Gear up for Winter

Winter is finally here!


It's all pretty and nice outside with all the snow, but it comes with it's own challenges to us cyclists.
The reality of cycling to work in winter is "It's not fun!".
But here's a few tips for you to continue using you ebike during winter with minimal pain.

1. Don't leave your ebike outside, if you have to, don't leave your battery outside:
   Here's the deal. You actually shouldn't leave your ebike parked with it's battery in it at anytime. There's no need to tempt thieves.
   But in winter it becomes crucial for your batteries life. Cold stored batteries tend to last shorter.
   If you still want to enjoy the great range of your e-Bann's battery, please keep the battery indoors when not used.
2. Buy a vest:
   
   A fleece vest that you'll wear under your coat will save your life in winter.
   It's a small investment, but very crucial.
   It'll also help you to avoid wearing puffy and ugly winter clothes. No one wants to look like a penguin at work!
3. A windbreaker will save you from frost bites:
   Even though it doesn't feels unbearably cold when you're walking outside during winter, riding your ebike is a completely different experience. With your e-Bann ebike you're going to reach high speeds. Which means you'll feel the cold wind blowing in your bones. Usually it feels around 5 degrees C colder while riding your ebike.
   
   A windbreaker will save you from this cold air running through your body and keep your suit clean!
4. Gloves:
   If you're anything like me, you usually have cold hands. And winter only makes it worse.
   So many times I've lost the ability of sensing anything with my fingers while riding my bike.
   Woolen gloves are great but once you start riding your ebike, it has no protection at all as the win blows right through it.
   I personally advice every cyclist to invest in a pair of thin but good quality leather gloves.
   
   While choosing your gloves, please remember that the more stitches it has the more wind will blow in it!
5. Mud Guards:
   
   If you own an e-Bann, your ebike will come with high quality and durable mud guards as standard. But if you own any other brand which doesn't comes with mudguards, we'd advise you to install a pair of mudguards.
   This way you'll avoid getting your clothes dirty.
6. Earmuffs
   
   
   
   Same reason as before, cold wind is very effective. Cover up your ears!
   Some of them even comes with built-in headphones!
7. HELMET!
   
   You should be wearing your helmet no matter what the season is. But icy roads, cold commuters, and all makes commuting with your ebike in winter a bit more dangerous.
   Please, please wear your helmet!
8. SLOW DOWN:
   
   Just because your ebike can reach high speeds doesn't means you're supposed to ride it full throttle.
   Slow down, remember, ice is usually invisible...

Meet the future, JAPAN!

We are absolutely thrilled when we hear urban development news about cycling, but this one blew our minds! Especially because it involves our favorite nation of all times, JAPAN and solves the theft & parking problem in the cities.

The system is manufactured by a company called Geiko Seisakusho Co., ltd. who are already building these parking systems in a bigger scale for cars all around Japan. Idea is simple, efficient and awesome! Below you shall find the statement from the company and a video that shows how this system works.
"Bicycle is an easy-to-ride transportation. Recently it is getting a lot of attention as a no emission vehicle. Despite the fact, many things are still left unsolved in Japan. Bicycle roads are not popular, yet. Land values are too high to develop appropriate capacity bicycle parking. That is why nuisance parking is found anywhere at footpath in urban area. Those parked bicycles would spoil surrounding sight and bother ambulance access and fire-fighting operations. It is considered to be a social problem.
Eco-cycle is an anti-seismic mechanical underground parking lot. Giken aggregated own long term experience of press-in technologies and developed the Eco-cycle with the design concept of “Culture Aboveground, Function Underground”. If bicycle parking is available near final destination, people use the facility more often. It eventually eliminates nuisance parking at footpath. Such space at footpath can be utilised for cultural activities."

Sources:
http://www.giken.com/en/developments/eco_cycle/
http://laughingsquid.com/eco-cycle-robotic-underground-bicycle-storage-systems-in-japan/

Dear dealers, see you all at Interbike

e-Bann is attending to Interbike as an exhibitor as in last year.

This year we're showing more models, have a bigger booth and all of the visitors would have the chance to try out our models at the demo track.
Our booth number is 32173, please note that our booth is not in ebike section, as for some reason they decided to put us outside of the ebike section.
What is Interbike?
North America’s Largest Gathering of the Bicycle Industry – to celebrate, educate and conduct the business of cycling.


The 2013 Interbike International Bicycle Exposition is set to be unveiled this Fall at its new home, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center (MBCC) in Las Vegas, NV. The move to the MBCC allows for a great deal of new and exciting experiences for retailers, exhibitors, media and more.

Thriving to be the best cycling city! Meet Oslo...

