• CADmonkey@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    When I was younger and more invincible around 2005, I bought one of these crappy Ebay engine kits for a bicycle. One thing I noticed is that it wasn’t really any slower from home to work than a car, because I could go around traffic. An E-bike would have been great. A lot of them get around on 500 watt or 750 watt motors, which is considerably smaller than an electric car’s motor.

    I’d have one now, but it’s hard to ride one when I have to carry a kid with me most places.

    • grue@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’d have one now, but it’s hard to ride one when I have to carry a kid with me most places.

      I got an e-bike because I needed to carry a kid (actually, two) around with me. FYI, cargo bikes are a thing:

        • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          No less safe than wheeling a kid around in a little red wagon or letting them ride their own bicycle.

          • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Little Red wagons generally don’t travel at 20mph in the street with cars going even faster. That kid in the photo can barely hold herself upright. One little wiggle or unexpected turn and she’ll slip right through those bars and under an SUV.

            Seriously, you might as well just put your kid in to one of these.

        • daltotron@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Nah this is completely right though. Soon as she stops those two kids are gonna bonk heads together, the smaller one needs a bike seat at the very least, and the toddler probably needs one as well. You could still do that with a bike like this, so it doesn’t discount the point entirely, but the image itself is a pretty stupidly conceived piece of work.

        • DrFuggles@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          It will never not be funny to me how scared some people are of any transportation that’s not a car.

    • paraphrand@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It’s fun how the preview image for the article has two kids being carried around. But I can understand if you don’t see that as safe in your area, etc.

          • downhomechunk@midwest.social
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            1 year ago

            Yes. For context, she’s 4 and very skittish. I have a burley trailer for my bike I got in the hopes that we could ride together. I only successfully got her in it once for a gentle ride around the park. She screamed in terror the entire time. She does, however, love taking public trans.

    • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I have both am ev and an ebike, and a 7 mile commute.

      Driving takes between 20 minutes and an hour and a half. Biking takes 45 minutes no matter what.

      Car uses about 25x more energy though and parking is around $20/day.

      I should add my son much prefers the bike.

    • erwan@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I love my Bafang too but be careful of regulation depending on your country, an e-bike is 250W so of you put a more powerful motor you get in the moped category with different rules (helmet, back mirror, insurance…)