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new ride
for a while i've been contemplating alternative methods of transportation, because once the boat is finished (ha), the truck will be a whole lot less useful, and instead we'll need something much smaller -- and hopefully much more environmentally friendly.
i've been in lust with the segway ever since its much-hyped reveal, and a few months ago i finally got to ride one, and OMG, it was wonderful. so responsive and intuitive. it was truly as cool as i had imagined it to be, for once the hype wasn't actually too much. but the price tag is still prohibitive -- around C$ 8,000 for the version that can handle bumpy terrain. also, the segway is in a legally precarious realm in BC (translation: it is actually illegal on public roads, but since hardly anyone has one, cops don't really know that). i guess that's where the hype has failed; infrastructure is very, very slow to adjust away from privileging cars over anything else.
so i started looking into electric motorcycles and scooters. which are amazingly prolific, mainly due to imports from china. the quality, alas, isn't particularly good. and the ones i'd be most interested in are suffering from a similarly precarious legal position (they have to have actual pedals even if those are useless to propel the vehicle). and -- this is quite ridiculous -- when we went up to courtenay to visit the only dealer near us who seemed to have a decent selection, they were closed. on a saturday. which they had not put on their website. [*] so my mind moved on.
while we were spending some time walking around courtenay to make the drive up worthwhile, we stopped by a couple of regular bike stores (open on a saturday, as it should be), and it was apparent that the bike industry had not stood still since i last looked. back 15 years or so you had basically two choices, road bikes and mountain bikes, and neither was quite right for the way i'd be using a bike now. i missed the "omafiets" of my youth, that old, black granny bike with comfy tires and big baskets for carrying groceries, whose handlebars curved back and which were comfortable for an upright riding position. funny, because when i was young and had an omafiets, i lusted after those sleek road racers. yeah well, my bones are old now. we did give mountain bikes a chance a while back, but it was not a love affair since i am not really interested in navigating twisty, turny, torn-up paths in the woods, the knobby tires weren't very good on the roads, and my wrists hurt no matter in what position i put the handlebars and seat post. i should have probably not bought that bike at canadian tire, *sigh*.
but now the bike industry has blessed me, because not only have omafietsen made a retro appearance (as "cruisers"), but we also get "comfort" hybrids between mountain bikes and cruisers, which are perfect for the crappy roads around here -- upright riding position, slightly curved back handlebars, cushioned, ergonomic handles, step-through for those whose hips no longer like swinging up that leg over the saddle, fat, grippy tires with a flat centre for less than ideal paved country and unpaved logging roads. and i pondered whether there might not be some enterprising soul who'd come up with an an electric motor to add to a bike. because around here biking even on the better design is still strenuous, and strenuous, when i feel tired or sick (too often), translates to not riding the bike, but taking the truck even if my destination is within reasonable biking range, like our closest grocery stores.
fortunately, enterprising souls have indeed come up with modern electric motors for bikes. and i am now the proud owner of a 2013 norco plateau with a PL350 bionX electric hub motor and a sleek lithium-ion battery good for about 40km of assisted pedalling.
i'm in love.
this takes the pain out of biking for me, and just leaves the fun. everything on the bike is easy to adjust, and the gear train is so smooth, shifting 21 gears is almost enjoyable.
[*] the tale of actually trying out and buying a bike is a tale of businesses who apparently don't want our money.
1. A/C logic in courtenay. we went there on a saturday after finding them over the web. their website had no indications of opening hours, but we figured they'd be open. everybody is open here on saturdays. if you're trying to run a profitable business, closing on a saturday is just stupid around here. your average sale in the electric bike/scooter business is just short of C$3000 without counting all the possible paraphernalia. what, are you trying to sell to people who're unemployed or otherwise don't work regular hours? especially if you're selling to an area that extends for 100 km around your location, since you're the only dealer specializing in electric two-wheelers. end of september is late in the season, but the other bike stores in town were open and actually doing business. at least put your damn opening hours front and centre on your website. i was ticked off enough at the wasted drive to basically write these guys off for good.
2. after our aborted expedition and some more research making me lean away from scooters and towards modding a real bike that fits me well in all other regards, i thought maybe we could get help from a local dealer. the first store we went to, bastion cycle, where the paramour bought a decent mountain bike a few years ago, was out of business. darn. they were competent, and actually did electric conversions.
3. pacific rim bicycles in nanaimo. the woman dealing with us was friendly, but did not give us much time (she seemed distracted), nor offered any choices, nor a test ride. she said they could "build" a bike i could try "next week", though her mechanic didn't handle electric -- but she knew the name of the electric system with which i ended up. i waited for her call-back for more than a week. it never came. that's just dumb. i might've easily ended up buying the bike there, and doing my own electric conversion if the dealer had been giving me better service. ironically, i did end up buying the exact bike she said they'd "build" for me, except in a smaller frame size.
3. hank's cycle shop in nanaimo. hank is quite the original, a gnarled, 70something dutch guy, former road racer, who mostly does service, and likes to share his opinions, *grin*. he had one bike in store that might've served, maybe, but it wasn't close enough to even test ride it (also, the mall where hank has his shop is unusable for a test ride; all parking lot, and busy as hell). the shop isn't set up for decent sales. electric? hahahahaha. former road racer, remember? i'm not blaming hank; he has his niche -- it was just not a match with what i was looking for. i can see taking my bike there for service to the non-electric parts though.
