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Getting 625 Miles Per Gallon!
July 10th, 2007

My wife and I have been discussing getting a second vehicle for a while now. It all makes sense too. The 2-door sports car doesn't make much sense anymore and since we have a 6 month old baby girl the days of being "cool" seem to be further and further away.

The challenge is that as soon as we add a second car to our insurance, cost doubles. So that's another $100 a month for a second car and the ability for me to drive to and from work while my wife has the car. Add to that maintenance, oil changes and general wear and tear and it's getting to be expensive.

So maybe I can ride a bike to work?

While I have a regular mountain bike that I occasionally ride to work (22km both ways) I must admit that after working out at the gym in the morning I have an excuse why I won't want to ride home at the end of a long day. You see, going to work is a breeze, down long hills, a nice view and a tailwind. Coming home sucks. The long hills and tailwind are now replaced with going up big hills and facing a headwind for 11km. Not something I want to deal with at the end of the day

So I was considering options the other day and started thinking about Vespa scooters and tomos mopeds. Yeah, the cool factor isn't very high but it's good for the environment, cheque book and they're fun! But with more and more research I found an even better solution!

And the solution is simple!

In October of 2006 the Ontario government passed a pilot program which allows electric bikes to be used much like the normal pedal bikes. I won't bore you with the details, you can read more at: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/vehicle/emerging/e-bike-faq.htm

So on the weekend I went out an purchased a Schwinn izip ebike from Canadian Tire to give it a shot. I figured, "why not"? If I don't like it, I'll take it back.

Complete with front suspension, multiple gears and a comfortable seat not to mention a rather attractive frame and it doesn't look like a moped either. Just a bike with a battery pack (which could be percieved as a carrier for that matter)

Here's where the fun begins!

When was the last time you were able to ride a mountain bike up a hill at 20km per hour? I mean a steep hill with a 15 degree incline that's nearly 1.5 km long! I'll tell ya! I am now!!! This is the second day that I've ridden my ebike to work. It's 11km and takes me around 25 minutes. The ride home would normally take me... 45-60 minutes. Now it's nearly the same. 25 minutes!

When I get to work I'm not sweating buckets and don't stink either. It's a nice leisurely ride to work, it's cheap and it's clean for the environment.

I'm making more and more attempts these days to be environmentally friendly with little things. We have a composter, we have more recycling than garbage and now my main method of transportation is the ebike.

Oh yeah, and when it's all said and done. After maintenance, wear and tear on the ebike, the equivelent in cost is around 625 MPG (I read that somewhere so don't quote me)... But that's 1/20 the cost found in todays entry level cars.

DID I MENTION THE FUN FACTOR?

Cycling purists will say "If you're going to ride a bike, step up, be a man and use you leg power." My response is this. The motor only assists me when I choose to turn the throttle. Otherwise, I'm moving 60lbs of metal + my body weight which is more of a workout than any other bike out there!

That said, It's too much of a temptation to turn the throttle. It keeps you moving fast up hills, down hills and for those with medical conditions that prevent them from riding, this is their saviour. It eliminates the intimidation factor to know that you've got the assistance of a bionic leg whenever it's needed.

Come on people! Get out of your cars and get some exercise while saving costs and having fun! And the best part? It's good for our environment!

 

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