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.

Cyber Monday 2017 Ebikes and Kits - Last Chance and Latecomers

Nope, I've never posted about the Fantic Bikes (did not know they had electric bikes until today) or LEED bike kits (but I have read great things posted by their customers).

 

And then there's the RadWagon that I may have posted about 20 or 30 times...

 

Loving the Fantic Seven Days frame

(even if I'm not a big fan of super-fat tires and I can't afford Italian two-wheelers)

The Fantic Website

 

LEED USA Bike Kits

I'll be glad when this sale is over

(so my RadWagon temptation will greatly diminish!)

 

May you find something that'll get you riding gas-free, snagit!

More 2017 Ebikes on Holiday Sale - RadPower (Minipost)

Yep, the Radwagon of my dreams (and the whole 2017 Rad lineup) is on sale.

 

Rad Power has done some upgrades and redesigns on all of their bikes, so they're discounting the 2017s to make room for the new stuff. Most of the upgrades are small, but the Radwagon gets a new aluminum frame and the RadCity is now available as a step-through.)

 

Below are the sale details:

 

Woohoo!

The new Radwagon in town

 

The Old Model - $300 discount!

(I like the looks of the old one better.)

 

 

The other big news at Rad Power - the RadCity Step-Thru!

(On the right)

 

Yep, these are some tempting prices on very solid bikes from a vendor with a very good reputation. And (if you live in the contiguous 48 or Canada) you get free shipping!

 

Sigh...

 

If you've been looking for a good deal on a ready-built e-bike (especially an e-cargo-bike), now's the time!

 

May the e-bike of your dreams cure your gas-powered headaches!

Because it's sometimes lonely hugging mesquite - the 2017 MH Survey [Updated 9-6-17]

[Lonely indeed - no responses came in]

 

It's been a good run so far.

Our second post - has it really been four years?

Okay, it's not that lonely, but parts of it are really anonymous. Mesquite Hugger tends to get between 25 and 100 visitors per day, but it's incredibly rare to hear from any readers. The only message I receive comes in the form of how many clicks a particular post receives. This week, a post from last year about Comuta-Cars is getting a lot of attention, but I have no idea why or by whom.

I'd love to know things like:

So, who the heck are you?
 How the heck are you?
What brought you here to this low-rent blog?
Did you find anything helpful?
Is there something you'd like to see more of? Less of?

If you'll click on the link below, you'll go to a quick (or not-so-quick) survey. No, I'm not trying to be creepy and get all up in your grill by collecting personal info and email addies(I always use the hippest lingo!), please just leave a first name or nickname and tell me roughly where you live - town, state, country, etc., and then answer any (or all) questions that tickle your fancy.

The Big, Honking 2017 Mesquite Hugger Survey (Click here to start)

The survey will be open for seven days. Shortly after that I'll publish a summary of the responses that are socially presentable.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this blog, and thank you for answering the survey. May you know peace and mirth today!

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!)

Fossil Free Friday - Cargo Bikes in the Media (WooHoo!)

[This one is for those of you who've been going through Mesquite-Hugger-Cargo-Bike-Post withdrawals]

 

What you'll find in this thrilling episode:

• a new Yuba (that's not a longtail)
• a review of an old friend - the Radwagon
• and a bit of Xtra teasing

 

The New Yuba

 

Yep, Yuba did a big ol' reversal by offering a new bakfeits-style cargo bike - The Supermarché. This is the first Yuba I've seen where the load goes in front of the rider. You can learn more and see it in action on Wired or you can check it out on the Yuba site. (Me, I still want the Yuba Boda Boda V3 stepover or a plain old $999 Yuba Mundo.)

 

Check it out on wired.com

 

Even if you're not really interested in that particular cargo bike, the Wired video still does a nice job of going over what a cargo bike can do and how effective it can be in helping us drive less, pollute less, and spend less. Good stuff!

 

The Radwagon

 

And then there's the $1599 Radwagon (now with free shipping!) If you've spent much time around here, you know I have a big ol' crush on the tangerine banana bike from Seattle. Check out the recent article in Men's Journal:

 

Men's Journal article here

Since I am married to a lovely woman who really, really

wants a Ducati Monster, I had to include this quote.

 

PS. Rad Bargain alert: Radpower has the

Ballard Bag on sale for 1/2 price right now. 

 

The Xtra bit of news...

 

...is that I received an email from Xtracycle this week, and it contained some very Xciting words: New Bikes Coming Soon. I am staying tuned and will let you know!

 

Your Xtracycle random montage

 

May ditching your car become more and more common and may we all breathe easier and curse a lot less.

 

Fossil Free Friday - A Sondors Bike that Folds (and a RadMini) [Updated with video]

Happy Friday, y'all!

 

Sondors appears to be rocking and rolling again. They've completely sold out of the last round of bikes and now they are rolling out (taking pre-orders) a new product - the Sondors Fold. (It folds.)

