The other day I watched a video about e-bikes in the UK. Someone interviewed worked for a company called Boost which converts people’s bicycles into e-bikes. Back issues mean I can’t cycle as much or do as many hills as I used to, so I was considering an e-bike. If I could get mine converted instead I’d much prefer it. Does anyone know of a similar service here in Taiwan? I’m on the east coast but could travel to Taipei easy enough.
What’s the all-in cost of conversion?
Perhaps you could consider just buying an e-bike to complement your existing bike?
I’m envious that you reside on the east coast. Lucky you!
Guy
I could, but I love that bike and want to be able to take it on long rides like I used to!
It was GBP600 if I remember rightly, so around NT$25k? Obviously bikes will be priced differently over there, but they stressed that it was significantly less than a new bike. I was surprised to learn that ebikes are generally more carbon-efficient than regular bicycles!
I think that is frankly a bit silly. E-bikes, despite their virtues, have a broader impact due to the mining needed at the front end to get minerals for the battery, and an impact at the back end when that battery needs to be disposed. In short, it has an impact, as do all our daily goods. Better than cars, though!
Guy
They have a slightly broader impact in terms of manufacture, but in terms of carbon-efficiency the motors are simply more efficient than humans pedaling. Plus we’re now up to being able to recycle around 90% of the lithium ion batteries used for ebikes, so your info might be a tad out of date.
台北市附近的電動腳踏車
Copy/paste that into FB.
Looks like marketplace for them and other types of bikes in Taipei.
Some used ones look somewhat inexpensive.
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What are the limits until one needs to get a plate and insurance?
The electric YouBike 2.0E don’t have plates and they go up to 25km/h.
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Can’t see how they could be more carbon efficient, particulalry given how most of the electricity in Taiwan is generated.
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Yeah, but the argument from personal incredulity doesn’t really hold much water.
I found this E-bikes require license plates after legislative update - Taipei Times
Seems like Youbikes must have been granted an exemption on the license plates. Hard limit of 25kph.
Exactly, so can you provide some data to back up your assertions?
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I think most of these regulations are around “mini electric two-wheel vehicles” which are different from a pedal-assist bicycle like the electric Ubikes, those are “electric power-auxiliary bicycles”.
If you search this law for those terms, you can see the various rules - Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act - Article Content - Laws & Regulations Database of The Republic of China (Taiwan)
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That doesn’t refer to e road bikes. Obviously it would be absurd if it did, you can’t attach a license plate to a road bike and it’s impossible to keep the speed below 25kmh on a downhill.
Bob Marshall (ex Carnegies) is now doing bike conversions and has his own company. Unfortunately he’s in the north of England.
If I live somewhere without reliable public transportation like Taichung I may consider buying those e bikes, because they’re cheaper than scooters, and in short trips, almost as good as scooters. I have no idea the range on them.
You can get over 100km on most models these days,. although obviously that depends on how much pedaling versus coasting you’re doing. As long as I get 30km out of it, that’s me to work and back. Public transport near me is pretty much non-existent, one of the trade-offs for the views and clean air. Switching from scooter to ebike should help me reduce my emissions and get rid of some of the gut I’m developing!
As you will have noted from my post above, I was speaking of front-end impacts as well (i.e. through mining and processing).
I’m not slagging these machines; I am just pointing out the rather circumscribed ways in which they are currently being marketed.
Guy
This is something the video tackled. It’s not nearly as bad as some make out when compared to pretty much any other type of transport. And as I said earlier, most of the info about the downsides is seriously outdated.
Your initial comparison was with non-electric bicycles, not with “pretty much any other type of transport.”
I suppose if you keep moving the frame in this way you could argue anything.
Guy