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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. Why not pedal? by Comatose51 · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Why don't you just pedal instead of riding it? Personally, I spend most of my day in front of a computer now and do even less excerise than I use to after I graduated from college. Needless to say, I put on some weight. Cycling is one of the best aerobic excerises out there. Professional cyclists are among the leanest athletes. Even 30 minutes of pedalling will help burn enough calories to compensate for spending most of your day sitting in front of a screen.

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    EvilCON - Made Famous by /.
  2. Re:how about a real bicycle? by uss_valiant · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    I find cycling a lot less stressful than driving, it's relaxing really.
    Relaxing? Not really, when I'm on my bike, I feel the ultimate urge to cycle as fast as I can. Well maybe that's because I'm always late :).
    However, I hope I'll reach my destination tomorrow in time: 170 km in 8 hours on a mountain bike :/
  3. Re:GoMotorboard 1500X by BlackHawk-666 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I lived opposite a hill that was definitely more than 30 degree incline whilst living on the Gold Coast. It was a definite danger to the lives of anyone who drove up it, and I know of five people that have been killed coming down it. This hill is so steep that if your car comes out of gear then you are likely to die since your breaks can't handle the load of the vehicle on the way down and it would careen out of control and hit the bank at the front of our property. Trust me, a scooter isn't getting up a 30 degree incline.

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    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
  4. Re:how about a real bicycle? by TheTimoo · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    And yes, I am a hippo crate (I do not bike every day)[...]
    I don't think anyone would expect a Hippo crate to ride the bike _any_ day, so don't worry :-).
    The word you're looking for is "hypocrite". I was just trying to picture that.
    SCNR

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    "Be careful or be roadkill" - Calvin