Friday Carbon-Neutral Commute: No Electric Car Required

It is a cold and damp morning here in Lubbock. I got up. Looked at the weather, had a talk with myself, and chose the e-bike.

This morning's coffee

The five-mile ride to work was cold and damp. I arrived at work with a smile on my face and feeling more energized. Yes, the bike creates a few more hassles, but the experience, the exercise, and the lack of climate destruction are more than worth it for this less-than-trim blogger.

May we all find places to choose better and truly enjoy the ride!

Extravagant Wealth

I am taking a personal day.

Like the title says, I am a man of extravagant wealth this morning - I have time.

Morning ride

It's a Thursday morning. I'm not at work. There is no one who is expecting me to be anywhere for hours. I rode the e-bike two miles in pre-dawn dark to get here. Blissful. I'm drinking very good coffee.

When I finish here, I'll switch bikes and go for a klunk on the old Huffy. I'd call it mountain biking, but we don't have mountains and I plan to stop a lot to take pics.

Speaking of pics...

This pic and the next...

I have a new phone/camera that opens up lots of photo opportunities.

...were taken from the same spot!

Let's do that again.

This pic and the next...

...were taken from the same spot.

(Is it still a Texas spiny lizard when you see it in New Mexico?)

I've been deeply immersed in a work project and there's been no time for anything, but now it (that project, at least) is done. And I have a few days to get caught up.

Blogwise, I hope to pound the keyboard and get a few things out. You can look forward to (or dread) the following posts on this blog or 2WheelsMaybe:

• I've now had the Juiced e-bike for a year and I want to report on that.
• We had a quick trip to Taos last weekend and there are pics to share.
• National-Drive-Electric Week is coming up.
• Rad Power Bikes has been on a rampage lately.
• Our warming planet is showing lots of stress.
• The ollas and food-is-free planter have yielded some tasty but tiny tomatoes.
• The cargo bike battles are heating up.
• I hate bumper stickers.
• I love dogs!
• I love birds! (even starlings and grackles)
• I love that crazy woman who married me a while back!
• (And) lots of other stuff has been rattling around upstairs lately.

To my friends, I've missed you all and hope to get caught up soon.

How's that for a tiny tomato?

May you breathe clean air deeply, and calmly.  May you be thankful, and may others be thankful for you.

Okay, I admit it. (The Personal Carbon Reduction fight at 50)

As the Mesquite Hugger, I don't have the fight in me I once had. My beliefs haven't changed, but my desire to fight has been rather flighty. As an environmentalist, as a Christian, and as a human being, I still want a better, safer, healthier world for all, but my arms are sure having a harder time holding up a protest sign.

Yes, I'm still on a quest for personal carbon reduction. Reducing the world's dependence on petroleum and coal will not solve all of our ills, but it's a big step in making a more livable world where we can all live and breathe, and maybe even hate each other less.

Getting older has a few perks - my wife bought me a powerful new PCR tool.

(Thank you, my love!)

I turned 50 this week. And true to form, I've been introspectorating my role in this life a little too much. These days I devote a lot more time to keeping the bills paid and caring for the people around me. (To be fair, they've been working at taking care of me more too.) (I've also had the attention span of a gnat with a bad caffeine habit.)

For the fall season, I am pushing to be healthier and stronger. Less gas, more pedaling. Less solitaire, more Steinbeck. Fewer carbs, more Seeger, Guthrie, and Ochs. Less computer, more compassion. Less batter, more Bible. (You get the picture.)

All this is to say I'm not dead yet and I'm working out to get back in shape for the fight.

May we pedal, compost, reduce, re-use, heal, and fight our way to better place.

And may you know peace.

Fossil Free Friday: Black Friday 2017 eBike and Cargo Bike Deals (so far)

The old conundrum - don't like Black Friday but want to encourage people to try low-carbon ways to get around. So here goes:

 

The Juiced OceanCurrent is a bike that's been growing on me lately - a lot of bike for the money, here's a chance to get it for a little less.

 

Juiced Bikes Black Friday Deals

 

 Evelo is back at it with the sliding scale discount, and now they have some cool new bikes added to the line-up - I really like the Delta and the Galaxy TT.

