Electric Bike

Discussion in 'Energy & Fuel' started by Corie Henson, Sep 7, 2015.

  1. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    The so called e-bike is getting popular here in favor of motorcycles. The e-bike needs no registration with the LTO (our DMV) and riders of the e-bike is not required to wear a helmet. And the cost of an e-bike is around $400 with a warranty of 2 years for the battery and parts. The distance for 1 charging is 30 kilometers (if I remember correctly) and the charging takes 1 to 2 hours, just fine for an overnight charging.

    Now, the only problem to solve is the risk of the biker in the main road. That e-bike is very appropriate when used inside the village where traffic is at the minimum. But the heavy traffic in the main road would pose dangers to the biker.
     
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  2. Pat Baker

    Pat Baker Supreme Member
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    I have not heard of this e-bike but I will look it up. I am looking for cheap transportation.
     
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  3. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    The E-bike or electric-powered bike is getting to be popular here. In fact, this is a suburban town but there is a dealer of E-bike in the mini mall near our place. For 34k pesos, that's less than $800. And what's good with E-bikes is the clean energy. We are thinking of buying one for roaming around the village but we are still awaiting some review because the main issue with electric-powered appliances and vehicles is the battery. The promise of 30 kilometers distance for a full charge of the battery is still to be proven. And the durability of the battery is also in question although there is a warranty of 2 years.

    The E-bike is not required to be registered with the LTO (that's our dmv) because it is classified as bicycle. And wearing helmet is also not required.
     
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  4. Ike Willis

    Ike Willis Supreme Member
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    Don't know about E-bikes, but I have a scooter like in the photo. It takes 2 batteries and is supposed to go 25 miles on a charge. However, the weight of the rider, temperature and terrain are all factors to consider. If you're fat like me, and live on hills and go out in winter weather, better stay closer to home than 25 miles.
    Eventually, batteries won't take a charge anymore, and will need replaced.
    17913.jpg
     
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  5. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    @Ike Willis, that scooter of yours is almost the same as the 3-wheel model of the e-bikes here except that yours have smaller wheels. The e-tricycle here is designed for 2 people and it's already getting popular since I have been seeing several e-tricycles and e-bikes in our village. In fact, one neighbor has that e-tricycle for roaming purposes.

    That's the issue we are researching on - the efficiency of the battery. We have been warned by a cousin that anything that uses rechargeable battery is suspect when it comes to durability and efficiency. Rechargeable battery is still in its infancy.
     
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  6. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    My husband had a red one like that, only used it a couple times before he died. It's been sitting in my garage for 12 years now, I'm sure the battery is dead.

    I should have sold it long ago, I hated that thing. It had to be taken apart to fit in the trunk of the Altima. Then I had to help my husband into the car, then when we got where we were going I had to put the thing together again, get my husband....it was torture and he was lucky that I didn't have back problems then.

    But...I'd give anything now to just have him around even with all the extra work. :(
     
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  7. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    That last line got me. It's so touching that I could feel how you are missing him. It looks like a hard time for you in doing things for him (I have the impression that he couldn't walk) but still you have shown your love for him not only when he was alive but until now... with that very touching last line.

    I'm surely glad to realize that I still have my husband who is very affectionate of me. He is older by 8 years but I cannot imagine that I would be doing things for him because to my mind, he is always strong and energetic. My husband inherited the trait of his father who was always attentive to my husband's mother. It was a sad story when the father was hit by a stroke which rendered half of his body semi-paralyzed and the mother had surgery of colon. My husband's father was doing all the chores and taking care of his wife despite his physical condition. Fortunately, he was able to recover from that paralysis after a year of continuous therapy.
     
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  8. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    He could barely walk the last year of his life and he seemed to just get weaker and weaker. It was very difficult taking care of him but the last 6 weeks I got help from Hospice.

    Without going into gross details, he had a colostomy and 3-4 other bags that had to be changed. We would still try and get out once in a while but it was getting too difficult for me and for him as well.

    I learned a lot if skills that I hope I never have to use again, like how to change a colostomy bag, not just the bag emptied but the whole putting on a new bag. The thing that holds the bag only last a few days and you better time it as best you can because he has no control when the bag will fill.

    There were times I was almost done but had to start over.

    After all this, yes I still miss having him around even in the shape he was in.