4. oak bay bicycles in nanaimo. i was clearly not their target population, but the guy who took pity on short, fat, little old me at least tried. he too didn't have much choice -- he had exactly one bike there that sort of fit my inquiry, but it was too large, and not really the right type -- more of a city commuter. when it came to electric, he didn't know anything but ancient info.
by that time i was tired of cruising local stores (we have 2 more, one of which looks like a performance sgop, the other one doesn't even have a website). we ended up going to vancouver, and bought the bike at JV bike, who handle both regular and electric sales -- i found them over the web. the two guys we dealt with were knowledgeable, we could test ride both an electric bike with the system we'd be buying, and the specific bikes i was considering, and they had it ready for us within a day. unfortunately the lifetime service guarantee that comes with the bike would mean we'd have to go to vancouver every time we have a problem, which isn't a sound financial proposition, but we have a local bike co-op which i'll join; i always prefer to do my own maintenance anyway.
the bike itself is designed in BC, but assembled in cambodia -- hank claimed no bikes at all are actually built in canada anymore, which i can believe. but even the limited attempt at buying local didn't work, because the local businesses all failed for one reason or another.
they'll never know it, but this is a cautionary tale for small, local businesses -- we bought just one bike now, but we will buy another one probably come next spring. i am kinda loyal to anyone who does a good job for me the first time i deal with them, so even if it means vancouver again (that adds $$ to the purchase because it means 1-2 return ferry trips for 2 with the truck), we're much more likely to return there. we definitely won't go back to the locals who had crap service the first time. also, just because once upon a time the early electric systems were fiddly and possibly not worth the effort doesn't mean the state of the art stands still. today's systems are pretty easy to install and maintain, so as a dealer it's silly to be a luddite. especially with the weird legal state for new, alternate, electric transportation, pedal-assisted electric bikes are not in such murky waters as long as the electric motor is speed-limited.
i've been in lust with the segway ever since its much-hyped reveal, and a few months ago i finally got to ride one, and OMG, it was wonderful. so responsive and intuitive. it was truly as cool as i had imagined it to be, for once the hype wasn't actually too much. but the price tag is still prohibitive -- around C$ 8,000 for the version that can handle bumpy terrain. also, the segway is in a legally precarious realm in BC (translation: it is actually illegal on public roads, but since hardly anyone has one, cops don't really know that). i guess that's where the hype has failed; infrastructure is very, very slow to adjust away from privileging cars over anything else.
so i started looking into electric motorcycles and scooters. which are amazingly prolific, mainly due to imports from china. the quality, alas, isn't particularly good. and the ones i'd be most interested in are suffering from a similarly precarious legal position (they have to have actual pedals even if those are useless to propel the vehicle). and -- this is quite ridiculous -- when we went up to courtenay to visit the only dealer near us who seemed to have a decent selection, they were closed. on a saturday. which they had not put on their website. [*] so my mind moved on.
while we were spending some time walking around courtenay to make the drive up worthwhile, we stopped by a couple of regular bike stores (open on a saturday, as it should be), and it was apparent that the bike industry had not stood still since i last looked. back 15 years or so you had basically two choices, road bikes and mountain bikes, and neither was quite right for the way i'd be using a bike now. i missed the "omafiets" of my youth, that old, black granny bike with comfy tires and big baskets for carrying groceries, whose handlebars curved back and which were comfortable for an upright riding position. funny, because when i was young and had an omafiets, i lusted after those sleek road racers. yeah well, my bones are old now. we did give mountain bikes a chance a while back, but it was not a love affair since i am not really interested in navigating twisty, turny, torn-up paths in the woods, the knobby tires weren't very good on the roads, and my wrists hurt no matter in what position i put the handlebars and seat post. i should have probably not bought that bike at canadian tire, *sigh*.
but now the bike industry has blessed me, because not only have omafietsen made a retro appearance (as "cruisers"), but we also get "comfort" hybrids between mountain bikes and cruisers, which are perfect for the crappy roads around here -- upright riding position, slightly curved back handlebars, cushioned, ergonomic handles, step-through for those whose hips no longer like swinging up that leg over the saddle, fat, grippy tires with a flat centre for less than ideal paved country and unpaved logging roads. and i pondered whether there might not be some enterprising soul who'd come up with an an electric motor to add to a bike. because around here biking even on the better design is still strenuous, and strenuous, when i feel tired or sick (too often), translates to not riding the bike, but taking the truck even if my destination is within reasonable biking range, like our closest grocery stores.
fortunately, enterprising souls have indeed come up with modern electric motors for bikes. and i am now the proud owner of a 2013 norco plateau with a PL350 bionX electric hub motor and a sleek lithium-ion battery good for about 40km of assisted pedalling.
i'm in love.
this takes the pain out of biking for me, and just leaves the fun. everything on the bike is easy to adjust, and the gear train is so smooth, shifting 21 gears is almost enjoyable.
