We sell and service Human Power Augmented a.k.a. Electric bikes and ride them enthusiastically ourselves. See also our folding bikes at Folding Bikes West.
To order phone 800/940-6548 (not operable from all U.S. locations) or 206/547-4621 or visit one of our stores:
Please note that on February 1, 2008 we moved within Seattle to:
Electric Bikes Northwest
4810 17th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107 - Map
ph: 206/547-4621
ph: 800/940-6548
fx: 206/547-4841
Email form
Spring Hours
Monday through Friday: 11–6
Saturday: 11–5
Electric & Folding Bikes California
(store established 2006)
220 Wisconsin Ave
Oceanside, CA 92054 - Map
(30 miles north of San Diego)
ph: 760/757-3440
ph: 800/940-6548
Email form
Hours
Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays: 11-3
Saturdays: 10-4
Range is the distance an electric bike can travel on fully charged, warm, fairly new batteries. Claims abound. While some may be accurate (stating the exact real-world conditions under which a certain range is achieved), some estimates are accomplished under such rarified test conditions as to render them irrelevant, others are too vague, overly enthusiastic or perhaps false.
Range is of course the direct and inevitable function of the A (Amp) power draw from the finite AH (Amp Hour) capacity battery pack. The more power you use the shorter the range—obviously. Who we are matters: Our weight and our pedal-input. How we ride matters: Speed, stop-and-go pattern, and acceleration. Where we ride matters: Hills, headwind, traffic, temperature and road surface. The condition of the bike matters.
We welcome exploring the important matter of how far each and every prospective customer may expect to ride. But we can only arrive at a realistic estimate if we know something about the individual rider, including his or her expectations and intended routes.
"But what would", asks on occasion a prospective customer, "be the range on average terrain by an average rider?" A statistical average may of course not relate to the particular customer: How steep is a steep hill? How fast is fast? What constitutes agreeable pedalling? When do beads of perspiration start to appear on our brows?
Stressing the above caveats we represented our earlier models with SLA or lead-acid batteries as capable (for most riders) of upto 10 'real life and traffic' miles per charge, assuming 'modest' pedaling.
eZee models with the lighter NiMH and Lithium batteries are capable of about twice that. Our customers typically report 15-20 miles (Quando less).
The new Giant Twist Freedom DX model achieves a 'real life and traffic' range of 30 - 40 miles: Because of technology, moderate power, torque sensored pedal-activation and its dual Li-Ion Polymer battery packs. What about the 75 mile range mentioned in Popular Mechanics? Sure, under the specified test conditions.
Copyright © 2007 Folding Bikes West