Electric Bike Ride Part 2

This time... I think I got it right. But the first time it went all wrong wasn't my fault! Turned out that after about 4 miles of fun on my first ride, my electric bike motor was broke as a joke, and the whole bike had to be returned to the manufacturer, Liberty Bikes. I just want to note that the company was extra helpful, nice, informative and good with trouble shooting via e-mail... AND because my bike broke they sent me a brand new electric bike to replace it!!! It's the same fold up model as "peewee" was... but this one is their newest version and let me just say, it is way more pimped out.

Now it's got a back red light & more reflectors for night ridin' , a snazzy side logo in red, a upgraded rack on the back, a hardcore lock in kick stand, and improved bike seat ---- and best of all on my very first ride on this new bike the chain never fell off, the brakes were not jumpy, the motor didn't die, and the battery gauge didn't do that half empty thing while going up hill. The new bike is way peppy!
Here are some things I saw along the way....

XoXo

My First Ride On The Electric Bike!

Oh yeah baby.

I finally got the tires pumped, there was no snow, no rain, and the temperature being all the way up to 40 degrees I figured it was time to learn how to operate my new electric bike named "peewee". If I had to describe my first experience with peewee in one word it would be "hilarity" , if I had to do it in two words it would be "holy shit!" and three words "somebody help me...!!!"

So after my neighbor kindly filled the tires with some air blowing machine he happens to have in the back of his truck for his tools, we all took turns riding up and down the muddy road. I let everyone else go first since I am a big scared-y cat like that, and I rather watch everyone else make mistakes first. :)
Getting on the bike and starting the throttle was a bit like your stereotypical teenager learning to drive... stop... start... brake...start....slide...stop.... start. All jerky and wack.
When I took it to the end of the gravel road and onto the paved main road the freaking chain on the bike started falling off- after someone else (i won't name names) had kept switching the gears too fast. Bort *ehem* helped me put the chain back on about 10 times when my mailman pulled up to the mailbox! I happen to love my mailman and we are good friends, so he rolled down the window to see what kind of trouble I was brewing.
Then he said this "You know, I think yer' tire is on backwards! Look at yer' front tire, it's turned around the wrong way..."
Well.... shit. it is. ha. To which my only reply was "this is why I don't belong on the road!"...as I proceeded to turn the darn tire around for the millionth time. (This was the second time I had been told this, and thought I had fixed it the first time. See the pink arrow pointing to my turned around wheel as I unknowingly cruise around in the pic above.) Duh.

A few more times of the chain falling off (and a minor fit of cursing the bike wishing for a donkey), and I finally got the hang of the bike's uphill movement. Although slightly jerky and shocking - when you pedal the bike it forces the electric motor to kick in - which surprised the hell out of me and suddenly I was cruising like a born to ride harley davidson biker... but smaller, less hardcore, and less graceful. And not in enough leather to look "cool". (Remember when Pee Wee Herman went to the biker bar looking for his lost bike, and knocked over their rows of motorcycles? That's more my style.)
Once I was going good on the bike, I could not stop myself - and just kept moving along up the mountain even though I could feel the air upward dropping to colder temps, my hands already freezing under my gloves and in the back of my mind thinking downhill might be a bit f-ed up since I noticed the brakes were... um... sensitive to touch. But hey- the chain stopped falling off and I WAS FREEEEEEEE!!!! Freedom!!!!!!
Till I got to a squished up mailbox, pulled over and realized the battery gage is like really fishy when going uphill. In fact it acted JUST like a tank of car gas - when going uphill it said it was almost empty, when going flat or downhill it said it was full! Since there's no gas in peewee, I don't have a clue how to understand what he's communicating... I mean, is electricity sloshing around to the back of the battery? lol
I decided to turn around and cruise back home.
I wanted to poke my own eyes out on the way. The brakes were SooooosooOOOOoooOOOOOooooooooo sensitive that even the indication of touching them brought the bike to a slamming halt which resembled an insane 10 year old driving a car, jerking to go and stop so much I figured I would vomit by the time I got to the bottom of the valley again. It was single handedly one of the most horrid annoying terrible no good very bad rides back ever - and I still had so much fun!!! The icy wind was blowing straight through all 5 layers of wool and cotton clothing, my fingers were numb, I was going down hill at either death defying speeds causing me to scream and grit teeth or the speed of a slug holding the breaks down almost falling off the bike from lack of inertia.
So... in conclusion. I think peewee is something I have to get the hang of, AFTER somebody helps me fix those control freak brake pads. And maybe it's way less spazzy to ride on a warmer day.
(It's not me, it's the bike... i swear.)
ding ding!
XoXo

My Electric Bike Is Here!

