The clean transportation problem is solved, I'm sorry

[Shankapotomus]

Electric/Peddle
50 mph speeds
45 mile range

http://www.erockit.net/

You slap a version of the erockit's motor on a Human Car or other light weight four wheeler, bring the price tag down a little more and the clean transportation problem is a done deal.

Now I'll make exceptions for the old, the disabled, the in-firmed and really heavy freight but if you are an average Joe or Jane with two good feet and you're still not down with this you are a lazy fuck and I don't want to hear it. Na-Ahh, don't want to hear it. Get off your out-of-shape, lazy ass and start peddling.

Why is this motor not in an enclosed, light weight four wheeled vehicle? Gee, it doesn't have to be much. Any light weight configuration will do. Jesus H. Christ.

[vim876]

1. I appreciate this.

You have no idea how many people declare solutions to energy problems and completely ignore those whose abilities differ from their own. Kudos for not being that guy.

[Shankapotomus]

4. Thank you

The exception part was an inspired addendum.

[think]

2. Very cool concept. I look forward to hearing more about Erockit!

http://erockit.net/Portals/0/documents-erockit-com/eROCKIT-english-leaflet-small.pdf

[postulater]

3. This will really take off once it is called Harley.

[Fumesucker]

5. You aren't going to go 45 miles at 50 mph on that thing..

More like ten miles or less at that speed..

I hang out on the top electric bicycle forum on the internet and although there are some e-bikes that will go faster than 50 mph their range is strictly limited at that kind of speed..

This is the most powerful and fastest e-bike I've ever heard of..

Edited for speling.

[Shankapotomus]

6. I'm talking about the vast majority

of people whose work place is within 10-15 miles of their home. They gun it it to work, and, if they are low on juice, plug it in at work so they can gun it on the round trip. No one does 50 mph for the full trip to work, even if they can, anyway. There are stops and speed limits along the way.

You know what else? The reason we work so far from our homes is because the gasoline engine allows us to do that. Maybe if our range was limited, we could just adjust our acceptable work area range to compensate? Now I understand if you already have a job that's too far for an electric vehicle but, once you leave that job or are fired, you have the option of re-formulating your acceptable work area range to accommodate an electric vehicle in your life.

I assume people still had jobs before the car arrived on the scene. I think they got to work by something called a horse.

[Fumesucker]

7. To qualify as an e-bicycle in the US you can have no more than 750 watts..

Basically one horsepower, that isn't going to go 50 mph..

Get in traffic on a bike that's underpowered and you're going to be road pizza fairly quickly unless you're quite experienced. As a long term motorcyclist and bicyclist I can tell you that you're safer going a bit faster than the rest of the traffic than you are going slower.

Most people simply don't have the skill set and the reflexes to ride a bicycle at 50 mph. Fifty is slow on a motorcycle and scary fast on a bicycle, the guy who built and rode that bike in the video is a highly experienced crotch rocket rider and racer and he says that the e-bike which will go about a hundred or so is far more intimidating to ride than a near 200 mph capable motorcycle.

[Shankapotomus]

8. Who said the erockit wants to qualify as an e-bicycle?

It's registered as a motorcycle.

[Fumesucker]

10. You're better off with a real motorcycle then..

Something with the power, handling and brakes to take on traffic on equal or better terms.

If you have to mix it up in the roadway with vehicles that can squash you quite literally like a bug then you need something on which you can take evasive action.

Just as one example, Brammo makes far more capable machines with 80 mile range and speeds of 60 plus..

http://www.brammo.com/home/

The Enertia.



And the Empulse.



If someone would make an electric Piaggio MP3, that would be perfect..



&w=450&h=

[Shankapotomus]

11. So the peddling is just a useless, ineffectual gimmick

about as effective as blowing on a kazoo? And I fell for it? I think I'm starting to see the light. Aww, shit.

So were your bike friends at the forum ever able to calculate the total energy contribution made by peddling?

[Fumesucker]

12. Sure, it's inconsequential really..

Lance Armstrong can do about 750 watts or so for a reasonable period, that's one horsepower..

The average person is closer to 100-150 watts for a similar period, I can do about 120 to maybe a 140 watts for a half hour, after which I want to rest but then I'm sixtysomething.

[Shankapotomus]

13. So the inventor is misleading people

by saying it's a "human/electric hybrid". Wonderful.

Though, it is dependent on your ability. If you're Lance Armstrong, you may get more out of an erockit than someone else.

But I see your point. it's a human/electric hybrid in name only.

[Fumesucker]

14. It depends how you use it..

If' it's licensed as a motorcycle and you have to get out in the road then human power really isn't adding much at all, it's totally unsafe to ride in the road as a motorcycle at speeds where human power is significant.

However something like an Optibike really is a human/electric hybrid and you can ride it wherever you can ride a bicycle (at least in my state), it's a Federal compliant e-bicycle.

In fact Optibike won the Pikes Peak hill climb last year for e-bicycles.

http://optibike.com/

[Shankapotomus]

15. Opti bike is expensive

I am personally thinking about getting a Prodeco Phantom X

[Fumesucker]

16. If you live somewhere it's relatively flat that looks like a good setup..

However really steep hills are going to drain the battery faster than you might think.

If I lived somewhere reasonably flat I'd consider a direct drive hub motor but the hills here would kill either it or the battery.

I have all the major parts but a battery and fairing to build this setup, including the same 1000 watt motor and bike, the Cyclone motor drives the chainring so I can use the 21 gears on my bike also for the motor as well as pedaling.


http://www.ypedal.com/Cyclone.htm



Here's my bike..



ETA: Here's a video of a very similar setup, different motor but about the same power level and it also runs through the gears although this one is a mid drive rather than turning the chainring...

[txlibdem]

9. Great new option for commuters

Before I became disabled I rode my electric-assist pedal bike (Mongoose) to the Park and Ride, locked it in one of the covered storage lockers that were for rent (very cheap but don't remember how much, something like $7 per month or something ridiculous like that). Then I would take the bus to work.