries. With the money I save in gas, I should probably buy some paint for my garage.
Doing Tuesday's Business on the Bike
(Note: If you’re going to buy an electric bicycle or compare the different technologies, then you’re going to want to know how they’re used. With that in mind, the following is a travelog of today’s electric bicycle journey.)
I own a weekly community newspaper in McKinleyville, Calif. After spending weekends behind the computer and then driving my car nearly 195 miles every Monday to get the paper printed and delivered to the post office, I look forward to Tuesdays.
I don’t have a lot of work to do other than to go to the office, return some phone calls and stock a few newspaper racks.
So today I used the electric bicycle. The weather was beautiful, with blue skies, temperatures around 75 degrees and a slight breeze. Welcome to Shangri-la.
I attached the battery to the bike and plugged everything in. The process takes about a minute or two. I could cut this down to about two seconds if I left the batteries on the bike while they’re being charged, but I don’t trust the old electrical outlets in my garage.
I stuffed both saddle bags with newspapers. I also carry a cable and padlock, a tool kit, bike pump and a full canteen. Add me to the mix, and you’ve got a fairly heavy load.
I pedaled the bike, got going at a slow speed and then hit the throttle. I was blasting down the street at top speed, comparable to an average recreational cyclist pedalling at full speed.
(Hammond Trail)
I’m fortunate to live less than a quarter mile from the Hammond Trail, a paved pedestrian/bicycle path that extends from the south end of town all the way to the north, except for one “missing” link that is scheduled to be built next year.
I’m fortunate to live in a town that had the foresight to plan such a trail. These are vital no matter what kind of bike you use and they provide a lot of recreational value for the community.
Once I reached the trail, I stopped using the motor and pedaled. I needed some exercise and I wanted to save the power for the hills. For about a half mile, I cruised at a leisurely pace and admired the wildflowers before exiting the trail onto a street that would take me downtown.
There’s a gradual increase in elevation from the trail to the downtown, a distance of about a mile. To put in perspective, the biggest “hill” is the freeway overpass. The rest of elevation gain takes place on streets that, to the untrained eye, would look perfectly flat.
So the hills are minimal, to say the least. Which brings up a point – if you have to go up a few hills on your commute route, this technology is great. It can get you up and down the hills with minimal sweating, even though some pedaling is advisable.
On the other hand, if you have multiple hills, and they’re steep, you would quickly suck all the power out of your batteries. Then you’d be stuck pedaling with a hub that slows you down and a heavy load of batteries. In that case, you’d be much better off with a regular bike.
Fortunately, I don’t have that problem. When I reached the downtown, I turned on Central Avenue and made my way to my office. On Central Avenue you have to ride along with traffic, but there are nice, wide and clearly marked bicycle lanes on each side. Last week, I noticed that the street sweeper machine made its rounds, so the lanes are even clean and clear of debris.
These little things, in my opinion, are important to quality of life.
(The office. I work out of a small room the size of a closet upstairs.)
By the time I got to the office, I had traveled a total of about 1.8 miles with a slight elevation gain. It was nice and easy, and wouldn’t even qualify as even a mild workout.
My next scheduled stop would be the newspaper rack in front of the Six Rivers Brewery. The pub’s slogan is “A brew with a view” because it’s perched atop Bella Vista Hill – another power sucker.
On my way there, I decided to take a short detour and check out Mill Creek Falls. Beautiful.
After filling the rack, it was time to turn around and head to the Arcata-Eureka Airport on the north end of town.
Rather than using the power saving strategy, I decided to blast along as fast as I could, with mild pedaling and lots of throttle.
By the time I got home, I had travelled a little over 9 miles. I still had power in the batteries.
To get some exercise, I took the dog on an extended walk.
Closing thoughts:
• On a beautiful day like today, I could have had a good time doing my route on a regular bike. It raises the question – why not just use a regular bike and skip the engine? I think that’s legitimate to ask. On the other hand, there’s the “sweat factor” I previously mentioned, which is important when using the bike to conduct business and visit clients. There’s also the “lazy factor,” which would come into play during a hectic week of business when you have to make multiple trips into town.
• It’s a lot more fun to do business on the bike than in a car.
• You get some exercise, even when using the motor.
Hub resistance
Today I was pedaling the bike and realized something – I didn’t notice the hub resistance created by the electric motor.
It’s not that it’s gone away, it’s just that I’ve become accustomed to it. It’s kind of like when I switched from a road bike to a mountain bike. At first the mountain bike seemed sluggish with those big fat tires creating lots of rolling resistance. Then, after awhile, I forgot about it.
FULL THROTTLE – After a little pedaling to get the blood pumping, I went full throttle today with the electric motor. There was no reason to conserve power, being that I only had one trip to make.
OBSERVATION - At full throttle, I was able to conduct my business in town faster than I could in my car. Why? Because I can use pedestrian/bicycle trails and I have more options available when figuring out my route. I don’t have to park a car and I can ride right up to the post office door. Heck, if nobody is looking, I can even ride in and out of the post office.
HELMET HEAD – I seem to have a permanent case of “helmet head,” despite getting a short haircut this week. Oh well. The hairline is receeding and I never had a fanciful mane to begin with.
Initial impressions (short and sweet)
I’ll provide a more detailed analysis early next week. But in the meantime here are some abbreviated comments regarding the bicycle:
• The battery pack is heavy. It’s kind of like going for a ride with a cinder block lashed to your bike rack.
• At first, I found the resistance in the motorized hub to be very frustrating. The motor in the hub basically slows down your bike when you try to pedal. It’s kind of like bicycling on a semi-deflated tire. Of course, there’s an engine inside that more than makes up for this, as long as you have power.