There are around 3.2 million bikes in Norway, which is about twice the number of cars in the country. And a third of the bikes you'll see on our roads are manufactured in Norway. However, it's the same old story when it comes to road planning: cycling still comes second to driving for the ‘powers that be'. Nevertheless, the country as a whole is pretty switched on to pedal power.
Oslo is a great city for bicycling, with modest distances between major hubs and attractions. For distances of up a few kilometers, bicycling is often faster than public transportation.

Whether you want to discover attractions, explore nature, or just get a little exercise, Oslo's bicycling options range from relaxing rides with almost no inclines to difficult cross-country cycling in the hilly forests around the city.

Bicycling in the city centre

Many of the city's streets have separate bicycle tracks or bicycle lanes on the roadway itself, making two-wheeled transport a safe alternative.

Markveien, Torggata, Rådhusgata, Ullevålsveien and Frognerstranda are examples of streets and roads that have been adapted for bicycle traffic. Many intersections also have separate traffic lights for cyclists. You can also use pedestrian streets, but here cyclists are required to show consideration for pedestrians.

The route north along Akerselva River is worth mentioning, as it is probably the finest method of getting out of the centre of Oslo.

Bicycling in the forests and countryside

If you prefer longer, more demanding trips, you don't need to travel any further than Sognsvann metro station. From there you are connected to a huge network of gravel roads and forest trails, offering many miles of bicycling pleasure.

An extra motivational factor for cycling in the countryside are the sports cabins; places such as Ullevålsseter, Kikut and Rustadsaga serve coffee, pastries and other refreshments.

Other good starting points for cycling in the forests include the metro stations Grorud, Ulsrud and Skullerud on the east side of town. You pay the price of a child's ticket to bring your bicycle on Oslo's public transport system.

Bicycling maps

A good map to start with is "Greater Oslo" (Stor-Oslo, scale 1:25,000, published by Cappelen) covering an area from Bjørndal in the south to Frognerseteren in the north. The map shows useful features such as pedestrian streets, tram lines, many hiking trails and cycling routes and the most important sights of interest. Two other useful maps are "Nordmarka sommer" (1:50,000) and "Østmarka", (1:50,000), both published by Statens kartverk.

A simple, free cycling map of Oslo is available at the Tourist information centre by the City Hall.

Season

The length of Oslo's cycling season varies, but the asphalt roads are usually clear and safe between 1 April and 1 December.

In the countryside around Oslo, the gravel roads and forest trails are not usually dry until May or June.

Bicycle hiring and sightseeing

The simplest way to hire a bicycle in Oslo is getting a City Bike card from Oslo Bysykkel. An annual subscription gets you access to over 100 bicycle stands around the city with over 1,000 bicycles that can be borrowed for three hours at a time. Tourists can rent a card for one day at the Tourist information centre. The bikes are available from around Easter to about 1 December.

If you prefer cycling in the hills around Oslo, Ski & Guide has good mountain bikes for hire at Holmenkollen in the summer season (May-September). Ski & Guide also offers guided group tours on bike.

Viking Biking offers quality bikes for rent along with maps that help you see the top sites in a bike-friendly way. In the summer season, Viking Biking and AlternativOslo Bike Tours offer guided bicycling trips for groups and individuals.

FutureBuilt and the Norwegian Cyclist Association have initiated the competition. International ideas competition: How to make the Oslo region one of the best cycling regions in Europe?

South American Jewel: Curitiba, Brazil!

Curitiba is perhaps the most well-planned city in the world, and bicycle integration is at its core. The city has been pushing cycling as the go-to mode of transportation for more than 40 years and the result has been the ubiquity of bike lanes. Brazilians have made a commitment to alternative fuels and eco-friendly transportation methods. In addition to the infrastructure, a vibrant bike-oriented activist community exists to promote bicycle riding as an alternative to auto congestion.

With the creation of planned new bike lanes to be integrated into the current network of 120 kilometers, which is already the second largest in the country, Curitiba’s cycling paths will reach 400 kilometers. The expansion of bike lanes on city roads comes under the Cicloviário Master Plan, which was prepared by IPPUC (Curitiba Institute for Urban Research and Planning).

“We want to encourage the use of bicycles not only as leisure or sports activities, but as an alternative means of transport. This is a priority for the City of Curitiba in our Mobility and Accessibility Program. The projects have already been defined and some new extensions have already been built in town,” said the president of IPPUC, Clever Almeida.

One of these new connections is path along Av. Marechal Floriano Peixoto, which already has eight kilometers (4 miles in each direction) from the viaduct of the Green Line to the border with Pinhais. Another piece, a connection to the edge of town with Pinhais, will be done in partnership with the state government with funding from the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) Cup.

