Today I saw a really cool retro looking bike parked in front of a local restaurant. It caught my eye, but it grabbed my attention when I learned it was gorgeously green … yes Ms.CoCoVanDerChic hit a g-spot for the day (green spotting). With a little research I learned the bike is a Stromer Electric Bike … an e-bike. (there are other brands and bike kits). The Stromer has a detachable chargeable Sanyo lithium ion battery (charges in approximately 3.5 hours with a 115V power outlet)
45 + miles per hour power assist mode … requires pedaling
20 miles per hour pump free in power on demand mode
Stromers are a little pricey … in the $3,000 range. But, don’t let the Stromer’s price tag scare you away. There are plenty of other options. Here is a great website http://www.electric-bikes.com/bikes/index.html. If you are using an e-bike as a commuting vehicle, it is really affordable. Think about it … an e-bike is far less expensive than a car, saves the cost of fossil fuels, subway/ train fees and potentially the cost of a gym membership.
Already have a bike you love? … convert it into a commuting fossil-fuel free vehicle. Conversion kits start at $400. The BIONx kit is highly recommended but more expensive. http://www.electric-bikes.com/bikes/kits.html
E-bikes sound great, but with any new gadget, comes change and with change adaptation. So I recommend assessing your lifestyle first. Do you like being outside?…. Can you deal with the elements (heat, rain, cold)? Are you willing to take a few extra minutes to get to your destination? Are you an active person? And well let’s face it, in this world of crazy traffic, are you a risk taker? If any of the above will put a major cramp in your lifestyle, maybe an e-bike is not for you. It is gorgeously green to buy an energy efficient gadget but a huge waste when it is not used.
If an e-bike suits your style … and your only question is where to park it… don’t worry you can get a foldable e-bike and carry in with you. Good bye parking tickets.
http://www.nycewheels.com/stromer-electric-bike.html
http://www.nycewheels.com/conversionkits.html
http://www.stromer.ch/stromer-tutorial
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