Living on the Hook: Alternative Transportation
Now Playing: Electric Bikes: Leaving Your Car at Home?
Most of the world uses vehicles like these for getting around. I had begun to my cruise to live on the boat along the Southern Californian coast. I had yet not decided what to do with my car, a '96 Ford Aerostar minivan ("Soccer Mom"), a nice vehicle. I'd had a number of financial hits, a $360.00 photo red light ticket, another $300.00 for trying to smog the vehicle and I had no place to park the car some where in LA. I had reduced my income by half by the boat payments and boat slip which was now leaving my ex. By not having a car, insurance and gas, I saved myself by about $500.00 a month. I repossessed the vehicle and handed them over the keys. I had begun to riding on an e-bike, an electric bicycle, a Merida Power Cycle. This 400 watt/24 volt electric motorized bike called a Power Assist Vehicle (PAV) was able to give me about 15 mph and with a range of about 18 miles. They are OK. I had bought a few of these new bikes for about $200.00 on Ebay. Usually these quality Taiwanese bikes are about $799.00. The Merida ebike is also the "Step-Thru" version sold to Lee Iaccoca's's very well-know GlobalEV Ebike, EV Global the 24 volt and 36 volt, which has all the bells and whistles such as cruise-control, lights, signal lights and mirrors. Usually these cost about over $2,000. The Merida Power Cycle has sensors on the pedals that activates the motor. But, you must pedal them to get the "assistance". You can't just cruise directly by turning on a switch, like many scooters. Instead you get a lot of exercise. The benefits beside of getting healthy (I lost 25 lbs since), you get the assistance for going up hills. Usually, I can pedal up hills while sitting on the seat. On very steep hills on first gear I have to stand up on the pedals. The little Heinzman (German) motor is also integrated with a four-speed (Nexus) transmission rather than a big gear sprocket. The "tranny" is also shifted electronically by using a twist-grip on the handle bar. The 20 lb. battery pack (lead sealed acid) is removable. I'm able to run almost from (20 miles) the beach bike path and up to Beverly Hills. There, I remove the battery pack and bring a 4 lb. charger upstairs on the 12th floor of The Four Seasons Hotel, where I charge battery in about 4 hours. Costs them for about a nickle of electricity. I did fabricate another 24 volt (18 lbs more) pack. I made a harness to tap into the contacts underneath the original battery pack. Yes, this gives me 36 miles for distance. But, this gets a bit heavy, about 40 lbs. If I wanted to purchase for a (Nickle Metal Hydride) lighter battery by 40% less and for about $400.00 or more and get a different charger. The 36 mile ride does hurt after a day of working and riding. A long ride against 15+ mph winds can be tiring (including the bum). Usually, I throw on the bike rack on the bus or on the train for half of the trip. I haven't really had any problems for rain although I will ride if it's seriously raining. The Ebikes are heavier. Most of the regular racing bikes will be faster and are lighter. The Merida is great for about 10 mile trips for the bank or the grocery store. I shop regularly (remember, I don't have a car) on the bike. I have two folding canvas panniers on the rack and have a rack pack bag. I usually can fill up quite a few bags of groceries for a week ($60.-70). I also usually carry my propane bottle for the boat stove and two gallon bottles and also stuff in other groceries in the pack bags. I carry tools on the bike doing carpentry work around the marina. I can at least roll along the long docks rather than leaving a car and instead of lugging stuff by hand. Luckily, my ride home is all downhill. In fact, I found this other Chinese bike, the ELITE. I found for about $30.00 and fixed it up and sold it. It had a generative hub motor that charged up the battery by running downhill. I could actually pedal very fast to top off the battery. I've played with a lot of these 200-500 watt bikes. Next I will be looking to some of the next generation of electric bikes that have 1,000+ watt bikes that can drive around at about 25 mph and have a range for 30 miles before after charging. To be Legally for under 1,000 watts (Federal and most States) means you you can drive without a license and use most bike paths. At that point they will be considered legal at Motor Driven Cycles at that point. There are a few new bikes that can ride about 50 mph. I'm very excited about a new electric motorcycle VectrixUSA Vectrix a scooter that speeds up to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds and ranges up to 70 miles on a charge ...and has no emissions! They are looking for a hydrogen/electric & diesel/electric hybrid scooters as well. Has been testing in Europe and should be expected in 2006.....I've never been a rabid environmentalist. But, If you really believe there might be a better way to make the world better...rather than continuing to pollute, being hostage to fuel costs $3.00 gallon), gridlock, waging war for oil, etc....Now people shoot regularly at the freeways in LA. At least, I don't miss not having a car there. This is insanity, if you think about it! You might find each of you to find a new way to get from here to there.+++++++ Noel Diotte