    I also learned how to change sheets while the person is still in bed. :)
     
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  9. Diane Lane

    Diane Lane Veteran Member
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    The guy next door has some sort of motorized bike, but i'm not sure if it's what you're talking about. It's probably some project he came up with while drinking that happened to work out. I think it's nice to have an alternative form of transportation, especially for local travel. Most of my travel is local, and if I were in better shape, I'd consider getting a scooter. I can't even use a bicycle with my back issues, so I don't think a scooter would be possible, although I still love the idea of it. Many here in the neighborhood use golf carts to get around, unless they'll be using the main road, but there are also issues with the golf carts. Some run on gas, while others use batteries, and it seems the batteries can be quite costly.

    My grandmother and aunt had colostomy bags as well @Chrissy Page. I didn't have to change them, but I remember hearing they were difficult to manage. I know you miss your husband, but it's good to know that the love still exists, and you'd do it all over again, if necessary, for more time with him.
     
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  10. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    @Diane Lane , he had the colostomy after his first bout with colon cancer and for the 10 years he lived after that he
    changed it by himself while he was still in good health but when the cancer returned and spread to his bladder, he also got an urostomy bag and then about 6 months before he died he also got 2 nephrostomy bags, one coming from each kidney. Think the last thing was a catheter. All of these filled with some fluid or waste.

    He was so strong and brave, I would have overdosed myself at that point. He was also in pain from the cancers, the bedsores, the constant infections. On morphine, vicoden, and I think methadone and he still had pain.

    Just writing all this is difficult and even after 13 years some images are still very vivid and some are a jumbled nightmare of hospitals, ICUs, Hospice, etc.

    If I'm in the same boat, I hope I have enough hoarded meds to put me to sleep permanently.

    I don't know how but I managed to get him to Illinois from California for our son's wedding. I don't even remember how many times he threw up on the flight.

    He died exactly 6 months later. In fact the wedding picture has him on a red scooter that my son
    Rented or borrowed for him. My son's friend owned a scooter store. My son then bought a scooter for my husband because at that time ins didn't cover it for him....but he didn't use it much in the 6 months he had left.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 10, 2016
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  11. Diane Lane

    Diane Lane Veteran Member
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    Obviously that was very stressful for you to see him like that. I didn't even realize they had so many different bags. I would have thought they'd do one off the bladder, not the individual kidneys. I know we're both Catholic, but I'm with you on the extra meds for a less painful end. He probably endured that so he would have more time with you and the kids. I am sometimes amazed with what I have lived through, but I honestly don't think I could deal with that.

    My aunt had the bag, then was able to get a reversal and do without it for years, but I don't know about at the end. By then the family had somewhat fallen apart, so we didn't get full reports, although we were still on (somewhat strained) speaking terms, and did attend the wake/funeral.
     
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  12. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    My husband was hoping for a reversal but it just couldn't be done, think he even went into surgery for it but just wasn't doable. He was very disappointed at that time...who wouldn't be?
     
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  13. K E Gordon

    K E Gordon Veteran Member
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    I had a motorized bike here, it was kind of a cross between a bicycle and motor scooter. I bought it from a neighbor, and I loved that thing. It was a lot of fun to tool around on. Sadly, my son ruined it for me. He pushed it way past it's limitations and messed up the motor, and in the process of trying to "fix" it, trashed it. O well, live and learn...he will never get on the riding lawn mower..I don't care how old he is..:p:D
     
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  14. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina Isobe Veteran Member
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    E-bikes seems like a very good thing to have around home. Especially when you can plug in anywhere like we can locally at Kam Shopping Center has one for all to use. This is a list of the energy refilling stations and cost or if free:
    http://energy.hawaii.gov/testbeds-i...ectric-vehicle-ev-charging-stations-in-hawaii

    According to my search on bing there are a lot of different kinds of e-bikes to choose from. Good luck finding a nice e-bike!
     
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  15. Corie Henson

    Corie Henson Veteran Member
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    I used to bike but I was advised to quit because of the bulge in my right leg just behind the shin. And if you remember I had posted before that I seemed to have forgotten how to ride a bike. Maybe it was due to worrying of that mouse on my leg. But anyway, after reading that article on e-bikes, it got me thinking that I could ride again. That electric bike can save me from exerting too much effort on the pedals and if I get tired, I can just ride to my delight. However, the e-bike here is not cheap at slightly less than $1,000.
     
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