Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

driver100

fintail said:

I'm almost to the point where I think a helmet might be a good idea in a car, and I pretty much don't want to ride a motorcycle on the street at all anymore. It's unbelievably idiotic out there. I saw a close call with a blindly U-turning X3 in Daytona Beach just yesterday, luckily the biker was alert.

jmonroe said:

That 4th one is close to what a young guy that started to work for my company back in the early 80's said when the subject of seat belts came up. He said, "I'll never wear a seat belt, they are dangerous". When I asked him why they were dangerous he said, "my brother has a friend who knows someone who would have been killed if he wasn't thrown out of the car when it hit a pole, because it caught fire and if he wasn't thrown out he would have burned to death". When I said, "isn't that an exception? You've gone to school and took a statistics/probability course so were you out sick that day or what"? He refused to listen to anyone that tried to explain it to him. He should have failed that course.

jmonroe

When i see motorcyclists I think every day must be like Russian roulette. When will your luck run out. It is bad enough trying to be seen in a car, let alone a motorcycle....especially when left turns are concerned. I see so many bad things when drive every day....even at 50 mph I don't think a lot of people have a clue how dangerous they drive.

On a short 15 minute trip to get to tennis yesterday, I saw one car zig zagging through traffic just to get 3 or 4 cars ahead, just fitting in small spaces with each change. Lots of impatient drivers, with a few right on the tail of the car in front....trying to push them to go faster. The worst one I saw had dropped his kids off at a public school, then he drove along the school road exit, saw I was coming along on the street, he didn't stop, he peeded up so he could cut across in front of me and then he just squeezed into traffic going in the opposite direction to me.

Another really stupid thing I saw was the first and second car ahead of me waiting for an advanced green. Light goes green and both these guys are half asleep or texting, when they finally start moving about 10 seconds after the green arrow comes on, they move really slow. Only 4 cars get through when 8 could have made it!

I have thought of a wearing a helmet too while driving. It won't help neck pain though. I was thinking of always wearing a neck brace.....look like a mummy when driving.

driver100

ab348 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Been an interesting week around here for automotive news. First , some 18 year old kid crashed his car into a tavern, blew it up and burned his passenger over 95% of his body. Then last night a 62 yo woman was speeding in her Grand Marquis and took out two cars and a house. Took off and the cops had to chase her down.

Finally, today an old woman hit the gas and drove through a store. Honda Civic I think. She should move to Florida.

It's a problem everywhere. I just saw this:

https://www.localxpress.ca/local-news/parking-job-worthy-of-a-circus-act-467250

Quite the feat.

Hardly a scratch!

I'd like to read the Carfax report about that one!

driver100

Not funny, this happned just north of Tampa. That was a Maserati, guy was drunk and drove over a bridge and landed on the road below. He died along with his two kids in the back, his wife was badly injured.

I am thinking - and I share the road with people like this:

stever

That's why I want the safety nannies (maybe even the helmet). I know my limitations (mostly) - it's the other idiots I need help with.

stickguy

I feel bad for the wife, kids and the Maserati. And not the wife that much, if she knew and let him drive anyway.

fintail

I'm in Atlanta right now. It's just as bad as Florida. The shoulder driving really irritates me for some reason - I bet that creates a nice smash up now and then. No wonder insurance rates are so high here. Between here and FL is like living in a Russian dashcam video, so many confounding decisions by local "drivers". When I am here I think how the flat landscape and lower population density would be awesome for a bike, then I remember the other issues.

driver100 said:

I have thought of a wearing a helmet too while driving. It won't help neck pain though. I was thinking of always wearing a neck brace.....look like a mummy when driving.

ab348

^^^ That is just tragically sad.

I fear it is only going to get worse with legalization of marijuana becoming rampant.

jmonroe

qbrozen said:

Had my own water incident this past weekend. My 6-year-old turned on the sink upstairs and walked away. We were having a party that evening when the ceiling in the family room opened up and water dumped out. He ran upstairs and turned off the water before we could get up there and figure out what was going on. The vanity was filled with water. I moved as quick as I could to get the water out of there (drawers were all filled as well) to keep more water from getting in the walls. Came back down and punched a couple of holes in the ceiling, placed buckets, and let it drain. Took a couple of hours for the dripping to stop. There are water stains as far as 4 feet out in all directions from where the dripping was most prevalent. It was quite the mess. I'm leaving the holes for a good couple of weeks so it dries out as much as possible. Repainting the whole ceiling is going to be a miserable job.

