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What do you guys think about e-bikes? I feel like they are a good compromise between bikes and these escooters

mikestew 7y ago
I own two scooters (cheap Xiamoi, pricey Boosted Rev). Between the two of us, we have two mid-upper range e-bikes. I've ridden both extensively to work and elsewhere. My conclusion is that e-bikes are the future. Scooters are easy to ride, but hard to ride competently. If you know how to ride a bike, you're unlikely to fall off unless you hit something. Not so on a scooter. I hit a manhole cover on the way to work one morning, and ended up standing next to my scooter with a broken helmet in my hand, while not being 100% sure how to get to work (I'm fine now). I fall of bicycles only when I a patch of black ice, or something solid. I can load my bicycle up with front and rear panniers, a trunk, and carry enough to do some shopping. Scooter: whatever fits in the backpack. Scooter: hands on the handlebars at all times. If you get good, you can carefully choose the smooth spots in the road to take a quick second and scratch your nose. Bicycle: go ahead, take another sip of that coffee from your handlebar coffee cup holder while you cruise down the trail. Hell, take both hands off the bars to zip the jacket up. I love my Boosted Rev, it's well made and a hoot to ride. But it's a recreational vehicle. It's the impractical Lotus Elise that has room for two people and a messenger bag, but what fun to drive. For real transportation work, the bike comes out.
- dopeboy 7y ago
  I own an ebike (Ancheer) and a escooter (Xiaomi) as well; cool to see your analysis here. You're dead right about ability to handle bumps. With my scooter, I will watch the road in front of me very carefully to scan for rough areas; there's a fair bit more of cognitive load. And this is even with air tires. I might disagree with on what's the future; there's two things that make them so amazing: - Their ability to coexist with pedestrians. I'm very easily to weave in and out of traffic on sidewalks and maintain my safety and that of those around me. It's a lighter foot print with much lower clearance. - Portability. I can fold it up, take in an uber, take it in a train (without doing the excuse me dance in and out). Bikes, electronic ones especially, aren't there yet.
hannasanarion 7y ago
Better in every way, obviously, except for weight and stowability, which is what matters most for a last-mile vehicle. You can't really pick up a 50 lb ebike and carry it onto a train, or stash it under the desk at your office, or carry it up the stairs to your apartment. Ebikes are a car replacement for the suburbs, e-scooters are a walking replacement for the city. They go about the same speed and use the same right of way, but their utility is pretty different.

I own two scooters (cheap Xiamoi, pricey Boosted Rev). Between the two of us, we have two mid-upper range e-bikes. I've ridden both extensively to work and elsewhere. My conclusion is that e-bikes are the future. Scooters are easy to ride, but hard to ride competently. If you know how to ride a bike, you're unlikely to fall off unless you hit something. Not so on a scooter. I hit a manhole cover on the way to work one morning, and ended up standing next to my scooter with a broken helmet in my hand, while not being 100% sure how to get to work (I'm fine now). I fall of bicycles only when I a patch of black ice, or something solid. I can load my bicycle up with front and rear panniers, a trunk, and carry enough to do some shopping. Scooter: whatever fits in the backpack. Scooter: hands on the handlebars at all times. If you get good, you can carefully choose the smooth spots in the road to take a quick second and scratch your nose. Bicycle: go ahead, take another sip of that coffee from your handlebar coffee cup holder while you cruise down the trail. Hell, take both hands off the bars to zip the jacket up. I love my Boosted Rev, it's well made and a hoot to ride. But it's a recreational vehicle. It's the impractical Lotus Elise that has room for two people and a messenger bag, but what fun to drive. For real transportation work, the bike comes out.

dopeboy 7y ago
I own an ebike (Ancheer) and a escooter (Xiaomi) as well; cool to see your analysis here. You're dead right about ability to handle bumps. With my scooter, I will watch the road in front of me very carefully to scan for rough areas; there's a fair bit more of cognitive load. And this is even with air tires. I might disagree with on what's the future; there's two things that make them so amazing: - Their ability to coexist with pedestrians. I'm very easily to weave in and out of traffic on sidewalks and maintain my safety and that of those around me. It's a lighter foot print with much lower clearance. - Portability. I can fold it up, take in an uber, take it in a train (without doing the excuse me dance in and out). Bikes, electronic ones especially, aren't there yet.

hannasanarion 7y ago

Better in every way, obviously, except for weight and stowability, which is what matters most for a last-mile vehicle. You can't really pick up a 50 lb ebike and carry it onto a train, or stash it under the desk at your office, or carry it up the stairs to your apartment. Ebikes are a car replacement for the suburbs, e-scooters are a walking replacement for the city. They go about the same speed and use the same right of way, but their utility is pretty different.