Unlikely to be an issue, if a few extra kilos close to your back causes a problem the bike would not be fit for use.
A-Bike Electric *finally* arrived!
- Thread starter ocb
- Start date
I am disappointed in the a-bike, but I knew I was taking a risk when I signed up to the Kickstarter. It's not all bad, but it does have a specific/limited usage profile that just doesn't fit my current needs.
For the backpack question, I always have one and I have absolutely no problem. Last time I weighed it, it varies between 3-5kg depending on what I'm lugging.
I think the A bike, whether powered or unpowered is only likely to suit very few people, rather like the Strida in this respect. The small wheels, the geometry, the discomfort, the low speed and limited range are all very severely limiting.
The cleverness of their designs can be admired, but ultimately it's practicality that counts.
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a-bike blog 6.1.16
The trains are on strike for 2 days. Knock-on effect being the roads are a mess as people take to their cars.
I planned to bike the whole 9km to where I get the tram, but it started to rain – and Waze had said I could do the trip in 25 mins. I felt a bit guilty, but also warm and dry…
Alas, Waze waz wrongz. It took me 40 mins to do about 1200m, and a further 15 mins to do another 300m, find a parking space and get the bike out. The one saving grace is that the rain had stopped!
This route is the main route I take, and with my (non-electric) kick scooter I averaged 20+km/h and hitting 35km/h on a downhill section.
Cyclemeter said it took me 17mins ride time to do just short of 5km. Slight downward gradient, but a couple of uphill sections. Mostly it’s flat, good dedicated cycle way.
Avg speed:16 km/h
Max speed: 23km/h
Conditions – wet with standing water at parts. 6oC (wind chill made it around 2oC). Wind 15km/h S, so in the theory aiding me.
Highlights:
This bike just cannot sustain speeds above 20km/h.
It doesn’t mind the wet as much as I’d feared.
My Ltrott/E-twow carry handle helped a lot.
Tomorrow, train strike continues – and they weatherman forecasts heavy downpours. I doubt I’ll be taking either the a-bike nor the E-TWOW.
The trains are on strike for 2 days. Knock-on effect being the roads are a mess as people take to their cars.
I planned to bike the whole 9km to where I get the tram, but it started to rain – and Waze had said I could do the trip in 25 mins. I felt a bit guilty, but also warm and dry…
Alas, Waze waz wrongz. It took me 40 mins to do about 1200m, and a further 15 mins to do another 300m, find a parking space and get the bike out. The one saving grace is that the rain had stopped!
This route is the main route I take, and with my (non-electric) kick scooter I averaged 20+km/h and hitting 35km/h on a downhill section.
Cyclemeter said it took me 17mins ride time to do just short of 5km. Slight downward gradient, but a couple of uphill sections. Mostly it’s flat, good dedicated cycle way.
Avg speed:16 km/h
Max speed: 23km/h
Conditions – wet with standing water at parts. 6oC (wind chill made it around 2oC). Wind 15km/h S, so in the theory aiding me.
Highlights:
This bike just cannot sustain speeds above 20km/h.
It doesn’t mind the wet as much as I’d feared.
My Ltrott/E-twow carry handle helped a lot.
Tomorrow, train strike continues – and they weatherman forecasts heavy downpours. I doubt I’ll be taking either the a-bike nor the E-TWOW.
As a fair comparison to the a-bike, today I took my Ltrott/E-TWOW electric kick scooter (weather front was late arriving)
It weighs the same. It has the same diameter wheels. It costs ball park the same.
However, the E-TWOW is a lot simpler mechanically. One hinge to fold the riser, handle bars fold in (could be better, not a big fan of their design), the riser telescopes to a couple of pre-set heights and is fixed with a clamp and a tube button thing - and that’s it. Carrying is easier, although they haven’t done a good job of making it “drag-able” like a kick scooter should be
Ride is obviously different – no seat! Very low center of gravity. No wobble.
The a-bike has proper hand lever brakes, the E-TWOW uses motor braking from a left thumb control and/or back wheel foot brake.
I prefer having hand lever brakes like on a bike. My non electric kick scooter has that also – and I find it’s more comfortable and controllable.
I took a route partly through a forest today, and the e-kick scooter did admirably. That’s the first time I’ve tried that with a kick (electric or otherwise) – and I certainly couldn’t have done it on the a-bike electric!