In total, Curitiba has 22.5 km of cycling infrastructure in progress. The upgrading project of Eduardo Pinto da Rocha, with completion scheduled for later this year, will reflect the implementation of bicycle paths along traffic lanes for 5 km. Also, south of Curitiba, the Axis Road Integration CIC / Tatuquara will have 1.8 km of bike paths.

The largest bike path is currently under construction on Av. Fredolin Wolf. The road project was begun by the City this month. At the end of the work, there will be a 7.6 km extension to form alternative access among the neighborhoods Santa Felicidade, São João, and Pilarzinho promoting integration with Tanguá and Tingui parks and the Wire Opera House, some of Curitiba’s finest tourist attractions. The work on Fredolin Wolf will form, along with Toaldo Tully Street (already operating), a cycling route of 13.1 kilometers along the main West/North road, enabling a connection from the BR-277 with the option of entering Centro Cívico or Barreirinha.

Following Fredolin Wolf on the bike path, a cyclist can follow the St. Lawrence neighborhood and reach the waterfall, or the City Centre, Tarumã, and even Xaxim. Heading west, by Toaldo Tullius, bicycle paths will connect the neighborhoods Santo Inácio, Bigorrilho, Campina do Siqueira, Portão, Fazendinha, CIC and Capão Raso. Barigui Park will also have a new path of about 10 kilometers, linking the neighborhood CIC to Santo Inácio.

The design of the Green Line North foresees the implementation of shared service in its 8 km length, continuing the already deployed 10 km south on the Green Line. The first section of paths on the Green Line North, extending 1.8 kilometers, links the Botanical Garden to Tarumã. Eventually it will cross the city from north to south for almost 20 kilometers, south to Atuba.

IPPUC is still designing the deployment of 10km of cycling infrastructure in Comendador Franco (Avenida das Torres). The projects comprise the upgrading of the Corredor Aeroporto/Rodoferroviária, funded by the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) of the 2014 World Cup.

Provided for in the Master Plan, the project provides for the implementation of cycling infrastructure on both sides of Avenida das Torres, in opposite directions, totaling 20 km in the stretch to the border with Pinhais.

The map of cycling infrastructure guidelines on the Master Plan includes the extension of Guarapuava Avenue Viscount, Viscount Nacar and Saldanha Marinho, fostering links with the existing network. The project to revitalize the Viscount Guarapuava median with a bike lane will be done by the Municipality in partnership with the government of the State.

“With the help of the state government, we will remove the poles and complete the path to the city as an exclusive channel for cyclists to move safely while improving the urban landscape with the elimination of overhead wires,” said the president of the IPPUC, Clever Almeida.

The Cultural Corridor is a project of IPPUC, in partnership with the Universidade Federal do Paraná. The corridor provides a connection with bike paths from the rectory to the historical building Santos Andrade of the University and from there to Teixeira Soares in João Negrão. The cultural corridor is an axis that will physically integrate the existing cultural facilities of the City, such as the Reitoria (which has a chapel and an auditorium); Teatro Guaíra, the Capela of Santa Maria, the Teatro da Caixa, and the cultural centers of the historic buildings of UFPR and the post office.

The first stretch of the Blue Line subway of Curitiba, between CIC-South and City Centre, will also open space for bicycles. Some of the Pinheirinho/Santa Candida route will be transformed into bicycle paths.

Along the route of the Curitiba subway, where buses are circulating today, there will be a large promenade, called Via Park that will include cycling infrastructure. The first stage will be 14.2 kilometers long. The final stage of the subway, from CIC-South to Santa Candida, will be 22.4 km long with 13 stations for entering and exiting the subway, with parking for bicycles.

Sources:

http://curitibainenglish.com.br/government/urban-mobility/curitiba-to-have-400km-of-bike-lanes/
http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/cities-of-exuberance/curitiba-story-of-a-city
http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/top-10-bicycle-friendly-cities_4.html
http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/transportation/photos/10-bike-friendly-cities-around-the-globe/curitiba-brazil

COPENHAGEN: BICYCLE CULTURE

With around 52 percent of all Copenhageners commuting by bike on a daily basis and the busiest cycle lane in the world, it’s no wonder that cities around the world are talking about Copenhagenizing when they try to increase usage of this CO2 friendly means of transportation.
Every day Copenhageners in total travel 660.000 kilometers by metro but cycle 1.2 million kilometres - almost double the amount. Maybe that’s why biking lanes in Melbourne, Australia are called Copenhagen lanes.



Copenhagen has more than 300 kilometers of biking lanes and an additional 50 kilometers are on the way. With more than one third of the population in Copenhagen commuting daily by bike, 1.1 million kilometers are ridden on bicycle in Copenhagen - every day.
The International Cycling Union, UCI, appointed Copenhagen to be the first official Bike City in the world from 2008-2011.


