PAss Bikes

With the price of gas headed for $5.00/gal I am suddenly very interested in ebikes to get back and forth to work. I have been mountain biking for several years now and have a full suspension all mountain bike and a full on downhill bike. Neither is adequate to get me the 20 miles to work without arriving smelly and sweaty. As I am looking for solutions I am researching ebikes and power assisted bikes (hence Pass Bikes). I have come across many varieties including folding electric bikes, urban commute bikes and even some full on electric mountain bikes. This hub page will describe what I am finding and may be able to help you decide which ebike is a good choice for you.

Enjoy

I just test drove the 2008 Schwinn World GSE. The World is powered by a 180 Watt continuous: 250 watts max front hub rotor motor. The battery was a Schwinn Protanium Lithium Polymer 10AH. The bike handled well and helped me up some minor hills quite well but for a larger rider (6'1", 240lbs) it didn't seem to have quite enough umph. According to the Schwinn website the charge time of 4 hours is supposed to take you up to 60 miles depending on conditions and rider size.

I did find the bike very light even with the battery. If you did run out of battery it would probably be pretty easy to pedal.

The controls are very simple (on or off) and the display shows how much juice you have left. It does not have regenerative breaking and is purely power assist. You must pedal.

With a price tag of around $1600 US (MSRP 1799.99US) I think it is a good commute bike.

As I love mountain biking my dream ebike is the 2008 Optibike OB1. The only reason it is my dream bike and not my actual bike is the $13,000 price tag. At 850 watts of continuous power you have the power to climb any hill and with the light weight precision components you can easily negotiate the down hill. A built in computer gives you info like expected range, battery charge and even GPS navigation.

When I can afford it I WILL HAVE ONE.

When choosing an electric bike there are actually several factors to consider.

1. What will I use the bike for?

• Commuting
• Running errands
• Plain recreation (street or bike trail riding for fun)
• Off road recreation
• A combination of any of the above

2. Do I want an e-bike (no need to pedal ) or a power assisted bike (just adds power as you pedal)?

3. How far do I want to go on one charge?

4. What kind of terrain will I be riding hilly or flat, smooth or rough?

In the following posts we will cover each answer and pose suggestions to help you decide on which electric bike to get.

In this post we will cover some factors to consider when choosing an electric bike to commute back and forth to work.

Comfort

• If you have a long commute (10 miles or more each way) you might want a more up-rite bike with a comfortable seat.
• Shock absorption is another big factor you want something that will take the bumps for you so you are more refreshed when you arrive at your destination.

Cargo capability

• A rack or saddle bags (other than the battery holder) are also a good option to consider then choosing the bike
• Baskets can be mounted on the handle bars or on a rear rack
• Bike trailers can be very useful for carrying larger or many item back and forth

Distance

• How far will a charge get me?
• Will I be able to charge up at my destination for the ride back?

All of the bikes recommended below are priced over $2000 US, but, you might want a certain level of quality to reduce breakdowns.