Comments on: Does This Electric Bicycle Make Sense? http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/ Motorcycle News for Positive People Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:34:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Hangdog98 http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-129432 Hangdog98 Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:37:39 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/#comment-129432 Maybe it's not about the money. Maybe he just wanted to stop pumping pollutants into our air and does that by riding an electric bike recharged with green electricity. Maybe he wanted to contribute to the development of this technology and paid a little extra. The real cost of foreign oil dependance is way higher than the price of gas at the pump. Make sure you factor in your high taxes and the cost of the war in Iraq when you're doing your $ per mile calculations. Maybe it’s not about the money. Maybe he just wanted to stop pumping pollutants into our air and does that by riding an electric bike recharged with green electricity. Maybe he wanted to contribute to the development of this technology and paid a little extra. The real cost of foreign oil dependance is way higher than the price of gas at the pump. Make sure you factor in your high taxes and the cost of the war in Iraq when you’re doing your $ per mile calculations.

]]> By: John http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-128682 John Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:26:50 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/#comment-128682 Good article. The initial cost of buying an electric bike makes it totally unappealing. Once they begin to sell at a fair price I’ll get one for sure. Look at the price of the Optibike motor upgrade. You can buy a dinosaur motor for that price! What sense does that make? A simple single moving part assembly costing more than a complicated internal combustion one! Good article. The initial cost of buying an electric bike makes it totally unappealing. Once they begin to sell at a fair price I’ll get one for sure. Look at the price of the Optibike motor upgrade. You can buy a dinosaur motor for that price! What sense does that make? A simple single moving part assembly costing more than a complicated internal combustion one!

]]> By: Dan http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-98654 Dan Mon, 12 Nov 2007 21:01:53 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/#comment-98654 PS. Once you add in costs for insurance and maintanence for the auto, the costs to up, up, up. PS. Once you add in costs for insurance and maintanence for the auto, the costs to up, up, up.

]]> By: Dan http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-98653 Dan Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:58:43 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/#comment-98653 Frank, Opti sells a NiMH replacement for $299. The advertised range is 25mi per charge. For 500 complete cycles, the range is 25x500= 12500mi. The cost is then $299/12500= about 2.4cents/mi. To go 40miles : $0.96 of battery life, and very minimal energy costs : approx $0.12 @ 0.15/kwh. total cost for 40 mi: $1.08 Econo car: 1 gallon ~ $3.00 SUV @ 15mpg ~ $8.00 Health benefit ++ Caveat: After peddling, you are more hungry and eat bio fuel at what cost per ride? Overwise, you drive the car and still snack and add pounds. Call it equal? Frank,

Opti sells a NiMH replacement for $299. The advertised range is 25mi per charge. For 500 complete cycles, the range is 25×500= 12500mi.

The cost is then $299/12500= about 2.4cents/mi.

To go 40miles : $0.96 of battery life, and very minimal energy costs : approx $0.12 @ 0.15/kwh.

total cost for 40 mi: $1.08
Econo car: 1 gallon ~ $3.00
SUV @ 15mpg ~ $8.00
Health benefit ++

Caveat: After peddling, you are more hungry and eat bio fuel at what cost per ride? Overwise, you drive the car and still snack and add pounds. Call it equal?

]]> By: Frank http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/comment-page-1/#comment-97858 Frank Sat, 10 Nov 2007 04:06:38 +0000 http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/05/07/does-this-electric-bicycle-make-sense/#comment-97858 The optibike is interesting. But, the company site does not include the cost of replacing batteries. So, let me calculate it: The batteries used are AA NiMH, according to optibike-battery.com. Total of batteries 9Ah, 36V. Thus, I guess the bike uses 36/1.2*9=270 AA batteries. I may be wrong here since I have not seen an optibike. So correct me if you know it. NiMH batteries can be charged 500 cycles or 2.5 years. Each cycle gives you 20 miles. So, these batteries give you 20*500=10,000 miles. Current price for 270 AA NiMH is $330-675, depends on the brand. So, the battery fee is $0.033 - $0.068 per mile. In contrast, if a car can go 40mpg, then gas cost is $3.40=$0.075 per mile. The optibike is interesting.
But, the company site does not include the cost of replacing batteries.
So, let me calculate it:
The batteries used are AA NiMH, according to optibike-battery.com. Total of batteries 9Ah, 36V.
Thus, I guess the bike uses 36/1.2*9=270 AA batteries. I may be wrong here since I have not seen an optibike. So correct me if you know it.
NiMH batteries can be charged 500 cycles or 2.5 years.
Each cycle gives you 20 miles.
So, these batteries give you 20*500=10,000 miles.
Current price for 270 AA NiMH is $330-675, depends on the brand. So, the battery fee is
$0.033 – $0.068 per mile.
In contrast, if a car can go 40mpg, then gas cost is $3.40=$0.075 per mile.

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