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Every year, millions of people buy electric vehicles instead of conventional cars. But it’s not happening here in America, and we’re not talking about electric cars. Each year, millions of electric bicycles are being sold in China, in an industry unaffected by global recession. They’re just as available here, but are far less popular. America is falling behind regarding this emergent technology.

We live in a world heavily concerned with global warming from vehicular emissions, with the failure of global attempts at government intervention. Fortunately, private enterprise is finally picking up the slack with an electric vehicle people want, in huge numbers. So far this hasn’t included Americans. But you could join this eco-friendly shift for as little as $250-400.

Putting an electric motor on a bicycle is an idea nearly as old as the gas-powered motorcycle. Depending on who you ask, the first electric bicycle patent dates to either 1898 or 1909. Not until the 1970s, though, was the technology mature enough for electric bikes to make a dent in the market. They then became a fad in North America and Europe, which is still about where they’re at today. That’s starting to change in Europe, where a single manufacturer, Accell Group, could sell nearly 100,000 units in 2009 despite an average cost of 1800 euros. There’s probably no reason the American market couldn’t be as big, relative to population, if only more people knew about electric bikes.

You may object that any bicycle is a poor substitute for a car, which gets you to your destination much faster and keeps you dry in bad weather. However, if you commute through downtown or residential areas, you can legally only go 20-30 mph in your car. Many cyclists will tell you cycling is faster over distances of a few miles because you can avoid traffic and use bike paths as shortcuts. Sure, if you’re not in good shape and have tried commuting by regular bicycle, you may have found yourself going at about 12 miles per hour, and slower on hills. Even an inexpensive electric bike, however, lets you go up to 25 mph with light pedaling.

As for staying dry, there are three key tools to keep any bicyclist dry: full-length fenders, poncho and overshoes. When shopping for a bike, take a look at the fenders and make sure both are full-length. If not, you’ll get “showers from below”. If you find a bike you like without them, any local bike shop should be able to equip you. To avoid the showers from above, buy a poncho and Neos Villager overshoes. The first will keep you dry down to your knees, while the second will protect your calves and shoes. Now you can commute in ordinary clothes on rainy days.

How far can you go on an electric bike? Here we get into the specifics of batteries. All battery types are recyclable, so the question is more about performance than its impact on the environment. Low-end bikes like the aforementioned E-Zip Trailz have lead acid batteries. These are relatively heavy, take 2 to 3 hours to charge, and on a fairly heavy aluminum bike like the Trailz, you can go 10 miles making liberal use of the electric assist. If you just use the motor to climb hills, double that. At work, the battery can be detached and recharged for the ride home. For shopping trips and others where you have to make the round trip on one charge, you’re looking at a range of 5-10 miles. The lighter, faster-charging, and more expensive option is lithium-ion batteries, with the lithium-polymer type at the high end. There are buying guides online where you can learn more about battery types, brush vs. brushless motors, and frames of various weights.

Electric bikes have a low profile in America. Unlike cars, you’re not inundated with information on how to find out which one is right for you. Still, you should be able to find at least one bike shop carrying electrics in any city. You’ll probably find the models they offer starting at around $1000. Ask to take a test ride. If you like it after a test ride and this is within your budget, great. If you like it but it’s not, you should consider how it may fit into your budget if you parked your car and rode this instead.

According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends $8,300 a year on their car. With gas currently at $2.73 a gallon, a ten-mile commute each way five days a week, fifty weeks a year adds up to $607 a year at the average fuel economy as of 2007. Remember also that work is just one of the many destinations you drive to and from, consuming that costly gas. And taking car insurance off would save the average driver $950 a year (source: Stephen Ratliff, Allstate tech manager). $1557 would only be part of the average driver’s annual savings, but that would be enough to buy a high quality electric bike.

There are also many of you out there who have a beloved bike, but often drive a car instead for the convenience of speed, to not get tired out, or to avoid arriving sweaty. There are a variety of kits available  to turn the bike you already own into an electric bike, starting at $250. Getting the gear on is “as easy as changing a tire”.