Oh yeah! It has finally arrived! My electric bike was due before X-mas but because of the snow, ice, and funky weather conditions that won't seem to let up Fed Ex became terrified of my road - flat out refusing to drive down it because it was on the "north side of the mountain" (which I am not even sure that is true? ha.) I made a deal to meet the feds by the mailbox and waited in the freezles cold for the bike my mom lovingly gifted me, that will most likely change my life. But not just yet.
The bike came folded up with alot of stuff attached to it with zip ties - even though it was fairly easy to figure out (only cause I had help!) It was kinda confusing since the box didn't come with any specified directions. The tires are purposely flat for shipping and I have to write the company to ask about charging the battery (and how to operate this shindig in general)... even so, I would not have taken it for a test drive in this frigid weather unless someone paid me by the minute to freeze my toodles off out there!
Rockin'! This is the mostly put together Liberty Electric Bike (minus pedals, front reflector, and my wizard of oz style basket)...
I got a set of keys to freedom! It's like being 16 and getting my first car all ova' again. :)
I can't wait to test it out, but will have to wait for the temperature to be higher then 10 degrees (for my own personal comfort), figure out how to work the throttle, um do the keys turn it on, and can the battery be over charged???? So many questions about this thing.
If you wanna read more about electric bikes go here.

PS- What should I name it?!!

PSS- to those peeps with chem sensitivities I think an electric bike is a good alternative to exhaust spewing transportation, but just wanna let you know it came smelling like factory, plastic and tires... it may need to air out a little before being brought inside the house.
XoXo

Electric Bike For The Petite (and up!)

As some of ya'll might know I don't drive a car for medical reasons (lame seizures!) but love to ride my bike the 'cajun knuckle' in search of some freedom. Only problem is my health doesn't really lend to making long distance trips up steep hills here in the mountains... usually I can make it to the Big Sandy Mush Community Center and back for some WWF style wrestling (about 3 miles round trip) and I am exhausted! I have saved up money to buy a riding donkey, but will have to be getting a new place to live where I can put it first... (that would be one eco friendly ride-No gas just grass!)
During the limbo period of not being mobile my mom kindly offered to purchase an electric bike she saw in the Real Goods catalog as a super thoughtful and generous holiday gift!!! WOO-hooo! (((My lucky month!))) I contacted Real Goods right away but found out the bike they sell called the Urban Mover was not suitable for my size or needs.
After scouring the interwebs I learned that not all electric bikes are created equal- just like a scooter, car or regular bike each one has a specific purpose, terrain and size person it is made to fit. I decided to write several companies and find out what electric bike could handle a steep ride and small person. Only one company wrote me back so far this week (if others finally do I will post it here in the comments section.)

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"My mom has offered to buy me an electric bike for the holidays, but I don't know much about them.
My question would be this:::
What kind of electric bike would i need to get to travel in the mountains. I would not be taking it off road much (possibly will have to get down a gravel driveway to get to a road) - but the hills here are intense and steep! I live in the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina.
Also I am tiny, about 5 ft 3inches tall and 100 pounds, so i want to make sure the model bike i choose isn't too huge for me.

Thanks so much for ya'lls help!
Leslie "
www.oko-organic-clothing.blogspot.com

"Hi Leslie,

We have a couple of bikes that will do the job. Our best hill climber is the Bionx kit. We install this on the Montague/Swiss folding mountain bikes but they might be too large for you (5"4" to 6'4"). If you have a mountain bike that fits you, it isn't hard to install at Bionx kit on it.

see: http://greenspeed.us/bionx_motor_bike_kit.htm

However, being tiny is a plus when it comes to electric bikes. You will go faster and further than larger folks. I think a good option would be the Ecobike Vitavio EBFOLD. This is a smaller bike but it has a pretty beefy motor. The tires should handle gravel fine. If not, the tires are standard 20" so you could put some knobbys on it. The smaller wheels also give you better tourqe and hill climbing power, plus at 100 pounds, you will fly up the hills.

see: http://greenspeed.us/ecobike_folding_electric_bicycle.htm

Best,

Kevin

Electric Cyclery

949 715 2345"

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If any of my readers out there know anything about electric bikes, I really would love to hear some thoughts, reviews, and see some links to more info about them. Everything I have read makes them sound like a dream come true for anyone who has transportation limitations like I do, to people who want to zoom past morning traffic, don't wanna pump gas (that's you MCS'ers), and to those who simply want a more environmentally friendly set of wheels. Oh, and all ya' naughty peeps who got DUI's and got your license to drive taken away... an electric bike might be the answer for all of us... that is if you can't have a donkey. :)

XoXo