tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41618824381112788562024-02-08T00:09:37.252-05:00Lubo Ebiker's BlogspotEbikes: The best solution to prevent pollution!
To inform, inspire and introduce...Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-5367556258543929152017-06-25T21:24:00.001-04:002017-06-25T21:37:15.267-04:00Long awaited news update from Lubo Ebiker! :-)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTmKKDfd5uQYdeO6dW_9x0qc69smPkH8k4MFllyEaT30l8igoapntivi3ZSKRUxT_bvGJKyI3Uy3iG9ODTLZPnvUGmK5GbRCaZmjqVa79xxzABxtHX3nIatUbxZaLnvGw98WinGkWCFle/s1600/%2524_35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTmKKDfd5uQYdeO6dW_9x0qc69smPkH8k4MFllyEaT30l8igoapntivi3ZSKRUxT_bvGJKyI3Uy3iG9ODTLZPnvUGmK5GbRCaZmjqVa79xxzABxtHX3nIatUbxZaLnvGw98WinGkWCFle/s1600/%2524_35.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hello again to all of my blog visitors and guests! Yes, Lubo Ebiker is still alive and kicking or actually - riding or e-biking, so to speak. As a matter of fact Lubo Ebiker, which happened to be me, is about to celebrate this year his 10th anniversary of e-biking for 10 long solid years of fun and Sun, pleasure and leisure, exploration and celebration! :-)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ahh... What a wonderful years those have been! 2007 - my first e-bike. 2008 - 2009 - learning how to fix and maintain my first very own e-bike from Blue Avenue, first trips to explore Toronto´s beautiful suburbs with picturesque farms, lush green hills, fresher air and less busy country roads. 2009 - 2010 - getting more e-bikes for various experiments and my first job as e-bike sales and service at the largest in North America company Daymak plus starting this wonderful blog. 2011 and on - helping as e-bike mechanic at various smaller e-bike stores and workshops scattered throughout GTA including Electrowheel and Bike&Forth. 2012 - 2013 moving on tried and true e-bike´s wings out of town going up and up North, enjoying peaceful and beautiful Summers in Aurora and Richmond Hill further away from a noise of a big city while helping at another small e-bike store at the King City and Yonge. 2014 - exploring the e-bike friendly rides and passages to the lake Simcoe along with its pristine and not so crowded beaches and warmer clear waters. 2015 helping at the largest TO e-bike retailer E-bike Universe to successfully open another huge location in Scarborough while riding daily e-bike for almost 100km from Aurora to Scarborough and back exploring on weekends all local tracts and my ways all the way around lake Simcoe through Barry and Sutton up to Washago and Orillia, traveling to Muskoka, visiting famous tourists locations like Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Bala, then going to Georgian Bay all the way from Minden to Parry Sound. 2016 - moving back to Toronto helping at another good place in Etobicoke called EPrider and few more fishing and camping trips to the newly explored lakes around Parry Sound and throughout Muskoka and going far West to a famous Pinery Park on the shore of Huron Lake. And finally 2017 - a year for many more new destinations and explorations, among which is a trip to Owen Sound starting from famous Wasaga Beach, then hopefully reaching Tobermory and exploring Bruce Peninsula with its clearest in the world vividly blue-turquoise waters, grottoes and parks and forests along with long winding Bruce Trail all the way to Sauble Beach and beyond if weather and bike permit.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meanwhile, it seems like the Summer 2017 season slowly but surely becomes less rainy and more warm, so time to get back to business and fix up some more bikes, only this time I finally decided to try and do it on my own, so here it is - new experimental service from Lubo Ebiker - mobile e-bike repairs! :-) After few months of tries and trials seems like the service is quite in demand, so makes sense to continue this experiment and help more people with their e-bike related problems. More can be learned about this from the Service menu on the top of this site.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With a new service came along a newly renovated, refreshed and reorganized blog and new inspiration to share some more stories, trips, tips and tricks with my fellow e-bikers, occasional guests and just curious blog visitors. New menu up there can take them now to some new previously unexplored areas, sites and places, so pay attention to the brief news updates that are to be published time to time here. Hopefully everyone will eventually find something useful and interesting for them here or at least some inspiration for new explorations, so good speed to all of my visitors and to my new beginnings. May all of this be a blessing to all of you, folks! Have a good and a safe trip! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-60621139239968361542012-10-11T03:44:00.001-04:002017-06-25T11:19:59.630-04:00Meetup Message Board Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtYhyphenhyphenYBY61MbcvPnt7yXZzuDybaQcY-MEmvMaZ-1QJ47y-kD5PdF5p0cFzR7fgeWIEVoVkhZ5oe1iyADub9SHDkzvbp125DsEJCkzjxoS87-yFHqT64o6pPpgL5HIj3PCXdqMKChWbdku/s1600/Tera.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtYhyphenhyphenYBY61MbcvPnt7yXZzuDybaQcY-MEmvMaZ-1QJ47y-kD5PdF5p0cFzR7fgeWIEVoVkhZ5oe1iyADub9SHDkzvbp125DsEJCkzjxoS87-yFHqT64o6pPpgL5HIj3PCXdqMKChWbdku/s320/Tera.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hello to all my fellow Toronto e-bikers, blog readers, and just curious guests! Today I finally figured out how to regularly post news and updates from an excellent Meetup group called Toronto Electric Riders Association or symbolically - "TERA" of which I am active and proud member myself (which makes me wondering - should I call myself now "TERArian" or "TERArist"? :-), so here it is. Now every visitor of this blog will be able to learn about this abundant source of all kind of help, advice and assistance for all active and interested e-riders of T.O. I hope within the time these updates will bring many more new e-bikers from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, US and from around the world to TERA where we can share our visions, ideas and thoughts.</div>
<br />
<br />
*Please do not reply to this message*
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------
<br />
You asked that we send you a summary of Meetup message board activity. The following is a list of discussions with new messages posted since October 10, 2012 3:45 AM.
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------
<br />
<br />
============================================================
<br />
TORONTO ELECTRIC RIDERS ASSOCIATION
<br />
Forum: Private Group Discussion Forum
<br />
============================================================
<br />
<br />
STRATEGY - Public Works and Infrastructure Committee meeting October 11
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27275032">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27275032</a>
<br />
Latest message by m3chen on October 10, 2012 at 3:32 PM
<br />
<br />
Lock is in the hospital
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27606732">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27606732</a>
<br />
Latest message by Katie Tucker on October 10, 2012 at 6:38 PM
<br />
<br />
============================================================
<br />
TORONTO ELECTRIC RIDERS ASSOCIATION
<br />
Forum: Where to buy an e-bike or e-bike accessories?
<br />
============================================================
<br />
<br />
Advice needed to get my ebike back on the road.
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27704592">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27704592</a>
<br />
Latest message by Lubo Ebiker on October 10, 2012 at 2:33 PM
<br />
<br />
============================================================
<br />
TORONTO ELECTRIC RIDERS ASSOCIATION
<br />
Forum: E-bike Experiences
<br />
============================================================
<br />
<br />
Changing from large scooter style e-bike to smaller
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27422432">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27422432</a>
<br />
Latest message by Fred Weigel on October 10, 2012 at 8:35 AM
<br />
<br />
My experience using LifePo4 so far and some advice
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=26277482">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=26277482</a>
<br />
Latest message by Ramon on October 10, 2012 at 9:38 PM
<br />
<br />
============================================================
<br />
TORONTO ELECTRIC RIDERS ASSOCIATION
<br />
Forum: E-Bike Technical Forum
<br />
============================================================
<br />
<br />
I guess it had to happen sooner or later ... :(
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27453472">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27453472</a>
<br />
Latest message by m3chen on October 10, 2012 at 3:17 PM
<br />
<br />
BMS wiring
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27724582">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27724582</a>
<br />
Latest message by Tariq Aziz on October 11, 2012 at 12:20 AM
<br />
<br />
============================================================
<br />
TORONTO ELECTRIC RIDERS ASSOCIATION
<br />
Forum: Biker Bar
<br />
============================================================
<br />
<br />
Who Killed the Electric Carriage?
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=25424232">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=25424232</a>
<br />
Latest message by Allan Harmsworth on October 11, 2012 at 2:27 AM
<br />
<br />
============================================================
<br />
TORONTO ELECTRIC RIDERS ASSOCIATION
<br />
Forum: Top 20 Questions with Snappy (but accurate) comebacks.
