You could always buy a recumbent. Or just pedal harder. :)
Bicycles.....need advice.
by Lostreality 14 Replies latest social physical
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Eyebrow2
Okay,..first thing is to get on the bike, and lean really low. Then have a friend wrap you and the bike with that industrial strength plastic wrap. Leave the botton open for air. This should cut down on the resistance, and keep out the rain.
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brutusmaximus
Take your bike and move to a less windy place.
BM
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Jim_TX
Wow! This is a cool topic - and at a time that I might just have some interesting input.
Over the weekend, I visited a friend that I have not seen in a long time. He had some issues with a controller he is using for an e-bike.
I got to see what he is using to ride to work. Well, the three iterations of what he rides...
1) What he has is a 'pusher' that he attaches to his bicycle. It is a motor attached to a 16" (or 14" - I'm not quite sure... but it's small) bike wheel. There is a battery pack that attaches to a controller, and switches, etc. When he gets going... he is than able to turn on a switch, and the motor kicks in.
He tells me that he is able to average about 23mph on his approx 16 mile trek to work.
2) The other method... he has a 'trike' Don't ask me the brand... it's a really low-slung 3-wheeler - 2 wheels in front, and one in back. He says that this is the easiest thing to ride he has had in a long time. I got to sit in it, and pedal for a bit. (He had it on rollers inside the house.)
He attaches his 'pusher' to this trike - and says that this is the best combination he has used. The extra oomph he gets from the pusher allows him to get to work. The trike is also low enough, that the aerodynamics are pretty good. (This might be a plus is your area.)
3) He and a friend are 'inventing' an e-bike. I got to see the prototype for this. He rode it to work last Thursdat - so it is functional... they are still puzzling through a few details... like... it doesn't seem to follow what they thought would be 'normal' for battery consumption. It seems to be running very efficient. I told him that maybe he has chosen a battery/motor combination that works well with the motor - hence the added efficiency.
He is trying to market the e-bikes to bikers that are willing to pay upwards of 1500 - a tad out of my reach right now... but I am thinking about it.
What I am doing right now... is working on an LED headlamp using some extremely bright LEDs. I showed him a prototype flashlight that I have... he was impressed. (I demoed it at night... and it lit up the trees - for quite a distance.) He definitely wants me to pursue this, as it seems that right now, he is using a little halogen lamp that he tends to over-peddle. (Not good.)
Anyway... don't know if this helps... I would say... try to get a trike - get a flag - for visibility... and have fun.
Oh - on the trike - he says that he can wear regular street-clothes, and shoes - unlike when he rides his bike. He says that he is not dripping sweat when he gets where he is going, too.
Just my thoughts... I hope it helps.
Regards,
Jim TX
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new light
Riding against the wind will make you a much stronger rider. It sucks at first, but stick with it and you will see positive results. My favorite rides are the ones when the trip out is into a strong headwind and then the ride back is a superfast and quiet cruise thanks to a strong tailwind. Have fun.