A few of the Evelo offerings

Details for the Evelo Black Friday sale

The only cargo bike holiday sale that I've found is from Yuba Bikes. They have a pretty healthy sale on their front-loading Supermarché. Check it out!

 



The Yuba Supermarché Holiday Special

 

Okay, that's it so far. I'll keep you posted as new sales pop up.

 

May you find a great deal on a cleaner, healthier, less expensive way to get around.

Fossil Free Friday: 6 Compact Cargo Bikes

Since getting to sit astride a Yuba Mundo, I keep looking toward smaller cargo bikes. That thing was huge!

So I take notice every time a new one pops up. Which happened this week. The Tern GSD is making the e-bike rounds, and it's a very cool bike, but they haven't posted any prices yet and it may be a little while before we can get one over here. So I got to thinking about what is available over here...

 

The Ariel Rider C-Class

 

Ariel builds some pretty nice bikes and they don't skimp on the parts: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, Samsung battery pack, and Shimano Altus running gear. The C-Class can be had as a 250 watt or a 500 watt and can run up to 30mph. There's a lot to like. Prices start at $2099 and don't go up much.

CycleTrucks

In a world of mass production, the CycleTrucks stand apart as handmade works of very useful bike art. They build the Beavertail, the S.U.B. (sport utility bike), and some racks and custom work. Prices start around $1300 and that seems a bargain for what you are getting. (And they can fly!)

Tern GSD

Tern is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of some pretty nifty folding bikes, and they have just launched a new cargo bike (that does not fold but is also pretty nifty). It's not much (if any) bigger than a standard bicycle but it has cargo capacity like the big boys. It also has a Bosch mid-drive motor system that will help tern the hills into childsplay. I am excited to see more details on this one.

ExtraCycle Cargo Node

Speaking of Tern, the Cargo Node is what happens when you team the Tern builders up with the Xtracycle builders. If you don't know XtraCycle, be sure to check out the EdgeRunner, the Leap, and the FreeRadical - all very cool. The Cargo Node folds, it hauls (up to 350 pounds), and it's small enough to be the junk in your trunk! The non-electric Cargo Node starts at $1800.

Bike Friday Haul-A-Day

Much like the Tern GSD, the Haul-A-Day is a non-folding cargo bike from a folding-bike company, but it does have some built-in shrinkability. The non-electric starts at $1250 - BionX electric system can be added. The Haul-A-Day can weigh as little as 33 pounds. Bike Friday is based in Oregon and offers lots of options and custom possibilities. Cool stuff!

Juiced Cargo Bikes

I keep going back to the Juiced bikes. If you want to ride a long distance on a proven hauler, check out the U500. It's available with three different battery packs with ranges from 40 miles to over 100 miles. The U500 has a lot of higher end components and 500 watts of power. The U350 is a stripped down version that'll still make a great two-wheeled truck for $500 less. [Juiced U350 ($1499) and U500 ($1999) 100+ mile version $3199!] Bargain hunters, be sure to check out the refurb page on the Juiced website. There are some cargo bike bargains lurking there.

Republic Bikes Kids Cargo

 

Hey, it's $349 and too cool for words. What else could you want!

 

May you haul your stuff around without burning gas and may you not need an acre to park your hauler. 

Electric Euro Cycles We Can't Have #3: OtoCycle

Today's post takes us to Barcelona, Spain (and a lot of other places). [This one is for Flattracker 23.]

 

Otocycles Site (Be sure to click the logo when you get there.)

 

OtoCycles is a Spanish e-bike company that produces four models of hand-built e-bikes. They all look like some type of vintage motorcycle - a boardtrack racer, a bobber, a café racer, and a minibike. Prices start around 3000 Euros (about $3500), but that doesn't matter over here because they (so far) have no North American dealers.

Love the OtoK and (especially) the RaceR, not so much on the CrosS and the OtoR

 

Specs for the RaceR (Very similar to the other three)

 

One thing with OtoCycle that will appeal to nuestros norteAmericanos is the available option to purchase bigger motors and bigger battery packs. I weigh about 250 and I really feel sorry for any 250-watt bike that gets suckered into hauling my cuerpo gordo around.

 

The big appeal of the Otocycles for me lies in the past. One of my favorite vintage cycle brands is the made-in-Spain Bultaco. They also have one of the coolest logos ever:

 

Thumbs up - let's ride!