• The motor is obviously small and doesn’t accelerate fast. But once you get going, you can go fast. I don’t have a speedometer, but I reached speeds that were fast enough that it was pointless to pedal, even in high gear. With a full charge, the motor propels me forward as fast as I desire. It’s pretty sweet.
• The motor will take you up and down hills as long as they’re not too steep. This sucks energy, so you end pedaling a little.
• On a steep hill, the engine doesn’t have enough torque, so pedaling is a must. However, I noticed I was pedaling in a high gear, so it was obviously helping.
• Over the course of several days, I learned an important lesson – unless you’re on a short trip, you need to be selective when using the motor. You have to remember that this is a “pedal assist” device. You only have so much power in the batteries and you want to save it for the hills and head winds. (I’ll write about this topic in detail at a later date.)
• I probably pedaled more this week than most weeks, even though I have a motor.
• It’s a lot more fun to get around this way than in a car.
• On Friday, when I finally started up my car, it was time to get a full tank of gas in preparation for Monday’s “big drive.” I typically purchase about 10 gallons of gas. Today I purchased 7 1/2 gallons. To be conservative, I’ll round it off to about 2 gallons of gas that I saved this week. Plus there was less wear and tear on the car and I got some exercise.
• I’m still trying to figure out how much money is spent charging the batteries every day. I read somewhere that a charge requires 6 cents of power.
• It’s way too early to give this product a thumbs up or thumbs down. There are a lot of factors to be considered, which will take some time.
Stay tuned....
Why an electric bike?
Not long ago, the price of regular gas in my town hit $3.50 per gallon. Even though I drive a compact vehicle, I was still burning about $35 worth of gas every week. At that rate, I would spend $1,820 a year on gas. That’s a lot of clams.
And it's almost guaranteed that the price will steadily rise in the coming years. Given world instability, we might even see some sudden price spikes.
The solution, clearly, is to adapt and figure out how to use less fuel.
(Source: noaa.gov)
Besides economics, there are also a lot of good environmental and geo-political reasons to reduce fuel use. Conservation is smart, despite what Dick Cheney says.
So I began to consider alteratives. I figure about 60 to 65 percent of the mileage I put on my car is unavoidable, being that my business requires me to make at least one long trip a week and haul a significant load.
But what about the other 40 percent? Most of the trips are in town. I drive from my house to my office, sometimes going back and forth several times a day. I visit the post office, the coffee shop and see clients – almost all of whom are located along the town’s main thoroughfare.
The distances are short. Depending on what route I take, the office is about a mile away. My clients can be from one to two miles from the office.
I’ve conducted my business on a regular bicycle many times in the past. This works fine when making one or two trips. But when you have repeated trips and multiple stops, it becomes impractical due to time constraints and the “sweat factor.” Sweating is fine when you want to work out, but when you have to enter a business and sell something to a client, it’s best not to have sweat dripping from your face and giant sweat circles under your arms.
There's another problem – I can't just plan the shortest route possible and visit my clients in order. They come and go at different times and are unpredictable. It's not unusual to drive up and down the street multiple times, retracing the same route. This is what makes the miles add up.
My first thought was that I should purchase a motor scooter. The problem was that most of the scooters were expensive – well over $1,000. I also recalled my experience many years ago with a moped. The machine was great, but I was so mechanically deficient that I couldn’t even figure out how to replace a simple brake cable.
That’s not true with a bicycle. It’s one of the few machines I can work on.
During my research, I stumbled across electric bicycles.
This was an intriguing idea. I could take my existing bicycle, mount an electric engine on it and have something that would get me around town, all for under $400.
A company called Zap in Santa Rosa makes a motor that is mounted to your bicycle frame. A little “friction” wheel makes contact with your bicycle tire and spins it around. That sounded inefficient.
For nearly the same price, Western Energy Systems Research offers an Electric Bicycle Conversion Kit, consisting of an electric engine (Model BD36) mounted inside a hub on a bicycle wheel. The hub has wires coming out of it which connect to a controller box mounted on your frame below the seat. That controller connects to a battery pack, located inside a canvas bag mounted on a rear bicycle rack. The bag looks like a normal bicycle carrier bag that you might pack a lunch in and put on a rack. It has Velcro straps and is removable, so you can unplug it and take it in the house to be re-charged. On the handlebar is a little thumb lever with a wire that connects to the controller box. Press on the thumb lever, the engine is activated and the front wheel turns.
(Source: www.wildernessenergy.com)
I didn’t know much about how this would work, other than the fact that it would be a “pedal assist” form of transportation – meaning some pedaling is required. I also knew that my range is limited, the batteries will eventually need to be replaced after a couple hundred charges and, down the road, the brushes in the electric motor will fail.
I found that a local bicycle shop actually had one in stock. I could have saved a few dollars by purchasing it on the internet, but I wanted to have someone to complain to if something went wrong. I also had the shop install it for the same reason.
I picked it up on Monday afternoon. I conducted all my business on the bicycle from Tuesday through Friday afternoon. Late Friday I started my car for the first time in days and used it some haul some stuff.
(Coming soon: The upside and downside of the bike. How I bicycled without pedaling and then figured out the importance of pedaling and how to use, and not use, the motor.)
Welcome to Jack's Electric Bicycle blog
When I did research before purchasing an electric bicycle conversion kit, I had trouble finding critical sources of information.
Most of the websites I came across were from manufacturers or activists, all of whom hyped the technology.
Rather than a sales pitch, I wanted impartial reviews. So in that spirit, I’ve created this blog. I’ll give you the pros and cons of my electric bike and provide details about how it’s used. This will be an evolving review, as well as an electric bicycle travelogue with assorted commentaries regarding the experience.
If you’re considering purchasing an electric bicycle, I hope this blog will provide you with some valuable information. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section.
