How far do you or would you commute to work by bike? Even in wet weather?

Posted by: kavurider

Trying to figure out the logistics for a 91km round trip commute.

I absolutely loathe sitting in traffic, the freeways here are logjam mess and gas is through the roof.

But still...thats a long way. I bike commuted for many years but I'm not sure it was that far before.

That sounds like a good scenario for an ebike. You can still get some exercise in, use more "boost" on days that you don't feel great, still get it done in a reasonable time and save money on gas. I wouldn't necessarily mind a longer distance ride, but the time becomes a factor like Vik said. A goal for me has been to keep my commutes to 30 minutes if I'm driving  and 45 if I'm pedaling.

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: kavurider

Trying to figure out the logistics for a 91km round trip commute.

I absolutely loathe sitting in traffic, the freeways here are logjam mess and gas is through the roof.

But still...thats a long way. I bike commuted for many years but I'm not sure it was that far before.

That sounds like a good scenario for an ebike. You can still get some exercise in, use more "boost" on days that you don't feel great, still get it done in a reasonable time and save money on gas. I wouldn't necessarily mind a longer distance ride, but the time becomes a factor like Vik said. A goal for me has been to keep my commutes to 30 minutes if I'm driving  and 45 if I'm pedaling.

Yes, I am leaning towards that solution.  Just because of the distance involved.

I have a Tazer eeb right now but it wouldn't be great for that kind of trip. Thinking of an urban type.

I used to use my Xtracycle for commuting and it worked pretty well. Thought about a cargo ebike but man, they are huge and so heavy.

Posted by: kavurider

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: kavurider

Trying to figure out the logistics for a 91km round trip commute.

I absolutely loathe sitting in traffic, the freeways here are logjam mess and gas is through the roof.

But still...thats a long way. I bike commuted for many years but I'm not sure it was that far before.

That sounds like a good scenario for an ebike. You can still get some exercise in, use more "boost" on days that you don't feel great, still get it done in a reasonable time and save money on gas. I wouldn't necessarily mind a longer distance ride, but the time becomes a factor like Vik said. A goal for me has been to keep my commutes to 30 minutes if I'm driving  and 45 if I'm pedaling.

Yes, I am leaning towards that solution.  Just because of the distance involved.

I have a Tazer eeb right now but it wouldn't be great for that kind of trip. Thinking of an urban type.

I used to use my Xtracycle for commuting and it worked pretty well. Thought about a cargo ebike but man, they are huge and so heavy.

I have a radwagon; best investment ever. Hardly drive except on weekends to get places, but otherwise I live on the bike. I have a giant box on the back for groceries/gear/dog, and just in the process of designing a bike mount for it so I can ride it to the trailhead. Do it, it’s cheap and cheerful for what it is: 7spd freewheel and chain means incidentals are dirt cheap. 

I’ve had zero problems with mine and I ride the shit out of it in all weather. Only cost are the amount of brake pads I go through, but that is the caveat of riding fast on a heavy bike. Seriously it’s a no brainer, especially in light of recent and ever increasing gas prices.

Posted by: Spandies

I have a radwagon; best investment ever. Hardly drive except on weekends to get places, but otherwise I live on the bike. I have a giant box on the back for groceries/gear/dog, and just in the process of designing a bike mount for it so I can ride it to the trailhead. Do it, it’s cheap and cheerful for what it is: 7spd freewheel and chain means incidentals are dirt cheap. 

I’ve had zero problems with mine and I ride the shit out of it in all weather. Only cost are the amount of brake pads I go through, but that is the caveat of riding fast on a heavy bike. Seriously it’s a no brainer, especially in light of recent and ever increasing gas prices.

Checked them out, good price. I do like my Xtracycle a lot, cargo bikes are like pickup trucks.  I used to use mine for everything. 

Is the radwagon class 1? I couldn't find the info on that.

Thank you for the suggestion!

Yes, it’s a class 1, so limited to 30kph. I ride mine like a giant road bike, get a good workout if I want to hustle to get somewhere. Depending on your commute distance and the gas you would otherwise use, this bike pays itself off in months. The e-assist is rudimentary, but for a commuter it’s good enough. I’ve had a lot of bikes in my life, this has been one of my favourites not only for its practicality, but because it’s good fun to ride. Happy shopping!

Theoretically RadPower bikes are limited to 32kph. Does this hack still work on them?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve6_pvAvuRg&t=4s

If so, id say there is an argument they aren't a class 1 bike anymore. That hack is/was built right into the software provided by the company.

Posted by: shoreboy

Theoretically RadPower bikes are limited to 32kph. Does this hack still work on them?

If so, id say there is an argument they aren't a class 1 bike anymore. That hack is/was built right into the software provided by the company.

Yes the hack works. No it doesn’t really go that much faster (500W in Canada, 750W motors in the US) unless you have some legs. Yes there is a throttle, and it’s soft as fuck. Given this, some of you guys are going to have a hard on about this so sharpen those pitchforks.

Understanding that experiencing outrage can be tiresome, I’ve included links below in the event you want to contact your political representative for a good old bitch. 

https://www.ourcommons.ca/en/contact-us

https://www.leg.bc.ca/content-committees/Pages/MLA-Contact-Information.aspx

https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-council.aspx

No outrage, just an observation.

What do you hate dealing with more on a commute, hills or head winds?

Head winds are unpredictable and varied. The hills I encounter, are the same ones everyday, so I know what to expect. Headwinds are definitely more evil.

Yeah, my thoughts too. Hills plus head winds are the ultimate evil. That was today's ride - still felt good after tho.

Posted by: shoreboy

Head winds are unpredictable and varied. The hills I encounter, are the same ones everyday, so I know what to expect. Headwinds are definitely more evil.

Yup. Hills always pay you back, but headwinds can't be trusted.

Posted by: syncro

What do you hate dealing with more on a commute, hills or head winds?

Shitty cycling infrastructure. I’m in Spain currently, and the pedestrian, cycling, and public transport infrastructure is incredible. It’s seriously a joke thinking about what we have at home, and we’re already considered “progressive” with respect to the North American model.