 

[And I have to admit, it's pretty cool, but a big part of that is the big battery (on the Fold X) combined with the low cost.]

 

If you want one at the introductory price, you will have to act soon (like within-this-month soon).

 

Website here

Base Model

 

The Sondors Fold base model is very similar in running gear specs to the previous Sondors bikes: 350 watt geared hub motor, 36 volt/8.8 Amp-hour battery, and single-speed running gear. The upgrades available are a bigger battery (36 volt/17.5 amp-hour) and a Shimano 7-speed gear addition. Each upgrade will cost you $100, so you can get the base model for $899 fully loaded. But that is...

 

...the same price as the Fold X. If you're gonna spend $899, you should get the Fold X. Seriously.

 

 

Why should you get the Fold X? Because it's more powerful and comes with a big battery as standard. Yep, the X is a 500 watt 48 volt/14 amp-hour setup. (For $100 more it also comes with a 7-speed Shimano setup.) For $999 you can get the whole shebang with more speed and more range and all kinds of fun.

 

 

Did I mention that it folds? (Video Here)

 

So, Mesquite Hugger, what's the catch?

 

The catch(es) are nothing out of the ordinary. They won't ship until late summer/fall, and Sondors usually charges a standard $175 shipping fee. Also, the price will go up 30% if you don't order soon.

 

What's that? You don't want to wait? You want it to enjoy this summer? You still want it to fold and have big honking 20" off-road tires? Well, here's my suggestion for you - the Rad Power Bikes Radmini.

 



Find it here

 

This thing has a couple of virtues that might entice you: cargo racks and even more power than the Fold X. The Rad has a 750 watt motor and FREE shipping! Woohoo!!!! And it's in stock and ready for shipping now! At $1499, you could have some instant gratification and ride it all over the place while your smart-aleck brother-in-law is still waiting around for his Fold to arrive.

 

May your eco-friendly ride fold up into tiny places (and keep you from burning more of that nasty fossil fuel crap).

 

In case you want more Fold specs, here you go:

The Fold

The Fold X

It matters, Snagit! (Eco Role Model-ism)

 I've been seeing that one article more often lately. It's that article that says it really doesn't matter what a single individual does at home to save the world. You can't make any impact whatsoever by riding a bike or using a rain barrel or bothering to recycle. The article always says that we have to change laws, governments, economic systems, and the role of business in shaping our environmental survival - that we have to get political in order to make a difference. And snagit, I know it's (mostly) true.

It's pretty easy to walk away from those articles beaten down.

You don't remember a bike in that scene?

But there's another side to it.

While an individual's singular actions really don't make a trackable difference in the environment, an individual's singular actions can make a very trackable difference in social circles. And we are absolutely social.

A Negative Example

[It's about to get ugly here.] If you don't believe it, look at climate change denial. The proof is in. Everywhere that people live (and in several places where people don't live) the proof of man-made climate change is visible to everyday people who just pay attention. We don't even need scientists to tell us that we are doing major damage. (But we definitely need scientists to help us understand it better and to learn how to deal with, adapt to, and confront it.) Yet, a large and powerful social voice in our country has made it socially unacceptable to believe in climate change. It's a case of Social vs. Science, and we are social creatures.

On a More Positive Note

We need to be recycling, composting, riding bikes, driving electric, avoiding plastic, eating local, and everything else that does make a super super tiny impact because we are social creatures, because each of us is a role model. (In the same vein, we should all be kind to others.) By doing positive things, we make it socially acceptable for those around us to do positive things.

I've been at this a little while now, and once in a while I sit back and am a little shocked at the number of people who have watched and listened to my actions and words. While not all of Lubbock has sold their cars and bought electric cargo bikes, two have now bought plug-in cars and several others plan for their next car to have a plug in. Recycling amongst my co-workers is up about 3000% and growing. My gearhead buddies all want a Tesla. My little brother goes around shaming people for driving gas-powered vehicles. (We are really working on that tact thing with him.) And snagit all to Midland - Grizz rides a Sondors now. And the roots just keep spreading.

Is my little social circle saving the world?

Absolutely not. But this little group is paying more attention. And they are starting to notice news articles about the EPA and the climate. And they ask me more and more questions. And they are seeking news from different sources rather than trusting social media for their news. And I've seen a few of them getting politically active.

So, here's my answer to those articles:

It matters. The more we do, the more people notice. So, get out there and recycle proudly. Tell people why you have reusable bags and what is so damn cool about driving a plug-in hybrid. Do the right thing AND talk about it. Be an eco-dork proudly (but not obnoxiously).

I guess it's time for me to quit writing, go home, and start making ECO-DORK t-shirts!

May you live very well and encourage others to do the same.

PS. The CCL lives in Lubbock again! Watch this space for details!

Fossil Free Friday: A Cargo Bike Relapse

[Snagit, I blame this one on Derek Markham.]

