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E-bikes are flattening terrain. Source: I live in Seattle, am an avid biker, and those Lime e-bikes are everywhere. People who wouldn't dream of biking because
by Afton 8y ago
E-bikes are flattening terrain. Source: I live in Seattle, am an avid biker, and those Lime e-bikes are everywhere. People who wouldn't dream of biking because of the hills are now out on casual errands with those things.
- tjr225 8y agoI find the lime e-bikes to be an AMAZING service and I really hope it takes off. It's my wife and I's preferred way of getting around for date night.
- antisthenes 8y agoUnfortunately I don't get the economics of lime ebikes. You pay $6/hr to ride one, which, assuming a very generous average speed of 14.5mph (the maximum of the bike), is an end user cost of $0.41 per mile minimum. It costs me ~$0.35 per mile to drive a car. I also don't have to bother with any apps or worry about the battery being charged, both of which are inconveniences. Also, just to set the record straight, I own an e-bike as well, and my cost to ride (assuming a 500*30 mile battery endurance) is 4 cents per mile, about 1/10x of what I'd pay for a limebike. There is an upfront cost, yes, but you're also getting a much better quality bike than what you would get with a lime bike (which seems to be an almost-bottom-of-the-barrell chinese made ebike)
- neivin 8y agoYou completely ignored all the other costs of owning a car: insurance, parking, maintenance. You're paying much, much more than $0.35/mile my friend.
- interdocken 8y agoin fact the IRS says it costs about 20 cents/mile more
- ams6110 8y agoHow do you know? Perhaps he has an old car that he maintains himself, parks in free lots, and only carries liability coverage so insurance is cheaper.
- antisthenes 8y agoNo, I didn't. That's an all-in cost of ownership (it's a cheap Kia, so the costs are obviously going to vary)
- rorykoehler 8y agoAll things considered I'd much prefer to be riding a bike than sitting in a car.