It’s safe to predict that electric bicycles will have a sunny future so long as there’s fear of global warming and they cost vastly less than electric cars. The first rule of the market, though, is that people won’t buy a product they don’t know about. This may be the first place you’ve heard about the current generation of electric bikes. With a booming market in China and a large market now emerging in Europe, it’s very likely you’ll some day be hearing about them in flashy ads from manufacturers even if America does fall behind. But when you can enter the world of electric bikes starting at $250-400, you have nothing to lose by becoming an early adopter.

Over the last few years in China, Australia, and the UK there has been an increasing use of electric bicycles as an alternative form of transportation, a trend that seemed to elude the United States, until now. Manufacturers in China estimate that an eleven billion dollar a year industry will continue to grow in the next year, largely because of the amount of electric bicycles being exported to Europe and North America, which account for seventy percent of all exports in the Chinese electric bicycle industry.

Here in the states signs of their growing popularity have already begun to take shape.  An article in the Seattle Times discussed how the growing enthusiasm for these sweet rides isn’t just growing amongst environmentalists and cyclists; they’ve also captured the attention of the average commuter. Instead of driving your car to work short and medium distances, or getting stuck in traffic, electric bicycles offer an efficient way to commute to your destination, and the battery on the back can be used to allow an easy ride that won’t have you worrying about showing up at the office sweaty. Last week’s National Bike to Work Day inspired some electric bicycle enthusiasm as well. ABC’s Good Morning America presented a segment on the benefits of electric bicycles and the efficiency they offer to the average commuter who isn’t traveling a huge distance. Also for those riders out there who love their current bike, Good Morning America describes how easy it is to attach a battery conversion kit to the back of a non-electric bicycle that gives the rider the same assistance and results.

In the state of Minnesota the electric bicycle craze has even began to effect some city legislation. An article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the city’s park officials are considering ordinances whether or not electric bicycles should be used on the bike trails and in public parks. They have become so popular there amongst commuters that the city has been forced to deal with the backlash from citizens who believe that an electric bike belongs on the streets with the mopeds and gas powered scooters. As the debate grows amongst citizens in Minneapolis it seems so has the popularity of the electric bicycle.

Along with concern of regulating electric bicycles, another is whether they will be able to establish a strong enough U.S. market to compete with the automobile as a form of commuting. In countries where electric bicycle have became a popular form of transportation car companies are already trying to compete in this ne transportation industry. Foreign car designers and manufacturers such as Lexus and Volkswagen have produced prototypes of their own light and compact versions of the electric bicycle that should be making their way to sales floor soon.  If the electric bicycle trend in the United States continues to grow there is no doubt U.S. automotive companies such as Ford and General Motors will have an opportunity to compete in a new market of transportation that will give their businesses an opportunity to expand into a new market.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/05/will-lexus-and-volkswagen-peddle-their-own-electric-bikes/1

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ecoconsumer/2011882951_ecoconsumer22m.html

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/JustOneThing/thing-green-bicycle/story?id=10705523

http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=5730

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/94793174.html?page=1&c=y

Many cities and towns have joined together to observe Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 21st.  Cycling organizations hope to use the event to encourage drivers to make the switch to commuting by the more environmentally friendly bicycle.

Advocates of cycling, such as the American League of Cyclists, say that bicycling to work can help improve air quality and personal fitness while reducing traffic and congestion.  Other benefits of biking include reduced green house gas emissions and avoiding high gas prices.

In Oregon, Bike-to-Work Day events will be held in Eugene, Portland and Medford. Organizations like the Greater Eugene Area Riders (GEARs) and WeBikeEugene.comhope to use the event as a way to reach out to people who don’t regularly commute by bike.  The City of San Diego says that one out of five people who participated in their Bike-to-Work day became regular bike commuters.  According to the American League of Cyclists most Americans live within five miles of their workplace, and the sponsors of the events hope that if commuters realize how easy that distance is to bike they will decide to ride more frequently.

In Eugene, the day will be celebrated with free coffee for bikers at a variety of local coffee shops and with a party in the evening at the Ninkasi Brewery.