<br />
============================================================
<br />
<br />
Winter Riding - I am planning on leaving on my pedals but removing the chain
<br />
<a href="http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27189872">http://www.ebikeriders.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=27189872</a>
<br />
Latest message by Andy McKenna on October 10, 2012 at 10:17 AM
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
--
<br />
Add <a href="mailto:info@meetup.com">info@meetup.com</a> to your address book to receive all Meetup emails
<br />
<br />
To manage your email settings, go to: <a href="http://www.meetup.com/account/comm/">http://www.meetup.com/account/comm/</a>
<br />
Meetup, PO Box 4668 #37895 New York, New York 10163-4668
<br />
<br />
Meetup HQ in NYC is hiring! <a href="http://www.meetup.com/jobs/">http://www.meetup.com/jobs/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-10502948429435291002012-10-10T15:15:00.001-04:002012-10-10T15:22:24.426-04:00About the Winter storage for your e-bike... again! :-)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Vu46LCJsv0TDpqEhFLJr-X04opujmVJrJO3At7uAmRaie5tXF6Y4UvTbV88XhSj-LyK44tkd4pRhUuiurkOaNn0-4szcTCsBMBiK9MlOFIRv3iaq8Q2CSRhz4I51oorasatDdYO0kZC/s1600/$%28KGrHqN,%21qcFBp69RQWSBQdEDTE9b%21%7E%7E48_20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Vu46LCJsv0TDpqEhFLJr-X04opujmVJrJO3At7uAmRaie5tXF6Y4UvTbV88XhSj-LyK44tkd4pRhUuiurkOaNn0-4szcTCsBMBiK9MlOFIRv3iaq8Q2CSRhz4I51oorasatDdYO0kZC/s320/$%28KGrHqN,%21qcFBp69RQWSBQdEDTE9b%21%7E%7E48_20.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hi, fellas! We all know - old man Winter is coming, and how hard is it sometimes to find a good warm cozy stable for our faithful and so handy little electric horses. After 5 years of e-biking in Canada I know that very well too, since I'm living in the apartment like most of you too, so this year I've decided to try and help my fellow e-biking Torontonians to cope with that problem in a most efficient, elegant, meaningful and affordable way offering the thoroughly put together unbeatable storage and service package for just mere $50 a months which at the end of the cold season will not even buy you a decent new lead-acid battery, but will keep your horse and his energy source in a good or even better shape than it was, so <a href="http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-other-Affordable-winter-storage-for-your-e-bike-Free-maintenance-W0QQAdIdZ420625278" target="_blank">here's</a> my ad I run currently on Toronto's Kijiji website:</div>
<br />
<span id="preview-local-desc"></span><br />
<div align="justify">
Store your e-bike securely indoor over the winter in a regular secure
public storage facility for $50 per month and get your e-bike or scooter
and battery maintained and ready for the next riding season for free
during the entire cold season from November thru March or you can store
only your battery in a heated climate controlled secure indoor storage
for just $20 per months and still have it regularly charged and
professionally maintained. </div>
<br />
<br />
Free E- bike maintenance includes:<br />
<br />
- Drum brake pads checked and properly adjusted or replaced <br />
- Tires pumped and kept up to the specified pressure <br />
- All bearings and gears lubricated <br />
- Screws, bolts and nuts tightened <br />
- Loose plastic parts reattached <br />
- Loose wires and parts secured <br />
- Power lines checked and their efficiency measured and analyzed<br />
- Small plastic cracks fixed <br />
- Small dents on plastic repainted <br />
<br />
<br />
Free SLA battery maintenance includes: <br />
<br />
- Original condition and performance analyzed and recorded <br />
- Capacity checked and accurately measured at multiple loads <br />
- Every SLA cell capacity analyzed individually and labeled <br />
- Overall battery performance balanced and battery trained <br />
- Weak cells detected and reconditioned or replaced <br />
- Battery training and reconditioning progress measured and recorded <br />
- Battery wires checked and battery properly reassembled <br />
- Battery case fixed if needed <br />
<br />
<br />
Free pickup and delivery within GTA. <br />
Free access to the storage by appointment. <br />
Free consultation, advices, battery performance and capacity analysis.<br />
<br />
Other free and paid repairs, fixes, services or arrangements are possible. <br />
<br />
The labor and maintenance are free if e-bike is stored for at least three months. Parts are extra.<br />
<br />
On the pictures above you can see me and my all terrain all season powerful horse :-)<br />
<br />
Any questions by phone or e-mail are welcome. <br />
<span id="preview-local-desc"><br />Your fellow e-biker Lubo. </span><br />
<span id="preview-local-desc"> </span><span id="preview-local-desc">E b i k e r L u b o & B i k e R i d e r . c o m</span><br />
<span id="preview-local-desc">( 6 4 7 ) 5 4 7 - 3 7 1 2 </span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="cenvis">
<span class="visits"><br /></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-40711559460844195012012-10-10T13:57:00.003-04:002012-10-12T09:16:40.580-04:00If you do not want your e-bike battery look like this...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAqlygRYtXp2Tj0BleD-z_SKxI1T3uHMnpqEjN8IILOn_BIGROo-g1Tc8Iw9ZDFYJTWHcaF3DkPflcYbJvxQ9POA41gqf7wNmz3uooEf8N26GQEx2YC3IlDJTyWEhW5srQf_Fz5wfmTty/s1600/swollenBatteries-lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAqlygRYtXp2Tj0BleD-z_SKxI1T3uHMnpqEjN8IILOn_BIGROo-g1Tc8Iw9ZDFYJTWHcaF3DkPflcYbJvxQ9POA41gqf7wNmz3uooEf8N26GQEx2YC3IlDJTyWEhW5srQf_Fz5wfmTty/s320/swollenBatteries-lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you do not want your batteries look like in the picture above, here's my personal humble piece of advice that works with any
charger. Just to be on the safe side after one morning I've found my battery almost "red hot" (but luckily not melted, swollen and fused together) I've got the idea to use a regular
cheap mechanical cyclic timer along with the chargers I plug in the timer. I
set the timer to turn OFF and ON every 15 minutes, so the batteries and
chargers have time to cool down and chargers detect the charging state
of the battery better when just turned ON as I've noticed after dealing
with about a dozen of different chargers for the last 5 years of e-biking.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This way chargers do not have a
chance to get stuck in the ON state charging indefinitely until the battery
melts. Besides, since the timer is 24 hours while only approximately 6 to 8 hours is needed for a complete charging of the battery, you can set up additional 3 or 4 zones or charging modes for your battery like extended charging periods or extend the cooling time. If that sounds too complicated or too "techie" to you, you can always order the right timer already setup for all these modes just by letting me know that you need one, pay by PayPal or e-mail and get it soon by a regular mail or UPS or you can purchase it thru E-bay if it is more convenient or preferable way for you.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You can find timers anywhere, even in dollar store these days,
but make sure they are mechanical, cyclic and are able to switch as
often as every 15 minutes to make sure your charger doesn't get too much rest during the night shift :-). Usually cheap timers are able to switch ON and OFF only every 30 minutes, so those with better 15 min timing resolution are a bit harder to find, but not too hard. I
picked one from Walmart for 20 bucks or so which comes with the power bar, so you should find one like those easy as well. So, that's just my two cents in preventing battery melting - the cheap and
easiest way (at least until you're rich enough to afford a better charger that does not melt any batteries at all :-) Obviously aforementioned method is just a preventive measure, it is not a panacea to prevent overcharging. After all there are also just plain faulty batteries with shorted cells and so on, so keep an eye even with timer on your charger and battery as often as possible. But panacea or universal and foolproof method of preventing battery melting actually does exist. That would be a thermal shutdown protection, which turns off the charger as soon as the battery temperature reaches the certain temperature threshold like let's say 40C. I'm going to look for this sort of solution, so stay tuned and visit my blog or sign up for updates. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And if you find a better solution or even cheaper 15 minutes timers here in Toronto, let all the readers here know posting down bellow your findings in the comments. That would be your two cents :-) Thank you in advance!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lubo Ebiker. </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-76421829231661260822011-05-31T17:22:00.003-04:002011-05-31T17:30:40.988-04:00If you can ride a bike, you can ride an ebike<h1 class="npHeadline" style="color: #3d85c6;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Retwitting good news from Niagara! :-)</span></span></b></h1>
<h1 class="npHeadline" style="color: #3d85c6;">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b></h1>
<h1 class="npHeadline" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">If you can ride a bike,</span><br style="color: #6aa84f;" /><span style="color: #6aa84f;">you can ride an ebike!<br /> </span></h1>
<h1 class="npHeadline">
</h1>
<h4 class="grey npAuthor">
By Penny Coles</h4>
<h5 class="grey npPosted">
</h5>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlelOx_HDIAJqncGhE2nrq5sfOU-n95SL5JMcewAD5cF_WYmJgnkgbderpwxF1G8oU_GQUy3V4f0Oko92UsY3r5oX7VtJV0TQoN-TmrgqxLUDj9BZzcmMzmjDSazju7Q4Da1AYHrOMe5Ux/s1600/1288506.dat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlelOx_HDIAJqncGhE2nrq5sfOU-n95SL5JMcewAD5cF_WYmJgnkgbderpwxF1G8oU_GQUy3V4f0Oko92UsY3r5oX7VtJV0TQoN-TmrgqxLUDj9BZzcmMzmjDSazju7Q4Da1AYHrOMe5Ux/s320/1288506.dat.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<h5 class="grey npPosted">
</h5>
<div class="npAJustify" style="text-align: justify;">
Billy Lake is not only getting around town a little easier, he is having a blast while he's at it. The
Shaw Festival actor has never driven a car or had a driver's licence,
so he is accustomed to relying on a bicycle for transportation. But
he recently discovered ebikes, and now can not only get around town but
to Niagara Falls or St. Catharines without arriving exhausted and
sweaty, he says. "All my friends want to borrow it," he says, "but that's not happening." He's having too much fun with it himself. "There's no gas to worry about, no parking problems, no registration and no hassle. And I can go to work in style."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
An
ebike is powered by a battery, can go up to 32 kilometres an hour, is
more eco-friendly than a car, and no licence or insurance is required. If
you can ride a bicycle, you can ride an ebike, assures ESkoot owner
Colin Telfer—rent one to tour around town in style, or if you want an
alternative way to get to work, you can purchase one. You've likely seen a few locals scooting to an afternoon Shaw performance or on errands around town, he says. "I
expected rentals would be the majority of our business, but so far it's
been sales to residents. Some are seniors who are using it instead of a
second car, and some people just like the convenience of not having to
look for a parking space." There are no gears to worry about and
no clutch—it's almost like driving a golf cart, except that it requires
the same balance as riding a bike. It takes just seconds to get used to it, says Lake.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"I
was a little nervous at first, but it is really very easy to
ride—easier than a bicycle, because you don't have to pedal. I think it
took all of five seconds to figure it out."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The smallest of the
models, which sell for less than $900, look like a bike with a battery,
while the larger models, all EMMO brands, go for up to $1,595 and look
more like a scooter.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They can be pedalled for a short distance in
an emergency, but they're heavy - you wouldn't want to go too far, says
Telfer. A gauge on the bike gives lots of warning if the charge is
running out, he explains, so there won't be any unwelcome surprises.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You can go 40 to 70 kilometres on one charge, depending on your weight and the terrain, he says. And
if you compare the cost of recharging to the price of fuel, it would be
the equivalent of getting about 600 miles per gallon at today's fuel
prices. It costs about 35 cents to recharge and takes six to seven
hours, says Telfer. And you can enjoy our local bike
paths—Ontario laws treat ebikes as they would a traditional bike,
although pedestrians like to be warned when one is passing—they are
just as quiet as a bicycle. "They allow you to travel a lot
faster than on a bike, but you can still relax and enjoy the scenery,
and even carry on a conversation if there are two of you," Telfer says.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If
you're renting one, a security deposit is required, and you're asked to
remain within about a 12-kilometre radius of downtown, which will take
you to Queenston, Virgil, and most area wineries for visitors on a wine
tour. Riders must be 16 or older to rent one, and a helmet will be supplied.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
For more information call 289-271-0663 or drop in to 376 Mary Street.</div>
<h1 class="npHeadline" style="text-align: justify;">
</h1><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-19090432489227901252011-05-31T16:58:00.005-04:002011-05-31T17:08:09.150-04:00Ask Torontoist: Off The Road, E-Bike, or Whatever You Are!<h1 class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title" style="color: red; text-align: center;">
Ask Torontoist: </h1>
<h1 class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title" style="color: red; text-align: center;">
Off The Road, E-Bike, </h1>
<h1 class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title" style="color: red; text-align: center;">
or Whatever You Are!</h1>
<h1 class="asset-name entry-title" id="page-title" style="color: red; text-align: center;">
</h1>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>In response to yet another provocative article </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>backed up by Toronto's cyclist Union </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>that is meant to bring nothing but a flame </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>to our ailing cycling eco-community. </b><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Isn't keeping of our city's air clean and our planet green, the sky
blue, sunsets and sunrises beautiful, streets quiet, Torontonians
healthy and our future and future of our children bright - most
important and common goal for all the cyclist and e-bikers above
anything else in our huge TO, already overflown with so many smoldering
cars, stuck idling in heavy and chronic traffic during the rush hour, flooding and
congesting our streets almost 24/7 now, killing dozens of cyclist every
year and slowly poisoning the rest of us every single day, while there's already
more than enough asthmatic kids and lung cancer cases statistic around?<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Is the danger really that terribly great when an e-biker responsibly
takes free bike lane solely for his or her own safety and our common
safety on the road, just like any cyclist does, yet moving at the same
as cyclist speed or often much slower, so that would justify any
cyclist to push e-biker much closer to whizling cars and then yet try
to pass e-biker on the right side being too busy with his own life?