 

Many moons ago I was fortunate enough to spend a weekend riding a Bultaco Alpina all over the area around Cloudcroft, New Mexico. While the controls were all backwards for me, the rides were nothing but thumbs up! Since then I have wanted a Bultaco, and my first choice would be the Tralla.

Does anyone see a resemblance?

 

The Oto RaceR looks a whole lot like the Tralla of my dreams - but it does not run on gasoline - a true thumbs up!

 

So, check them out, drool a bit, and know that they are not available on this side of the Atlantic.

 

But wait - you know I would not leave you hanging. Here are some similar bikes that are available over here. They're (mostly) out of the Mesquite Hugger price range, but they're sure fun to look at!

 

Stuff you can have here in the States:

 

Vintage Electric Bikes

Hand-built, fast, beautiful, expensive (4 models - made in California)

 

Ariel E-Bikes

 4 models (one cargo bike!) neat options, very reasonably priced

Ariel was formerly a prestigious British motorcycle builder.

 

Italjet North America

Three models hand-built in Italy, not cheap -  great attention to detail

Italjet evolved from a prestigious Italian motorcycle and scooter builder.

Juicer Bikes

Three models (plus custom build options) hand-built in SoCal, very expensive!

 

And for those of you who want a nice cruiser bike down closer to the Mesquite Hugger budget...

 

The Juiced OceanCurrent $1299 shipped!

 

May you find eco-friendly wheels that fit your budget, your body, y tu moda!

 

PS. For those of you who want an electric Bultaco that doesn't look like a vintage Bultaco...

 

Bultaco Moto-Brinco

Fossil Free Friday: E-Bikes &Cargo Bike Updates Summer 2017

Yep, it's summer time and there's a lot of bike activity from some of the Mesquite-Hugger-favorite electric and cargo bike builders. Enjoy!

Just an appetizer image

Juiced Bikes

You got it, there's another (mostly) new Juiced - the CrossCurrent S. This one is the standard CrossCurrent with some nifty upgrades, so now there're three Crosscurrents to drool over. (Me, I'd be happy with the $1100 CrossCurrent Air for my daily commute.)

Karmic Bikes

Koben V2 with fatter tires

Karmic hasn't really put out new bikes - but they do have significantly updated versions of the Koben and Koben S on the way. The Version 2 models see some distinct changes. The most noticeable on the $2000 Koben is fatter tires. The most noticeable on the $2500 Koben S is the Gates belt drive. Much like the CrossCurrents, these two bikes offer a whole lot for the money. I want a Koben S, snagit!

Xtracycle Cargo Bikes

Ross Evans and the crew continue to expand and evolve their cargo bike offerings.

Find the EdgeRunners here

The EdgeRunner Swoop is a new evolution of the EdgeRunner, and I like it! Be sure to check out their $1800 folding cargo bike and their $600 DIY cargo bike!

Yuba Cargo Bikes

Interesting things are happening over at Yuba. With the recent introduction of the front-loader Supermarché you can see cargo-hauling wheels in motion. They've put out a more impressive version of the Spicy Curry (Bosch motor) and just introduced a non-electric (Sweet Curry) version too. I can't help but think that the writing is on the wall for the Yuba Mundo, especially the bottom of the line Mundo V7 Classic that stays high on the MH list of desirable and attainable cargo bikes. (Where else are you gonna find a $1000 bike with a 400 pound hauling capacity?)

Sondors Electric Bikes

Since our most-recent Sondors posts, Sondors hasn't announced any new products, but I have to give them a high five for their email marketing. Check it out!

Find them here and here

Now, if Sondors will put out a more eco-friendly lawnmower for young entrepreneurs like Zechariah and his brother (not pictured), I will give them a high ten! (Maybe someone needs to put out lawn equipment that can swap batteries with an electric bike. Daymak, it sounds like a job for the Beast!)

RadPower Bikes

Nothing really new at RadPower that I know of, but they still have free shipping and now that we are a single-car household, more than ever, I want a $1600 Radwagon, so I had to throw them in the mix.

May you have happy pedaling, happy hauling, and happy giving up the gas!

PS. If I missed any of your favorite updates to electric or cargo bikes, feel free to comment or shoot us an email!