Despite the efforts of large events like these, the percentage of Americans who regularly commute by bike is only 0.4%, according to a 2007 US Census.  This is abysmally low compared to the 77% of commuters who drive alone in their cars.  At 3.5%, Portland has a higher percentage of bike commuters than any other city in the US, but even there the vast majority of people are commuting by car.

The organizations promoting these events mostly focus on traditional bikes, but their event may be missing a large group of people who are not regular bike commuters.  In a large portion of the biking community there is a bias against electric bikes.  These events could be more effective at convincing drivers to start commuting by bike better if their organizers would advocate electric bikes as well.

There are many people for whom biking is a strenuous activity, and so bike commuting is not an option.  As this blog has discussed in the past, electric bikes help less-able riders to commute by bike.  If events like Friday’s Bike-to-Work Day are to be successful in substantially increasing the number of people who commute by bike then there needs to be more outreach to people who could benefit from an electric motor on their bike.

http://www.ci.medford.or.us/Calendar.asp?View=EVENT&EventID=1316&Date=05/21/2010&SectionID=-1

http://www.town.ashland.va.us/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={AF8C9F4C-3C4D-452A-9F69-81C6C18DE241}&DE={55388B9F-0902-44D1-A47E-AE51A2E15AD9}

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93954541

http://www.electricbikee.com/take-a-poll-are-e-bike-riders-just-lazy/

http://bikecommutetips.blogspot.com/2007/06/us-census-10-best-worst-cities-for-bike.html

http://www.webikeeugene.org/index.php/2010/05/mid-may-inmotion-there-is-a-ton-of-stuff-going-on-this-month/#more-889

http://eugenegears.org/news/friday-another-good-day-to-be-a-biker#more-1638

http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/20/weekend-event-guide-bike-to-work-day-edition/#more-33707

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/pdf/national_bike_month_guide.pdf

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-earl-blumenauer/ride-your-bike_b_584079.html

Basically, an electric bike does everything an ordinary bicycle does and more. It increases your range and allows you to ride to work without breaking a sweat. So if you want to use a bike as alternative transportation and not just exercise, there’s no downside to choosing an electric over a conventional one, right?

Well, there’s the price. Many models cost $1000 or more. If you drive an older car, the cost of one of these electric bikes might be all you’d get for selling it! Our mission here isn’t to convince people to give up their cars, so here’s another possibility: the eZip Trails.

At $395, the eZip Trails is the cheapest electric bike I’ve discovered. At that price, we’re getting competitive with other bikes instead of cars. The Trails can reach speeds of 25 mph with little pedaling and has a range of about 10 miles if you use the motor all the way instead of just hills. The lead-acid battery takes a couple of hours to charge, has a lifetime of one year according to manufacturer Currie Technologies, and is detachable, allowing you to make a long trip one way and recharge it to ride home.

So what’s the catch? As far as I can tell, the only catch is the weight. Like all bikes, the more you’re willing to pay, the lighter and fancier the construction gets. However, as I said, it’s still easy to reach 25 mph on the Trails.

To get the eZip Trails for $395, go to WalMart.com (select electric bikes). It’s only available online, but shipping is free if you pick it up in-store. This would be your cheapest ticket into electric cycling. For more, you can see an earlier review of the Trails at the Treehugger blog.

Although it seems like an electric bicycle is a large investment many people don’t realize the advantages it can bring to an individual in the twenty-first century. Although an electric bike offers an environmentally safer alternative to driving or public transportation, many people don’t realize that it offers economic and health advantages as well.

Economically the electric bike offers the rider the ability to save money by offering a cheaper form of transportation. Instead of spending money on a car and gasoline to fuel it, the electric bicycle gives its rider a cheaper alternative. According to the American Automobile Association, the average American spends $6,720 a year just to operate their new car. These statistics do not include an older car that burns more fuel or may have mechanical problems that need upkeep. The average electric bicycle battery takes between two to three hours to charge and uses 0.468 Kilowatts per hour, which amounts to about five cents a day in electricity costs. In most American states an electric bicycle isn’t considered a motor vehicle, meaning that you do not have to pay for registration or licenses from the government or worry about paying high insurance costs to operate the vehicle. Congress recently passed the Commuter Act in October of 2009 that gives commuters who cycle to work incentives and their employers tax breaks too.

