Today's Low-Carbon Ride to Work and Another Trip to Scotland on a Bike

[Post summary: Bikes, E-Bikes, Gas sucks, the crazy guy from Scotland put out another vid and I decided to share it with you]

See, the Huff-E-Rat hugs trees too.

This really depressing article came out last week and it has strengthened my resolve to work harder at being carbon-free:

US burned more gasoline in September than ever before

 

So this week I rode the regular bike to work on Monday and Tuesday. This morning, I rode the Huff-E on its maiden commute of  seven miles (one way). There's something to be said for a low-powered e-bike.

 

On a non-electric bike, I generally average about 9.5 mph on my ride to work and about 11.2 on my ride home. Apparently my body works better when it's warmer. This morning's ride to work on the electric bike averaged 11.4 mph. It was both chilly and a bit breezy.

 

I still pedaled the whole way - I can't stand to be a on a bike and not pedaling. It just feels wrong. But I was a little less winded and sweaty when I got to work. And I had the same smile. I burned quite a few calories. I burned a tiny amount of electrons - about eight pennies worth. I saw a beautiful sunrise. And I had that smile.

So, back to the low-powered e-bike thought. When you start shopping for e-bikes you run across a lot of 250 watt offerings. Conventional thinking says that anyone over 200 pounds should veer toward something larger. Me, I've plateaued at 240 pounds. The 250 watt setup is great for what I am wanting now - a little boost through the breeze and the cold and the slight inclines we refer to as hills around here. I am wanting to maintain consistent speeds. I am wanting to keep exercising. And this thing is perfect for all of that.

I think I'd be pretty happy with a number of 250 watt bikes. Would they work if I lived near hills? Probably not. Would they work if I wanted the bike to do ALL of the pedaling? Probably not. Would they work if I wanted to travel 20mph? Nope. Would they work if I lost 80 pounds? Sure.

I guess the moral here is to figure out what you want your e-bike to do before you start shopping for an e-bike.

On to the Crazy Scottish guy:

Watch it on youtube (Love the music!)

 

I watch Danny M videos for a tiny vacation and to keep myself humble. I'm impressed with myself for commuting on a bike three days this week - he's out riding on rolling hay bales. I guess I'll keep pedaling.

 

May you stay humble, stop burning gas, and have that smile.

 

PS. When you are looking at e-bikes, one of the things I have learned is that speed can be really dangerous on an electric bike, but it's probably not in the way you'd think. The bikes are perfectly capable of handling the speed, but the drivers around you are not. Anything over 15 mph and automobile drivers will misjudge your speed and pull out in front of you. Their brains are just conditioned to bikes moving slow. Watch yourself out there. Like many other things in the bike commute world, we can all point fingers and talk about fair and responsibility and heads up their...but the only thing that really matters is that we all reach our destinations safely.

Hot Rod Citicar? Oh, Yes!!!

A while back I did a little overview of the Sebring-Vanguard Citicar. (I desperately want one.) In the post, I mentioned the one (pink) Citicar I had a chance to own and how I let it get away. Toward the end of the post, I even told my crazy vision of hot rodding the little beast:

Keith did not make it to coffee this morning. He told me that he woke up in the middle of the night and his mind swam with all the possibilities in building the motor for his next project - an old Vespa Rally. And I knew the feeling. I remembered a night where my brain swam with upgrades for the little, pink slice of American cheese: an upgrade to 72 volts, or maybe even 96 volts of lithium batteries, an Alltrax contoller, and what motor? How scary would the little beast be at 96 volts? Would it be fun to park near a gas pump and point and laugh at people? Would it do wheelies? Could it sneak up on cats and squirrels like the electric Vespa does? Would my poor wife dis-own me?

Imagine my happiness when a post about electric sleepers popped up on Autoblog today with a photo of a banana-shaded Citicar. Then imagine my happiness when I read the author's dream of stuffing a Chevy Spark EV drivetrain into a Citicar. Murilee Martin, if I ever meet you, I will buy you the beverage of your choice so we can sketch on napkins and reinvent the world with an eco hot rod slant! Thank you!

May mirth and eco-friendly adrenaline fuel your day!

A Sad Day for US Electro-Dorks - the MiEV is no more

On September 22, 2012, I was driving through Waco, Texas on my way to a funeral. And I saw it.

 

There it was in the flesh - the Mitsubishi MiEV. I had seen it in magazines. I had read and read and read about it. I had written to Santa Claus and I had tried to find out who the patron saint of electric vehicles was so I could pray to her. I wanted to see (and test drive) the electric car inspired by Humpty Dumpty.

Two rarities: a MiEV in Texas and an eggheaded MH selfie

 

I looked at the car. I pondered the meaning of life. I looked at my phone for the time. I had a choice to make - test drive the car or be on time to the funeral. I hopped back in my rent-a-dent and motored on. I knew that there would soon be egg cars everywhere and I could test drive the next one.

 

Since that point I have looked and looked and looked at every Mitsubishi lot I travel past. Not one little egg to be seen.

 

Fast forward to a sprinkling of weeks ago. My wife and I were headed south into Taos. Coming at us was a burgundy MiEV. My heart leapt. My wife asked what that ugly thing was. Sigh.

 

Today I read on Gas2 an article that referenced Autoblog stating that Mitsubishi has announced that they will no longer sell my tiny, little dream car. Goodbye, Norma Jean.

 

Steve Hanley and Jay Leno, I don't care what you say! I will miss the Eggbert I never got to know!

 

December 7th, a day that will truly live in electric car infamy.

 

Dear Reader, may December 8th bring you brighter news.

Yamaha Electric Motorcycle Videos

Before we get started, the PES2 is the street motorcycle, the PED2 is the dirt version. Do you see what they did there? If not, show it to your buddy and ask for a little help.

 

Video link here

 

If you're thinking X-Games or 200mph racing video, move along. There's nothing to see here. If you're thinking Tron or such, you may be in luck with the PES2 video. That video is very high tech and enhanced and makes one think that the Yamaha electric street machine is still more engineer dream stuff than it is a bike you will see on a showroom floor anytime soon. And it has lots of expensive high tech gadgets, and very expensive is already the bane of electric motorcycles. So, I don't put much stock in the PES2.

I hope they put out a Knight Rider edition that's signed by the Hoff and the teacher from Boy Meets World!

If you're looking for a slow and peaceful Zen-like cruise though the forest on a nice day, you are in much luck with this video. If you have hopes of seeing an electric Yamaha for sale in your local dealership, you may have a better chance with this one. I would sure find it tempting.  I had an electric motorcycle for a while that was very similar and (when it was running well) it was a joy to ride. It was quiet, light, easy, and I do the miss the experience a great deal. This video captures that experience very well. And it shows off a bike that looks very ready for the world.

After watching the video, they might not have needed to hire a pro rider for this one.

 

You can find the link to this video along with more details and lots of photos at Autoblog Green - one of my favorite daily reads.

 

May we reach a day when an electric motorcycle is a common sight.