What Sondors has been up to (Electric Bikes)

One thing I've enjoyed watching with Sondors is the hop-up culture that has risen with it.

Take my friend Grizz and his two Sondors. They arrived as single-speed, 350 watt bikes with 36 volt batteries but without LCD screens. He immediately ordered aftermarket controllers and LCD screens and he has been making plans for more powerful motors, 52 volt batteries, and seven-speed running gear. And a lot of Sondors owners follow similar paths.

That's just not the case with most other electric bikes. There are now companies that offer exclusive lines of products dedicated to the Sondors e-bike.

The Sondors North American Line-Up

Having grown up around old cars and motorcycles, I recognize it - a new extension of the hot-rod culture. If it keeps people interested in green vehicles, I am all for it. But let's get back to what's been up at Sondors. They've introduced lots of new-ish products lately.

The Sondors 7

Now they offer all of the upgrades Grizz has been hoping to make - seven-speed bikes, 48 volt batteries, and 500 watt motors in several variations.

The 7-speed versions, the Sondors 7 ($699)  and the Sondors Thin 7 ($599) retain the 36 volt battery and running gear but now offer some upgrade options like larger batteries, front suspension, and LCD screens. Each upgrade will add $100 to the final price.

The Sondors X

The Sondors X ($899) is same as the Sondors Original ($499) but it upgrades the running gear to a 48-volt-17.5-amp-hour battery (!) and a 500 watt motor and controller. Optional upgrades include front suspension, an LCD screen, AND 7-speed gearing. A fully loaded Sondors X will cost you $1199 (plus $150 shipping).

Sadly, there is no Sondors Thin X. :-( (If, like me, you want a Thin X, check out the Juiced CrossCurrent Air - $1095 shipped).

 

 

[For those of you wondering about the Sondors Fold, check out our previous post to learn more.]

 

 

[And for those of you who just can't get excited about electric bikes, you might want to check out the Sondors electric car.]

Hopefully, this will help you satisfy some of your Sondors curiosity.

May you find the perfect fossil-free ride for you, and may it be your ticket to good clean fun, even if you have to hop it up a little!

Texas Vintage EV Dork Alert: an ElCar in Keller!

I know it goes without saying, but my EV-geek heart leapt a little when I ran across this little beast hunkering silently on Dallas Craigslist. The armature in my brain started turning.

 



That's all, folks!

 

Okay, so there's not a lot of info to share, but there's a 1975 Zagato ElCar for sale in Keller,Texas for $1200. (And it needs some restoration work.)

Keller, in case you are not familiar with it, is in the DFW Metroplex just a little north of Fort Worth.

One thousand-two hundred dollars. Hmm. That's $399 less than a Radwagon or $105 less than a CrossCurrent AIR. (But both of those have free shipping.) Then again, I'll be headed to DFW soon with a small trailer, and the ElCar would fit on a small trailer. It would probably fit in the back of the pickup.

 

But it's gonna need batteries - they all need batteries. (Wait a minute, I have batteries that would get it going.) The brakes will need to be re-done - the brakes always need to be re-done. It's gonna need tires. The little guy is gonna need at least a gallon of Turtle Wax and at least three gallons of Elbow Grease.

 

And then there're all the unknowns - motor, controller, charger, wiring, contactor, potentiometer (throttle), etc.

 

And insurance and registration and inspection and...

 

Okay, I'll pass. The next electric vehicle I purchase (if there is such a thing) needs to be plug and play so that I can actually use it as low-carbon transport. Yep, the ElCar would be a restoration hobby, but not immediate (if ever) transportation.

 

So, okay, which one of you is up for the challenge?

 

Three ElCars on EVAlbum

 

May your green projects lead to greener living.

 

(But, snagit, that thing is dorkycool!)

You can't be too cheap or too skinny? Two $800 (shipped!) commuter e-bikes

So, let's say that

• you're cheap
• you're broke
• you live in a not-too-hilly place
• you just can't imagine paying $1000 for any bicycle

(Check, check, check, check. Yep, I fall into all four! If you do too, welcome to the club, my frugal amigo!)

Do I have two bikes for you? Do I have two bikes for you!

