Are we being forced to go electric?

[chris667]

whereas non E-bikes can be repaired indefinitely.

Bang on. It doesn't really matter that there are one or two very specialised companies that can do certain types of repair on the electronic bits of ebikes - most people will just get a new one.

It's disgusting really.

Of course, @CXRAndy is spot on as well - you can get parts for ebikes which are non-proprietary. But again, that's not most of them. At least not if you follow the advice here.

 

[CXRAndy]

you can get parts for ebikes which are non-proprietary. But again, that's not most of them. At least not if you follow the advice here.

Many , don't feel comfortable buying out of the normal channels.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I think this is a large part of the motication behind Ebikes: manufacturers have realised they can make more specialised parts and force people to buy new bikes when the batteries stop working, whereas non E-bikes can be repaired indefinitely.

Or, they are responding to a throwaway must have the latest, greatest market where upgrade-itis is a given.

 

[Rocky]

Or, they are responding to a throwaway must have the latest, greatest market where upgraditis is a given.

I think you are right.

At times I've felt my ID3 is a bit like a mobile phone - I must have the latest features and the most up-to-date software. Then of course I remember that the car functions perfectly well with its original software etc - it starts, drives and stops; the lights work as does the air con and so does every other function.

There is something insidious about what you've called upgrade-itis - I've got a pen and a watch that were my late father's and they must be both over 50 years old. I use them everyday and they do their jobs nicely. As a society we do need to stop yearning for the latest innovation - its wasteful and often doesn't make us happy.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I think you are right.

At times I've felt my ID3 is a bit like a mobile phone - I must have the latest features and the most up-to-date software. Then of course I remember that the car functions perfectly well with its original software etc - it starts, drives and stops; the lights work as does the air con and so does every other function.

There is something insidious about what you've called upgrade-itis - I've got a pen and a watch that were my late father's and they must be both over 50 years old. I use them everyday and they do their jobs nicely. As a society we do need to stop yearning for the latest innovation - its wasteful and often doesn't make us happy.

Watches and phones are the biggies re upgrade-itis (your spelling of this non-word is better than mine!).

The state some (many) people get into when an 'upgraded' product comes out.

Apple are incredibly good at tapping into this behaviour.

Happens elsewhere too; I read on a Garmin forum the other day that a guy with an Instinct 1 watch (I have one too) who wears it 'hardly ever' wanted to know if he was missing out on new features on the Instinct 2.

I asked why this bothered him as he hardly uses it anyway and he responded that he 'likes the latest bling'. It's a functional and very capable tool watch for goodness sake. The 2 looks virtually identical to the 1!

Bonkers imo.

 

[Alex321]

Watches and phones are the biggies re upgrade-itis (your spelling of this non-word is better than mine!).

The state some (many) people get into when an 'upgraded' product comes out.

Apple are incredibly good at tapping into this behaviour.

Happens elsewhere too; I read on a Garmin forum the other day that a guy with an Instinct 1 watch (I have one too) who wears it 'hardly ever' wanted to know if he was missing out on new features on the Instinct 2.

I asked why this bothered him as he hardly uses it anyway and he responded that he 'likes the latest bling'. It's a functional and very capable tool watch for goodness sake. The 2 looks virtually identical to the 1!

Bonkers imo.

Hmmm.
I'l admit to upgrading my phone every 2-3 years, when the cnotract expires. But I usually upgrade to a model one behind the "latest and greatest".
As for watch, I have a Casio, which cost something like £25-30 about 10 years ago. On its 3rd strap now (which have cost as much between them as the watch did).

I rather agree with you that it is just bonkers to be always after the latest model of everything, whether you need the new features or not.

 

[Pale Rider]

I think you are right.

At times I've felt my ID3 is a bit like a mobile phone - I must have the latest features and the most up-to-date software. Then of course I remember that the car functions perfectly well with its original software etc - it starts, drives and stops; the lights work as does the air con and so does every other function.

There is something insidious about what you've called upgrade-itis - I've got a pen and a watch that were my late father's and they must be both over 50 years old. I use them everyday and they do their jobs nicely. As a society we do need to stop yearning for the latest innovation - its wasteful and often doesn't make us happy.