Though cycling is the cheapest mean of transportation next to walking Copenhageners love their bikes no matter their financial income. Many middle class families with kids in Copenhagen don't even own a car. They use their bikes to commute to work, bringing the kids to kindergarten etc. In fact 25 percent of all families with two kids in Copenhagen have a cargo bike.
Even top politicians ride their bike every day to parliament. A majority (63 percent) of the members of the Danish parliament, located at Christiansborg Castle in the middle of Copenhagen, commute by bike.
As a first time visitor in Copenhagen the amount of bicycles on the streets can be overwhelming. But you will soon realize, that life in Copenhagen is based on bicycles as a very important means of transportation.
With 390 kilometers of biking lanes and traffic lights especially for bikes, the city's infrastructure is build on the fact that a bicycle is not only the cheapest, healthiest and fastest way to get around the city, it is also a very important factor in reducing carbon emission. Therefore bicycle culture is a vital part of the city administrations ambition to become the first carbon neutral capital in the world by 2025.



With more than one third of the population in Copenhagen commuting daily by bike, cities around the world are being inspired by Copenhagen to increase usage of bicycles as a means of transportation. Biking is mutually beneficial. Bikers save money, get exercise and spare the environment for co2 emission. Reasons to promote cycling are various.
Copenhagens ambitious goal for 2015 is that 50% of all who work in Copenhagen will commute by bike according to the City of Copenhagen's environmental plan, ECO-METROPOLE OUR VISION 2015, which together with other green initiatives, works towards making Copenhagen the world's best biking city.
Around the world Copenhagenizing has now become a phenomenon in the process of getting more people to leave the car and take a bike.


There are only a few places in the world, where you will find traffic lights specifically for cyclists. But in Copenhagen, you'll see the miniature traffic lights many places, especially at heavily trafficked crossroads. The clearly marked blue bike lanes also increase traffic safety for the cyclist.
To get a more safe and smooth traffic for the massive amount of cyclists and their fellow road-users the Danish government has from January 1st introduced more expensive fines for violating the traffic law which means that cyclists now will be fined 1000 DDK for crossing a red light and 700 DKK for driving on the pavement or without any lamp, as well as many other fines for other traffic offences.




Sources: http://bit.ly/15AHZco

Electric Bicycles: Environmental Benefits

Gas-powered cars are the primary source of air pollution in the United States. In addition to their effect on our health, exhaust gases and particles from cars do extensive damage to crops, vegetation, and wildlife. In particular, motor vehicles are a significant source of water pollution. Oil, antifreeze, and small tire particles accumulate on roads and highways; during the rainy season, they are washed into our streams and waterways, causing damage to aquatic life. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the leading sources of metallic pollution in the bay is copper from auto brake pads. Finally, noise pollution from automotive traffic additionally stresses our lives.

Even after counting emissions from power plants, electric bicycles are factor 10 less polluting than gas vehicles. For every 500 miles an electric bike is used in place of a car, an average of 25 gallons of fuel is saved - and this much pollution is prevented:

• 3.42 pounds of hydrocarbons
• 25.28 pounds of carbon monoxide
• 1.77 pounds of nitrogen oxides

[Calculating emissions is an inherently tricky business. There are so many variables that there are no exact numbers in this game. The numbers here were calculated by David Swain, an engineer at the US EPA's Ann Arbor Mobile Emissions Laboratory. An alternative emission factor, listed as the "EPA Mobile 4.1 Model," that cites Carbon Monoxide levels emitted by the average car as 65.3 grams per mile. Using this number the CO savings after 500 miles would be approximately 70 pounds!]

Or you could go pollution free by fueling your Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) with electricity purchased from a "green" power company. Some electric companies supply most or all of their power from wind, sun, or falling water ("green" power). Starting April 1, 1998, Californians can choose their electric utility. You and I can "vote with our dollars" for green power. Here are two websites that review green power companies: http://www.ceert.org/links.html and http://www.nrdc.org/worldview/fwguid.html [The editor chosewww.greenmountain.com.]

Your investment in an electric bike can pay dividends beyond U. S. borders. Your purchase supports the growth of an industry that could make a big difference in developing countries. For example, as its economy prospers, China is in the unique position to skip the polluting gas moped and scooter phase altogether and leapfrog directly from human-powered bikes to clean electric vehicles. The pollution savings are staggering, far beyond what the U.S. could alone.