You are right about waiting for several weeks to let it dry out.

Just a suggestion, but regardless of how dry the ceiling gets, I would use a stain blocking primer like Zinzer or equivalent before putting on the top coat. I'm sure you don't want the stain to pop out in a few weeks after your new paint job.

jmonroe

jmonroe

ab348 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Been an interesting week around here for automotive news. First , some 18 year old kid crashed his car into a tavern, blew it up and burned his passenger over 95% of his body. Then last night a 62 yo woman was speeding in her Grand Marquis and took out two cars and a house. Took off and the cops had to chase her down.

Finally, today an old woman hit the gas and drove through a store. Honda Civic I think. She should move to Florida.

It's a problem everywhere. I just saw this:

https://www.localxpress.ca/local-news/parking-job-worthy-of-a-circus-act-467250

Quite the feat.

I'm jealous. Never in my best driving days could I keep the left rear tire on that wire for that distance going up hill to boot.

jmonroe

ab348

Renovation update: the guy who dropped off the face of the earth popped up again after 2 months of no communication with an estimate for part of the job. I noticed it called for a 40% deposit up front before any work began. Dunno how standard that is but seemed high. Regardless, not going with him anyway after the radio silence so told him no thanks.

Still searching out fixtures. Found a store with some Gerber Viper toilets being cleared out for $99, less than half what they usually go for here. Unfortunately they only have the round bowl and not extended. I sat on it in the store and it was not a good fit so I have to pass on that. But looks like a good deal at the same place on vanities so I might pull the trigger on one tomorrow.

driver100

Ab, we have had some great reno guys, and they all seem to get 5 or 6 jobs to work on at one time. I guess it is the nature of their work...so when waiting for supplies or for something to dry they go to another place. They don't tell you they will be doing that, but they do it......pretty normal for the industry, and if they don't do it they probably don't have enough business.

But, 40% is steep, and if they are that trustworthy they should only need 10% or so. All those consumer shows and articles say that 10% should be a good enough deposit. And, if he is this hard to get now, wait until he has 40% in his hand.

Gerber Vipers get good reviews. I see some models selling for $49 or $69, that is pretty incredible. I never heard of GV before....I still like our Pfister!

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

fintail said:

Toothless laws and even worse enforcement do a lot. Of course, I am now in a state where wearing a motorcycle helmet is seen as some kind of anti-freedom statement, so I guess it makes sense.

I laid on my horn today at a woman dinking around with her phone at a green light. Should be a steep fine.

driver100 said:

And, one in seven drivers admitted to Virginia tech researchers to texting while driving. 46 percent of the 16 and 17-year old’s say they text behind the wheel. Nearly half, 48 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds admit to violating anti-texting laws

I see guys riding motorcycles in Florida without a helmet. I see it....and I just don't get it..

Reasons:

1. I can see and hear better without one, so I don't wear one for safety reasons
2. It's my right not to wear one under the U.S. Constitution (article and paragraph become vague at this point)
3. I have a fairing and I wear sunglasses, I don't need a helmet.
4. I know this guy who had a friend who wore one and he had an accident and the helmet broke his neck.

At first I thought you were serious, but, you were giving the reasons some bikers would give.....right?
I think #5 is:
I like to feel the wind whistle through my hair.

And the bugs in my teeth.

snakeweasel

nyccarguy said:

We don't have a helmet law in Connecticut either.

We don't have one here in Illinois. Strange if you are driving down the road surrounded by steel and air bags and all the safety equipment that modern cars have and you are legally required to wear a seat belt, but ride a bike with no protection other than your riding ability and you don't have to wear any safety equipment.

ab348

Well, to your point, I forgot the comedian who had a bit about motorcycles but it rang true: imagine if they had never been invented and someone came up with the idea today and presented it to safety officials. They would run him out of the room.

qbrozen

jmonroe said:

Had my own water incident this past weekend. My 6-year-old turned on the sink upstairs and walked away. We were having a party that evening when the ceiling in the family room opened up and water dumped out. He ran upstairs and turned off the water before we could get up there and figure out what was going on. The vanity was filled with water. I moved as quick as I could to get the water out of there (drawers were all filled as well) to keep more water from getting in the walls. Came back down and punched a couple of holes in the ceiling, placed buckets, and let it drain. Took a couple of hours for the dripping to stop. There are water stains as far as 4 feet out in all directions from where the dripping was most prevalent. It was quite the mess. I'm leaving the holes for a good couple of weeks so it dries out as much as possible. Repainting the whole ceiling is going to be a miserable job.

