Thursday, August 6, 2009
Have a long commute? You can still bike to work...
Okay, I am seriously considering buying one of these motors for one of my bikes. It just adds a little more convenience to the long commute. I commute from Post Falls to downtown Spokane daily and when I take my bike, I usually take the bus for a portion of the trip to save time.
But last month I had a bus driver tell me she was going to refuse to take my bike because the wheel base is a little longer that an ordinary bike and it doesn't fit completely down in the carrier rack. Even though I have been riding the bus with that bike for most of this year without any problems at all, she wasn't hearing it.
If I buy one of these motors, I won't need STA. I could still cut my time down when I need to or I can choose to pedal all the way home when I have the time. Sure, it'll add some weight to the bike, but the motor has an independent drive system so it won't drag you down if you still want to pedal...I'll keep you posted on this.
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6 comments:
I don't know the specs on those petrol-fueled motors, but I have an electric motor on my bike that can get up to 20 mph and runs between 7 and 20 miles (depending upon how much you assist it with pedaling). The charger is not that big either, so it's no problem to tote it along to work and recharge it there.
The only thing with motorized bikes is that the motor and fuel add weight. To some extent, it's just a trade off, sure you have the motor to help you up the hills, but you need it even more because you have the extra weight.
I use my motorized bike to pull my baby in her trailer, because she ads at least 50 pounds to my haul.
When I am not taking the baby and therefore have a choice, I opt for my lightweight racing bike. My e-bike only has 6 gears so that affects things too; I can get going much faster on my road bike and it's much easier to get the thing up hills.
So, when I head to work, my 5 mile commute, I hop on the road bike and leave the e-bike at home. That thing only gets used for trips under 3 miles when I have the baby.
If you do get a motor though, I recommend going electric. They are much more compact and definitely better for the environment (not to mention much quieter, mine just makes a light whizzing sound).
However, perhaps you should just get a new bicycle. You can get a decent used one on Craigslist for less than the price of adding a motor to the bike you have. My racing bike, I got it on CL for $80 and it's great. Another $10 from CL to throw a better seat on it, and I'm thinking about adding a kickstand, but that's still pretty much a $100 bike that can get me around and is even small enough to put on the bus.
Great advice Rachel. I am looking at electric motors as well. The petrol-fueled motors are noisy but they get 100-150 MPG, which gives me the range I need. (The one I am looking at is also EPA appropved and certified)I commute about 75 miles round trip, and its not the hills that bug me. What gets me is the time commitment.
A one way ride is a little over two hours on a good day, so to take a round trip I am looking at 4-5 hours on the bike. Sometimes I don't mind that, but I just can't spare that kind of time everyday!
I am also looking at composite street bikes (that fit the bus), as an alternative on those days that I just want to fly.
BTW, I found a 80cc kit for about $149 on line. I figure I have try it at that price!
Oh, great, now I'll have a data complication for next year's Bike to Work Week--does it count if you have a motor? :D
If there are bike fit issues with the bike racks on buses, you're not the only one dealing with them, so let's fix that source of a potential problem for other cyclists too.
@BarbChamberlain
Don't worry Barb, I'll stay pure for bike to work week. I am eyeballing a new composite street bike that should fit the buses.
SRTC Staff: If you're looking at 75 miles commute, don't go with the 80cc motors, or, for that matter, any of the cheap 2-stroke kits; you'll be spending an inordinate amount of time fiddling with the motor, tightening loosened nuts & bolts, etc. They take a lot of maintenance. Instead, go for a quality two-stroke kit, or better yet, a cleaner burning (and more convenient) 4 stroke kit. The quality kits do cost more, but, you get what you pay for, and you won't be wasting your $$$. The inexpensive motors attained EPA/CARB approval by adding a catalytic converter; the more expensive ones did so with better design and quality control.
I would recommend that you visit www.motoredbikes.com for more information.
My best friend commutes by bike everyday and she is delighted! She feels better in shape and she saves money on gas! I am thinking on doing the same!
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