Electric bikes also offer their users an opportunity to save money on car expenses and receive tax breaks from the government, but some may ask how a device that allows you to use the least physical activity can possibly have healthy advantages. For those who are more out of shape electric bikes offer their riders the ability to ease back into exercising without overexertion. They are able to go out and ride a bike and if they began to tire they can switch to the electric mode and not overdo it. The same is true for children. In a recent British study children who walked or rode a bicycle to school got at least 30 percent better test scores than their classmates.

An electric bike can allow for a child to get the exercise they need and assist them in going up hills and long distances, allowing for bike riding to be fun and not as strenuous. Electric bikes also offer health advantages to the elderly and those who suffer from physical ailments.  Besides the bike’s pedaling assistance features it offers them, the elderly and physically ailed have found that electric bikes allowed them to get out and exercise more, improving their overall health. A Swiss study done in 2005 discovered that for each electric bike sold, more than 1,800 Euros in medical expenses can be saved for an individual with a medical ailment.

http://www.levassociation.com/assets/Fact_Sheet_-_Electric_bikes_keep_people_mobile1.pdf

http://www.electricbikeblogonline.com/electric/125-health-benefits-for-kids-riding-electric-bikes/

http://www.tinytearsbikes.com/health.html

http://www.iloveebikes.com/#environment

http://www.electric-bikes.com/econbenefits.html

An electric bike is not a perfect fit for everyone’s lifestyle.  This truth is clear in the Electric Bikes: Lifestyle Assessment at Electric-Bikes.com.  Even if an electric bike is the perfect fit, there is still another important question.  What price should a person expect to pay for an electric bike?  The answer to this question will depend on the individual, as prices range from about $400 for an eZip Trailz Electric Bicycle at Walmart, to around $39,000 for an ErockIT – 50 mph pedal electric hybrid motorcycle.

Larger companies often provide a buying guide to assist customers in determining which electric bike is the right choice.  The most important components a consumer should research are the battery, motor, and overall weight of the bicycle.

The type of battery installed on the bicycle will have a direct effect on the price.  All batteries are recyclable, so the question is more about its performance than its impact on the environment.  A sealed lead acid battery is likely to be the cheapest option.  The two main cons associated with these batteries are that they are heavy and charge slowly.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, a lithium-polymer battery will likely be the most expensive option.  Lithium-polymer batteries are the lightest available and charge fast.   The only real con other than high price is that they do not have enough history to be considered tried and tested on electric bikes.

There are two main choices for motors, the Brush DC motor or a Brushless motor.  Brush motors provide more torque at lower speeds, which is ideal for use on an electric bike.  The other option is a Brushless motor.  Brushless motors are less expensive and sufficient for most conditions.

The overall weight of the bicycle is an easy factor to evaluate.  Lighter bikes are associated with higher performance.  Consumers should consider what level of performance they require from their electric bicycle and make their choice accordingly, keeping in mind that lighter bikes will be more expensive.

When purchasing an expensive electric bike a person should conduct more research.  However, for an Oregon resident looking for an inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to commute, some of the best-known stores will provide the best deals on electric bikes.  To find an inexpensive electric bike look to Walmart, Target, or Amazon.com.

http://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/info/buyingguide/

http://www.gizmag.com/the-erockit–50-mph-pedal-electric-hybrid-motorcycle/9528/

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http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/177-9172806-1340921?asin=B00331H6DC&AFID=Froogle_df&LNM=%7CB00331H6DC&CPNG=sports&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Currie+Technologies+-+Izip+Urban+Cruiser+Enlightened+Men’s+Electric+Bike/9300534.p?skuId=9300534&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=9300534&ref=06&loc=01&id=1218080799164

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Here in Oregon, we have a reputation for being ecologically conscious. Bicycles are the most eco-friendly vehicles, even when electric. However, western Oregon presents a significant challenge for anyone considering using a bike instead of a car: we have eight months when there’s rain at least half the days. Despite all the other criticisms leveled against the car, it will always keep you dry. So if you’re considering relying on a bike, there are some things you can get to keep yourself dry: a poncho, overshoes, and full-length fenders. After those, we’ll look at bags for keeping dry whatever you need to carry.

