New Zealander Invents Segway Alternative 282
RainbowBrite writes "The YikeBike is the invention of a New Zealander aiming to alleviate city congestion. 'It might look like a collision between a praying mantis and a child's scooter, but it's the result of five years of work to reinvent the wheel, with one important addition: an electric motor. It's a bicycle, but not as we have come to know it. For a start, you sit upright and steer with your hands at your side.'" The YikeBike weighs in at a measly 22 lbs but has a hefty price tag of almost $5,000 US (£3,000). The battery's expected lifespan is only 1,000 charges, but the device has a projected range of around six miles.
Can you spell Face Plant? (Score:4, Insightful)
Seriously, this looks like it could trip on your average pothole, curb cut, or simply breaking hard.
Yes, your feet are fairly forward where you might be able to catch your self, but I see a lot of separated shoulders in this this bikes portfolio.
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Re:Can you spell Face Plant? (Score:5, Funny)
There is a the pennyfarthing was replaced by the safety bicycle [wikipedia.org].
Huh. So... can I bike if I want to? Can I leave my friends behind?
Re:Can you spell Face Plant? (Score:5, Funny)
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had I mod points, I'd label this funny. I do not. You have instead my laughter and odd looks in my office.
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240mpg == just over 1 cent per mile.
OHWI was talking not just about the cost of fuel but also about the cost of the bike itself. A battery that wears out after 1,000 trips and isn't easy to find poses a problem.
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I just cycled home about six miles, and I'm so drunk I'm not sure which comment I'm replying to (and this will probably be a bit of a ramble). There was no electric assist, but possibly there was some ethanol assist.
And I did it on a bike that cost about £80 from a supermarket, since my nice bike was stolen. The cheap, shit bike weighs twice as much, but hey, it's exercise, and I need it after all that vodka.
Even if I'd only used the bike for this one day (round trip 16 miles, to work and back) I'm al
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Is that the device's lifespawn or the battery's? It is only implied in the article but it looks more like that is the battery's lifespawn. Somehow I doubt the battery costs the full $5000 your using in your calculation, since that is the cost of the bike. I believe your cost per mile calculation is oversimplified and misleading.
I believe if you use similar math on the hummer, a more total cost instead of just the gas price divided by the MPG you get somewhere between $1.50 and $2 a mile. Those numbers howev
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Although, since English came from England, not America wouldn't the American be the derivation?
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You're really over exposed as well, i fail to see how this is any better than an electric bike in any way!
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Can you fold up an electronic bike and carry it with you? I doubt it (but I could be wrong).
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Add a BionX [bionx.ca] to any folding bike. (Dahon, Montague, Brompton, what have you)
Re:Can you spell Face Plant? (Score:4, Insightful)
However, if I were spending that sort of money, I would save a little, and get a plain old folder, with no assist -- faster, longer range, "lifetime" warranty on the motor.
The guys are chasing the "biking's-too-hard-for-me" market -- which, to be fair, is pretty good sized here in the US. It's mind-boggling, here in fat-land, to see all the people who drive to the gym (and all those who just drive, but not even to the gym).
Re:Can you spell Face Plant? (Score:4, Insightful)
What exactly is mind boggling about people who drive to the gym?? You have 1.5 hours to workout, shower, and get ready to go. How much of that time do you want to spend in transit? Not to mention the fact that a lot of people go to the gym to attend classes because they enjoy the social component. How about people who drive to the gym, work out, get changed, then go to work or on to some other engagement. You think they should jog there and show up in sweaty gym clothes? What an asinine comment.
Re:Can you spell Face Plant? (Score:4, Insightful)
This is not fully appreciated: the I-don't-want-to-turn-up-to-work-smelling-of-sweat crowd are one of the major lock-ins on full planet destruction. We could solve the environmental crisis if only people were willing to show up not smelling like roses.
I'm only being mildly facetious. These details matter.
I can get to most of my appointments in this town by bicycle in twenty minutes, but I can't get hardly anywhere dry. I'm not out of shape. The human body only converts about 25% of caloric energy into propulsion (this is the coefficient on the Concept II rowing machine, which I've seen supported elsewhere such as Tour de France VO2 max estimates). The other 75% streams out my pores.
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Sounds like a good argument for having showers available at workplaces.