After all, how many cyclist are killed by e-bikers and how many by
cars??<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And finally, isn't this time to unite our efforts for our own
common good to push Ford for more bike lanes or push him out of the
office, instead of watching him bringing yet even more cars to TO DT
core and wowing to get rid of all lanes and put all cyclist even at
much greater danger of death???<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the light of these questions the
problem of sharing lanes between cyclist and bikers looks simply
miserable and mediocre at it's best and is nothing more than a plain
selfishness of some rare cyclist once scared "to death" by unexpected
weak beeping behind him - not Torontonians on behalf of which he tries
to speak here and represent. As a matter of fact such articles can only
spoil even more already badly spoiled image of Torontonians and give
all nontorontonians just another reason to laugh and hate TO for it's
selfishness, greed and lack of plain common sense and wisdom. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I can't
believe how TO Cyclist Union is closely focused on pedals instead of
focusing on much greater danger around them - cars. It's clearly a huge
luck of vision and leadership and is simply compromising of all the
highest goals of cycling itself. </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-87282288273289891032011-05-31T13:50:00.009-04:002011-05-31T14:21:52.328-04:00Tranquillity of trailing the trailer on a green forest trail :-)<div style="color: #6aa84f; text-align: center;">
<b> Greetings from Lubo Ebiker to all my blog readers and visitors!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let me congratulate everyone with the beginning of a new 2011 e-riding season we all were patiently waiting for so long and can finally enjoy it after another extremely long and cold Canadian winter :-) </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b> EbikerLubo.BlogSpot</b> flips a new page for this wonderful season to keep you inspired and well informed on the latest trends in e-biking here in Canada, particularly in Toronto and GTA as well as in the whole world.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Because of a substantial interest, on demand of my fellow Toronto e-bikers from Ebikeriders.com for those, who is not a member of that excellent forum for TO e-bikers yet, I decided to post few pictures here of my improvised trailer I made myself last year from a regular heavy duty dolly, heavy duty caster wheel base as a hitch and a wire fence clamp to reliably keep them together that could be all readily and easily purchased in Canadian Tire or Rona here in Canada anytime or anywhere in the North America in Home Depot or Lowe's stores. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here are few words I have published recently at EbikeRiders.com as a quick review of daily usage of such a trailer out of my personal experience.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #999999;"> "A big heavy duty wheel caster from Home Depot or Canadian Tire bolted upside down
without a wheel on top of the rear rack, a heavy duty dolly (not a
P-handle) for $50 from Canadian Tire plus a fence clamp to piece it
together - works fine as an improvised trailer for me for the second
season already. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> Cost-wise it's much cheaper than bicycle
trailer for kids and much more convenient and versatile just like any
other dolly would be. Removes easy from the bike by removing only one
nut and bolt. Lets me easy bring batteries to an apartment on the 6th
floor or bring half of a skid of bricks from a nearby construction site, takes 3 times more load than
e-bike can handle :-) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> Speaking of the way to attach the
trailer, there are pros and cons for all of them. For instance, if you
extend the rear fork on one or both sides and hitch the trailer flat,
then it doesn't block stop light, but it's harder to extend the fork
and you can not take longer loads, also there is more load directly on the
already heavily loaded rear wheel yet bypassing shocks, which soften the extra load and stress on a bumpy road. If you attach under the
rack, the load might block rear lights and there is a good chance to
damage the plastic when backing up with the trailer at sharp angle. So
the best way for me so far is when hitch is installed on the top of a
rear rack, but I have to extend my rear lights and remove the trunk
box, which is ok for me, but might not work for somebody else.</span> <span style="color: #999999;">The best way I guess is to make the hitch easily removable too using some wing nuts and attach it in a way that is the best for a particular application or task.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> Now,
word of caution. Out of my experience 350W bike is good only for up to
about 100 lbs and when it's cold outside and no steep hills just for
short trips. I successfully fried yesterday my smaller scooter's motor controller halfway
to that exhibition, which is sad, though not a big deal for me, since I basically was
waiting for the controller to die so I can finally replace it with a
full size 12 FETs much better Daymak controller like I did on my first
bike last year, but if that was my only bike I would have to shell out
about 150 bucks to fix it and wait for a couple of weeks for repairs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> For
safety I also tie it with a cable and lock to the bike rack. Another
thing to mention, speaking of safety are brakes, they better be disk
brakes, but drums are sufficient, provided that they both work fine. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> Frame also flexes alot even with only 100-200lbs
trailer on bumpy roads of which there are many here in TO, so some
plastic might come off prematurely or even crack where it locks.
Yesterday actually I got my trailer flipped for the first time when going at
full speed on Willson Ave east of Dufferin St, the road there was worse than
in Ukrainian village :-) The bike was ok though, the hitch allowed enough freedom for the trailer to flip on it's side without flipping the bike along with it. I just had to hold the handlebar firm to still keep the scooter upright, so it's better to slow down on a bad road to
some 15-20kmph, though it's easy to get used to going at full speed with the trailer behind after a while like with the car.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> Police never stopped
me so far questioning the trailer or hitch design, so it probably does look
solid, well done and reliable from their point of view. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> Speaking
of drivers, some hesitate to pass or drive slowly behind staring at the trailer, slowing down the traffic behind them and then blaming blocking of the road on us, especially ladies, so I must watch
my mirrors and encourage them to pass safely time to time, even though the trailer is
not any wider than the bike's handlebar, but that's often the case even without the trailer for some mysterious reason. Some cheer up laughing and
yelling jokes, when I'm moving big loads, others stop and admit that
it's good idea worth to remember, trying to have a better look at the hitch, etc.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> Future
improvements - wider wheel base to avoid flipping and maybe larger
wheels for better coasting plus installation of light reflectors,
red-white strips or even perimeter lights for safe riding during the dark, use bike
flashers.</span> <span style="color: #999999;">Also it makes sense to extend the rear and front plastic
dirt deflectors and make sure there is one on the dolly as well,
otherwise dolly gets dirty quite fast. For the controller I'm going to install a fan or two with a switch to keep it cool when towing heavy loads at lower speed uphill during the hot summer day. Bolt removable big plastic box or two to the dolly to haul the small stuff, etc.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #999999;"> For straps, those ratchet straps from a
Dollar Rama work fine for me. The color is bright orange which I didn't
quite like initially, but it definitely does add to the overall safety
and visibility on the road :-)"</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #999999; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="color: #999999; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That's all for now. If there's going to be even more interest here, I'll continue to post on that topic and eventually write more in depth review of my trailing experience here in TO. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If anyone has any questions, ideas or suggestions regarding my trailer, I'll do my best to answer timely them all here as well, so questions are welcome.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Now here are some pics I took at my e-bike with the trailer attached, they are pretty much self-explanatory. You can click on them to enlarge for a more detailed view or right-click and open in a new tab for your convenience...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWB-ftS7bcl8-kKs6NDzAeuEQwYIUEHfb6YaRs7XOswY-uiPZcAtdBv_jJGK6RpU7oKaGKDBaNjXvB0SO2bnf7qEgWEGMADXCBNGh2HyqtNaactDb727DGFzHHd08piv_eI3GjYMFbY_3/s1600/DSC05755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWB-ftS7bcl8-kKs6NDzAeuEQwYIUEHfb6YaRs7XOswY-uiPZcAtdBv_jJGK6RpU7oKaGKDBaNjXvB0SO2bnf7qEgWEGMADXCBNGh2HyqtNaactDb727DGFzHHd08piv_eI3GjYMFbY_3/s320/DSC05755.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Thm9_p8bmTbknBsuUdwHtfPuyiSbj63QFQCgHMNyyKOISzKKOWFCUjRQvDAK25n7lGOL_Ix2uA_uTBj_u5WZ28UqUwPS8zkYcjvtHg4fWDZnz0WlIO8RIhWVahY0_6wmyQ7P0CPQGC87/s1600/DSC05756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Thm9_p8bmTbknBsuUdwHtfPuyiSbj63QFQCgHMNyyKOISzKKOWFCUjRQvDAK25n7lGOL_Ix2uA_uTBj_u5WZ28UqUwPS8zkYcjvtHg4fWDZnz0WlIO8RIhWVahY0_6wmyQ7P0CPQGC87/s320/DSC05756.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7oDcdAkpNf-Gu19BmN_AliHL_yfabrO5c5X-Fe5F_v4OYtSzOWGu4KaDMKwJj7WzvoJbzew5zYh_35Ops-u6b1-rr7HjYUl4d38U8JrNVk1eKLVHv6l8YSHrRtyaqVmo_KiFBbpkCRQe/s1600/DSC05757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7oDcdAkpNf-Gu19BmN_AliHL_yfabrO5c5X-Fe5F_v4OYtSzOWGu4KaDMKwJj7WzvoJbzew5zYh_35Ops-u6b1-rr7HjYUl4d38U8JrNVk1eKLVHv6l8YSHrRtyaqVmo_KiFBbpkCRQe/s320/DSC05757.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIrTPx5nCyLhgZRlGNRm_lLNdv9V9b2vK1ys6-WaXI_YxvRStm5nud4Q54GPka7zbI-bMu4oSLED58tus218kS6uN9vfJYnVmurIzOO5tw88lmEJ3gMgjSzgEvrZHK8ODrCKQdx1dbRPh/s1600/DSC05758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIrTPx5nCyLhgZRlGNRm_lLNdv9V9b2vK1ys6-WaXI_YxvRStm5nud4Q54GPka7zbI-bMu4oSLED58tus218kS6uN9vfJYnVmurIzOO5tw88lmEJ3gMgjSzgEvrZHK8ODrCKQdx1dbRPh/s320/DSC05758.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8h26h92AkRMqaHjjswM89O-mdHJV8mxsCct08EqcQIC57E4zsdGqcL4fE6mFwz9KBXoOtPJPDleDDbjKX_ydBIQ3ie7mXoKk9qxd9xN6fbt4tza8VH0YhuudegZpFd5DrED9dVU7iBIT0/s1600/DSC05759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8h26h92AkRMqaHjjswM89O-mdHJV8mxsCct08EqcQIC57E4zsdGqcL4fE6mFwz9KBXoOtPJPDleDDbjKX_ydBIQ3ie7mXoKk9qxd9xN6fbt4tza8VH0YhuudegZpFd5DrED9dVU7iBIT0/s320/DSC05759.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsBSX21ZQFNPd4jf3wlR6LN8wBfzpFee7fhstoT5vJ1O3x89064uEABlP1Qk1k5t3LVYw-JJRJpPvHqB3maw-E4CsBCSb7T3WjZo1die3TafOwhSfiv3jew45vA-L_D2buESTLs8ANCvg/s1600/DSC05754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsBSX21ZQFNPd4jf3wlR6LN8wBfzpFee7fhstoT5vJ1O3x89064uEABlP1Qk1k5t3LVYw-JJRJpPvHqB3maw-E4CsBCSb7T3WjZo1die3TafOwhSfiv3jew45vA-L_D2buESTLs8ANCvg/s320/DSC05754.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">DISCLAIMER</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All said above is not to encourage anyone to make a trailer the way I made, using my hitch design or ask me to make one for them, even though I can do it properly thanks to my extensive personal experience, or even to promote trailing at all, because obviously I cannot take responsibility for everyone's actions, safety or driving habits, except my own. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This blog article serves rather as an overview of my own two years long experience of towing the trailer with an e-bike which I would like to share with all fellow e-bikers around the world who feels confident and seasoned enough to use my experience properly, carefully, safely and securely for their own good, and at their own risk to make their life easier and e-biking more practical and popular, giving the world another chance to live cars at home and e-ride instead, thus keeping the air cleaner, road safer and living - greener. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-32959538371900480952010-10-13T17:52:00.002-04:002010-10-13T17:53:53.533-04:00Cruisin': Electric bicycle combines aerobic exercise, transportation<div class="lead_photo">