Most of the route is tarmac cycle path, but 2 or 3 km in the forest is hard packed stones set in a fine shale type material. Rough and a bit bumpy.
Cyclemeter says I did 6km in 19min. Average 18km/h, peak 30 km/h.
Temp 7oC , wet with some standing water. Wind 19 km/h from SE, so at my back for half the journey.
Ascent/descent of 70m.
I used a measly 10% battery!
One advantage of the E-TWOW is it has a Kinetic Energy Recovery System. So, the 35m descent after the 35m ascent was partially recovered
I won’t bother going into other technical aspects of the E-TWOW as google exists for those interested.
Conclusion:
The a-bike electric isn’t a bad bike, and certainly not at the price. It is rather limited in what it can do though. Head-to-head against my E-TWOW, it’s doesn’t hold up against it.
It weighs the same. It has the same diameter wheels. It costs ball park the same.
However, the E-TWOW is a lot simpler mechanically. One hinge to fold the riser, handle bars fold in (could be better, not a big fan of their design), the riser telescopes to a couple of pre-set heights and is fixed with a clamp and a tube button thing - and that’s it. Carrying is easier, although they haven’t done a good job of making it “drag-able” like a kick scooter should be
Ride is obviously different – no seat! Very low center of gravity. No wobble.
The a-bike has proper hand lever brakes, the E-TWOW uses motor braking from a left thumb control and/or back wheel foot brake.
I prefer having hand lever brakes like on a bike. My non electric kick scooter has that also – and I find it’s more comfortable and controllable.
I took a route partly through a forest today, and the e-kick scooter did admirably. That’s the first time I’ve tried that with a kick (electric or otherwise) – and I certainly couldn’t have done it on the a-bike electric!
Most of the route is tarmac cycle path, but 2 or 3 km in the forest is hard packed stones set in a fine shale type material. Rough and a bit bumpy.
Cyclemeter says I did 6km in 19min. Average 18km/h, peak 30 km/h.
Temp 7oC , wet with some standing water. Wind 19 km/h from SE, so at my back for half the journey.
Ascent/descent of 70m.
I used a measly 10% battery!
One advantage of the E-TWOW is it has a Kinetic Energy Recovery System. So, the 35m descent after the 35m ascent was partially recovered
I won’t bother going into other technical aspects of the E-TWOW as google exists for those interested.
Conclusion:
The a-bike electric isn’t a bad bike, and certainly not at the price. It is rather limited in what it can do though. Head-to-head against my E-TWOW, it’s doesn’t hold up against it.
Oh, indeed - in England they fall under some bizarre law that goes back to 1835 or something? That's what I saw with the hoverboards at least in the UK press.
Here in Belgium they remain in a grey area - but kick scooters are in the highway code here. You're a pedestrian when you're doing pedestrian speeds (legal to ride on the pavement), and a bicycle when above that. Pedelecs are a mix between Belgian law and EU directives until they finally harmonize things, right now the feeling is that powered kick scooters would slipstream into that.
That's correct. From 1770 on there were various attempts to construct a steam powered road locomotive culminating in Richard Trevithick building one in 1801 and driving between two villages in Cornwall carrying six passengers. The first people carrier!
Such stunts increased, no doubt frightening the horses and certainly frightening parliament enough to eventually act.
In 1835 they passed the Highway Act which banned all locomotives from the highways, which included pavements. That has had the effect that all mechanically propelled vehicles are banned unless specifically permitted by a law. It means anything new in mechanically propelled vehicles is automatically illegal until it has a law permitting it. A universal "gottcha".
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Hi, thanks for your advice, it's been sent back to reset the electrical programme, hopefully this will cure the problem.
No helmet and on the footpath, isn't that illegal for a L1e-B street legal electric scooter?
Up to 30 km without pedalling on a single charge = 30 km downhill with the wind in your back (you weighing 55 kg soaking wet)...
Up to 30 km without pedalling on a single charge = 30 km downhill with the wind in your back (you weighing 55 kg soaking wet)...
Yes, and in any case that hasn't been type approved or SVA as an L1e-B in the EU or UK, some obligatory items not present.
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Yes, she looked very unstable on it. Riding alongside the edge of the path with the ocean beyond wasn't a good idea!
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