Hacker News Reader

Comment by totally | Hacker News Reader

Daily (manual) biker here (~70 miles per week).

These ebikes are a clever hack. In China they skirt motorcycle laws. In the US they can make use of bike paths. You can make good time and your commute is generally the same duration regardless of traffic. At least, that's true in Silicon Valley.

Last I checked (a few years ago) pedaling the ebikes is like pedaling a tank. Batteries and motors a heavy bike make. So you're using the motor and there's not a lot of cardio happening.

I ride my bike because I want to live longer/better. I don't think you get that with these, but there's definitely a niche for them.

View on HN

It all depends on how you build the bike. I just converted a nice road bike by adding a geared rear hub motor. The geared motors (vs. direct drive) have a freewheel built in so they don't slow you down when pedaling (direct drive hub motors have a cogging effect when there is not electricity). And a geared motor is smaller, therefore less weight. In fact, I still road the bike normally after putting the hub motor on, since I had to wait another couple weeks for the battery to ship.

And, you can get the same cardio per unit of time (if you want) on an ebike as a regular bike. You just go faster, therefore further. And since you have a bit more speed, and you aren't required to do a major workout on every trip (so you don't have to change into cycling clothes), you end up using the ebike for a lot more trips -- therefore getting more exercise overall.

In my case, I have a 25 mile commute -- no way to make it in time on a regular bike. But an ebike makes it no problem. And I still get a decent amount of exercise (basically the difference between going for a very long walk vs running a sprint, so a different type of exercise), and on the weekends I give it my all (and just rack up more miles).

I see a ton of these every time I'm out on my bike commuting here in the valley. My first reaction is "how the eff is that guy riding so fast" then I realize he MUST have an assist because it's a more casual looking rider on a more upright style bike, he's still pedaling but just FLYING.

Ehhh, unless you see the motor, he might just be pounding along with his own two legs. I ride year round so I'm in pretty good shape for biking but I still occasionally get smoked (uphill) by some guy on a MTB with a seat that's too low and sporting a rusty orange chain.

I commute via ebike 6 miles round trip. I still sweat. The main advantage for me is that I have much better acceleration, can cruise at 20mph without a ton of effort, and can climb the steep hill I live on at 10-15mph instead of 5mph.

I like that I can use leg power and get some exercise on the way to work in the morning, then in the evening I can just cruise home on battery power and not get sweaty.

If you're male, consider that long-term bike riding can cause infertility, erectile dysfunction, and prostate problems esp. depending on the saddle you use.

That's if he uses a saddle.

What's the alternative? Standing on the pedals? Or are there other styles of seat, not covered by the word "saddle"?

There are "noseless" saddles and saddles with a channel down the middle that may help protect the sensitive bits. http://www.thebirdwheel.com/noseless-saddles-tested-updated

But my biased opinion is buy a recumbent! Fewer back, neck, and nether region issues, plus, they have comfy seats! http://www.bacchettabikes.com/recumbent-bikes/

VERY comfy seats! http://www.hpvelotechnik.com/produkte/scorpion_plus20/index_...

A long wheelbase (crank behind the front wheel) and a more upright riding position is perfect in city traffic. On my commuter, my eye level is about even with drivers in crossover vehicles.

OK, that's closer to what I thought. I was kind of thrown off by the previous comment, which I read as implying "there are things besides 'saddles' that you can use".

The science still doesn't seem clear - for example, a recent study in the UK (presumably the largest ever) showed no evidence of increased infertility: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/jomh.2014.0012

Reply on news.ycombinator.com