By <a class="fn" href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/staff/wayne-risher/" title="Wayne Risher">Wayne Risher</a><br />
<ul class="article_meta clear">
<li class="source-org vcard" style="display: none;">
<span class="org fn">Memphis Commercial Appeal</span>
</li>
<li><span class="updated" title="2010-10-06T00:00:00-05:00">Posted October 6, 2010 at midnight</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="lead_photo">
</div>
<div class="lead_photo">
<a href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/photos/2010/oct/05/189888/"><img alt="Charles McVean rides an Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Bicycle on High Point Terrace near the Shelby Farms Greenline. McVean, 67, launched development of the Aerobic Cruiser four years ago in hopes of blending fun, exercise and profit." height="262" src="http://media.commercialappeal.com/media/img/photos/2010/10/05/6CRUISER1_t607.jpeg" width="400" />
</a>
<br />
<div class="lead_photo_caption">
<div class="photo_credit">
Photos by Greg A. Cooper/The Commercial Appeal<br />
</div>
<div class="caption">
Charles
McVean rides an Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Bicycle on High Point Terrace
near the Shelby Farms Greenline. McVean, 67, launched development of
the Aerobic Cruiser four years ago in hopes of blending fun, exercise
and profit.</div>
</div>
</div>
The leader of the pack is a 67-year-old millionaire who wears a warm-up suit and a smile as broad as a kid with a new toy.<br />
Charles McVean gestures toward a fleet of funny-looking electric
bicycles parked nearby and tells his entourage "OK everybody. Let's
cruise."<br />
And away goes The Mild Bunch, nine laid-back riders gliding silently
down High Point Terrace to East Memphis' new railbed-turned-trail, the <a href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/data/greenline/">Shelby Farms Greenline</a>.<br />
<div class="inline_wrapper inline-left inline_poll">
<div class="inline_bucket">
<a href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/polls/2010/oct/5greenpoll/results/"></a></div>
</div>
<div class="inline_wrapper inline-left inline_player">
<br />
<div class="player_bucket ">
</div>
</div>
At the head of the column rides McVean, financial whiz and principal
in Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Cycle LLC, a maker of plug-in electric moped
bicycles.<br />
The founder and president of McVean Trading and Investments LLC
launched development of the Aerobic Cruiser four years ago in hopes of
blending fun, exercise and profit.<br />
To hear him tell it, the long, low-slung bicycle with a
battery-powered motor between the driver's legs is a cure to what ails
Memphis and America.<br />
He believes it can help fight climate change, the obesity epidemic,
the foreign trade deficit and a diminished manufacturing base.<br />
McVean's company is assembling the Aerobic Cruiser in Memphis, albeit from mostly foreign-made parts.<br />
"One of our objectives is to be a microcosm of the rebirth of manufacturing in the United States of America," he said.<br />
It's developing a bicycle lifestyle center a few blocks north of the <a href="http://www.commercialappeal.com/data/greenline/">Greenline</a>, in the neighborhood shopping strip where McVean rode his bike as a kid.<br />
Cruiser's Lifestyle Center, 485 High Point Terrace at Philwood, will
contain a bicycle service center, Cruiser showroom, convenience store,
restaurant and public restrooms. First will come restrooms, opening in
November, to provide pit stops for Greenline users.<br />
Thinking big is old hat for McVean. In the 1980s he dropped millions
on a proposal for indoor racing featuring hackney ponies ridden by
robot jockeys. Six years ago he started the Peer Power Foundation at
his alma mater, East High School. It cultivates high achievers to boost
performance of their lagging peers.<br />
McVean said he's invested "several million dollars" so far to create
his own spin on the electric bicycle, a low-impact conveyance that
sells tens of millions of units a year worldwide, primarily in Asia and
Europe. His design combines pedal power with electric power so riders
can go faster or further, climb hills or take a breather without
stopping.<br />
"It has not caught on yet in the USA because nobody has built the right machine," McVean said. "I think this is it."<br />
"It's fun. It's exercise. But most of all, it's serious transportation," he added.<br />
McVean has 12 to 15 people carrying out his vision, which sees
Aerobic Cruisers dovetailing with efforts to make Memphis a bicycle
haven.<br />
McVean said the ultimate would be a bicycle lane atop the
Mississippi River levee from Walls, Miss., to Vicksburg, with a
high-speed ferry filling the gap between Walls and Downtown.<br />
Employed by his venture are bicycle mechanics, competitive cyclists and business, retail and restaurant types.<br />
McVean punctuated their cruise from High Point to the Shelby Farms
visitor center with comments on marketing, economics and recent
articles about the electric vehicle market.<br />
"The Cruiser is a very unique project that's exciting to be a part
of," said Jeremy Reese, who started working for McVean four years ago.<br />
The Aerobic Cruiser is pricey: $5,000 for a deluxe model with
well-padded semi-recumbent seat and shock-absorbing frame. The
top-of-the-line can go 75 to 100 miles on a charge.<br />
McVean's company has built 20 prototypes, outfitted with high-efficiency lithium iron phosphate batteries.<br />
A lower-line model, the Commuter, will sell for less than $2,000. A three-wheeler also will be offered.<br />
Kyle Wagenschutz, bike and pedestrian coordinator for city and
county governments, said the Cruiser suits people who want both
exercise and transportation out of a bike, but maybe need help covering
longer distances.<br />
McVean's plan for the High Point Terrace center is an example of
economic activity spurred by the new Greenline, Wagenschutz said.<br />
The trail's opening has been eagerly anticipated by the bicycling
public, said Daniel Duckworth, general manager of Midtown Bikes on
South Main.<br />
"September was my best month all year," Duckworth said. "In my
conversations with customers, it's obvious, whether they're buying new
or dragging in something old to refurbish, generally most people have a
high interest in utilizing that great asset we now possess."<br />
As for the Aerobic Cruiser, Duckworth said, "The only segment that product will reach is well-to-do boomers."<br />
Duckworth said purists, which covers most bike shop owners , "tend
to have a general disdain for the electric bicycle. I embrace it."<br />
He sells a plug-in electric unit for about $1,500 and can put an
electric motor on a conventional bike for about $1,000. "Once people
hear that price, they shy away."<br />
McVean said he regrets initial prices are so high, due to the cost
of batteries and components, but he expects costs to drop as production
ramps up. "I hate telling the postman I don't have anything for him,"
he said.<br />
He plans to target upscale retirement communities such as Johns
Island, Fla., and Bay Harbor, Mich. It was on an annual visit to Bay
Harbor that he got the idea for the cruiser, after seeing a man drive a
plug-in electric car to and from a fitness center workout.<br />
McVean views Memphis as a test market. "We're going to come in here
and see if the concept has traction. If it does, we're going national
fast."<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-55392077846498732482010-10-13T17:41:00.001-04:002010-10-13T17:44:00.322-04:00Rabbi: Electric bike kosher for riding on Shabbat<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr valign="TOP"><td align="LEFT"><span style="color: black; font-family: ARIAL,SANS SERIF; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">9/16/2009 8:59:00 PM </span></span><br />
</td><td align="RIGHT"><span style="color: black; font-family: ARIAL,SANS SERIF; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></td></tr>
<tr valign="TOP"><td align="LEFT" colspan="2"><span style="color: black; font-family: ARIAL,SANS SERIF; font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: ARIAL,SANS SERIF; font-size: 12px;"> A California rabbi has given an electric bicycle his OK for use on Shabbat.
In a letter cited in press material, Rabbi Marc Rubenstein of Temple
Isaiah in Newport Beach, Calif., states, "This letter is to assure you
that the Pedego electric bicycle does not break any Jewish laws
regarding work on the Sabbath."
<br />
He further notes: "There are 39 prohibitions against labor on
the Sabbath. The last nine of these are called melakhot. They include
prohibitions regarding the releasing and termination of energy flow.
Since the Pedego bicycle can be plugged in and left on the on switch at
all times until use, the energy current is omnipresent. Therefore,
under the strictest of orthodox Jewish law, we are confidently within
the realm of the observance of the Sabbath while still using the Pedego
bicycle. This bicycle can enable the most religious Jew to travel to
his synagogue to pray on the Sabbath."
<br />
The rabbi acknowledges that some Orthodox Jews might not feel that using the bike is in the "spirit of the law."
<br />
"They would be completely wrong É . The use of the Pedego
bicycle by the Orthodox Jew on the Sabbath falls within the parameters
of Jewish law," concluded Rubenstein.
<br />
Given, however, that Rubenstein was not ordained an Orthodox
rabbi and his synagogue is nondenominational, it's unlikely that any
Orthodox Jews will accept his ruling.
<br />
<br />
-- compiled with reports from JTA News and Features, The Jerusalem Post and other sources.
</span><br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" style="width: 470px;"></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-41519033669382474902010-10-13T17:19:00.000-04:002010-10-13T17:19:54.712-04:00The Difference in Motor Power – 250w 500w 750w<div class="post_date">
Posted on 05 April 2010. <span class="singletags"></span></div>
<a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ebikey.PNG" rel="lightbox" title="The Difference in Motor Power – 250w 500w 750w"><img alt="The Difference in Motor Power – 250w 500w 750w" class="woo-image thumbnail alignright" height="144" src="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/themes/gazette/thumb.php?src=wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ebikey.PNG&w=250&h=180&zc=1&q=90" width="200" /></a><a class="retweet vert" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=%20The%20Difference%20in%20Motor%20Power%20%E2%80%93%20250w%20500w%20750w%20http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FbU58QO" title=""><span class="vert"></span></a><br />
Light Electric Vehicle Association (<a href="http://www.levassociation.com/" target="_blank">LEVA</a>)
Founder, Ed Benjamin, explains what it means in terms of electric bike
performance for motors having varying degrees of output, from
250w-500w-750w:<br />
A “bicycle” is a very privileged vehicle. It can use the roadway, or
the bike path. There is no need for a driver’s license, license plate,
or insurance. Taxes are limited to sales tax.<br />
One of the key issues in defining an electric assisted bicycle as a
“bicycle” is the power of the motor. The general idea is that if the
bike has a motor that is “too powerful” then it is really a moped or
motorcycle. So most laws that create and define the category of
electric bicycle worldwide have a limitation on the power of the motor
– with the idea that the ebike should have similar speed and
performance to a normal bike.<br />
That, by the way, is a pretty broad range of speed. Normal bikes can
travel as fast as 30 MPH with a strong rider, and they can climb nearly
any grade.<br />
But in general, many nations have adopted laws that define a bike
that uses a relatively low-powered motor, with a limited speed, as an
electric bike – with the same privileges as a normal bicycle.<br />
So what about motor output?<br />
There are a lot of factors to consider in motor output choices for an electric bike. Here are some of them:<br />
1. Legality. Different jurisdictions have different laws about motor
output for a vehicle that can still be considered an electric bike. In
the EU, Japan, China, and other places, the power limit is 250 watts.
