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Karen Johnson InterviewPG- What inspired you to get this bike? How did you find out about it? How were you getting around before? How did you get it? How much did it cost and where did you buy it? Etc. KJ- I thought about electrifying my bicycle because I had a knee problem. At first walking was difficult. Even when I reached the point that I could walk some, then there was the time factor with my busy schedule yet exercise was extremely important. With the rising gasoline costs, an electric bicycle was the perfect solution. I can let the bicycle do as much (even just about all) or as little work as I want it to do. I can get as much or as little exercise as I want or need and at the same time I can get to wherever I am going on time. It will pay for itself in time with the money I save in gasoline costs from my car. Charging the bicycle is very economical. I first thought I would try a Wilderness Energy electrified bicycle kit. When I went to the Bickel's bicycle shop in Burlington, I discovered there were many modifications my bicycle would need in order to electrify it and the modifications were more costly than I thought. The bike kit I ordered had been damaged in shipping and then they forgot to send half of it. It seemed to me that the balancing and stability of the bike was not going to be so great and some of the carrying space would be used up by the batteries. Also the motor is on the front wheel - so stability, ease might be in question. So I tried out one of the used Giant LaFree electric bikes at Bickel's and I fell in love with it. I decided, no more waiting. The time was now. The Giant LaFree is an award winning bike. New it costs about $1000. Second-hand one can get it for considerably less. Getting it from a bike shop like Bickel's is a good idea as they detail it and make sure everything is working well and give a 90 day warrantee. Giant is one of the best companies that make electric bikes as they have been making them for a long time. Therefore, unlike other electric bicycle companies, they try to keep the parts on the market for a long time. This is important as you do not want to find that your electric bike is unusable a year or 2 down the road because you cannot get a part for it. The LaFree has a 400 watt motor whereas the Wilderness Energy Electric Kits have a 600 watt motor. The Wilderness energy kits are not pedal assisted and the parts are easily replaceable also. The motor does shut off automatically when you stop with the WE kits and then you have to start it up again. You will have more power going up the hills with the Wilderness Energy kits and you will not need to pedal along at all to get the motor running, but the ride will be a bit rougher, less balanced and the speed more difficult to control. Even though I have go slower up the hills with the LaFree, it makes it up all the hills on campus even without me using any leg force of my own ( I haven't tried the one behind the Recreation Center). Because the WE Electric Kit is not pedal assisted, the police are a little more cautious regarding them. In Fairfield they are saying we have these new laws, and they come under the category of a scooter - licensing, brake lights, signal lights, flags, etc. This is quite costly as hardly anybody in the world makes these for electric bikes yet. However, there are several people in town who have electric bikes that are not pedal assisted and they are disagreeing with what the police are claiming. PG- What are the specifics on the bike (how many gears n such? How does it work exactly? What are the pros and cons? Do you have any stories about you riding your bike? Any additional info? A2- The LaFree has 7 gears. They are easy - as there are pictures of hills and flat land on the gear shift in case you forget. This is a pedal assisted electric bike. That means when you pedal, it turns the motor on. The throttle controls the speed. There is a cruise control. Because it is pedal assisted, there is no special licensing or registration different from any bicycle. There is a screen that tells you how much juice is left in the battery. It is important to charge the battery regularly. Some say every night you ride it. However, if you are just riding around campus, then when it is down 30% or so may work. Going up hills is slow, especially if you want the bike to do most or all of the work. Flat ground can be pretty fast though using the throttle. Using the throttle is not necessary on flat ground though as it has some power without the throttle. The motor is encased inside where you cannot see it with the LaFree. The chain and wiring is partially covered so there is less chance of clothing getting caught than in a regular bicycle. Electric bikes are heavier than regular bicycles so maneuverability in tight spots requires more caution. Mountain tires do not work well at all on electric bikes. However, I find the throttle power does help me get through rough and muddy spots such as on muddy paths across from the Recreation Center. It rides easiest on pavement but still the motor makes it easy to cut across grass also. I am cautious driving on campus, as so many people tend to pull out from every direction without warning. A good horn is useful. Some people have complained that my horn scares them, but I feel my life is more important. You really need to be alert and watch out for the other guy who may not be looking. PG- So how long does the bike last before its unusable? Do you have to repair it often? What does the future look like for these kinds of bikes? Any closing comments? KJ- I feel with proper care, I hope this bike will last a long time. I haven't had to repair it, but I have had the breaks adjusted. Breaks have to be looser with an electric bike, but not too loose. The batteries will have to be replaced periodically depending on how much the bike is ridden and how well the batteries are taken care of. I understand that batteries can even be purchased at Radio Shack for them. I feel the future for these bikes are great. It is the only way to go. They are great. I have driven motorcycles and scooters. The electric bike is just about the right combination for me. With the rising gasoline costs, I think everything electric has a great future. NOTE: I am bringing it in for first repair tomorrow. The warrantee will cover whatever the problem is luckily.
And there you have it folks. Thanks Karen for taking the time to answer some questions about your “electric” lifestyle. Until next time, I’m Peter Garrido, signing off. |