You are right about waiting for several weeks to let it dry out. Just a suggestion, but regardless of how dry the ceiling gets, I would use a stain blocking primer like Zinzer or equivalent before putting on the top coat. I'm sure you don't want the stain to pop out in a few weeks after your new paint job. jmonroe

Absolutely

qbrozen

ab348 said:

^^^ That is just tragically sad. I fear it is only going to get worse with legalization of marijuana becoming rampant.

Eh, stoned people mostly drive real slow. I think it will be quite a different story. 

graphicguy

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

verdugo

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?

https://flic.kr/p/P84sS5

Nice. How long/far does the battery last?

jmonroe

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

Yeah, that'll get you a punch alright, like getting your lights punched out.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

Had my own water incident this past weekend. My 6-year-old turned on the sink upstairs and walked away. We were having a party that evening when the ceiling in the family room opened up and water dumped out. He ran upstairs and turned off the water before we could get up there and figure out what was going on. The vanity was filled with water. I moved as quick as I could to get the water out of there (drawers were all filled as well) to keep more water from getting in the walls. Came back down and punched a couple of holes in the ceiling, placed buckets, and let it drain. Took a couple of hours for the dripping to stop. There are water stains as far as 4 feet out in all directions from where the dripping was most prevalent. It was quite the mess. I'm leaving the holes for a good couple of weeks so it dries out as much as possible. Repainting the whole ceiling is going to be a miserable job.

My 3 yo did something similar many years ago and BIL has a big spot over his kitchen sink from the wax ring on the upstairs toilet leaking.

Gee, this stuff happens so often it might be a good business opportunity.

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

Only if it's in the trunk of one of your cars.

bwia

How come they don't make cars like this in America? Oh wait, it's a Buick Lacrosse. Enjoy this short three minute video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lDZmH_wtN4

driver100

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

Anything with a motor counts these days!

Cute!

Do you have a helmet?

driver100

bwia said:

How come they don't make cars like this in America? Oh wait, it's a Buick Lacrosse. Enjoy this short three minute video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lDZmH_wtN4

Nice low key ad. Makes me wonder about a few things, such as, why do the Chinese people love Buicks so much, and do those two people ever talk to each other?


***I was curious so I looked up why Buicks are so popular in China....they are the #1 seller in the worlds largest market!

The common view of Buicks in China is different from that in the U.S. The cars are the choice of business people and government officials. Chinese executives are partial to minivans, which don't come with the kid-hauling image they have here.

General Motors, which owns the brand, has capitalized on that popularity.

ab348

qbrozen said:

Eh, stoned people mostly drive real slow. I think it will be quite a different story. 

The most common thing is combining booze and weed, as they have a multiplier effect. It is truly the worst of both worlds.

graphicguy

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

Only if it's in the trunk of one of your cars.

OK.....trying for a bit of levity.

It's an electric bike, if that wasn't obvious. It has a 45 mile range (more if you pedal to help the motor). It has a speed limit of 25 MPH, but can go as high as 45 MPH once you turn off the limiter. 25 MPH is the legal limit of speed for a bicycle. But, if you are on private property, you can remove the limiter (done with a simple reprogram of the controler on the handle bars).

Yes, I do have a helmet.

Remember the thrill you got when you rode your bike as fast as you could down a steep hill? It's that sensation, just all the time and on any sort of road.

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

Had my own water incident this past weekend. My 6-year-old turned on the sink upstairs and walked away. We were having a party that evening when the ceiling in the family room opened up and water dumped out. He ran upstairs and turned off the water before we could get up there and figure out what was going on. The vanity was filled with water. I moved as quick as I could to get the water out of there (drawers were all filled as well) to keep more water from getting in the walls. Came back down and punched a couple of holes in the ceiling, placed buckets, and let it drain. Took a couple of hours for the dripping to stop. There are water stains as far as 4 feet out in all directions from where the dripping was most prevalent. It was quite the mess. I'm leaving the holes for a good couple of weeks so it dries out as much as possible. Repainting the whole ceiling is going to be a miserable job.