Scientific opinion is clear and close to unanimous that global warming is already happening. CO2 is the main culprit. For every mile a car travels, approximately one pound of CO2 enters the atmosphere. For background info on global warming and the process scientists used to conclude its truth, checkhttp://www.law.pace.edu/env/energy/debateintro.html.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988, to assess scientific information about climate change relevant for international and national policy formulation. More information on the IPCC structure and process is available from the IPCC web site (http://www.ipcc.ch) and the Working Group II web site (http://www.usgcrp.gov/ipcc/).

The Federal government's EPA site focuses on the science and impacts of global warming or climate change, and on actions by governments, corporations, and individuals that help address global warming issues. The site also features climate change related news, events, publications, reports, presentations, and links to other sites.http://www.onlineuniversity.net/earth-science/global-warming/

**** Building one car uses as much material as it takes to make 100 bicycles. (CA Bicycle Coalition)****

Short trips account for most of the cars on the road and most of our air pollution. So, for the health of the planet, leave your car at home and ride your electric bike. "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."Information on other sustainable businesses:

The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) is a focal point for the sustainable business community on the Internet. It includes The SBN Journal, Library, Sustainable Business Opportunities and, Green Dream Jobs. http://www.envirolink.org/sbn

Source: http://www.electric-bikes.com/envbenefits.html

Bicycles are saving lives in Africa

In the African nation of Uganda, where many areas are difficult to access and have limited resources, bicycles are saving lives. Bicycle ambulances, modified to pull a covered stretcher in back, allow an individual experiencing a medical emergency — and even pregnant women — to be transported to medical facilities quickly. This alternative has already saved many lives in a community that previously had no access to any type of transportation. The bicycle has become essential, both in bringing patients to the hospital and in transporting health professionals and medicine to the community.

The impact of the bike has not gone unnoticed by organizations and institutions worldwide, that have come onboard to support the cause. These include: Bike4Care, linked to Cycling out of Poverty; theMake a Move campaign, and the First African Bicycle Information Organization (FABIO).

In emergency cases, a motorized ambulance is the best option in terms of speed and access to medical care. But at this time, the bike is the most economically viable solution for people in villages like Katakwi, Uganda, and it is proving its worth, saving lives and raising life expectancy.

What would happen if alternative were implemented in other areas of globe, where people have poor access to health care? What you think?

Source: Bike Storming

Originally posted on TheCityFix Brasil

Bogotá's Bike Paths Network

Bogotá is the Colombian city with the most extensive and comprehensive network of bike paths. Bogotá’s bike paths network or Ciclorutas de Bogotá in Spanish, designed and built during the administration of Mayor Enrique Peñalosa, is also one of the most extensive in the world.


“A citizen on a $30 bicycle is equally important to one in a $30,000 car”,declares Enrique Penalosa, former mayor of Bogota.
When Mr. Penalosa became mayor in 1998, plans for a new $15 billion highway system were given to him. He discarded them and spent money on pedestrianised streets, buses and parks. And lots and lots and lots of cycle paths – 300 km worth – which people started to use.
Here are 3 steps they took that I think helped them build a bicycling culture:

1. Build Bicycle Paths:

A great bicycle path network makes it easy and safe for anyone to use, young or old. Cycle paths can come in all shapes and sizes – what kind is best? I guess it depends, but I like this useful guide from Enrique Penalosa, “A bicycle way that is not safe for an 8-year old is not a bicycle way”.

2. Build other Bicycling Infrastructure

It’s not just about kilometers and miles of cycle roads.  Who will use them? How will they be used? Can they be used?
A cycle path that goes from nowhere to nowhere probably won’t be used as much as a well connected, integrated system.
In Bogota, a special emphasis was put on connecting the cycle paths to their bus rapid transit system, Transmilenio. For example they installed free, convenient and secure cycle storage facilities near major bus terminals:
The design of the network was made taking into consideration the morphology and topography of the city. This is, from north to south the city has a flat topography and from east to west the city has varying degrees of inclination.
A mesh concept was applied for the theoretical plan of the network because it presented greater versatility and adaptation given that the road network was designed as a grid plan with streets going from south to north and from east to west.

3. Inspire – Make it Fun!

Ciclovia happens once a week in Bogota, every Sunday between 7am and 2pm. 120km of roads are shut to cars and opened up to cyclists, walkers and people to enjoy. It’s fun, with around 30% of locals, or 2 million people, taking part. Take a look at this short video from Streetfilms to if you want a flavour of people enjoying themselves on the streets of Bogota.

13 reasons to start using an electric bicycle for transportation

We're continuing our look at smart ways to start saddling up and using electric bicycles for real transportation.

 

We've always taken the greenness of bike transport as a given. But if you're just getting started — or perhaps trying to convince an employer that bicycle commuting is a good thing — we've rounded up a dozen reasons to leave that car in the driveway and start covering pavement on two wheels. Let's ride!