I never suffered badly from this condition, but there's no doubt advancing age has cured me completely.

 

[Rocky]

I never suffered badly from this condition, but there's no doubt advancing age has cured me completely.

I think you have a point. I was at my worst (with new phones etc) when I was a bit younger and under huge work stress. Retail therapy and having a new bit of bling temporarily helped me to think I was happy and deal with the stress. But of course I wasn't and it didn't (relieve the stress). This phase was only cured by changing jobs - having the latest gadget can never make one happy.

Now I'm retired, hopefully too, I'm cured. I'm hoping that this car will be my last. I certainly have very few yearnings to be the man with the newest, most tech-advanced, car in our street.

 

[cougie uk]

I think you are right.

At times I've felt my ID3 is a bit like a mobile phone - I must have the latest features and the most up-to-date software. Then of course I remember that the car functions perfectly well with its original software etc - it starts, drives and stops; the lights work as does the air con and so does every other function.

There is something insidious about what you've called upgrade-itis - I've got a pen and a watch that were my late father's and they must be both over 50 years old. I use them everyday and they do their jobs nicely. As a society we do need to stop yearning for the latest innovation - its wasteful and often doesn't make us happy.

Aren't all cars like this ? Every few years things are added. Aircon. CD players. GPS. Cameras. SOS technology etc etc

 

[Rocky]

Aren't all cars like this ? Every few years things are added. Aircon. CD players. GPS. Cameras. SOS technology etc etc

Yes I agree - although I also suspect EVs, with their ability to download software 'over the air' - particularly software that adds extra function for a fee -are getting more like mobile phones every year. I love my ID3 but Mrs R has a 2005 manual geared VW Polo - I drove it a couple of weeks ago on a couple of longish journeys and it was an absolute pleasure to have no warnings about not being in the centre of the lane or have the brakes automatically applied on a windy road because some safety system thought I was going to crash into a wall. There's a huge pleasure to be had in simplicity - it's a bit like those 1980s artists doing their unplugged albums (if you remember those)!!

 

[FishFright]

Ten maybe, if the software doesn't crash, and they'll have cost several times their buying price in running cost in those ten years too.

Don't be silly or just a bad day ?

 

[lazybloke]

There's a huge pleasure to be had in simplicity - it's a bit like those 1980s artists doing their unplugged albums (if you remember those)!!

Yes, I was listening to MTV Unplugged last night on Spotify. Oops, should have used cassette or other 'legacy media' for the retro vibe.



Also recently discovered Tove Lo (about a decade later than everyone else) and really like her unplugged ('stripped') songs.

There's much to be said for simplicity.

 

[dicko]

Yes I agree - although I also suspect EVs, with their ability to download software 'over the air' - particularly software that adds extra function for a fee -are getting more like mobile phones every year. I love my ID3 but Mrs R has a 2005 manual geared VW Polo - I drove it a couple of weeks ago on a couple of longish journeys and it was an absolute pleasure to have no warnings about not being in the centre of the lane or have the brakes automatically applied on a windy road because some safety system thought I was going to crash into a wall. There's a huge pleasure to be had in simplicity - it's a bit like those 1980s artists doing their unplugged albums (if you remember those)!!

Like our 2012 Ford Ka, basic simplicity nothing technical sips petrol and as it’s not an EV which means when China switches the switch and all EVs goes dead I’ll be king of the road.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Don't be silly or just a bad day ?

Factor in depreciation, insurance, fuel, parking, MVED, repairs, MOT... and in Germany extras like summer and winter tyres... ten times is an exaggeration but not that much.

Meanwhile my 2500€ Bakfiets is 13 years old and, has cost about 250€ in maintenance and looks near to new...

 

[Andy in Germany]

Apple are incredibly good at tapping into this behaviour.

A large part of the LEV hype is based on it too, Musk is an expert in using it; see "Hyperloop"; SpaceX; Boring Company; Tesla Truck; All sold as an "upgrade" on the existing technology. Even when debunked and abandoned people still root for them.

It's like a sort of modern religion; "There is no god but Technology and Upgrades are it's profit prophet."