The one thing I would advise with any type of bicycle - try before you buy. How comfortable it is for you depends on how well it interacts with your body. There is a guy around Olympia who is a retired electrical engineer. He has as solar powered electric bike. (He customized it, adding the the batteries and a roof to hold the solar cells.) He rides it constantly.I cost him a lot, but the point is that an electric bike can be great if it is the *right* electric bike for you. So like I say, try before you buy. And do research. For example, if something does wrong how do you get it maintained? What is the range of the battery, so you don't get stuck using pure pedal power when you are far from home and tired.
I want to torture you. I used to love it, and it's been a long time. I mean, the last time I tortured someone, they didn't even have chainsaws.
Angel ,'Chosen'
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Typo Boy - Oct 20, 2013 2:04:06 pm PDT #23151 of 25496
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.
Theodosia - Oct 20, 2013 2:19:44 pm PDT #23152 of 25496
'we all walk this earth feeling we are frauds. The trick is to be grateful and hope the caper doesn't end any time soon"
Looking closer at the specs for electric bikes, they seem to run 50lbs and up, which pretty much means you'd use the pedals not all that much.
At least the moped/scooter laws don't seem to apply, because MA law is specific that the vehicles have cylinders, ie are gas-powered.
Typo Boy - Oct 20, 2013 2:51:21 pm PDT #23153 of 25496
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.
There are electric mopeds out there. Maybe they don't count as mopeds under Mass law but are sold as such. Incidentally, 50 pounds on level ground is not necessarily that hard on a wheeled vehicle. Also with some electric bikes you have a choice between pure pedal power and pure electric - electric assisted. The way to think of it is the battery moves the bike at a certain speed, and then you pedal to make it go faster. (That is not exactly the way it works, but the effect is so close that that is the way to think of it.)
sj - Oct 20, 2013 6:15:40 pm PDT #23154 of 25496
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good GPS? Preferably one that allows you to pick alternate routes if traffic is bad. Our Garmin died this week.
Vortex - Oct 20, 2013 6:20:49 pm PDT #23155 of 25496
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman
sj, if you have a smartphone, I like the googlemaps app. It gives alternate routes and turn by turn directions.
sj - Oct 20, 2013 6:28:25 pm PDT #23156 of 25496
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
sj, if you have a smartphone, I like the googlemaps app. It gives alternate routes and turn by turn directions.
I tried to use that the other day, but I couldn't figure out how to get it to speak. And even if I could, I'd rather also have a separate GPS because if we're on a long drive and TCG is the one driving, I like to be able to use the internet. TCG's cellphone is not a smartphone.
§ ita § - Oct 20, 2013 6:53:29 pm PDT #23157 of 25496
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I have to say, people reminding me about Waze was brilliant--it's much more responsive to traffic conditions. It's too enamoured of stop signs, but otherwise great.
Pix - Oct 20, 2013 6:54:36 pm PDT #23158 of 25496
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie
Yep, I love Waze, even when it gets a little confused by LA traffic.
omnis_audis - Oct 20, 2013 8:22:27 pm PDT #23159 of 25496
omnis, pursue. That's an order from a shy woman who can use M-16. - Shir
I'll third Waze. Although, it's not a standalone GPS, as you requested. Haven't used one of those in a long time, with the iPhone.
le nubian - Oct 20, 2013 8:36:25 pm PDT #23160 of 25496
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."
sj,
there are Garmin (I think) units that you can use with a smartphone. They are a lot cheaper than standalone units. In case this is an option for you.