Gas or Electric Bicycle/Which one for me

**fairracing31** · #1 (**permalink**) 06-20-2008, 12:55 AM

We get alot of new members asking which is better, gas or electric.
So I started this thread so members may add thier two cent's on the matter.

Electric Bicycle

Pos: Less maintanece... Some states don't require license,registration,insurance... Cheaper to operate... The environmentlist will love you...

Neg: Limited range...havier then gas...Some have lower speed's then gas... Cost more...Battery's are expensive

That's about all I know, never even riden a E-bike so please E-bike rider's give your two cent's

Gas

Pro: Fun,fun,fun... Unlimted range as long as you have fuel... Look's cool... Fun to work on (sometimes)... Cheap...lighter then E-bike

Neg: Lot's of maintanece...Some states require license,registration, insurance... Some engine kit's are junk...

I think alot of it is a personal decision, How far do you need to ride? What speed's are you looking for? Do you mind getting your hand's dirty? How much are looking to spend?

What else guy's

**Bikeguy Joe** · #2 (**permalink**) 06-20-2008, 07:53 AM

A GOOD gas kit isn't always cheaper than electric.
I wonder what the difference in price is between a good reliable gas kit and an electric?

If I was doing a short city commute, I'd go with electric.
For long distance and just puttering around you area, gas can't be beat.

deacon · #3 (**permalink**) 06-20-2008, 01:17 PM

Let me give you my diy opinion on them both. You can build an electric bike reasonably enough. If you build a friction drive with enough power to get you around it can be done for about half the price of a china 2 stroke kit. Then of course you have to add the battery cost.

Less power though for sure. Enough for small hills and a good cruising speed but if you go for hill climbing you probably need 500 watt or more. That is not as cheap as 350 which will do pretty good for most things.

Power sources can be anything from sla or even flooded batteries to the new exotic ones. The better the battery the high the price and I mean HIGHER. I did not gauge it exactly but I think I get about the same performance from a 25cc weed whacker engine as I do from a 350 electric drive. A tank of gas (probably a pint) will take me many times farther a single charge on the batteries I use.

When I say DIY, I mean bike for under a hundred bucks plus batteries. I understand the new hub motors are much much more efficient. I would still go 500 watts or more I think. In my opinion they are pretty expensive.

**fairracing31** · #4 (**permalink**) 06-20-2008, 01:39 PM

From what I have seen, to build a E-bike price is not that bad, as is building a gas bike.

But if you were to buy a complete bike ready to go, gas would cost much less then electric. Of course it all depend's on the amount of watt's. Some E-bike's are the same price or even cheaper then a ready to go gas bike. But not knowing much about E-bike's, don't know how good they are.

I've seen ready to go E-bikes that go from a $300- $5,000

A ready to go gas bike $600-$1200

**fairracing31** · #5 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 06:43 PM

Any body else with pros and cons

ebikehub · #6 (**permalink**) 07-04-2008, 11:28 PM

I agree w/bikeguy Joe. Like my ebike, but long range is tough. Batteries are expensive or heavy. Ebikes are great for short trips though. Superquiet too. Nobody even knows what I'm riding. Love blasting past a high end road bicycle on a mountain bike and making someone feel out of shape.