Racing fan,
E-bikes are quieter, don't even think of riding a gas bike around my camp in Alabama. The country dogs lay in their front yards just waiting for a break in the monotany, as I pass by, the chase is on, but few are willing to catch up and earnestly attack. If they heard me a hundred feet earlier, it'd be either me or them!
Nice little Cute or Baby BaFang motor $110 w/ shipping, $60 controller, $350 Ping good for 1000 2-5cent charges, $20 throttle. 'Bout $550 for an efficient quiet, 16-18lb power assist good for years. Perfect to commute, ride the bike paths legally, lite and stealthy enough to fit on the Public transit bus bike racks.
The challenge. Some e-motors develope huge amounts of power, just not standard e-motors designed to power bikes. RC runs crazy but reliable controllers only handle 50volts. Great if you have a motor that turns 7500rpm and you can gear down, which isn't simple. Some controllers will push 100volts but only for sensored motors, not RC sensorless. Sensored motors worthy of racing weigh HEAVY. Some motors can provide the power, but bearings can't withstand side forces from driving a chain. Chinese Turnigys are inexpensive, but can't handle alot of heat and quality control is iffy. Astros are pricey, can run hotter, but limiting current is problematic. Any racer, worth his salt, will screw the throttle over, overamp, and burn out the motor or controller. No company will take on the liability of a fast motor or hefty controller to power a human being.
I love my simple hub motor commuter e-bikes. Ride pretty consistently 75 miles a week, 3500 miles a year (sunny southern California). My goal is to build a $2000 e-bike racer that's fast and reliable. Hope to realize such a bike build before end of 2012.
The future, folks will get so petty and politically correct that any motor noise above a hum will be banned, though bumper music will blare out just as a hockey game! Electric will get sorted out, yet it will take a decade for systems to evolve to realize most of its' potential. By that time, electric will be very different or another energy source will come about.
Lots of reason here! I am a female senior citizen, 62 and have always loved to ride my bike. I promised myself, when i did get older, i would go green. I lived in the center of Santa Cruz where it is easy to get to just about anything i may need. Well... we all know, sh=== happens and things change. I have always been healthy, independant, smart and capable. Now several factors add into my life. I have rhumatoid arthritis and my right knee is deteriating and I fell last year and broke it. So i find it hard to walk very far and many times need a walker or cane. I have moved away from my easy access house to San Diego, where i live up a few big hills. I have not renewed my drivers license and have no car, and continued riding my bike. It was hard, but I have never given up. I started researching gas and electric bikes and this is what i find. I could only find one gas bike that was a step thru or womans bike, and the step-thru was not as low as I required. I can loose my balance sometimes fall when getting on a bike if the step is too high. I also, can loose my balance due to several unforseen factors and when i do, I would not like to have a gas tank that could leak, causeing a fire hazard or having the gas chemical "burn me". Since i still have one good knee, i can use it more than the other to peddal, but as i get older, get very tired. So the electric assist is perfect. If the hill is too big, or i go thru a section of town where i cant ride, I have my bike to hold on to, to keep my balance. I can ride a long way now, but I can't walk very far. So you see, the electric bike keeps me independant. I haul my groceries and other supplies I need and I stay independant. Some days, I use the electricity more than others. I keep well exercised and still take care of my knee. Not bad.
