The Tesla of Bikes: Test Riding Bosch's $5,500 eBike

[mprospero]

Will Bosch's eBikes catch on in the U.S.? I took a ride on one around the streets of Manhattan to find out.

The Tesla of Bikes: Test Riding Bosch's $5,500 eBike : Read more

 

[HideOut]

also be aware, in many off road areas, these bikes arn't legal to use. Many have a pure manual only clause so don't plan on doing any real MTB riding with them in many places.

 

[sadsteve]

Ok. How many miles will it go on a charge?

 

[mfano]

Why do they cost so much in the states????I have bought a German Pegasus treeking bike with the same system for 2000 Euros....it has hydraulic disk brakes, front suspension, lights..the works. The system works like a dream...

 

[mfano]

Ok. How many miles will it go on a charge?

Like anything electric it depends on what setting you use it on ..or the terrain you are riding on. The system has 4 settings Eco, Touring, Sport and Turbo. ECO gives you a 40% boost to your effort..and Turbo 275% help...go on line to bosch and look for Active or Performance line bike pedal assist systems...all your answers will be there...

 

[mfano]

also be aware, in many off road areas, these bikes arn't legal to use. Many have a pure manual only clause so don't plan on doing any real MTB riding with them in many places.

Wrong!...certain countries have different rules..here in Europe the max is 25KPH then the motor quits..in the US I believe it will be 45KPH before the engine quits. The only difference between the Active and Performance systems is the programming..so if I was to make my active line a Performance line and was caught riding it here in Italy I would be fined.

 

[sadsteve]

also be aware, in many off road areas, these bikes arn't legal to use. Many have a pure manual only clause so don't plan on doing any real MTB riding with them in many places.

Wrong!...certain countries have different rules..here in Europe the max is 25KPH then the motor quits..in the US I believe it will be 45KPH before the engine quits. The only difference between the Active and Performance systems is the programming..so if I was to make my active line a Performance line and was caught riding it here in Italy I would be fined.

I figured I could go on line to look it up. It was just something I thought would be in the article! Plus a link to the product page would have been handy too.

 

[NeatOman]

The Tesla of bikes is Zero, rather ignorant article. And unless you have $$ to burn.

 

[mprospero]

As mfano mentioned, mileage varies depending on the mode. When I had the bike in Eco mode, it gave an estimated range of 100 miles, but in Turbo mode, mileage dropped to below 20.

This bike won't move unless you pedal it, so it's not like it's an electric moped. The motor merely gives you a little boost. To get it up to 45KPH, you'd really have to be cruising on this thing.

As far as legality, it really depends on the municipality. New York state law (where I rode it) doesn't currently distinguish between the two. On the DMV's website, it falls under "motor-assisted bicycle." http/dmv.ny.gov/registration/motorized-devices-cannot-be-registered-new-york.

 

[jj463rd]

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws

In the United States of America by Federal Law electric bikes are limited to
a maximum electric assist motor speed of 20 mph which is around 32 kph and the top wattage of around 750 watts for the motor rating.State laws vary however as in my particular state (Washington State) 1000 watt motor ratings are allowed to remain legal (say for just an electric motor kit probably not a electric bike as it would be likely under federal laws(750 watts max) to be sold in other states ).

These will become especially popular/nessessary as alternative transportation when petroleum fuels worldwide become depleted/exhorbitantly expensive in the near future like a couple of decades from now.Also electrical energy will become scarce and highly expensive as well since climate change will be devastating to hydoelectric sources (lack of glacial melt to feed them).
.Basically forget electrical energy eating hog electric cars as an alternative in the future in several decades from now unless you will become wealthy enough to afford either them or the immense cost of electricity by then.Replacing fossil fuel large vehicles in their present numbers with electric large vehicles (like passenger cars and trucks) won't be practical because there won't be the electricity worldwide to power them.

The worldwide adoption of high power efficiency (like 900 MPGe to 1,800 MPGe) electric bicycles would however likely be practical.Also they are are more limited in range so the overall power usage would be far less than any electric car.
..

 

[aldaia]

No wonder eBikes are not very popular in the US. $4000 is a rip-off, my wife has a foldable e-bike with similar characteristics (ideal for moving around the citty) that she got for about $700.

 

[Spelli]

Getting a little sweaty? Bike more!
I agree that E-bikes are a good way for elderly people to stay mobile, but that guy in the video? He breathes several times per sentence WHILE ON AN E-BIKE AT FULL ASSIST AT 10-12MPH (16-19kph, which is laughable).
Using a 'normal' bike, I commute 10-15km (~6-9miles) to work daily depending on route through traffic and do not break a sweat keeping up with cars in 30kph (18mph) zones on an even road.
And of all the people I see using E-bikes, I see a disproportionate number of obese.

 

[Steveymoo]

Come on lazy people, bikes are the best invention ever (imo,) even without power assist, biking through the city is probably the fastest way to get around. Unless your route to work is all hills, I don't think you need this.

 

[10tacle]

Come on lazy people, bikes are the best invention ever (imo,) even without power assist, biking through the city is probably the fastest way to get around. Unless your route to work is all hills, I don't think you need this.

Most people in America do not live inside city limits and just a few miles from work. The average American work commute is about 19 miles one way (2010 US Census data). A good portion have commutes up to 30 miles one way.

Further, weather for many in America prohibits bike riding no matter where you live (brutal winters in the north, summer heat and storms in the south). Riding a bike and being freezing cold in the winter or full of sweat or caught in a summer shower is not very appealing.

Finally, even if you do live in a city, depending on where you live, it can be a death wish with the amount of idiot drivers. Sorry, but that's just the real commute world in America and bikes of any type are not realistic. EV cars however are a different story and on the rise in many areas of the nation, inside or outside city limits.

 

[orionite]

The Tesla of bikes is Zero, rather ignorant article. And unless you have $$ to burn.

Not sure why you are being downvoted. Zero motorcycles makes great looking e-bikes. Bosch is to Zero what the Prius is to Tesla.

 

[royalcrown]

Still, it's cool !

 

[Donuts]

The Tesla of bikes is Zero, rather ignorant article. And unless you have $$ to burn.

Not sure why you are being downvoted. Zero motorcycles makes great looking e-bikes. Bosch is to Zero what the Prius is to Tesla.

I think the world will agree that anything German manufactured will be superior to the American counter-part. Do you understand the down votes now or do you need a 7/16th spanner to adjust you views?

 

[Drazek]

This is not a bike! this is a bicycle! ... I was expecting to see some fancy electric motor powered wheelie machine

 

[thezooloomaster]

Great, I can buy a motorbike for half the price, that can do twice the speed and has 5 to 10 times the range. Good job Bosch; come back when your ebike costs 500 $, that's how cheap it needs to be if you want it to be successful like the electric scooters in China.

 

[royalcrown]

That's not fair, they could fudge it with a 10mm if need be..

The Tesla of bikes is Zero, rather ignorant article. And unless you have $$ to burn.

Not sure why you are being downvoted. Zero motorcycles makes great looking e-bikes. Bosch is to Zero what the Prius is to Tesla.

I think the world will agree that anything German manufactured will be superior to the American counter-part. Do you understand the down votes now or do you need a 7/16th spanner to adjust you views?