456 batteries, bikes, and safety

More on electric bikes, emobility, and the lithium ions that make it all possible. 

The other day I read an article about why Electric Motorcycles are failing. They got into a list of startups that have gone belly up, explained that Zero is basically still in business because of selling to government agencies (cops), and that Harley has only been able to move a couple hundred of their emotos, despite Ewan McGregor's publicity efforts.

When I read all that, I figured emotos aren't doing well because ebikes are better. Similar usefulness, none of the hassle of insurance, registration, etc. Sure, you can't go 65 on the highway, but you can do pretty much all the same stuff around town.

But the author of the article argued it was all about range. Emotorcycles don't have much range, maybe a hundred miles. That's an hour and a half of riding at 65. Sure, enough for most commutes, but not enough for a Sunday ride through the countryside. And they may have a point.

Apparently, some manufacturers agree, because my brother sent over this link, about a hot swappable battery standard. Seems like a good idea to me.

When I wrote Self-Driving Mystery a few years ago, I imagined a few leaps in technology which would allow a bike to drive itself. One was a gyroscopic flywheel that both stored energy and balanced the bike.

It's starting to happen!

This is a cool way of doing an all-wheel-drive bike. The mid-drive motor assists the cranks. When the back tire starts to slip, there's some sort of mechanical clutch that kicks in, and powers a series of drive shafts running through the frame and down the front fork, to power up the front wheel. The Christini AWD Fat-E 5 is not cheap, but apparently they're quite good, and you get all wheel drive without much added weight, especially in the front, which can feel pretty awkward while riding. Also, at least the frame is made in the US. I think.

Or so I've heard.


It's not full suspension, but apparently the Ride1Up Prodigy is a contender in the "value MTB" category I've been looking at (otherwise known as "keeping up with your brother-in-law on the fire trails.")

Radio Flyer, the makers of those little red wagons, is getting into ebikes.

Their mommy bike, aimed squarely at the Rad Wagon, looks pretty nice. It's got that mullet set up, small wheel in the back. It's only a 500 watt hub motor, though, so hills may be a little slow going.

My guess is this is a "white label" bike, I feel like I've seen pretty similar. Or maybe the design language is getting narrowed down.

File under: this seems conservative
Finally, a reminder.

Until we get all the cars off the road, biking can be quite dangerous. Be safe everyone!

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