That happened to our cousin that lives in Charlotte. Their son (who was maybe 5) went to the bathroom, washed his hands, and his older brother called him to come check something out. He left the water running for hours. It's one of these McMansions that are all the rage down south (it's a helluva lot nicer than my 1431 square foot ranch & cost about 1/2 as much). Nobody knew anything until water started pouring down one of the walls in the living room. Big mess!

houdini1

driver100 said:

bwia said:

How come they don't make cars like this in America? Oh wait, it's a Buick Lacrosse. Enjoy this short three minute video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lDZmH_wtN4

Nice low key ad. Makes me wonder about a few things, such as, why do the Chinese people love Buicks so much, and do those two people ever talk to each other?


***I was curious so I looked up why Buicks are so popular in China....they are the #1 seller in the worlds largest market!

The common view of Buicks in China is different from that in the U.S. The cars are the choice of business people and government officials. Chinese executives are partial to minivans, which don't come with the kid-hauling image they have here.

General Motors, which owns the brand, has capitalized on that popularity.

I wonder if there is still a backlash against Japan from WWII, or if there are stiff tariffs on Japan products.

houdini1

graphicguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

Only if it's in the trunk of one of your cars.

OK.....trying for a bit of levity.

It's an electric bike, if that wasn't obvious. It has a 45 mile range (more if you pedal to help the motor). It has a speed limit of 25 MPH, but can go as high as 45 MPH once you turn off the limiter. 25 MPH is the legal limit of speed for a bicycle. But, if you are on private property, you can remove the limiter (done with a simple reprogram of the controler on the handle bars).

Yes, I do have a helmet.

Remember the thrill you got when you rode your bike as fast as you could down a steep hill? It's that sensation, just all the time and on any sort of road.

GG, let us know how you like the new bike and how it holds up over time. I have been thinking about one and would like some first hand info on your model, etc. Looks very nice and simple.

cdnpinhead

Every sink I've ever seen has an overflow hole of some sort that prevents the sort of thing that's been discussed here. Have those gone the way of the manual transmission, or what?

houdini1

When we were first married, 50 years ago, the kitchen sink was stopped up. I begged, borrowed or stole one of those long limber metal "snakes" that you run down the drain to unclog it. The sink was full of water, so I was smart enough to put a bucket under the sink just is case. So down the drain she goes, a little resistance then clear sailing. I notice the water is draining out...then I notice the snake is coiling up around my feet. The bottom of the trap had rusted and the "snake" had punched a hole in it and gone right through.

Now I've got an overflowing bucket of water under the sink, pretty smart of me to anticipate trouble. I quickly grab the bucket, and anticipating more leaks, dump it back into the sink. Half of the water in now in the kitchen floor before I can put the bucket back. My beautiful bride, who I was trying to impress with my ability to handle any manly duties around the house, just turned and walked away with no comment.

PF_Flyer

Hooray. Body shop called and my deer repair is done. I'll be picking it up after lunch. Guess I'll post a before & after photo. I'll be interested to see how they did on those creases in the door panels

qbrozen

cdnpinhead said:

Every sink I've ever seen has an overflow hole of some sort that prevents the sort of thing that's been discussed here. Have those gone the way of the manual transmission, or what?

I don't know if they have gone away, but my kids' bathroom doesn't have them. Pretty silly.

roadburner

houdini1 said:

When we were first married, 50 years ago, the kitchen sink was stopped up. I begged, borrowed or stole one of those long limber metal "snakes" that you run down the drain to unclog it. The sink was full of water, so I was smart enough to put a bucket under the sink just is case. So down the drain she goes, a little resistance then clear sailing. I notice the water is draining out...then I notice the snake is coiling up around my feet. The bottom of the trap had rusted and the "snake" had punched a hole in it and gone right through.

Now I've got an overflowing bucket of water under the sink, pretty smart of me to anticipate trouble. I quickly grab the bucket, and anticipating more leaks, dump it back into the sink. Half of the water in now in the kitchen floor before I can put the bucket back. My beautiful bride, who I was trying to impress with my ability to handle any manly duties around the house, just turned and walked away with no comment.