In the USA it is 750 watts.<br />
2. How that power is measured. An argument can be made to measure power in these ways:<br />
A. Electric current into the motor.<br />
B. Mechanical power output at the “shaft”. (but if it is a hub motor…do we measure at the hub flange or the rim / tire?)<br />
C. Power in, less the efficiency losses of that motor. (Complicated.)
And more, whose machine and which method do we use to measure that
power? In the EU, there are detailed regulations about how to measure
power. In the USA, it is pretty much what the maker says it is, with no
testing method described or required.<br />
3. Do we use peak power (the amount of power that the motor is
capable of producing under maximum effort for a short period before
overheating) or do we use continuous power?<br />
4. How much power can the battery support? There is a balance of
cost, weight, and energy storage in the decisions about the motor
power, battery size, etc.<br />
This is not a simple subject. But I will offer my advice:<br />
Most 250 watt systems are satisfactory for pedelecs (where the rider is pedaling and thus adding in his energy / effort).<br />
For throttle-controlled, or power-on-demand systems where the rider
is not pedaling, 350 to 500 watt systems are a better choice.<br />
750 watts seems attractive, but this requires a big battery – and
the combination of cost and weight is not that attractive. This
combination will get better as technology improves, but at this time,
500 watts may be a better choice in many cases.<br />
Climbing hills on any of these will require the rider to add in some muscle power – but not a lot.<br />
In all cases, the rider will enjoy the ride, sweat a lot less, and have less fatigue and go farther, faster.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-72806228043367064832010-10-13T17:16:00.001-04:002010-10-13T17:17:18.447-04:00Ebikes Hit It Big At Best Buy<div class="post_date">
Posted on 08 October 2009. </div>
<div class="post_date">
</div>
<div class="post_date">
<span class="singletags"></span></div>
<a class="retweet vert" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=%20Ebikes%20Hit%20It%20Big%20At%20Best%20Buy%20http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FayRl2H" title=""></a><br />
<a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/ultra-motor-a2b-best-buy.jpg"><img alt="ultra-motor-a2b-best-buy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2217" height="500" src="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/ultra-motor-a2b-best-buy.jpg" title="ultra-motor-a2b-best-buy" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
The United States has never taken to the electric bicycle in large
numbers, but all that seems set to change. The high cost of gas, and
the high cost of cars, is promoting a change to new, more economic
transport, and with an electric bike that can go 20 miles an hour, for
an hour or so, anyway, that future may be here.<br />
<a href="http://www.bestbuy.com/" target="_blank">Best Buy</a> has teamed up with ebike retailer <a href="http://www.ultramotor.com/" target="_blank">Ultra Motor</a>
to sell the electric A2Bs (cost $2,699) at 20 locations in California
and Oregon. They’re also selling them in warm-weather states, in
bike-friendly locations such as Portland (OR), Seattle, New York and
San Francisco — and even in Connecticut,.<br />
Read more at <a href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/cars-transportation/ultra-motor-electric-bikes-best-buy-460809" target="_blank">The Daily Green</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-77910823788402365812010-10-13T17:14:00.000-04:002010-10-13T17:14:34.119-04:00China’s Love Affair With The E-Bike<a class="retweet vert" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=%20China%E2%80%99s%20Love%20Affair%20With%20The%20E-Bike%20http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fanfl3K" title=""><span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/bikes-in-china.jpg"><img alt="bikes-in-china" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2400" height="240" src="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/bikes-in-china.jpg" title="bikes-in-china" width="380" /></a><br />
<br />
<strong>Shanghai, China</strong> — China is considered to be the world’s bicycle kingdom , because one of every three inhabitants rides a bicycle.<br />
And more and more of them are riding e-bikes, from workers tired of
jam-packed public transport, to those tired of pedaling long distances
to work. Even some who can afford cars are takig to ebikes to avoid
traffic jams and expensive gasoline.<br />
Thirty years ago, practically no one in China owned a car and
bicycling was the only way to get around. Today, it still has 430
million bicycles by government count, outnumbering <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/electric-bikes/electric-bikes/" title="electric bikes">electric bikes</a> and scooters 7-1.<br />
But production of the electric two-wheelers has increased from fewer
than 200,000 eight years ago to 22 million last year, mostly for the
domestic market. The industry estimates about 65 million are on Chinese
roads.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-10916126086551490272010-10-13T17:09:00.003-04:002010-10-13T17:11:04.349-04:00Electric Bikes Fight High Gas Prices<div class="post_date">
Posted on 08 August 2009. <span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/audience/" rel="tag">audience</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/bike-shops/" rel="tag">bike shops</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/bikeshop/" rel="tag">bikeshop</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/billions/" rel="tag">billions</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/cars/" rel="tag">cars</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/e-bike/" rel="tag">e bike</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/ebikes/" rel="tag">ebikes</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/electric-bikes/" rel="tag">Electric Bikes</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/gas-prices/" rel="tag">gas prices</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/gas-station/" rel="tag">gas station</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/gaudino/" rel="tag">gaudino</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/hasn/" rel="tag">hasn</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/popularity/" rel="tag">popularity</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/stuart-florida/" rel="tag">stuart florida</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/traffic/" rel="tag">traffic</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/united-states/" rel="tag">united states</a></span><br />
<span class="singletags"> </span></div>
<a class="retweet vert" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=%20Electric%20Bikes%20Fight%20High%20Gas%20Prices%20http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F4x8Zei" title=""><span class="vert"></span></a><a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/high-gas-prices.jpg"><img alt="high-gas-prices" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1880" height="306" src="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/high-gas-prices.jpg" title="high-gas-prices" width="387" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Stuart, Florida</b> — What driver hasn’t been stuck in
traffic, wishing that half the cars on the road would disappear? What
driver hasn’t stopped by a gas station to fill ‘er up, only to wince at
the sight of the price per gallon.<br />
<a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/electric-bikes/electric-bikes/" title="Electric bikes">Electric bikes</a>
will feel a need, and entrepreneurs around the country are starting up
e-bike shops to sell this relatively new mode of transport. (Ebikes
aren’t new, but they are only now gaining popularity in the United
States.)<br />
Linda Gaudino is one of these entrepreneurs. She has started an
online site to purchase ebikes, the Electric Bikeshop at
electricbikeshoponline.com.<br />
“Way cooler than you think, you can ride a bike, they really sell themselves because they’re so cool,” said Gaudino.<br />
The bikes she sells run anywhere from 500 to 1500 dollars. Online sales have been just as healthy as in store sales.<br />
Gaudino said, “It’s really really neat, there’s an audience of billions online.”<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-88468685620512766742010-10-13T16:59:00.001-04:002010-10-13T17:00:14.922-04:00Modern Times Launches Lightest E-bike<h2>
<a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/modern-times-launches-lightest-e-bike/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Modern Times Launches Lightest E-bike">Modern Times Launches Lightest E-bike</a></h2>
<div class="post_date">
Posted on 31 October 2009. <span class="singletags"> </span></div>
<div class="post_date">
<span class="singletags">Tags: <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/cannondale/" rel="tag">cannondale</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/capo/" rel="tag">capo</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/e-bike/" rel="tag">e bike</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/ebike/" rel="tag">ebike</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/electric-bikes/" rel="tag">Electric Bikes</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/shape/" rel="tag">shape</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/times-ltd/" rel="tag">times ltd</a>, <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/tag/winchester-england/" rel="tag">winchester england</a></span></div>
<div class="post_date">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/modern-times-electric-bike.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Modern Times Launches Lightest E-bike"><img alt="Modern Times Launches Lightest E-bike" class="woo-image thumbnail alignright" height="180" src="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/themes/gazette/thumb.php?src=wp-content/uploads/2009/10/modern-times-electric-bike.jpg&w=250&h=180&zc=1&q=90" width="250" /></a> <a class="retweet vert" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=%20Modern%20Times%20Launches%20Lightest%20E-bike%20http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F9nZTHF" title="">► Retweet</a><a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/modern-times-electric-bike.jpg"><img alt="modern-times-electric-bike" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-2365" height="364" src="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/modern-times-electric-bike.jpg" title="modern-times-electric-bike" width="550" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Winchester, England</b> — One of the drawbacks of <a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/electric-bikes/electric-bikes/" title="electric bikes">electric bikes</a>
is that the battery and motor add an extra thirty pounds of weight. So
even though it’s possible to pedal an ebike should the battery go dead,
it will make it twice as hard to go up hills!<br />
The fit cyclist doesn’t need to worry about this, but those who use an e-bike in order to get <i>into </i>shape, or who live in an area with a lot of hills, may view this as a cause for concern.<br />
Which is why <a href="http://www.moderntimesltd.com/" target="_blank">Modern Times Ltd</a>.
has proudly launched what it calls the lightest e-bike ever. They’ve
put their power assist on a Cannondale Capo Cytronex, currently priced
at £1650 .<br />
Read more at <a href="http://www.bikeradar.com/" target="_blank">BikeRadar</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-70029876241857725492010-10-13T16:55:00.001-04:002010-10-13T16:56:55.428-04:00Barcelona, Spain Introduces Charging Stations<h1>
Barcelona to premiere electric motorcycle charging stations in September.</h1>
<div style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;">
The
head of the Department of the Environment of the City of Barcelona,
Xavier Felip, said that the will of the municipality is to extend the
initiative to various locations in the city, such as the Maritime Zone,
the city centre or the University area, among others.</div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;">
<a href="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/themes/gazette/thumb.php?src=wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Barceloba.jpg&w=250&h=180&zc=1&q=90" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Barcelona, Spain Introduces Charging Stations" border="0" class="woo-image thumbnail alignright" height="180" src="http://www.electricbikee.com/wp-content/themes/gazette/thumb.php?src=wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Barceloba.jpg&w=250&h=180&zc=1&q=90" width="250" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-weight: bold;">
<br /></div>
<div style="float: left; margin: 5px; width: auto;">
</div>
Barcelona to premiere electric motorcycle charging stations in September.The first eight will be installed in the district of 22 <br />
and
will recharge up to 25 vehicles simultaneously.<br />
<br />
Companies, Mobec Point and Schneider Electric, have submitted a tender
to place re-charging stations in the Montmelo racetrack, and to install
electric motorbike charging in the Catalan capital from next September.