So, let's check out the first bike:

Lately we've looked at the Populo, and the before that the Propella. I even got to pick up (it was very light) an Easy Motion EasyGo Race at an electric bike shop in Dallas back in December. And I have to say that they are all gorgeous. I love the look (but not the reality) of a fixie, and these bikes have brought that sleek minimalism into the e-bike world (and have done it at very low prices.)

The Vilano Core

So, let's look at one more -  the Vilano Core. Besides the sleek looks, this bike has one really compelling reason to buy it (price) and one surprisingly upscale and trendy feature (belt drive). You can get one (delivered to your house) for $800 and it has belt drive instead of a chain. Other than those, it is extremely similar to the Populo and the Propella. Strangely, the Vilano seems to be very widely available. I was surprised to see that you can order one from Newegg.com:

See how I managed to squeeze the price, the vendor, the belt drive, and the no-name and slightly underpowered motor all into one pic? (I have mad blogging skills like that.) [Cursor drop and walk away, Mesquite Hugger]

Other than lots of identical vendor sites and the product site itself, I haven't found much online presence or review for this bike. I do wonder why it has a 220 watt motor rather than the industry standard 250 watt and I'd sure like to know who makes the components used in the bike, but hey, it's hard to get too picky at $800, right? So, I am not recommending it (or not recommending it) - just letting you know it's out there. (Me, I would not be brave enough to order one until Pete, Court, and a passel of youtubers checked it out.)

Actually, I do find it a little disturbing how widely available it is:

Yep, you can even order one from Wally World.

On to the other $800 (shipped) bike

This one, on the other hand, I feel qualified to endorse (with a few caveats) even though I've never seen this particular model in person.

Sondors still keeps sending me emails, and each time they make me ponder. I have to say (after getting to know Grizz's sondors Originals) that Sondors offers an impressive bike (for this price range.) The Sondors Thin has me intrigued.

What's red, white, blue, and black all over?

You see, I'm a street commuter, and I just don't feel any need to have the big honking tires. And I would not want to pay for their replacements when it's time. So the Thin makes sense to me. It's 10 pounds lighter, it's thinner, (Duh!) and it has a decent reputation. And this may or not appeal to you, but it has a cult following that can offer lots of tech support and/or hop-up advice. And, it has a 350-watt motor from a well-respected manufacturer. Also, similar to the little speedsters listed above, it's a pretty simple machine. And, of course, you can have one delivered to you for $800.

Grizz's Sondors - in stock form - surprised us both. We did not get to test it with pedal-assist, but we had no problem reaching 17mph (throttle only) and 20mph was attainable with some hard pedaling. For most bike commuters, this machine is plenty powerful, and with pedal-assist installed you should be able to get some fairly impressive range.

One other thing to consider, if you are less than 5'6", this bike will be a stretch for you. The Sondors bikes are tall.

LunaCycle (pictured) and Velomobile Shop offer Sondors aftermarket parts

[A little Sondors aftermarket sidebar - Sondors is the only e-bike I know of that already has brand-specific aftermarket stuff availability, but be careful, most of the aftermarket parts are designed for the fat-tired bike. Threads where Thin owners are frustrated with aftermarket upgrade parts are very common.]

Image from OverVolted

[Another little Sondors Thin/Belt Drive sidebar - when the Thin was originally offered, there was an option to order one with a belt drive, but it added close to $100 to the price. But I have not seen that option available these days. So, if you want one with a belt drive, you may be able to pick up a used one. But be careful, I often see used Sondors bikes for sale at prices higher than the new prices. It pays to do your homework.]

To be honest, in my quest to give up petroleum I have given serious consideration to purchasing a Sondors Thin. If you're looking for a no-frills e-bike on a very low budget, this thing could cover a lot of bases. With the addition of a rear rack, a suspension seatpost, and some lights, it would easily cover my commuter needs.

May you find petroleum-free transportation that covers your needs and does not empty your bank account.

And two more low-cost e-bikes for those of you who like to hang around and watch the credits:

For those of you who want to go super-low price, check out this Treehugger article about the Stark. (Thanks, Derek!)

For those of you who want a high-quality and very capable cargo/commuter for not much more money, check out a refurbished U-350 from Juiced bikes. (If you're gravitationally challenged like me, pony up the extra $70 to go 500 watts.)