A few weeks back I made a declaration that I was giving up the (active) pursuit of owning a cargo bike. Since then, it's been cargo bike temptation everywhere I look. But I have mostly avoided the temptation to keep looking.

Until yesterday morning, that is.

One of my coffee-swilling buddies asked me if I missed riding my bike this week. (I have. It's been one of those weeks where the bike has not been the right tool for hauling stuff and people about, so I've been driving the old Dodge.) Then he commented that it would be nice if I had a bike that would haul stuff and an extra person - the extra person in this case is a certain eight-year-old that I take to school most days.

I don't think the coffee guys noticed, but a dreamy thought bubble appeared over my head:

[A woman at church once told me that I look like an older, heavier Adam S.

I don't go to that church anymore.]

The dreamy thought bubble contained my default cargo bike -  the Radwagon. There are lots of cargo bikes I'd love to have, but the Radwagon is always that subconscious first thought when cargo bikes pop into the brain. Mmm...Radwagon!

So, I had a little internal talk with myself:

So, I went back to my normal default dreamy thought bubble, and life was good again:

Yes, life was good again until I turned the computer on. There it was -  a Derek Markham article on TH:

Check it out on Treehugger

Derek, what's the deal? Are you the guy who takes a tres leches cake to a weight loss meeting? You're killing me! Why'd you have to pick the Radwagon? Why not a German postal cargo bike like Feargus used? (Much less tempting)

Check it out on CITYLAB

Or maybe something Scandinavian and way out of my league like this:

The Butchers and Bicycles MK1-E

In case you are wondering...

For me, it's pretty simple.

The more I can do on a bike, the less I need a car (or truck), the less I need to burn gasoline, the less I contribute to climate change, and the less I damage the air that all of us (including the eight-year-old) breathe. So, a bike that can serve more purposes is a better bike than one that can just serve a few. A cargo bike is a pickup, a station wagon, a commuter, and a chick magnet. (I came up with that last part because my wife already told me she will not leave me if I start riding one.)

Also, if it can raise my status in the kingdom of nerds, that's an added bonus!

If you want even more reasons, find fourteen of them in this article:



Check it out on IceBike

(Out here in the 'burbs, Number 2 may not apply, but don't let that slow your roll! ;-)

Okay, I can see it in your eyes - you want to know more. Here are some links to help you see what's out there in the cargo-sphere: (In alphabetical order - they are all very cool!)

• Benno Bikes
• CycleTrucks
• Design Logic Bikes
• Juiced Bikes
• Kinn Bikes
• Madsen Cycles
• Metrofiets
• Pedego Stretch
• Surly (Big Dummy and Big Fat Dummy - best names)
• Virtue Cycles (3 very different styles)
• Xtracycle
• Yuba Bikes

May Derek help us all to make some healthier choices! Somebody sure needs to.

PS. Adam Sandler is a few years older than I am! 

Fossil Free Friday E-Bike: A Tiny Puerto Rican Vacation and Some Free Shipping

Two fun e-bike emails popped up this week, so I thought I'd share.

The GeoOrbital Wheel

First, I need a vacation. Yep, I am not normally that guy, but the new pres and the holidays and the bills and the cold and unpredictable weather have worn me out.  I would love to get away but that bills thing and several other obligations mean that a vacation's just not happening. So, I was really glad when GeoOrbital sent me an email this week that included video with a really cool approach to vacationing. Check it out:

A GeoOrbital Vacation with Kayla in Puerto Rico!

 

Yep. Run off to a tropical locale. Take your GeoOrbital wheel with you. Pick up a cheap, local bike, slap the GO wheel on the bike - instant cheap transportation! It makes perfect sense to me. I look forward to a day when I can test ride one of those things, because I love the idea of a wheel that so easily turns any bike into an e-bike in just a few minutes.

 

And I love the flat-proof tire idea. (Last night I went to hop on the Phantom to head over to Scooter Workshop Night at Keith's. But there was a problem. The back tire was very flat. And the back wheel is the one with the motor in it, so fixing a flat is bigger job than it is on most bikes. It would not have an issue with the GeoOrbital Wheel.)

 

Now, let's talk Rad Power.

 

I received an email this week from them too. (Radwagon = drool for me.) Nope, this one does not come with a vacation in a tropical locale, but it does come with something almost as important - saving dinero!

 

Puerto Rican moolah!

(But this deal does not apply to Puerto Rico - I am just trying to keep the theme going.)

 

 

Yep, free shipping on any of the Rad Power bikes. That's a $175 value!

 

The email doesn't give any details on how long this sale will last or if this is now business as usual, so you may want to hit them up to see how long you can drag your financial feet.

 

The Rad Power Bikes

 

Okay, that's it for this episode of Fossil Free Friday. I hope you enjoyed your ride with Kayla, and I hope you find yourself some good deals.

 

May all your Fridays be joyful and fossil free!*

 

*Unless you are a weekend archeologist.