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Sweat doesn't smell until many hours after exercise
I invite you to come smell my coworker when he arrives at work after biking on a sunny day.
I used to bike to work when I lived in Colorado. There were dedicated bike trails that could get you just about anywhere, and the dry, moderate climate meant that even if/when I sweat, it evaporated immediately, and I didn't have to worry much about inclement weather. Also, Colorado is flat (unless you live in the mountains, obviously), so there are no hills to climb. And Colorado culture means you can totally wear
Re:Can you spell Face Plant? (Score:5, Interesting)
You're really over exposed as well, i fail to see how this is any better than an electric bike in any way!
That's because the greatest difference between this and a segway or bicycle was sneakily hidden in the article (and in the pics of the article):
Crucially, you can fold it into a bag and carry the whole 22lb package anywhere
It actually looks pretty damn useful (large backpack size when in bag) for being able to carry it into buildings, offices, subways, taxis, other-areas-you-can't-easily-take-an-electric-bike.
I could totally deal with the range and potential stability dangers, unfortunately that price is a deal breaker.
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Safety? (Score:3, Insightful)
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Bad things. The Penny-farthing design died for a reason.
Re:Safety? (Score:4, Informative)
This sounds like a Dr. Seuss story.
A bloke named Mike
Had a bike named Yike.
Hello Mike!
Hello Yike!
Mike on Yike went down the hill
Mike went first when Yike took a spill.
Hello Hill!
Goodbye Yike!
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Or a South Park story [ridelust.com].
Still better than dealing with the airlines. (Score:2)
Except maybe Southwest.
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Re:Sobriety, please (Score:5, Insightful)
This thing does one thing the Segway can't: it folds into a shoulder bag and weighs 22lbs. That means I can bring it upstairs into the office once I get to work, or hell even bring it onboard a commercial airliner as unchecked baggage.
In my opinion, if the longevity could be extended to somewhere north of 2500 charges it'd be a pretty compelling gadget even at $5,000.
Segway and ordinances (Score:3, Interesting)
When the Segway was finally unveiled, the disappointment pretty much killed off any widescale distribution of the device (along with crazy city ordinances).
I don't know about crazy city ordinances, but I was astounded by the speed with which the electric personal assistive mobility device [state.va.us] gained recognition and all the rights of a bicycle under Virginia Law. I believe the law changes were in the books even before the first Segway hit pavement in Virginia. And I'm just willing to bet that you'll find similar treatment in state laws on both U.S. coasts.
I'm a doctor, not an engineer! (Score:2, Funny)
It's a bicycle, but not as we have come to know it
Better put as:
It's bike, Jim, but not as we know it.
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It's bike, Jim, but not as we know it.
Thanks! I knew I could count on someone for this!
Why? (Score:3, Insightful)
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There are several factors that I'd want to compare products on if I were in the market for a personal motorized transport device.
1. Size
2. Weight
3. Ergonomics -- sitting or standing? Comfort?
4. Range
5. Durability
6. Cargo capacity
For me, #6 would be a dealbreaker, the others are ones I could compromise on. What is the cargo capacity on a segway? How many saddlebags and how much weight can it handle? If I couldn't do my family's grocery shopping with it, I wouldn't consider it.
But
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Are you doing you family's shopping every day? On every trip?
No. In a typical 2 car family, one car is used almost exclusively to get dad to and from work. 30 minutes each way, and it sits, parked, the other 23 hours.
No, it (or a bike/Segway/bus/whatever) is not a total replacement for all of your vehicles. But maybe a replacement for one of your vehicles.
The range on this seems to be a bit lacking, though. And the price is a
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I used my saddlebags and trailer for my bike when grocery shopping then, and I still do even though I'm out in the boonies now (and we have two cars).
I think the market that a product like this is geared to is not the two-cars-in-the-burbs market.
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True. But just outside of the dense inner city, many, many families think they need two cars.
I was able to be a one car family for several years, simply because I could ride my bike to work. Most of the shopping, etc happened with the car.
More vehicles to store, maintain, and insure (Score:2)
Are you doing you family's shopping every day? On every trip?
Having a different vehicle for different kinds of trips is more vehicles to store, maintain, and insure. If I want to drive to work, but I want to drive to the grocery store on the way home, I need to take the grocery store vehicle.