Buy a poncho. You’ll find all sorts of waterproof outerwear at your local bicycle shop. Unfortunately, many rain jackets and pants are designed only with form-fitting clothing in mind. Bike commuting needs be practical even if you wear a suit to work. A good bike poncho will keep you dry down to the knees. If you’re in Eugene, we recommend ponchos from the Center for Appropriate Transport (CAT). This is a non-profit organization that operates an Alternative Education Program for at-risk teens. The ponchos are high quality, and you’d be doing a good deed.

Buy Neos Villager overshoes. The name is a slight misnomer, since they’re actually boots that fit over your dress shoes, sneakers, or whatever and keep them and your calves dry. They’re very comfortable to wear, weighing just 12 ounces each. They can be expensive at retail, but you can find them cheap here. In Eugene, CAT offers booties as well, but we strongly recommend Neos.

Take a look at your bike. Does it have full-length fenders? The rear should stretch from the chainstays around the top until the back end is pointing straight down. The front should run from about six inches in front of the fork back to point straight down, and include a mudflap. If not, you’ll be victim to “showers from below”. Any local bike shop should be able to equip you. If buying a new bike, be wary of racing-style bikes, which are often made without sufficient clearance under the brake bridges and calipers to attach fenders.

Together, these three items should keep you dry. However, what if you need to commute with a laptop or other gear that absolutely must not get wet? What if you need to go grocery shopping on a rainy day? Bike shops will offer you a variety of sturdy waterproofed nylon packs that mount above the rear tire. They have a dirty secret, though. As noted here, some water will still get through as the pack ages. When shopping, choose a plastic bag and then put a second bag over the top to keep your food truly watertight. Be eco-conscious by reusing bags to protect your laptop or other electronics.

Give these tools a try. We think you’ll enjoy becoming a dry and green traveler.

http://www.movingtoportland.net/portland_weather.htm

http://www.catoregon.org/?page_id=536

http://www.catoregon.org/?page_id=577

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Bike Friday in Eugene, Oregon is best known for their custom-built folding travel bikes.  Now they have gone electric.  Bike Friday produces a unique type of electric bike in the sense that the bike can be folded up to fit in a standard airline suitcase.  Bike Friday even makes a travel trailer for the bike, which doubles as a case the bike can be folded into.

Bike Friday makes many different types of bikes including touring, mountain, road, urban sport, tri and tandems.  There are currently three different Bike Friday models available with Bionx electric motor systems.  The three standard models available with the Bionx motor are the Bike Friday Companion, Sport and Expedition.  Bike Friday has made these three models available through Electric Cyclery.

The Bionx electric motor kit is also a great choice for a bicyclist who does not require a folding bike.  Electric Cyclery also offers Bionx electric conversion kits.  Well-known bicycle companies like OHM Cycle and Trek are pairing Bionx motors with their own bikes.  The Bionx electric motor system gives the rider the option of recharging the battery while riding.  The rider can either switch to “exercise mode” or charge the battery while braking to extend trips up to 50 miles per charge.

Both the Bionx electric motor conversion kit and Bike Friday folding bicycles offer great alternative transportation.  To recharge the battery the rider can choose from four different generation modes that increase the difficulty of pedaling, but charge the battery at the same time.  Regenerative braking is used when the rear handbrake is applied.

Bike Friday folding and travel bicycles are designed and built in Oregon.  There are also dealers outside of Oregon where customers can order bicycles.  They are one of the last American-made bicycles and that is something that sets Bike Friday’s electric bikes apart from the rest.

There are plenty of quality bikes manufactured overseas, but for the Oregon resident Bike Friday can provide better customer service.  Bike Friday is proud of the loyal customer base they have created through excellent customer service, and the Bike Friday community is a testimony to their excellent customer service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qXjEgAoQdI

http://www.greenspeed.us/bike_friday_bionx_pocket_companion.htm

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