1) It's easier to use an ebike! You use fraction of your body power compared to conventional bikes and you get to your destination in half the time.

2)It's easier to finance a new electric bicycle than a new car. Thanks to the recession, auto loans are hard to find these days — even if you have good credit. But for the price of a single car payment, you can buy a well-made electric bicycle that should outlast most cars. Add a few hundred dollars more for rain gear, lights and accessories, and you have all-weather, anytime transportation.

 

3) An electric bicycle has a tiny manufacturing footprint when compared to a car. All manufactured goods have environmental impact, but electric bicycles can be produced for a fraction of the materials, energy and shipping costs of a car.

 

4) Electric bicycles produce no meaningful pollution when in operation. Electric bikes don't have tailpipes belching poisonous fumes into the atmosphere. They also eliminate the oil, fuel and hydraulic fluids dripped by automobiles onto the road surface — which means less toxic runoff into local waterways.

 

5) Ebikes save taxpayers money by reducing road wear. A 30-pound bicycle is a lot less rough on the pavement than a two-ton sedan. Every bicycle on the road amounts to money saved patching potholes and resurfacing city streets.

 

6) Bicycles are an effective alternative to a second car. Perhaps you're not in a position to adopt a bicycle as primary transportation. But bikes make great second vehicles. You can literally save thousands of dollars a year using a bicycle for workday commuting and weekend errands in households which might otherwise be forced to maintain two cars.

 

7) Using an ebike for transportation can help you lose weight and improve your overall health. The health benefits of regular aerobic exercise are well-known. Depending on your riding style and local road conditions, you could easily burn 600 calories an hour through brisk cycling. Most ebike commuters report losing 7 to 15 pounds during their first year in the saddle without changing their eating habits.

 

8) You can store a dozen electric bicycles in a single automobile-sized parking place.Parking lots have enormous environmental and financial impact, particularly in urbanized areas. The more ebikes you can get on the road, the fewer parking spaces you need to build.

 

9) Electric bicycles don't burn gasoline. Fuel is cheap compared to last year, and the economic downturn is likely to keep a lid on petroleum demand for a while. But we're not producing any more oil today than we were when it was more than $100 a barrel. A healthy bike culture will help ease pressure on supply once demand returns.

 

10) Electric bicycling may be faster and more efficient than taking a car. We're not talking about the crazy — and illegal — antics of New York bicycle messengers. But ebikes are often faster than cars in urban areas, especially when city designers have set aside proper bike lanes. There's nothing more satisfying as a bicycle commuter than breezing past a long line of gridlocked traffic.

 

11) Ebikes cost much less to maintain and operate than automobiles. You'll never throw a rod on an electric bicycle, and dropping a transmission on an ebike usually means replacing a bent derailleur hanger or worn-out chain. Electric bicycles do require service, but you can learn to perform most of it yourself. Even if you have a shop do things for you, costs will be trivial compared to a car.

 

12) Electric bicycles provide mobility for those who may not qualify or afford to drive. Not everyone can get a driver's license (or wants one), and the cost of purchasing, insuring and maintaining a car is out of reach for a lot of people. Almost everyone can afford some sort of ebike. Other than walking, electric bicycles are the most cost-effective transportation on the planet.

 

13) Studies show that electric bicycle commuters are healthier, more productive, and require less time off at work. This is why most enlightened employers are eager to accommodate commuting cyclists. Healthy workers are better workers — and that's good for the bottom line. Ebikes are smart business.

London City Council notes: E-bikes and crossing guards

When is an e-bike an e-bike?

That question was central to discussions around the introduction of a proposed bylaw amendment that could lead to the exclusion of power-assisted bicycles from the city’s multi-use pathways.

During the Community and Protective Services Committee meeting on Monday (June 17), the members referred back to staff the recommendation of staff that also included lowering the speed limit on pathways from 30 kph to 20 kph. That reduction would allow the Upper Thames Conservation Authority’s ability to act as bylaw enforcement officers within the city’s environmentally significant areas.

In 2009 the province amended the Highway Traffic Act and excluded power-assisted” bicycles — or e-bikes — from the definition of motor vehicle.

Ward 5 Councillor Joni Baechler, Ward 13 Councillor Judy Bryant and Mayor Joe Fontana all agreed that e-bikes should be allowed in the pathways. However, Ward 12 Councillor Harold Usher took the opposite point, raising several issues, including safety of those using the pathways.

Usher’s question, however, raised the point of whether the bylaw was designed to deal with scooter-style e-bikes or more of the power-assisted bicycles. Bill Coxhead, managing director of parks and recreation, said the exclusion was planned for the scooter-style bikes, but that it would welcome the referral to come back with a clearly laid out report.