The real alternative ... (Score:5, Insightful)
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You just don't earn enough. This a demonstration (to the opposite sex) that you can afford to burn $5k therefore are "fit" and able to easily provide for offspring.
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Any member of the opposite sex impressed by a $5k gadget doesn't count as "fit" in my book.
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But not "fit" enough to turn some pedals... seriously, look at the picture of the guy on that thing; it's not going to get you dates.
If you want a bike, but need to impress people with how much money you spent, there are several manufacturers happy to help. I'd suggest a Cervelo. At 5K, you'll be looking at the bottom of their line, but the people who will be impressed by the name and not your skill won't know the difference.
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I can think of a lot better ways to spend $5k, if the goal was getting dates.
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Seriously, given the range is only 6 miles, I don't see why you wouldn't bike. I could see the advantages of a powered vehicle over longer distances where I might get tired, but 6 miles just isn't that far.
One of my coworkers at a previous company had a nice little fold up bike. He took the train every day and biked from the station to his house. Seemed like a pretty good solution. It was cheeper, faster and had better range. Probably lighter than 22lbs too.
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@neonprimetime: "I don't see the need for this fancy motor scooter crap."
And if God had meant for man to fly he'd have given us wings. Men on the moon??? Bah... humbug! And your little dog Toto too.
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Because for some reason my coworkers don't like to bask in the rich aroma of my sweaty balls after bicycling several miles to work. I will grant you a point on the "fancy motor scooter" quip, though, as one can get a motor scooter that gets far greater range at three times the speed for a third of the price, with the bonus of slightly more carrying capacity.
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yeah yeah. (Score:5, Funny)
http://www.bicycle-power.com/electric.html [bicycle-power.com]
Hey. I've had a great idea. People could propel these things using their legs, getting fit at the same time. So you would be moving to your destination *and* saving money in gym fees *and* saving all that waste time at the gym too.
Think I'll patent it.
"A method for increasing human fitness and moving towards a destination at the same time."
Personal mobility (Score:5, Insightful)
I find this personal mobility devices pathetic for able bodied people.
Why aren't we satisfied with walking anymore? I will be walking 30 minutes twice a day from September.
The only issue is boredom and wasting of time. I will counter this with podcasts.
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You could always get one of those small, fold-up bikes, and bring that in the building with you. No one's going to notice.
For rain, wear a poncho.
Re:Personal mobility (Score:5, Insightful)
I find this personal mobility devices pathetic for able bodied people.
Why aren't we satisfied with walking anymore? I will be walking 30 minutes twice a day from September.
The only issue is boredom and wasting of time. I will counter this with podcasts.
So... you don't actually do this *walking* stuff now? You don't actually know what it's like walking to work in a suit, when it's 95 degrees with 95% humidity? You don't know what it's like meeting with clients smelling like you just walked out of the gym? You don't know what it's like having to spend $100 a week on drycleaning? And you're calling people pathetic.... that's funny.
The device would have been great for my last office. It was a 4 mile ride to the train station, the commute into the city, and then a 2 mile subway ride. Would have been fine by bike, but you couldn't take the bike on the train, so you would have needed two bikes. Which I wouldn't have minded either, one bike from home to station, one in the city from station to work, but there wasn't any place to lock up a bike at work and you weren't allowed to bring the bike into the office. The YikeBike could be stowed in a garment bag, that would have been perfect.
Yes (Score:2)
I do a lot of walking but now I'll be living in town rather than campus which means it will be every day rather than once or twice a week.
I walked in London for about 1 hour in a smart suit and hot weather without knowing where I was going. I sympathize.
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STOP!!! (Score:4, Funny)
You had me at "praying mantis"!
Nothing to do with the Segway (Score:2)
This has all of nothing to do with the Segway. It's a tricycle with the center of gravity moved forwards. It is significantly less stable than the Segway, and it's almost certainly more uncomfortable.
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£3000?! (Score:3, Insightful)
I can buy a mopehead ("scooter") for less than £1000 which can go over 30 MpH. Why would I buy this? You cannot use it on roads OR on footpaths in a lot of locations and it is too small to really work as a carry-around and too big to park up.