A fiend rented an industrial grade power snake to clear a sink clog. The snake bored through the plastic drain pipe and into the breaker box in the adjacent room. Luckily he wasn't electrocuted...

fintail

And on the funny flipside - where I live anyway, you need an endorsement for a Vespa 150, but for a 1000hp Veyron or a 42' behemoth motorhome towing a boat or a car or a 10' jacked up overcompensator douchebro pickup, your general fog a mirror license is just fine thank you very much.

snakeweasel said:

We don't have one here in Illinois. Strange if you are driving down the road surrounded by steel and air bags and all the safety equipment that modern cars have and you are legally required to wear a seat belt, but ride a bike with no protection other than your riding ability and you don't have to wear any safety equipment.

fintail

I live in a legal pot state. I don't think there has been an explosion of incidents, especially compared to the volume of material being sold. Some disasters , of course, but probably would have happened with booze instead anyway. The way I see it, pot is just alcohol with a weaker lobby and less violent inebriated side effects. The enforcement isn't worth the benefit. I shudder to think how much money has been pissed away on that - but it is more of a make work project made to appeal to the moral holy rollers more than anything else.

ab348 said:

^^^ That is just tragically sad.

I fear it is only going to get worse with legalization of marijuana becoming rampant.

graphicguy

houdini1 said:

graphicguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

graphicguy said:

Does this count as a punch?



https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/shares/9NP6Xi

Only if it's in the trunk of one of your cars.

OK.....trying for a bit of levity.

It's an electric bike, if that wasn't obvious. It has a 45 mile range (more if you pedal to help the motor). It has a speed limit of 25 MPH, but can go as high as 45 MPH once you turn off the limiter. 25 MPH is the legal limit of speed for a bicycle. But, if you are on private property, you can remove the limiter (done with a simple reprogram of the controler on the handle bars).

Yes, I do have a helmet.

Remember the thrill you got when you rode your bike as fast as you could down a steep hill? It's that sensation, just all the time and on any sort of road.

GG, let us know how you like the new bike and how it holds up over time. I have been thinking about one and would like some first hand info on your model, etc. Looks very nice and simple.

Houdini...will do. I've had it for a couple of weeks and the weather here has been pretty darned nice for November. I wore shorts last night and am sitting in my office with shorts on as I type.

The one I bought (www.flx.com) was crowd funded. I happen to know one of the angel investors who pointed me to them. Getting in early, mine was about $900. I think they're $1,400-$1,500 now for the model I have. Very good build quality. The people running the company are very passionate about the bike.

Lots of companies out there making electric bikes. But, they either lack range, or are too heavy...usually both. Some just look weird.

Materials are good. Tires, wheels, derailleur, shifter, frame, etc...all top notch. Even the welds are done well.

While it has been a good long while, I used to race bikes (up until I my early 30s). While, I couldn't do now what I did then, I still enjoy riding, but at a much more leisurely pace. Last bike I had was a Trek Cruiser, which served me well for about 10 years. It cost me about the same as this FLX.

I can do so much more with this one. Shifting to get up big hills on the Trek and going painfully slow in the process was always a pain. With the electric, I zip right up hills. I've used it a couple of times cruising through the local parks and actually went to Krogers to get milk and bread instead of using my car.

As long as the streets are dry and it doesn't get bitterly cold, I'm going to try to ride it every week.

We'll see. I'll let you know how it goes. Early results are good.

graphicguy

Q....you and Bradd are making me recheck all my faucets, washer, sinks, ice maker, etc.

Hope things go as smoothly as you could hope with the fixes and clean-up.

28firefighter

This water talk is making me equally nervous, especially since we're leaving for a week on Monday - headed to Cleveland for Thanksgiving with my in-laws.

henryn

qbrozen said:

cdnpinhead said:

Every sink I've ever seen has an overflow hole of some sort that prevents the sort of thing that's been discussed here. Have those gone the way of the manual transmission, or what?

I don't know if they have gone away, but my kids' bathroom doesn't have them. Pretty silly.