The stations can charge up to 25 vehicles simultaneously, it is so
"simple and safe," according to a joint statement from the companies,
that forecast 40,000 electric bikes will be in use by 2016. <br />
<br />
The two companies have stressed that the stations are designed to
operate using renewable energy, "emissions of carbon dioxide from the
electric bikes are zero." The next instalment of eight stations by
Point Mobec in the district of 22 @ Barcelona is part of an initial
period of tests in which different manufacturers installed charging
points in the city. <br />
<br />
For its part, the general director of the Mobec Point company, Jordi
Ventura, has stressed that Barcelona is "the second city in Europe,
behind Rome in the number of motorcycles" and has highlighted the
benefits of the electric motor, for example "it does not pollute, is
quiet and economical." Ventura has been underlined in this respect that
the average cost of the new vehicle is "less than one euro per 100
kilometres," so he said that " electrical mobility is no longer a
future possibility but a reality available to all citizens of
Barcelona".<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-24680856423115708802010-10-13T16:45:00.000-04:002010-10-13T16:45:00.327-04:00Electric Two Wheelers Will Sell But What Kind?<div class="posttitle">
</div>
<div class="postauthor">
By Gregg Bagni</div>
<div class="postinfo">
Posted: October 11, 2010</div>
<br />
<br />
A recent study estimates some 466mm electric bikes, motorcycles and
scooters will be sold worldwide over the next six years. Most will be
sold in China and yes, it’s hard to fathom but some research says
there’s already100mm electric bicycles on the road in China.<br />
<br />
History repeats itself because everyone is getting all jiggy about
electric bikes….again. Yo….I’m getting’ déjà vu dizzy thinking back a
decade about the ill fated Schwinn-GT/Tom Mason/Currie electric bike
partnership fueled by Tom’s industry outsider turned insider quest to
show the bike biz how it was done. (BTW, wtf ever happened to Mason
anyway?)<br />
<br />
No surprise, the doomed project transformed the production line into
one that exclusively built closeouts and as my lovely colleague Andrew
Herrick says, “There’s nothing worse than being ahead of your time”<br />
<br />
But today it’s different, better technology, batteries, market,
demand, etc. The list is promising. However, a case of black hole
blindness prevents me from seeing the U.S. electric bike market
accelerating as much as on other parts of your planet.<br />
<br />
Instead, the big two wheeled electric sellers in the U.S. will be
electric scooters. Easy to park, low cost to produce/sell and operate
and much more “streetwise” in their modus operandi. C’mon….if you’re a
fat, lazy and unaccountable American why would you even think of
getting around on a bike with a boat anchor battery? Ha<br />
<br />
Stand back you naysayers because the big players are jumping in deep
with electric scooters….. Mini, Honda, Peugot, Nissan, etc….. all are
corp-dudes that play for keeps. With the ability to weeman dwarf any
product/marketing efforts the puny U.S. electric bike industry can
muster to convince consumers that your pedal platform electro-product
is more relevant and desirable? <br />
<br />
OK…Can we hallucinate for this 5 minutes of my life? If I was a
bicycle retailer I’d consider opening up a new retail store called
Lenny’s Electric Scooter & Bicycle Joint.<br />
<br />
Location, location, locationed in a densely populated earthly urban
market it would most likely be a “pop-up” retail opportunity. This
small footprint, temporary satellite location would be a 90-180 day
test with clean, simple, inexpensive and minimalist merchandising
displays (think giant chalkboard art walls).<br />
<br />
Of course, we’d offer up a tight line of urban friendly bikes at
reasonable price points but the real focus would be a select line of
electric only scooters and folding bikes….<br />
<br />
Whoa…..I’m out of time…..Part Two of this post will pose the
possibility of the folding bike becoming the future two wheeled icon of
urban cool. ??????<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-65446908191189309272010-10-13T16:38:00.000-04:002010-10-13T16:38:59.213-04:00Retail Outlets Can Now Profit from Customers Needing Electricity Access for e-Bikes and Laptops<div id="dvHead">
<h1 id="h1Headline">
<div id="dvHeadline">
Retail Outlets Can Now Profit from Customers Needing Electricity Access for e-Bikes and Laptops</div>
</h1>
</div>
<div class="horizontalline">
</div>
<div class="featured">
</div>
Pay-per-charge service makes recharging batteries as easy as buying long-distance minutes<br />
<span class="xn-location">LINCOLNSHIRE, IL</span> and <span class="xn-location">KITCHENER, ON</span>, <span class="xn-chron">Oct. 13</span> /PRNewswire/ - Retailers across <span class="xn-location">North America</span>
can now offer a revolutionary new service to customers whose cell
phones, iPads, computers, e-bikes, e-scooters and other electronic
devices need a charge. 2D2C, Inc.'s new SafePlug(R) Model 1200-P3
pay-per-use electrical outlet makes it safe and easy for retailers to
provide pay-per-use electrical outlet access to the public.<br />
"Customers
will be able to purchase a pre-paid card that entitles them to a number
of charges. They will simply touch the card to the SafePlug electrical
outlet to have access to power for a set period of time to use or
recharge their electronic device," said <span class="xn-person">Steven Montgomery</span>,
Chief Operating Officer at 2D2C, Inc. "In today's world, recharging
electronic devices and vehicles anytime, anywhere is going to be a
necessity."<br />
Everyone
can relate to the frustration of running out of battery charge on
computers or handheld devices prior to taking a long flight, or being
stuck in a remote location with no means to recharge. Montgomery
anticipates high demand for the SafePlug outlets in convenience stores,
airports, hotel lobbies, malls and more. The device received eager
interest on <span class="xn-chron">October 8, 2010</span> from retail store owners at the NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) trade show in <span class="xn-location">Atlanta</span> <a href="http://www.nacsonline.com/nacsshow/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.nacsonline.com/nacsshow/Pages/default.aspx</a>).<br />
The
SafePlug 1200-P3's patented technology adds a high-value and
high-return offering for retailers, while being affordable and
convenient for users (for more detail go to: <a href="http://www.safeplugondemand.com/" target="_blank">www.SafePlugOnDemand.com</a>).
The P3 pre-paid cards required to activate the outlets are available in
either a plastic key-fob version or a credit-card sized paper version.
The cards can carry retailer labeling and color advertising information
for added benefit and can be dispensed from kiosks or at the counter.<br />
The
SafePlug 1200-P3 outlet will turn on electricity to its receptacle
socket only after it reads a P3TM pre-paid card. The P3 card will be
pre-loaded with a set number of fixed duration, charge-time credits.
For example, a 20-minute charge time can typically restore 30-40
percent capacity for Li-ion rechargeable batteries commonly used in
newer e-bicycles, e-mopeds, laptops and cell phones. Montgomery feels
that most customers stuck for power won't mind the wait.<br />
"It's
truly a revolutionary design due to its built-in security to prevent
'power theft' by users who haven't pre-paid. The SafePlug outlet has
LED indicators to show when it's charging and the credits left on the
P3TM Pre-Paid Power card," said Montgomery. "The SafePlug system
incorporates a lot of the features customers are familiar with when
buying long-distance minutes or using an ATM, so it's going to be easy
for people to start using the service."<br />
The
device even has 'anti-bully' technology to prevent someone from
removing a customer's charge plug and inserting their own; the outlet
will recognize the change of equipment and cut off the power feed. For
the retailer's peace of mind, the SafePlug 1200-P3 system has built-in
security features to prevent tampering with the pre-paid-cards or
counterfeiting.<br />
"The
possibilities for this product are only limited by imagination," said
Montgomery. "Wherever people are living, working, travelling or
relaxing, they take electronic devices and the reality is, even the
most sophisticated device is useless without a charge."<br />
About 2D2C Inc.<br />
2D2C, Inc. (<a href="http://www.2d2c.com/" target="_blank">www.2d2c.com</a>)
develops electrical wiring innovations for safety, energy and security.
2D2C, Inc. holds a number of patents on electrical safety and wiring
devices and licenses its technology to other companies. Additionally,
2D2C, Inc. sells its own "SafePlug" product brand (<a href="http://www.safeplugondemand.com/" target="_blank">www.SafePlugOnDemand.com</a>). (SafePlug is a registered trademark and P3 is a trademark of 2D2C, Inc.) 2D2C, Inc., a <span class="xn-location">Delaware</span> company, was founded in 1999 with headquarters in <span class="xn-location">Lincolnshire, IL</span> and operational facilities in <span class="xn-location">Kitchener, ON</span> <span class="xn-location">Canada</span>.<br />
SOURCE 2D2C, Inc.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-44759774396446708562010-10-13T16:32:00.002-04:002010-10-13T16:33:58.702-04:00i-MiEV Electric Bikes - Mitsubishi’s mini “green” vehicle<div class="post_subheader" style="padding-bottom: 8px;">
<div class="excerpt_subheader_right">
<ul>
<li style="margin-left: -12px; margin-top: -1px;">
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crunchgear.com%2F2010%2F10%2F12%2Fi-miev-electric-bikes%2F&t=i-MiEV%20Electric%20Bikes&src=sp" name="fb_share" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="fb_share_size_Small "><span class="FBConnectButton FBConnectButton_Small" style="cursor: pointer;"><span class="FBConnectButton_Text"></span></span><span class="fb_share_count_nub_right fb_share_no_count"></span><span class="fb_share_count fb_share_no_count fb_share_count_right"></span></span></a>by
<a href="http://www.crunchgear.com/author/serkan/" rel="nofollow" title="Posts by Serkan Toto">Serkan Toto</a>
on
October 12, 2010
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class="entry">
<a href="http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/10/12/i-miev-electric-bikes/e-bike-i-miev-version/" rel="attachment wp-att-181467"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-181467" height="265" src="http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/e-bike-i-MiEV-Version-620x412.jpg" title="e-bike i-MiEV Version" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
If you’re just remotely interested in electric cars, you will know
of i-MiEV, Mitsubishi’s mini “green” vehicle. The i-MiEV has been
around for years in Japan (<a href="http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/09/07/us-to-get-the-electric-mitsubishi-i-miev-in-2011/">the US will get it in 2011</a>), and now a local retail chain called <a href="http://www.aeon.info/en/">AEON</a> is offering <a href="http://www.aeon.info/company/data/2010/pdf/100928R_1.pdf">two e-bikes</a> [JP, PDF] whose design is supposed to resemble said car.<br />
AEON chose white/light green and white/red as the colors, which are
also used by Mitsubishi for the i-MiEV. The e-bikes have 20-inch wheels
and are powered by a 4Ah lithium-ion (MiEV-branded) battery. Once fully
charged (for 2 hours/$0.12), the battery makes it possible to travel
about 15km.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/10/12/i-miev-electric-bikes/e-bike-i-miev-version_2/" rel="attachment wp-att-181468"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-181468" height="272" src="http://www.crunchgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/e-bike-i-MiEV-Version_2-620x422.jpg" title="e-bike i-MiEV Version_2" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
AEON already started the bikes in Japan (price: $1,200), but don’t expect them to hit other markets anytime soon.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-30783851412248243362010-10-13T16:24:00.003-04:002010-10-13T16:28:44.723-04:00E. China's Shandong Province Introduces E-bike Subsidy<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 980px;"><tbody>
<tr><td background="/08travel/images/content_03.jpg" valign="top"><div class="container_a">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 960px;"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="654"><table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="content02" style="padding: 10px;">
2010-10-13 19:25:53
Xinhua Web Editor: Han </td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="306"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 660px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td background="/08travel/images/content_07.jpg" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" class="content03" id="dstTable">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" class="content03" id="dstTable"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td>Shandong
Province is the latest of 10 Chinese provinces to provide a subsidy<br />
on
rural e-bike purchases, and it was just the incentive Song Yingxue, a
farmer<br />
in the east China province, needed to buy a 2,410 yuan (361 U.S.