Not as cool/affordable as the eniCycle (Score:2, Interesting)
Not as cool/affordable as the eniCycle (http://enicycle.com/).
A good argument for handlebars (Score:2)
Handlebars on traditional bikes are a good idea. Leaning slightly forward in your normal position with your hands in front of you on a nice solid piece of metal, if you have to brake suddenly your weight shifts forward.
So on a traditional bike if you hit the brakes when that inevitable Volvo driver cuts across you without signalling/pulls out, your weight shifts forward and you brace yourself with your arms. Your arms are pretty strong and it's a very natural position for them to take weight: we've been fal
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ebikes still win. [ebike.ca]
I've seen people refit their bicycles with an ebike conversion kit. For about $1200 CDN, you replace one of your bike wheels with a hub motor. It can travel about 30mph and has a distance of about 20 miles per charge. It doesn't look like a weird fucking thingamajig like this or the Segway, there's little learning curve, and it has easily replaceable batteries.
I bike a regular bio-drive bike; it's helped me lose 85 pounds over the last 13 years. (From 250 down to 165) I can routinely outpac
Newsflash (Score:2)
People didn't buy the segway because it was as expensive as a motorcycle with a limited range and went slower than most people could pedal a bike.
How is this better? Didn't learn from the Segway, did you? This costs more, has less range, and goes about the same speed.
Sorry to rant, but I'm just incredulous. I rode a $500 bike 75 miles in 5 hours. I can't imagine why I would want a $5000 "bike" that goes 6 miles in 30 minutes, then dies.
Here's the thing about progress. Later inventions are supposed to b
Leave it to a Kiwi (Score:5, Funny)
Leave it to a Kiwi to put training wheels on a unicycle.
Meh- I'll take a Stokemonkey... (Score:3, Interesting)
Sure, it's big, it's bulky, but for the most part, you will no longer need a car.
And for those who like things a little more space age, There's the go-one and similar vehicles, like this one pulling into a campus at Intel. [youtube.com]
The velomobiles will protect you in the rain, and you can't face plant in it. The Stokemonkey is stupidly powerful and extremely practical (try and haul 2 little kids and 4 sacks of groceries on a yikeBike). The YikeBike is for yuppies who want a cool toy.
However: the future is not to be denied: the future of transportation lies in lightweight electric and electric assist (i.e. electric assisted pedal bikes and trikes) [jvbike.com] vehicles.
Get 'em now while they're relatively cheap and unwanted...
RS
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As for a bonus, if you indure your kids high enough,, you'll collect bid when some asshat runs a stop sign and kills them.
But hey, your 'saving the enviroment'/
Buy a freaking electric car.
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$5000 .... 6000 miles projected (Score:3, Insightful)
Don't want to hit a clothesline with this thing! (Score:2, Funny)
Electric scooters (Score:2)
How about getting an electric scooter? It's a proven concept. And it doesn't look as awkward.
YikesBike (Score:2)
Enough please (Score:3, Insightful)
Stop trying to one-up the bicycle. It works, it is cheap and it is time tested.
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The motto of people afraid of progress every where.
You should stop trying to one up walking, it's cheap and time tested.
Slashdot: Negativity From Nerds. (Score:5, Insightful)
Yet another article where a bunch of know-it-alls put down an invention for not being the status quo. "It's too expensive. It looks dangerous. Ride a bicycle. Ride an electric bike. Ride a motorcycle."
Go back to your basements and play WoW. The creative people are busy creating.
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You misunderstand.
Creativity is good. In developing the next something, there should be a massive burst of creativity with ideas flowing all over the place. Then there's this point where you start winnowing. This one's a cool idea, but nobody wants it. That one's a great idea and people want it, but it will cost us more to make than anyone will pay. Etc.
It's a hard lesson, but perhaps the value which should come from bashing unsuccessful products is the warning to the next inventor. It's not enough th
Safety hazard (Score:2)
When I first saw a photo of this thing without the rider a few days ago I couldn't even figure out how the hell to sit on it. Seeing it now the thing looks like an awful safety hazard. The center of gravity rests too far forward. It's like riding a tricycle, minus the second rear wheel, by sitting on the handlebars. Hit any bump that causes the thing to stop suddenly and the rider is going to find him or herself sprawled all over the ground. Even small bumps that simply slow the vehicle would risk having th
Or Just Ride a Bicycle (Score:2)
Or I can just ride a regular bicycle which has at minimum the following advantages:
not obvious? (Score:2)
Yikes! (Score:3, Funny)
Don't wear your expensive suit.
