Use of electric bikes by younger people.

[SkipdiverJohn]

There's bugger all R & D required in designing a bike frame. I bet most of them simply get hold of a competitors frame, take it apart, measure it and copy it, if the truth is told. Or just select a generic frame available on the wholesale manufacturers market and just decide what paint colour and logo they want on it. The basics of geometry and sizing proportion were worked out a hundred years ago.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Is that R&D have no cost

No, it is No that the excessive margin are not solely down to R&D costs

 

[screenman]

No, it is No that the excessive margin are not solely down to R&D costs

Not solely I agree but some must. I cannot figure why on the forum profit is such a bad word, how many of us would take a pay cut because we get more than we need?

 

[overmind]

No he thinks youngsters who use them are lazy, I disagree.

Speaking of being young here is an interesting comparison from my youth. When I went to secondary school we had to do this test called the "cognitive abilities test". As a result I got moved class. I went home and told my parents, and got in a lot of trouble; sent to bed without dinner. I had been in trouble in my old school and my parents thought I had been moved down a class. They went to see the headmistress to find the reason (there is a point to this preamble ...).

The next day, when I got home from school, my brother answered the door with, "Dad's going to buy you a skateboard!" (The reason was that I had been moved into the top class, not the bottom one based on the results of this test). I was crazy about skateboards at the time; I suppose they where the 1970's equivalent of electric scooters.

I was given the choice of a bike or a skateboard. After thinking about it I concluded a bike was much better than a skateboard (they were about the same price). I rode that bike all over NW London for the next 5 years. I loved the brakes with 'safety levers'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh_Bicycle_Company#Historic_models
https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/13077862/raleigh-arena

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Not solely I agree but some must. I cannot figure why on the forum profit is such a bad word, how many of us would take a pay cut because we get more than we need?

It's not, well not for me, it's excessive profit I don't like, although my boss would disagree, he was once paying himself £100K a week just to get the money out of the company, but I can assure you none of the 'workers' were on good wages. p.s. Yes I know it's jealousy

 

[confusedcyclist]

What strikes me as odd is that often the same people who bash ebikes happily drive cars around, not to mention the folk who drive cars to transport their road bikes around. Still, each to their own.

Try it before you bash it. Never had so much fun on a bike as I have blasting up hills at 15 mph and anyone who thinks your not having a proper workout on an ebike is demonstrating their ignorance to all those that have. I can make it to work 13 miles away without needing to thrash the pedals and save time not showering at the other end, yet you wouldn't believe the number of times people exclaim that they can't believe I'm panting as I dismount, it doesn't have to be any less hard work if you don't want, you can just cover the same distance in less time. And thanks to my ebike I can make it home on time to see my daughter before bed time. I'm perfectly capable of that journey under my own steam, I don't any more because it's less fun and costs only a few pence in electric to make the same journey.

 

[overmind]

What strikes me as odd is that often the same people who bash ebikes happily drive cars around, not to mention the folk who drive cars to transport their road bikes around. Still, each to their own.

Try it before you bash it. Never had so much fun on a bike as I have blasting up hills at 15 mph and anyone who thinks your not having a proper workout on an ebike is demonstrating their ignorance to all those that have. I can make it to work 13 miles away without needing to thrash the pedals and save time not showering at the other end, yet you wouldn't believe the number of times people exclaim that they can't believe I'm panting as I dismount, it doesn't have to be any less hard work if you don't want, you can just cover the same distance in less time. And thanks to my ebike I can make it home on time to see my daughter before bed time. I'm perfectly capable of that journey under my own steam, I don't any more because it's less fun and costs only a few pence in electric to make the same journey.

Fair point. I'll give it a try. Can you hire e-bikes?

 

[confusedcyclist]

Fair point. I'll give it a try. Can you hire e-bikes?

Absolutely!

 

[overmind]

Absolutely!

What is the range of an e-bike. Could it cover 60 miles?

 

[confusedcyclist]

What is the range of an e-bike. Could it cover 60 miles?

My bike will get 60 miles in lower assistance settings, which just about levels the playing field in terms of extra weight of the battery and motor, maybe with a bit more omph for hills and acceleration. Dual battery set ups can go further with higher assistance.

 

[confusedcyclist]

A lot depends on the bike, rider, weather, road conditions etc. Lots of variables to consider.

 

[NotAsGoodAsMyBike]

Speaking of being young here is an interesting comparison from my youth. When I went to secondary school we had to do this test called the "cognitive abilities test". As a result I got moved class. I went home and told my parents, and got in a lot of trouble; sent to bed without dinner. I had been in trouble in my old school and my parents thought I had been moved down a class. They went to see the headmistress to find the reason (there is a point to this preamble ...).

The next day, when I got home from school, my brother answered the door with, "Dad's going to buy you a skateboard!" (The reason was that I had been moved into the top class, not the bottom one based on the results of this test). I was crazy about skateboards at the time; I suppose they where the 1970's equivalent of electric scooters.

I was given the choice of a bike or a skateboard. After thinking about it I concluded a bike was much better than a skateboard (they were about the same price). I rode that bike all over NW London for the next 5 years. I loved the brakes with 'safety levers'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raleigh_Bicycle_Company#Historic_models
https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/13077862/raleigh-arena
View attachment 516532

Ah, a Raleigh Arena was my first proper bike back in the 1970s, in that colour and with those useless safety brakes. All my mates had grifters and choppers. Foolish boys...

 

[screenman]

It's not, well not for me, it's excessive profit I don't like, although my boss would disagree, he was once paying himself £100K a week just to get the money out of the company, but I can assure you none of the 'workers' were on good wages. p.s. Yes I know it's jealousy

I wonder what percentage of turnover remains as profit in most cycle shops, not a lot judging by the amount that shut.

 

[overmind]

Ah, a Raleigh Arena was my first proper bike back in the 1970s, in that colour and with those useless safety brakes. All my mates had grifters and choppers. Foolish boys...

I liked the safety brakes. See link below:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-...hey-re-evil-i-disagree-what-do-you-think.html

 

[Deleted member 26715]

What is the range of an e-bike. Could it cover 60 miles?

I go out on mine with 5 bars, I come back after 30 miles with 4 left, but I normally just use Eco mode & only go to a higher level in steep hills, no idea what a road e-bike is like

I wonder what percentage of turnover remains as profit in most cycle shops, not a lot judging by the amount that shut.

Now you've moved the goal posts, I am referring to manufacturers, I suspect a LBS is more a vocation/passion than a method of getting rich.