Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

E-bike E-xperiences?

Posted by michael on from the pedal-harder dept.

Jakedata writes "I am in the process of building my first e-bike. I intend to use it to commute to work a couple times a week, weather permitting. I can only assume that many members of the /. crowd are already riding e-bikes and would be only too happy to share their experiences. I am looking at a very affordable e-bike conversion kit from Golden Island Machinery. They offer a 36 volt lead-acid battery pack for it, but I am concerned that it will be too heavy. Rabbit tool has a selection of components and power options but they are pretty pricy. So, is Golden Motor's kit any good? Is lead acid OK to start off with? Does someone want to donate a direct-conversion methanol fuel cell to the project?"

4 of 520 comments (clear)

  1. how about a real bicycle? by brer_rabbit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    when I was employed (oh so long ago...) I biked to work 2-3 times a week, about 12 miles each way. Screw the e-bike, get the real thing. Peddling your ass that distance will get you in great shape. On top of that, I find cycling a lot less stressful than driving, it's relaxing really.

    1. Re:how about a real bicycle? by whookey · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I find the odors emanating from the fat and lazy, the smokers, and those who need to distance themselves from smelling like real people by applying an excess of chemicals to their bodies to be much more bothersome. I pedal in to work every day awake, usually with a smile on my face. Try biking sometime, it's great.

      --
      somebody bent my whookey.
  2. an observation about the OSS crowd by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    i dont know how many comments ive see that say something like "why dont you just peddle the bike and forget about the e-bike stuff"

    making jokes about being Tubby and this and that..

    this is a common (but unfortunate) attitude i often find in the OSS community at large (bad pun, i know)

    the question is NOT "what do you think about e-bikes" or "do you like the idea of ..."

    the question is about how to build one regardless of your opinion on the matter.

    i often encounter this attitude in IRC aswell somebody asks a question about how to use a program and people say things like "what you are trying to do is stupid, you shouldnt be doing that at all, instead you should " rather than helping the person do what it is they are asking about in the first place.

    point is: if you dont have something constructive to say that helps the person asking the question they are posing to you, butt out and let people who are actually interested in the specific topic in question to help add productive comments to the thread.

  3. Re:Good lord...welcome to slashdot by gujo-odori · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You write like a person who has never ridden one, maybe even never seen one. E-bikes do:

    - Confer a speed advantage

    - Often need to be pedaled in addition to electric power.

    Many others have already pointed these things out, perhaps you would do well to read a bit more.

    You might also want to consider that a person who is planning to build/buy an e-bike to take to work at least some of the time is most definitely reducing pollution relative to taking a car to work every day. So what does he get instead of help with his plans and maybe a little praise for lowering pollution? Crap from people who think his good efforts are not good enough unless he's a triathlete.

    By they way, how do you get to work?