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Re:Really good ideas... (Score:4, Informative)
Naa. Everyone I see that gets a DUI switches to a moped.
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You obviously don't live in "the South". Down here, they switch to riding lawn mowers or golf carts. Seriously.
Do you mean actual golf carts, or do you mean the electric automobiles that right-wing commentators have derided as "golf carts"?
Re:Really good ideas... (Score:5, Insightful)
Wow, that's a really negative way to put it. If someone I know starts biking a lot, I think, "wow, good to see you making an effort to improve your health" along with, "thank you for reducing your carbon footprint", not, "you're a drunk loser!"
About the most negative thing I think of when I learn someone I know is switching to biking is, "Gee, watch out for all the idiots in cars who are trying to kill you!"
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If you're in the US, you must live on one of the coasts.
In the midwest, bicycles are generally seen as being for children.
Drunks, though, usually take the bus or have a spouse drive them around. Or, probably more frequently, just drive without a license.
The whole time I lived in Missouri, I never saw anyone else commute to work via bicycle.
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Velo- commuters are definitely the minority in MO, but at least in St. Louis City and County, there are a fair number. I used to be one (and will again) until I dislocated my elbow last month. I commuted by bike (not everyday) about 4000 miles in the last 20 months. Not a huge amount as my ride is only 9 miles one way, but enough that I considered myself a commuter.
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At least switching to a whizbang invention has less shame involved.
Right up until they ask you how much you paid for it.
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You've obviously never met some of the Hard-Core Biking Douchebags who'll drop five figures on a pair of wheels!
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yea, and their rides get them laid all the time I'm sure.
Oblig (Score:2)
Re:Really good ideas... (Score:5, Insightful)
You're not ostracized because they think you got a DUI. You just smell bad because you biked 10 miles to work and haven't had a chance to shower.
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I sincerely hope the inventor manages to make it a bit cheaper to own before this thing hits the streets....
Folks better not try "hitting the streets" anywhere except the bike lanes. 13mph seems to be about par with the average golf cart and we all know they're not street legal. In fact, I'd guess that a nice Amish horse and buggy could pass this Yike, except that it would probably break that old rule about "don't scare the horses."
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And in tight auto traffic, 13mph is within the range
Re:1000 charges? (Score:4, Insightful)
Agreed; this is ridiculous. Less range than your average e-bike and more expensive than your average e-bike. Who would buy this? Heck, you could buy a 60-70mph, 35-60 mile range electric motorcycle [electricmotorsport.com] for just a few $k more.
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But can you fit an e-bike in a shoulder bag, and easily carry it to your office? Even the folding e-bikes are bigger than this, and generally weigh more. It also reminds me of the Eunicycle [tlb.org], although like the 3 wheel Segway clones, this bike is more practical. (The Eunicycle guy also has made real 2-wheel style Segway clones.)
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well I'd assume you can replace the batteries for less than the price of the bike. My guess is the expense is in the light weight constuction and motors. Probably see Chinese knockoff's next summer in Pepboys and Autozone.
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Its from New Zealand. Snow is not a factor there (at least in The North Island.)
The cost of petrol (gasoline in american) is pretty high there too.
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e-bikes carry a few disadvantages, primarily weight. A few years ago, I test rode a Giant LaFree. Rode OK, but the damn thing weighed 80lbs. That is a definite limiter on what you can do with it. Upstairs to the apartment? Yeah, right. On the car bike rack? yeah, right. A 20-30 lb bike, you can throw over your shoulder. At 80lbs, tha
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There are several kits in the ballpark of the specs you specify, for less than half that cost. (e.g. http://www.usaelectricbike.com/). They are not terribly popular.
People who are not willing to pedal generally have cars. For people willing to pedal, a regular bicycle is highly competent.
Batteries are heavy, and for bikes, weight is the enemy. If you add enough batteries to give you a meaningful boost, you no longer have a nice bike you want to power by pedaling. If you add enough more batteries to go f