The house I'm presently in was built around 2005, and the bathroom sinks (all 3 of them) do NOT have an overflow hole or whatever they might be called. While I don't have any small kids around to worry about, what I do encounter is "vapor block". After brushing my teeth and shaving in the morning, I often have to use a plunger to get the water to drain so that I can clean the sink. I do hate a dirty sink with razor stubble and toothpaste stains.

Mr_Shiftright

@graphicguy: I used to have an electric bike but gave it up because I missed the exercise (it was too heavy to pedal for any distance anyway). How does this bike work just as a bicycle without power assist?

driver100

28firefighter said:

This water talk is making me equally nervous, especially since we're leaving for a week on Monday - headed to Cleveland for Thanksgiving with my in-laws.

Does everyone know most insurance policies don't cover you for water damage if you are away from home for more than 48 hours. If someone doesn't check your place every 2 days, then turn the water off at the source, and turn off the hot water heater, then you are covered....at least that is how our policy works.

graphicguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

@graphicguy: I used to have an electric bike but gave it up because I missed the exercise (it was too heavy to pedal for any distance anyway). How does this bike work just as a bicycle without power assist?

Mr Shiftright.....it's not a racer, so there aren't any exotic metals used....mostly aluminum. The battery is the heaviest component (Panasonic Lithium). But, the motor is seated in the pedal hub (vs at the rear wheel) so the center of gravity is much better and it feels closer to a regular bike as a result.

It's probably a little heavier than some of the more well known tourers....not as light as racing bikes. It has 9 gears, which helps when you aren't using the motor. I know most of the other electric bikes I've seen don't have the same gear range as mine (nor, as many gears).

You could order all sorts of exits shock absorbers, bigger/heavier tires (mine are low rolling resistance) and things like fenders, etc. That all adds weight. I don't have any of that.

I was used to the brakes on my Trek, which amounted to little more than rubber "pads" rubbing against the wheel rims. The FLX has hydraulic disks, which is impressive for a bike.

There are several levels of assist ranging from none, to light assist on up to total electric motor use.

So far, so good. I've not had any problems pedaling without the motor. Then again, I haven't attacked a big hill without using the motor, either.

Not sure if that helps, but that's all I've got so far.

Mr_Shiftright

It would be interesting to know if one could, for instance, pedal 10-15 miles on level ground comfortably without a heart attack. I ride for both exercise and practical reasons (easier to shop, no parking hassles, etc). So it would be great to have both in one bike.

28firefighter

I have the RadRover Electric Fatbike and LOVE it.

ab348

cdnpinhead said:

Every sink I've ever seen has an overflow hole of some sort that prevents the sort of thing that's been discussed here. Have those gone the way of the manual transmission, or what?

My current bathroom sink, almost 20 years old, doesn't have one. I found it odd at the time. In looking at new ones lately it seems hit or miss, some do, some do not.

houdini1

Mr_Shiftright said:

It would be interesting to know if one could, for instance, pedal 10-15 miles on level ground comfortably without a heart attack. I ride for both exercise and practical reasons (easier to shop, no parking hassles, etc). So it would be great to have both in one bike.

If you were feeling energetic you could always get off and push for a while.

houdini1

I've never understood why electric bikes are so expensive. Heck, you could buy a pretty nice motor bike for $900. engine and all. I understand some bike components cost a lot and you can pay as much as 2/3 thousand just for a regular bike, but in an electric you don't need the latest is strong and light. Does a battery cost more than a small engine?

Mr_Shiftright

houdini1 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

It would be interesting to know if one could, for instance, pedal 10-15 miles on level ground comfortably without a heart attack. I ride for both exercise and practical reasons (easier to shop, no parking hassles, etc). So it would be great to have both in one bike.

If you were feeling energetic you could always get off and push for a while.

Somehow pushing a bike kind of misses the concept. Besides once my Triumph motorcycle is finished in a few months, I can push that around.

ab348

Around here some cycling nuts enthusiasts have made a cottage industry out of motorizing regular bicycles. They take a small IC engine, I assume like you might find on a leaf blower or chain saw, and somehow get it to drive the rear wheel along with providing throttle controls, etc. One of these zips past my house twice a day - you can hear him coming from some distance. He gets up to a very good speed, I'd guess 20-25mph. Doesn't look real safe to me, but then again neither does a regular bicycle, so who knows.