Crossing guard rules

Also during the meeting, the committee voted to move forward with a single-source arrangement for school crossing guards.

The decision came as the committee discussed the London Police Service plan to stop administering the School Crossing Guard Program. With that decision, the London Police Services Board moved to save the approximately $1 million cost of the program.

The mayor said the safety of kids is “absolutely important” and so the city needs a seamless transition from the police administration to that of the city. To achieve that goal, John Braam, managing director of environmental and engineering services, said the city would work with the existing contractor for a one-year period ending on Aug. 31, 2014.

Committee chair and Ward 11 Councillor Denise Brown reaffirmed the city will undertake the sole source arrangement only for 2013/14 school year before undertaking a review of the program and moving forward with requests for proposal in time for the 2014/15.

Tips on Keeping Your Electric Bike Safe & Secure

Here's another great article by ebike report on how to keep your electric bike safe and secure:

You may have selected a good lock from the electric bike locks article but there are some other electric bike safety techniques that can further help you protect your investment.  By practicing these simple habits you can rest easier knowing your e-bike is that much safer.

Let’s get into the tips!

Park your electric bike in a public place. 

Thieves are less likely to try to steal your bike in a public place.  It is harder for them to break the lock when there are a bunch of people around.  Try not to leave your electric bike locked up somewhere overnight.

Find secure things to lock your e-bike to. 

Here are some ideas:

• Bike parking area that is solidly attached to concrete.
• A tree or street sign or street light.  Make sure your bike can’t be lifted over the tree, sign or light.  Avoid parking meters for this reason!
• A solid fence, not chain link because a thief could easily cut the chain link.
• A hand rail that is solidly attached to a wall or sidewalk.

A note about parking your bike in a high traffic areas;

try to be respectful of where you park your bike.  Some areas may not work because it will cause to much congestion where people are walking by.  This can be especially true if you are locking up multiple bikes.

Lock your helmet to your bike. 

If you are in a high theft area you may want to route your bike cable through the vents in your helmet.  Routing the cable through the helmet straps also works and I personally have never had a helmet stolen.  In reality I am not sure how many people really want a used helmet 

How do you carry your lock and accessories? 

Some locks come with attachments that allow you to carry the lock on the frame of the bike.  You may find it convenient to use a messenger bag, back pack or bag that fits on a bike rack to carry your lock and accessories (lights, display, jacket, pump, tools, keys, wallet, etc.)

A strong bike lock at work and a lighter lock for errands. 

A good rule of thumb is to use a strong lock when you are leaving your bike somewhere for extended periods of time (at work) and a lighter duty lock for short periods of time (errands).  Imagine how much time it would take a thief to break your lock and you can see why a light duty lock can work for errands.  You could keep your heavy duty lock at work all the time and carry the light duty with you.

When at home keep your bike out of site. 

Keep your bike in your garage, shed, inside your house, under a tarp, etc.  Thieves will spend time scoping out a neighborhood before they make their move.  Don’t let them see your e-bike!

Register your bike with one or all of these organizations.

Bike Shepard: Register your bike and get a badge that is attached to your bike with a QR code for scanning with a smartphone.

International Bike Registry.

National Bike Registry

Stolen Bicycle Registry: For when your e-bike is stolen 

Check out the next article for some tips on how to recover a stolen electric bike.

Do you have any questions about these tips?  Do you have any tips to add?  Please leave your comments and questions below.

- See more

Safety Tips for ebike Riders

One of the most important things about electric bikes is often times neglected, that is your safety. As e-Bann we’d like to warn and inform everyone who owns an ebike or planning to get an ebike with the following safety tips:

• Riders AgeWe strongly recommend our riders to be at least 16 years old. Many countries and states have this law but sadly as us manufacturers work on the design to make these vehicles look more like regular bicycles, it is difficult for law enforcers to make differ an ebike from a regular bicycle.
  
• Rules
  Don’t forget that you’re subject to the same rights and duties as the driver of a motor vehicle, such as obeying all traffic lights and control devices
  
  
  
  
  
• Speed LimitsPlease do not forget that speed limits are determined by your government for a reason. Please do not try alter the speed limits set by your manufacturer. Don’t forget that no matter how careful you ride your ebike, that car passing you might not be as careful as you are…
  
• Lights:
  At night time please turn on your headlights and tail lights (if your ebike is equipped with one). Turning on your lights may not increase your vision a lot, but it helps you to be visible on the road. We as e-Bannespecially made light sensors a standard in all of our models. Even if you forget to turn on your lights, your e-Bann will turn headlight, taillight and screen backlight will turn on automatically when necessary.
  
