The ebike option meme is so laughable. I recently did some research on cargo bikes and the entry models cost as much as a used ICE car with no air con, no rain cover, no heating, no safety. Ebike people are straight up delusional in thinking this is ready to replace cars.
Getting a second hand ice car is objectively the best thing you can do right now for everyone involved unless you ride half a million km a year.
Ok? I bought my E-Bike 8 years ago for 1500€ and use two roller bags and grab a bit of groceries on my way back from work. It’s a 10km commute one way, so a total of 20km. It takes me a grand total of 26 minutes to get to work. The car usually takes longer due to traffic.
I mean, it’s nice having a PHEV for bigger tasks but we (family of 3) only have one car. We do plenty with our E-Bikes.
Edit: and yes, I use the bike in winter, during rain and snow and I don’t give a shit. I fortunately also don’t live in a total shit hole, which was a choice I actively made.
I’m happy you have this privilidge but reality is majority of the world doesn’t. E-bikes are still not accessible to most and that’ll continue to be the way because the tech is fundamentally flawed without fundamental architecture redesign which will take decades at least.
The tech is flawed? Bicycles are the most efficient mode of transportation bar none. E-Bikes just have a very efficient motor slapped onto them. It’s not the tech. I also don’t believe it’s the climate because I know for a fact that more and more people are commuting by bike in the Philippines. If they can do it in 37 °C heat at 99% humidity and maximum exhaust fumes, then so can you.
That said, infrastructure is the biggest flaw. And that’s something that can be changed within a couple of years, as long as people are willing to do so. The Netherlands were a car-brain shit hole in the 70s, and they made a 180 and live in fucking paradise.
Of course there are many things that absolutely require a car, but groceries isn’t one of those, unless you live in the soulless suburban sprawl that you see so often in the USA.
A new cargo is 5000€ and you can find used or discounted ones for less than 3000€.
A used car will cost far more in repairs, insurance and gas, my 2010 car is valued around 3000€ and it costs us around 1000-1500€/year.
I don’t think bikes can replace cars for everyone, but many people could use a bike instead or their car 95% of the time, when we see that so much people use a car for less than 5 km.
Only concern is safety to use a bike in the middle of fast cars, but a proper infrastructure (separated bike lanes) solves it for a fraction of the cost of roads and parking places.
You’re just pulling stats out of your ass here. What you’re doing with your cargo bike in winter? Or summer heat? The cargo bike cult really thinks most of the world is a small town in central Europe when most of the world on avg is mountains in Indonesia.
I swear the sole reason e-bikes are not as big as they should be is the obnoxiously ignorant user base.
“The cargo bike cult really thinks most of the world is a small town in central Europe when most of the world on avg is mountains in Indonesia.” - agreed, they can still go to other countries in Europe and make the same claim. I’d love to see them bike in winter on the Atlantic coast.
The ebike option meme is so laughable. I recently did some research on cargo bikes and the entry models cost as much as a used ICE car with no air con, no rain cover, no heating, no safety. Ebike people are straight up delusional in thinking this is ready to replace cars.
Getting a second hand ice car is objectively the best thing you can do right now for everyone involved unless you ride half a million km a year.
Ok? I bought my E-Bike 8 years ago for 1500€ and use two roller bags and grab a bit of groceries on my way back from work. It’s a 10km commute one way, so a total of 20km. It takes me a grand total of 26 minutes to get to work. The car usually takes longer due to traffic.
I mean, it’s nice having a PHEV for bigger tasks but we (family of 3) only have one car. We do plenty with our E-Bikes.
Edit: and yes, I use the bike in winter, during rain and snow and I don’t give a shit. I fortunately also don’t live in a total shit hole, which was a choice I actively made.
I’m happy you have this privilidge but reality is majority of the world doesn’t. E-bikes are still not accessible to most and that’ll continue to be the way because the tech is fundamentally flawed without fundamental architecture redesign which will take decades at least.
The tech is flawed? Bicycles are the most efficient mode of transportation bar none. E-Bikes just have a very efficient motor slapped onto them. It’s not the tech. I also don’t believe it’s the climate because I know for a fact that more and more people are commuting by bike in the Philippines. If they can do it in 37 °C heat at 99% humidity and maximum exhaust fumes, then so can you.
That said, infrastructure is the biggest flaw. And that’s something that can be changed within a couple of years, as long as people are willing to do so. The Netherlands were a car-brain shit hole in the 70s, and they made a 180 and live in fucking paradise.
Of course there are many things that absolutely require a car, but groceries isn’t one of those, unless you live in the soulless suburban sprawl that you see so often in the USA.
Efficient in what regard? it has 0% efficiency when it comes to covering me from rain or the sun. Now what?
I don’t think it is laughable.
A new cargo is 5000€ and you can find used or discounted ones for less than 3000€.
A used car will cost far more in repairs, insurance and gas, my 2010 car is valued around 3000€ and it costs us around 1000-1500€/year.
I don’t think bikes can replace cars for everyone, but many people could use a bike instead or their car 95% of the time, when we see that so much people use a car for less than 5 km.
Only concern is safety to use a bike in the middle of fast cars, but a proper infrastructure (separated bike lanes) solves it for a fraction of the cost of roads and parking places.
Cargo bikes cost 5 grand? That’s outrageous.
You’re just pulling stats out of your ass here. What you’re doing with your cargo bike in winter? Or summer heat? The cargo bike cult really thinks most of the world is a small town in central Europe when most of the world on avg is mountains in Indonesia.
I swear the sole reason e-bikes are not as big as they should be is the obnoxiously ignorant user base.
“The cargo bike cult really thinks most of the world is a small town in central Europe when most of the world on avg is mountains in Indonesia.” - agreed, they can still go to other countries in Europe and make the same claim. I’d love to see them bike in winter on the Atlantic coast.