dollars)<br />
"luxury" - electric bicycle. <br />
<br />
With the subsidy, which
Shandong put into effect this week, rural consumers<br />
like Song can get a
13-percent "discount" on e-bikes. <br />
<br />
It used to take Song 50 minutes get to work on her old bicycle, but now<br />
it only takes 20 minutes. <br />
<br />
"I
like the spot lamp best. It makes the bike safer than traditional ones,
and<br />
is very useful when riding on dark countryside roads," she said. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-75111804699290329772010-10-13T13:31:00.001-04:002010-10-13T14:36:44.030-04:00E-bike rider seriously hurt in Windsor, Canada<div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<div class="wrapper_0_20_0_0">
<div id="storyheader">
<div class="byline">
<span class="name">The Windsor Star</span>
<span class="timestamp">October 12, 2010</span>
<span class="comments" id="lblComment"></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="clear">
</div>
<div class="para14" id="story_content">
<div class="col_480">
<div class="col_460">
<div class="para18" id="storycontent">
<div id="page1">
The
rider of an electric bicycle is in hospital with a serious head injury
after he collided head-on with a car Saturday night. <br />
The
accident happened around 6:30 p.m. as the rider of the silver e-bike
attempted to make a right turn onto Silverdale Drive and collided
head-on with a blue Dodge Spirit approaching the stop sign. <br />
"It
looks like he was trying to carry too much speed, took that turn a
little too wide and caught that car as she was slowing down for the
stop sign," said Windsor Police Staff Sgt. Todd Lamarre. <br />
The
cyclist, a Windsor man in his 40s, was thrown from his electric bicycle
into the windshield of the car before landing on the pavement. <br />
"I
was working on homework when I heard a big thud," said Dilshan Pieris,
who called 911. "I came outside and the guy was on the ground
twitching, he had blood on his face and the driver was hysterical." <br />
Lamarre said the rider was taken to hospital with a serious head injury. His condition was unknown at press time. <br />
The driver of the Dodge Spirit will not be charged. <br />
Another
e-bike rider suffered non-life threatening injuries last month when he
struck the door of a parked van on Wyandotte Street. <br />
The cyclist was wearing a helmet and the driver of the van was charged with opening a vehicle door improperly.<br />
<div class="copyright">
© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.windsorstar.com/news/bike+rider+seriously+hurt/3655396/story.html#ixzz12GEuwFtT" style="color: #003399;">http://www.windsorstar.com/news/bike+rider+seriously+hurt/3655396/story.html#ixzz12GEuwFtT</a></div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-49654473468336139412010-10-08T13:55:00.001-04:002010-10-08T13:55:41.557-04:00Zerotracer motorcycle throws down gauntlet to electric cars<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f36031; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 24px; line-height: 24px;">Zerotracer motorcycle throws down gauntlet to electric cars</span><br />
<div class="summary_details" id="article_top" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="summary_details_left" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
By <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/author/darren-quick/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">Darren Quick</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>02:11 July 6, 2010</em></div>
</div>
<div class="summary_details_right" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/comments.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/#comments" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">8 Comments</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/image_modernist.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117240/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">8 Pictures</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="hero_box" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 367px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117240/" id="hero_link" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #3366cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Zerotracer" border="0" height="298" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/zerotracer.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="The Zerotracer" width="530" /></a><br />
<div class="pic_caption" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #444444; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #eeeeee; font-style: normal; height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 30px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 3px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The Zerotracer</div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="article_body" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div id="top_unit" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: auto;">
The <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/zero-race-electric-vehicle-circumnavigation/15448/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Zero Race</a> will see contestants dash around the globe in 80 days in zero emission, electric powered vehicles... and one of the most distinctive entries is the Zerotracer. Designed by a group of engineers from Winterthur, Switzerland, the Zerotracer is an electric motorcycle that encloses its two occupants in a Kevlar shell and is capable of a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) and a range of 350 km (217 miles) on a single charge.</div>
<ul id="gallery_images" style="color: #f30631; height: 105px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117241/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Zerotracer" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/zerotracer-6.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="The Zerotracer" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117236/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Zerotracer with its stabilizing wheels deployed" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/zerotracer-1.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="The Zerotracer with its stabilizing wheels deployed" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117239/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Zerotracer's comfortable interior" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/zerotracer-4.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="The Zerotracer's comfortable interior" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117235/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Zerotracer" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/zerotracer-0.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="The Zerotracer" /></a></li>
<li id="view_all" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/double_arrow.png); display: block; float: left; height: 60px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 35px; text-align: center; width: 30px;"><a class="blue" href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117240/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">View all</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The vehicle is based on a MonoTracer body but replaces that vehicle’s 4-cylinder in-line BMW K-engine with a battery-powered electric motor that provides 135 kW/183Hp to propel the Zerotracer from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. Without passengers the body of the vehicle weighs less than 80kg (176-lbs) and the 18 kWh, 400V battery pack can be fully charged in two hours, while a quick charge can charge the battery pack to 80 percent capacity in less than 30 minutes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="article_img" style="height: 298px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117236/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/zerotracer-1.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="530" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Since the driver and passenger are enclosed in the vehicle’s Kevlar composite outer shell and can’t use their legs to stay upright when the Zerotracer isn’t moving the vehicle uses a pair of retractable wheels to stabilize itself when stationary. When retracted these wheels protrude from the side of the cabin to act as a “knee” to skim the road when cornering at high speeds.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Inside the cabin the occupants are treated to an almost noiseless ride thanks to the silent electric motor, unless of course they are listening to the Zerotracer’s stereo system. The vehicle also boasts a heating system and two bucket seats from which to enjoy the panoramic 250 degree-plus views provided by the plexiglass windshield.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="article_img" style="height: 297px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/zerotracer/15627/picture/117239/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/zerotracer-4.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="530" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The rules of the Zero Race state that the race teams must produce their own electricity using renewable sources such as solar, wind, wave and/or geothermal. This electricity must be then fed into the grid system in the home country of each team to offset the electricity used by the vehicles during the race. Taking care of this aspect is the team’s main sponsor, Oerlikon Solar, which will generate electricity from thin-silicon solar panels at the company’s headquarters in Trubbach, Switzerland.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
With its aerodynamic design and impressive performance statistics the <a href="http://www.zerotracer.com/index2.html" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Zerotracer</a>stands to be a real contender to take out the honors when the Zero Race kicks off in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 15. 2010. We’ll take a look at some of its competitors in the coming weeks.</div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-23993688268270986702010-10-08T13:32:00.002-04:002010-10-08T13:56:36.878-04:00Bubble-bike: US$750 Electric three-wheeler<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f36031; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 24px; line-height: 24px;">Bubble-bike: US$750 Electric three-wheeler</span><br />
<div class="summary_details" id="article_top" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="summary_details_left" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
By <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/author/mike-hanlon/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">Mike Hanlon</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>09:12 July 13, 2010</em></div>
</div>
<div class="summary_details_right" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/comments.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/#comments" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">10 Comments</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/image_modernist.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117614/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">18 Pictures</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="hero_box" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 367px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117614/" id="hero_link" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #3366cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The US$750 Bubble Bike urban commuter recharges from a domestic power point" border="0" height="298" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/bubble-bike-electric-three-wheeler.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="The US$750 Bubble Bike urban commuter recharges from a domestic power point" width="530" /></a><br />
<div class="pic_caption" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #444444; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #eeeeee; font-style: normal; height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 30px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 3px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The US$750 Bubble Bike urban commuter recharges from a domestic power point</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #eeeeee;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="article_body" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The <a href="http://www.dhdd888.cn/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bubble Bike</a> might look like the love child of a scooter and a Messerschmitt Kabinenroller, but it’s an ingenious response to the needs of Northern China and some of the more northern Asian countries where temperatures drop well below zero in winter and the roads get a liberal coating of snow and ice, making them not nearly as suitable for scooters and motorcycles as they are in summer. The recipient of a 2009 Red Star Design Award (China’s equivalent of the red dot awards), the <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/tag/three+wheel/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">three-wheel</a> Bubble Bike sells in China for RMB 5000 (around US$730).</div>
<ul id="gallery_images" style="color: #f30631; height: 105px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117629/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Bubble Bike" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/bubble-bike-electric-three-wheeler-18.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="The Bubble Bike" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117627/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Bubble-bike: US$750 Electric three-wheeler " src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/bubble-bike-electric-three-wheeler-16.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Bubble-bike: US$750 Electric three-wheeler " /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117611/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The US$750 Bubble Bike urban commuter for three people" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/bubble-bike-electric-three-wheeler-0.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="The US$750 Bubble Bike urban commuter for three people" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117628/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Bubble-bike: US$750 Electric three-wheeler " src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/bubble-bike-electric-three-wheeler-17.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Bubble-bike: US$750 Electric three-wheeler " /></a></li>
<li id="view_all" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/double_arrow.png); display: block; float: left; height: 60px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 35px; text-align: center; width: 30px;"><a class="blue" href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117614/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">View all</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Low cost transport is imperative in many developing countries, and the Bubble Bike's price-tag makes it the only game in town if you want more than two wheels, or want to carry three people or a lot of luggage and keep them/it dry and warm.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Most importantly, the Bubble Bike is electric, meaning it recharges from a power point for a negligible cost and has oodles of grunt for getting up to its 45 km/h top speed. Now we understand that's not so fast by the standards of the big cities with lots of space that we're accustomed to, but it's plenty fast for urban running in the highly congested streets of China's megacities.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The Bubble Bike has a range of 100 km and takes between six and eight hours to charge from a standard household power outlet in its current configuration. The manufacturers are currently trialling alternative batteries which decrease the charging time to three hours and increase the range of the vehicle to 200 km, plus the cost of the Bubble Bike by several hundred dollars. I'm presuming those batteries are lithium ion but translation between the designer’s Shandong dialect and English was an issue, so I can’t be sure.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="article_img" style="height: 433px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/chinese-electric-three-wheeler/15697/picture/117627/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/bubble-bike-electric-three-wheeler-16.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="530" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The biggest benefit of the bike is apparently roadholding. Bubble Bike's representative said that because the bike is very light and has three wheels and a low center of gravity, it really hangs onto the road. Given that its specifications and geometry are very similar to the <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/driving-the-spira-3-wheel-prototype/13573/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Spira that I tried in Thailand last year</a> I imagine that the handling would be similar (i.e. sensational).</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
In many ways, it's a scooter with a bit of protection, and there was some discussion amongst those of us looking at the machine whether there was adequate crash protection in comparison with a Western motor vehicle. One of those present contributed, "I'm sure it crash tests better than the scooter it will replace though."</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Export inquiries on the Bubble Bike can be directed to <a href="http://www.dhdd888.cn/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">the web site</a>.</div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-49829364086746541722010-10-08T13:23:00.005-04:002010-10-08T13:57:32.362-04:00The Fhybrid front-wheel driven hydrogen-powered scooter<div class="article_body" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f36031; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 24px; line-height: 24px;">The Fhybrid front-wheel driven hydrogen-powered scooter</span></div>
<div class="summary_details" id="article_top" style="clear: both; font-size: 13px; line-height: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="summary_details_left" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
By <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/author/mike-hanlon/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">Mike Hanlon</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>22:00 June 28, 2006</em></div>
</div>
<div class="summary_details_right" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/image_modernist.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/go/5929/picture/25359/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">3 Pictures</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="hero_box" style="clear: both; height: 367px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 450px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/go/5929/picture/25359/" id="hero_link" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Fhybrid front-wheel driven hydrogen-powered scooter " border="0" height="298" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/5929_290706103021.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="The Fhybrid front-wheel driven hydrogen-powered scooter " width="450" /></a><br />