• Helmet:
  
  
  We cannot express this enough. Even tho wearing a helmet is now forced by law in your country/state, please get one and actually use it. We strongly recommend all of our dealers to sell helmets to their clients with ebikes.
  We learned it the hard way. Ok, helmet might mess up your hair, but you should decide in between messy hair or a messed up life…
  There are lots of nice and fashionable helmet models available in the market. If you need any recommendations, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’d be more than happy to assist you.
  
• Car Doors:
  Be prepared for anything while cycling. Watch out for the unexpected, like sudden opening of car doors. We are not kidding, it happens more often than you think.
  
• Bicycle Clips:
  If you’re planning to pedal your ebike, use bicycle clips if you are wearing loose fitting trousers. It is important to keep loose fitting clothes away from the bicycle chain at all times. If your cloth gets stuck in the moving part you could easily end up in an accident.
  
• Always Rear Brakes First:
  Do not apply front breaks first as this will cause you to topple. It is always better to apply the rear brakes first. Once your bicycle has slowed down considerable you can apply the front brakes.
  
• Last Note:
  ENJOY YOUR RIDE!

Commute with an ebike!

After a long day at the office, wouldn't you want to have a relaxing commute back home instead of commuting in crammed subways or being stuck in traffic for hours?

This video shows, how your life can be every day after work!

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This is how your morning commute to work should be!

The top 10 reasons to buy an electric bike

We've found a great blog post the other day, thought it's worth sharing.

"I've made up my mind to do my bit for the environment. After doing my research I went out and splashed out on a beautiful electric bicycle. It's a nice shiny piece of machinery that not only does the job, it looks great too. While I bought the bike mainly to help me reduce my carbon footprint, I've since found many more good reasons to have one. Here are 10 of the top reasons I could think of - I would be interested in hearing others you may come up with!"

 

 

1. REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT AND DO SOMETHING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT:
   
   Yes this is the one that started it all, which is why I've called it number one. What I am trying to do is to try and use the car a little less and enjoy the bike a little more. As someone who has been driving a car for over twenty years the habit is a little hard to break, so if you are like me don't try to boil the ocean in one go. Start small.
   
   "Fifty per cent of all car journeys are of less than five kilometres' duration, which means that there is considerable potential for at least some of those journeys to be made safely and in a much healthier way by bike."
   
   Think of all those small trips that you do on a daily basis. Like down to the newsagent to get a paper. Or a quick trip to the video store, or to the corner shop to get a loaf of bread? I'm getting into the habit of using the bike for these little trips and keeping the car in the garage. I've also found that I'm enjoying riding the bike. I may not be a great cyclist like Cadel Evans but I can now ride up hills as confidently as he can. The rush of wind in my face reminds me of when I was thirteen and did a chemist delivery run on my bike - so that I could save up for a car would you believe?
   
   Have you noticed how many bicycle lanes and cycleways there are nowadays? Before long there will be a lot more of us cruising to work carbon-less. One of the main reasons people don't ride to work is that they need to get changed when they get there. There are some who argue that riding an electric bike means that you can suit up and not get sweaty (see Suitable Transport), what do you think?
   If you are interested in a completely Carbon Free transport solution, why not charge your electric bike with Green Energy (either wind or hydro generated) or a Solar Panel?
   
   Hey it looks like someone's now invented a hydrogen bike: Hydrogen Powered Bike
   
   Renew magazine has just published an Electric Bike Buyer's guide: Electric Bike Buyer's Guide
   
   A BEAUTIFUL COMMUTE TO WORK: WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DRIVE A CAR TO WORK?
   
   This is a beautiful video of a bike commute to work in Sydney. Compare this to sitting in a traffic jam or huddling with hundreds of people on a train or bus and it's a no brainer that communities will benefit from more bike commuters and better infrastructure to cater for them.
   
   
   

To read more on this article please check here.

Best Bike Storage Solution

The train station in the Swiss city of Chur should serve as an example to others.

Authorities teamed up with the cyclists’ association Pro Velo Grison to construct a new integrated “Velostation” underneath the main station.

The park is reached from the platforms by gliding down a ramp into a spacious facility, accommodating unto 270 bicycles.

Zen is hybrid of a mountain bike and a road bike with an electric motor.

As you can infer from the name, Zen embodies a simple design with great functionality.

As the name also implies, form and function are combined to provide a cool looking electric bike - one that is comfortable to ride to work, run errands, get exercise, or just have fun!

This model blends fashionable style with high quality electric components to carry you quickly and easily to wherever you want to go.

It’s unique motor runs silently, which ensures a smooth and enjoyable ride everyday!

Visit our webpage.