Spotted an electric bike "in the wild" today

[esullivan]

It was a Saietta, riding with me between the Barbican and Great Portland Street. The rider was getting asked questions at every red light, mostly from black cab drivers. I asked what kind of range it gets. He says the best he's had is 120 miles, but if he rides it like he stole it, he'll get maybe 85. On his commute, he says he charges it once a week.

I can't decide if these are hideously ugly or ultra cool. They look (and sound) a bit like a small version of Judge Dredd's bike...

I saw one at the Motorcycle Museum a few weeks ago (attached), but didn't know what it was at the time. I thought it was a film prop.
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[thx1138]

part bike, part milk float

[c_dug]

I met the designer and had a sit on one about 8 months back, he was tearing around on it inside the museum.

To be honest it is actually a tempting prospect if not for the initial outlay, my thread is here

https://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee81/paddy2007dug/photo5.jpg

https://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee81/paddy2007dug/photo1.jpg

Edit, just checked the date of my thread and it was last april! Time flies!
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[thx1138]

actually, the all black one looks much better

[c_dug]

Also, it was really quick when he was tearing around on it. Unsure what the claimed 0-60 is off the top of my head, but because there is no clutch to worry about you just give it the beans and go fast.
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[c_dug]

Aaaand a third post.

Just to mention, in terms of seating position I would compare it quite nicely to my old cbr600f.

It looks much better IRL than online too.
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[The Shaggy D.A.]

£16750, 80 mph, range 75 miles (combined).

That's an XV250/CD250U/Varadero 125/Enfield 350 and a metric fuckton of fuel.
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[G]

You probably see quite a lot.

It's just that you don't realise because it's someone who's stuck an electric motor on a push bike and they're pedalling too.
You may occasionally see a converted ICE bike too, and not notice with all the other noise in London.

The one you saw however is more status symbol than anything else - there's lots of potential for utilitarian designs that offer lots of cargo space, compact folding designs and the like - but so far we're seeing 'futuristic concept' to justify the price which is well over what a vehicle like that should be worth.

[thx1138]

My local council has a Vectrex scooter, see it around from time to time.

[-Matt-]

I wouldn't say i dislike the design, but it does look like a mis-match of various different styles of bikes does look like its a bit more 'style than sense'. Wouldn't be any use to me with the mileage to be honest, could just about live with the top speed

[Pete.]

[Rogerborg]

Urgh, no. It looks like they've taken a regular bike and thrown some random bits of fibreglass at it to make it look Tron.

If he's had 120 miles out of it, that was riding around the block, because you'd have to put a lot of faith in your "breakdown" service otherwise.

I would like to try an electric bike, but that price, performance and range is still at least two generations away. We'll have a credible electric bike when it comes with a Honda badge on it.
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[radicalrabit]

and the way Honda are going about things these days it probably wont be very long
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[Carl_steveo]

[Pigeon]

[G]

The normal servicing costs of the electric bike should be a lot lower as the electric motor is very simple. Still have a chain, brake pads, suspension and the like.
The electricity will cost a bit ontop, but not much.
What will cost is if the batteries need replacing - which can get very expensive. If they're decent lithium batteries kept in good nick, quite possible that by the time they do need replacing it won't be so expensive.

However, while battery technology is moving along a bit, it's not doing it in leaps and bounds

[Rogerborg]

If you're buying a used ICE vehicle, you start it from cold, run it through all the gears, and that's you got a fair idea of its condition.

Buying a used electric vehicle, you'd need to run it from a full charge to empty to see how much is really left in the battery. Round the block for 120 miles?

If you don't, then you're gambling that you won't need to replace the battery, which - if you can get one - is likely to cost more than the used price of the vehicle.

I'd be very hesitant to buy one used, and imagine that prices will be essentially random, depending on how pragmatic or trusting your potential buyers are.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[XanderZZR]

No chance I would get one yet. Some of the ones that go around the TT look more the part.

The lack of noise puts me off :/ (and price).

Maybe in another 10 years it will be more viable, although I would rather biofuel.

Guess I'm old fashioned :s

[-Matt-]

[G]

These days a lot of cars are very quiet anyway - often hear road noise over engine noise.
Definitely for decent 'luxury' cars, they tend to be very quiet inside too.

[-Matt-]

Yeah thats a good point with modern cars i guess, with bikes and the smaller visibility and more expectation of sound though would be interesting to see what difference it might have, especially if you go with the 'loud pipes save lives' brigade

[Vracktal]

Needs Aperture Science Logos

https://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/335/6/b/portal_2_turret_by_mintenndo-d5mpbip.png

Also I still think the Blammo is the closest 'everyday' electric bike so far. Mainly because it has a real, honest-to-god manual gearbox which gives it better range.
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[-Matt-]

[G]

As ever - there are plenty of DIY electric bikes that fulfil their requirements very well, including being very cheap to build, run and keep.

[c_dug]

I'm sure we worked out in my thread at the top (or maybe in another related thread) that the batteries would last around 150,000 miles before being knackered. Or in other words about as much as you could hope for from a well looked after combustion engine.

As for sounding uninspiring, I wouldn't mind my bike sounding like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRrKhFAlaRw

I do sort of like the idea of a whisper quiet, clean London.
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