[*] the tale of actually trying out and buying a bike is a tale of businesses who apparently don't want our money.
1. A/C logic in courtenay. we went there on a saturday after finding them over the web. their website had no indications of opening hours, but we figured they'd be open. everybody is open here on saturdays. if you're trying to run a profitable business, closing on a saturday is just stupid around here. your average sale in the electric bike/scooter business is just short of C$3000 without counting all the possible paraphernalia. what, are you trying to sell to people who're unemployed or otherwise don't work regular hours? especially if you're selling to an area that extends for 100 km around your location, since you're the only dealer specializing in electric two-wheelers. end of september is late in the season, but the other bike stores in town were open and actually doing business. at least put your damn opening hours front and centre on your website. i was ticked off enough at the wasted drive to basically write these guys off for good.
2. after our aborted expedition and some more research making me lean away from scooters and towards modding a real bike that fits me well in all other regards, i thought maybe we could get help from a local dealer. the first store we went to, bastion cycle, where the paramour bought a decent mountain bike a few years ago, was out of business. darn. they were competent, and actually did electric conversions.
3. pacific rim bicycles in nanaimo. the woman dealing with us was friendly, but did not give us much time (she seemed distracted), nor offered any choices, nor a test ride. she said they could "build" a bike i could try "next week", though her mechanic didn't handle electric -- but she knew the name of the electric system with which i ended up. i waited for her call-back for more than a week. it never came. that's just dumb. i might've easily ended up buying the bike there, and doing my own electric conversion if the dealer had been giving me better service. ironically, i did end up buying the exact bike she said they'd "build" for me, except in a smaller frame size.
3. hank's cycle shop in nanaimo. hank is quite the original, a gnarled, 70something dutch guy, former road racer, who mostly does service, and likes to share his opinions, *grin*. he had one bike in store that might've served, maybe, but it wasn't close enough to even test ride it (also, the mall where hank has his shop is unusable for a test ride; all parking lot, and busy as hell). the shop isn't set up for decent sales. electric? hahahahaha. former road racer, remember? i'm not blaming hank; he has his niche -- it was just not a match with what i was looking for. i can see taking my bike there for service to the non-electric parts though.
4. oak bay bicycles in nanaimo. i was clearly not their target population, but the guy who took pity on short, fat, little old me at least tried. he too didn't have much choice -- he had exactly one bike there that sort of fit my inquiry, but it was too large, and not really the right type -- more of a city commuter. when it came to electric, he didn't know anything but ancient info.
by that time i was tired of cruising local stores (we have 2 more, one of which looks like a performance sgop, the other one doesn't even have a website). we ended up going to vancouver, and bought the bike at JV bike, who handle both regular and electric sales -- i found them over the web. the two guys we dealt with were knowledgeable, we could test ride both an electric bike with the system we'd be buying, and the specific bikes i was considering, and they had it ready for us within a day. unfortunately the lifetime service guarantee that comes with the bike would mean we'd have to go to vancouver every time we have a problem, which isn't a sound financial proposition, but we have a local bike co-op which i'll join; i always prefer to do my own maintenance anyway.
the bike itself is designed in BC, but assembled in cambodia -- hank claimed no bikes at all are actually built in canada anymore, which i can believe. but even the limited attempt at buying local didn't work, because the local businesses all failed for one reason or another.
they'll never know it, but this is a cautionary tale for small, local businesses -- we bought just one bike now, but we will buy another one probably come next spring. i am kinda loyal to anyone who does a good job for me the first time i deal with them, so even if it means vancouver again (that adds $$ to the purchase because it means 1-2 return ferry trips for 2 with the truck), we're much more likely to return there. we definitely won't go back to the locals who had crap service the first time. also, just because once upon a time the early electric systems were fiddly and possibly not worth the effort doesn't mean the state of the art stands still. today's systems are pretty easy to install and maintain, so as a dealer it's silly to be a luddite. especially with the weird legal state for new, alternate, electric transportation, pedal-assisted electric bikes are not in such murky waters as long as the electric motor is speed-limited.
no subject
have you ever tried a segway? unless one's mobility is impaired in ways that affect standing as well, that strikes me as a really useful vehicle for people for whom walking is difficult. except for the price tag, of course. *sigh*.
no subject
Segways ... I've never been on one. Sure look cool. I do have balance and standing problems, so they're not for me. Their basic balancing technology was incorporated in the "IBOT 3000" power wheelchair, which could climb stairs. That sounds amazing, but the operator had to be able to shift their weight around, and also have $30,000 for something every insurance company said was "not medically necessary." Car crash survivors get large cash settlements, but they often have higher spinal cord injuries so they can't control the stair-climbing. No longer manufactured — it's a very tricky market!
In the US the manufacturer pushed through 50 state-law-changes to define the Segway as a "personal mobility device." Although that sounds like a power wheelchair or scooter, it's actually a neologism courtesy Dean Kamen. The model law required that anywhere there were sidewalks (aka pavements), Segways could operate on them. There have been several court cases about public transit access by Segway riders, with differing decisions in different regions.
/more than you'd ever want to know