<div class="pic_caption" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #444444; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #eeeeee; font-style: normal; height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 30px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 3px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The Fhybrid front-wheel driven hydrogen-powered scooter</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="article_body" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The Fhybrid scooter is a hydrogen electric hybrid two wheeler that has emerged as Crijn Bouman's graduation project at Delft University in Holland and it is a very different form of two wheeler than almost anything that has come before it. For starters, it’s the only front wheel drive two wheeler going around that we know of, has a reverse gear for parking (another first on a scooter), and a range equivalent to that of a normal scooter in that it can travel approximately 200 km on a full tank of hydrogen. Oh, and it doesn’t make any noise or produce harmful emissions and looks very different to normal scooter fare.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Bouman, an Industrial Design Engineering student at TU Delft, developed a working prototype of the 65 km/h FHybrid scooter with acceleration superior to that of a standard 'petrol scooter'. The FHybrid was designed to be hydrogen-powered, but for now the prototype is powered by batteries, with the help of a special fuel-cell simulator that was specially designed for this project.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"A special course and various permits are required to build a hydrogen-powered engine. It wasn't possible to achieve this during the time period of my graduation project," Crijn Bouman explained. "The faculty is now trying to assemble all the necessary means to fully develop the hydrogen-powered scooter."</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The FHybrid is the first front-wheel driven hydrogen-powered scooter. The scooter has an electric engine that mainly derives its power from a (Li-ion) battery. This battery is charged by a compact fuel-cell system, which derives its energy from hydrogen (from a tank) and oxygen (from the air). The FHybrid also has a regenerating braking system that reduces the hydrogen consumption by 10-20 percent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Bouman has equipped the scooter with a “traffic assistant”, which enables the scooter's electric engine to be very precisely controlled when travelling at low speeds. The FHybrid's complete drive system and energy management system were built by Epyon, a TU Delft spin-off company, of which Bouman is one of the founders, and in partnership with the Delft Design Institute.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-56483329253914410462010-10-08T13:14:00.006-04:002010-10-08T13:18:50.494-04:00Sanyo and Suzuki collaborate on experimental electric scooter project<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f36031; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 24px; line-height: 24px;">Sanyo and Suzuki collaborate on experimental electric scooter project</span><br />
<div class="summary_details" id="article_top" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="summary_details_left" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
By <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/author/paul-ridden/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">Paul Ridden</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>15:00 September 27, 2010</em></div>
</div>
<div class="summary_details_right" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/image_modernist.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/sanyo-suzuki-collaborative-electric-scooter-project/16484/picture/121306/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">2 Pictures</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="hero_box" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 385px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/sanyo-suzuki-collaborative-electric-scooter-project/16484/picture/121306/" id="hero_link" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #3366cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Sanyo and Suzuki have announced a collaborative project resulting in the development of an..." border="0" height="296" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/elets.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Sanyo and Suzuki have announced a collaborative project resulting in the development of an..." width="530" /></a><br />
<div class="pic_caption" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #444444; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #eeeeee; font-style: normal; height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 30px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 3px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Sanyo and Suzuki have announced a collaborative project resulting in the development of an electric drive system for an prototype scooter named e-Let's</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="article_body" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sanyo and Suzuki have announced a collaborative project resulting in the development of an electric drive system for an prototype scooter named e-Let's. About the same weight as the petrol scooter it was based on, the prototype has a claimed range of 18.6 miles and its battery pack can be charged using a household outlet. The scooter is currently undergoing on-road trials leading to possible commercialization.</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Based on a petrol-engined model called the Let's4 basket, the e-Let's features an in-wheel electric motor to the rear with regenerative braking, a dedicated charger and battery system, a "high efficiency control circuit" and a Li-ion battery pack. The developers have managed to keep the new prototype at about the same weight (74kg) as its petrol predecessor.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="article_img" style="height: 316px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/sanyo-suzuki-collaborative-electric-scooter-project/16484/picture/121305/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img src="http://images.gizmag.com/inline/elets-0.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="530" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The e-Let's scooter is charged from a 100V household outlet and a single charge is said to take about four hours and should be good for a journey of around 18.6 miles (30km), not exactly ground-breaking but sufficient for most inner city journeys. The prototype is said to offer the kind of "smooth acceleration, nimble performance, low noise, low vibration" that is making electric scooters an attractive short commute option.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Last week, Suzuki began testing the prototype on public roads in Japan and plans to use the data gathered to create a production model. The road trials will also be conducted as part of the Hamamatsu Social Experiment Project on Next-Generation Eco-Cars <a href="http://goiken.city.hamamatsu.shizuoka.jp/press/detail.php?no=00000325" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">announced in May</a>.</div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161882438111278856.post-28397744877713885362010-10-08T12:57:00.000-04:002010-10-08T12:57:02.273-04:00<br />
<div class="summary_details" id="article_top" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="sd_top" style="clear: both; height: 22px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<a class="small" href="http://www.gizmag.com/urbantransport/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; float: left; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;">URBAN TRANSPORT</a><img class="list_ar_ad" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/ads/future_electric.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -10px; padding-bottom: 0px;" /></div>
<h2 style="clear: both; color: #f36031; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">
Radical electric bike concept saves on space</h2>
<div class="summary_details_left" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
By <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/author/paul-ridden/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">Paul Ridden</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<em>16:00 April 6, 2010</em></div>
</div>
<div class="summary_details_right" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right; width: 254px;">
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/comments.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/#comments" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">12 Comments</a></div>
<div style="display: block; font-size: 13px; height: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<img alt="" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/icons/splashyIcons/image_modernist.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; bottom: 3px; float: right; left: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative;" /><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/picture/113114/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">7 Pictures</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="hero_box" style="clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 386px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 530px;">
<a href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/picture/113114/" id="hero_link" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #3366cc; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Electric Bike Version 2 also features a compartment for storing and charging mobile ph..." border="0" height="297" src="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/ebver2.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="The Electric Bike Version 2 also features a compartment for storing and charging mobile ph..." width="530" /></a><div class="pic_caption" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #444444; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #eeeeee; font-style: normal; height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 30px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 3px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The Electric Bike Version 2 also features a compartment for storing and charging mobile phones, notebooks or MP3 players</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="article_body" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Yuji Fujimura has taken the bicycle design manual and thrown it to the wind with his concept Electric Bike Version 2. Ditching the popular and familiar diamond frame design, Fujimura has opted for a flat solid box on wheels where the handlebars, seat and pedals fold away flat to help squeeze the bike into tiny parking spaces.</div>
<ul id="gallery_images" style="color: #f30631; height: 105px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/picture/113113/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The Electric Bike Version 2 is designed to slide into small footprint parking slots" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/ebver2-4.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="The Electric Bike Version 2 is designed to slide into small footprint parking slots" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/picture/113115/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Scematic of the Electric Bike Version 2" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/ebver2-6.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Scematic of the Electric Bike Version 2" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/picture/113111/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Not exactly cross-wind friendly, the Electric Bike Version 2" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/ebver2-2.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Not exactly cross-wind friendly, the Electric Bike Version 2" /></a></li>
<li style="float: left; height: 105px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="image" href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/picture/113110/" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Version two of Yuji Fujimura's slim electric bike concept" src="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/ebver2-1.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Version two of Yuji Fujimura's slim electric bike concept" /></a></li>
<li id="view_all" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/double_arrow.png); display: block; float: left; height: 60px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 35px; text-align: center; width: 30px;"><a class="blue" href="http://www.gizmag.com/electric-bike-concept-space-saver/14732/picture/113114/" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;">View all</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Parking bicycles can be a troublesome affair if you're in an area where an awful lot of people use two wheels to get around. As electric bikes grow in popularity the issue is unlikely to improve. The Electric Bike Version 2 concept from <a href="http://www.coroflot.com/public/individual_details.asp?individual_id=34770&" style="background-color: transparent; color: #3366cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Yuji Fujimura</a>takes a slightly different approach to bike design which also offers a possible solution to overcrowded parking woes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The concept bike would have pedals for human propulsion, which could both be set at the lowest position when traveling under electric assist. The upright seating position appears similar to that of more familiar diamond frame bicycles but that's where the similarity ends. As you can see from the gallery examples, Fujimura has gone for a flat, solid body box design with all the electronics and lighting enclosed within the housing and solid wheels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Being a concept design, details on the electrics are limited to revealing that the designer proposes using a Li-ion battery, an electric rear wheel hub motor and that the bike would include a charging compartment for mobile phones, laptops, MP3 players and so on. The handlebars, seat and footrests/pedals fold away flat so that the flat, wheeled box can slide into the slimmest of parking spaces.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Whilst the Electric Bike Version 2 concept is imaginative and aspects of it make a lot of sense, just how stable the bike would prove in strong winds with nowhere for gusts to go except to slam against the solid body is cause for great concern, especially when cornering. Fold-away handlebars, seat and pedals to help squeeze the two-wheeler into tight parking spaces though - now there's a good idea.</div>
</div>
<div id="bottom_unit" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 40px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f36031; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="bottom_unit" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 40px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f36031; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px;">User Comments (12)</span></div>
<div class="dotsontop" id="comment_dots" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 0%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 40px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19369" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
I wonder how it will handle cross winds. My guess is that it won't.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Looks more like a home appliance on wheels.</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Roger Kummert</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 7, 2010 @ 11:04 am PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19375" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
very kewl concept for crowed cities ... i'd be wary of crosswinds however ...</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
hourglass</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 7, 2010 @ 04:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19378" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
oops, meant to type "crowded"</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
hourglass</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 7, 2010 @ 04:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19387" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
A gust of wind and the rider is scraping the ashphalt.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
It's ugly too.</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Hired_help</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 7, 2010 @ 05:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19393" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Wow. Leave it to the Japanese to make things one-size-fits-small. Also, there doesn't seem to be room for escaping nut-crunching short stops...</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Ceilidh Madigan</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 7, 2010 @ 07:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19474" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
i thought it was a... credit card on wheels...</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Chris144</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 8, 2010 @ 08:04 am PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19507" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Hello back pain! People who aren't riding competition speed bikes don't like leaning forward due to the strain it puts on their lower back.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
The handlebars should be made to raise up to a level that allows the rider to sit upright.</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Facebook User</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 8, 2010 @ 04:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-19933" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Yuji Fujimura has taken "art and beauty" manual and thrown it to the wind with his concept Electric Bike Version 2.</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
matthew.rings</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 13, 2010 @ 04:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-20659" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
I LIKE IT. Modern and reminds me of somthing ....lets call the thing an, ibike.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Put an apple sticker on it and...hello, it's cool dudes. Gotta have one, Steve baby does bikes, who cares about cross winds.</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Ronnie</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 22, 2010 @ 11:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-21028" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Yes, I agree that crosswinds will be an issue, particularly on bridges (where there is nowhere to fall except into the bus lane)! So the design will have to be more of a lattice work, still strong and very light weight but also able to let the wind pass through. Love the iBike moniker - every time you pedal, you charge your gizmos.</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Muraculous</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 29, 2010 @ 12:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-21034" style="background-image: url(http://www.gizmag.com/images/dot_h.gif); background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
he diamond frame in a box they forgot to unpack it from. Owch the sharp turn where hand meets box. Great crankset, bet that set you back big bucks and is unobtanium for repair parts in the open market.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
There are street people here who come up with better solutions to get stowage! I could get exhausted citing the commercial models that run circles around this one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Does the "designer" still dress like an extra for 2110 the movie? ibike indeed. sterile ugly, inhumane layout, uninspired....does that just about cover my thoughts? close to it!!</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
waltinseattle</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 29, 2010 @ 02:04 pm PDT</div>
<div class="clear_both" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="a_comment" id="comment-21154" style="background-image: none; background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">
<div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
this has to be the ugliest, least user friendly bicycle ever thought up, so for me it is a big thumbs down</div>
<img alt="comment" src="http://www.gizmag.com/images/comment.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; float: left; margin-right: 5px;" /><div class="name" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
robinyatesuk2003</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #333333; font-style: italic; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
- April 30, 2010 @ 07:04 pm PDT</div>
</div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Lubo Ebiker</div>Lubo Ebikerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00160370664283865645noreply@blogger.com