From today's Times

[lectureral]

Nice to see this letter in today's Times:

Green travel

Sir, During the past 12 months I have travelled more than 5,000 miles at an average speed of about 20mph with no traffic jams or parking problems, while at the same time causing no environmental damage at all, at a total running cost of £1.50.

Why do not more people use an electric bicycle?

PETER HALLAM Thundridge, Herts

 

[ITSPETEINIT]

20 mph for 5000 miles , eh!

Nice to see this letter in today's Times:

Green travel

Sir, During the past 12 months I have travelled more than 5,000 miles at an average speed of about 20mph with no traffic jams or parking problems, while at the same time causing no environmental damage at all, at a total running cost of £1.50.

Why do not more people use an electric bicycle?

PETER HALLAM Thundridge, Herts

Does the administrator know if Mr Peter Hallam is a member of the Pedelec Forum?
If he is a member, one could (politely) post messages for him asking him to keep a lower profile and disclose the name of his e-bike for the benefit of all. Better still, offer a review of the pro and cons of it disclosing his personal profile to be matched with that of other members (e-bikers).
5000 miles: that's a lot of mileage. One so dedicated must be a Forum subscriber surely. He has so much to offer.
Peter

 

[lectureral]

I am guessing that the £1.50 is a typo for £150 - would that be a sensible cost of the electricity over 5,000 miles? I suspect he is over-egging the pudding on his average speed.

 

[FatMog]

Nice to see this letter in today's Times:

Green travel

Sir, During the past 12 months I have travelled more than 5,000 miles at a total running cost of £1.50.

Woo, 5000 miles over 12 months, with approximately 230 working days in a year is nearly 22 miles a day! Very laudable Is that normal for all you ebike commuters? As a matter of interest, what IS the average ebike commute distance?

Also I am confused - surely it costs more than £1.50 in electricity to go 5000 miles?

 

[allotmenteer]

I am guessing that the £1.50 is a typo for £150 - would that be a sensible cost of the electricity over 5,000 miles? I suspect he is over-egging the pudding on his average speed.

I would think about £15 for 5000 miles would be nearer the mark.
For example, say my 24V 8Ah battery does 15 miles per charge.
That's (8*24) = 192 Wh for 15 miles.
Assuming charging is only 50% efficient then that's 192 * 2 = 384 Wh (or 0.384 KWh).
If a KWh is £0.10 then a charge would cost £0.0384 (about 4p).
Per mile this is £0.0384 / 15 = £0.00256.
5000 miles = 5000 * £0.00256 = £12.8.

Perhaps Peter is using solar power to charge his batteries. Or more likely he is charging at work 90% of the time

I charge at work about 1/3 of the time so my £12.80 comes down to about £8.50. In my little car 5000 miles would cost about £525! Electric bikes are really incredibly cheap!

Have I done my sums wrong?


Paul

 

[JohnInStockie]

Well I am doing 11 miles each way. Swapped the car for the bike (Twist), although I've not got a buyer for the car yet, they pulled out after wasting my time.

I thought that the average cost of a recharge was 0.05p per mile, isnt it on the A to B site somewhere.

So if I travel for the 230 days a year, at 22 miles a day, that makes it 230 x 22 x £0.0005 = £2.53. Is that right?? (this is of course excluding maintenance, and depreciation, but I'm not so sure they are as applicable to bikes personally)

 

[allotmenteer]

Woo, 5000 miles over 12 months, with approximately 230 working days in a year is nearly 22 miles a day! Very laudable Is that normal for all you ebike commuters? As a matter of interest, what IS the average ebike commute distance?

Also I am confused - surely it costs more than £1.50 in electricity to go 5000 miles?

I am now commuting 33 miles round trip per day, I would love a mere 22 mile commute Actually to be honest I'm aiming to do it 2 days per week during fine weather and due to other commitments (like needing to get home earlier / visiting the allotment early in the morning before work) I will probably only do 1 to 1.5 days per week over the summer. My annual mileage for commuting will work out at 1500 - 2000 miles which will save me about £150-£200 in petrol alone so the bike will pay for itself fairly quickly.

I'm finding my 16.5 mile trip is taking 1 hour 2 mins to 1 hour 4 mins. To be able do the trip more often I will need a 36V motor to get my top speed up to about 22 mph (like the Torq). My current motor only provides (diminishing) assistance to 17-18mph. Mostly I cruise at 16.5 mph where the assistance is more noticeable. I average 16mph so 11 miles would only take 41 minutes! I could definitely do that every day (since the car takes 25 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening).

I need to live closer to work (or vice versa).

Paul

 

[ITSPETEINIT]

£150 ! Sensible?

I am guessing that the £1.50 is a typo for £150 - would that be a sensible cost of the electricity over 5,000 miles? I suspect he is over-egging the pudding on his average speed.

I don't think so. I am not an out-and-out expert but I know the cost of electricty and my 5000 x's table
I also have a feeling that to recharge a battery for a 20 mile depth of discharge (? type may make a difference) would not cost: (my reputation on the line here) £150 divided by 5000 times 20 = 60 pence.
The latest price I have for E. is 7.572/kWh .
I make that about 8 kWh:
Therefore, I think the cost of 5000 miles (Electricity only) is £15.00.
It's "brain bruising" to take into account the rising price of E. over the last 12 months. (I don't have the formula for the smoothing of mathematical progressions with variable differences).

Over-egging the pudding? Over-exciting the cops, more like.
Peter

 

[lectureral]

I have never had a letter published in the Times so thought I'd have a go - In case it does not get published here is my submission:

Sir, Peter Hallam (letter, 23rd May) manages a higher average speed and seems to buy his electricity more cheaply than me. However, his central point is a good one. Electric bikes are cheaper (in all respects) and much greener than cars. Under the Cycle to Work Initiative they can even be tax free to buy. If the laws dictating their design were more relaxed they could be more useful. Perhaps then more people would charge the bike rather than fill the car.

 

[flecc]

In 1993 after I'd retired aged 57, and wishing to improve my fitness, I cycled just over 5300 miles in the year on an unassisted bike and not commuting of course, so 5000 miles for an E commuter isn't too out of the ordinary. I think we have members who do that.

Nationally advertising an average of 20 mph was a bit unwise though!
.

 

[Ian]

I make the cost of electricity £3 for 5000 miles, based on 15 wh per mile (Approx my own consumption measured with a wh meter while charging)
and electricity costing 4p per kwh (Economy 7 night rate).

Perhaps the writer pedals a lot and uses half the electricity I do. If he's averaging 20 mph on a UK legal bike he must be putting a lot of effort in.

But after 5000 miles the battery, tyres and chain must be approaching the end of their life so the cost of those should be added to the total.

Having said that it's still very cheap form of transport.

 

[ITSPETEINIT]

Annual mileage one-upmanship

In 1993 after I'd retired aged 57, and wishing to improve my fitness, I cycled just over 5300 miles in the year on an unassisted bike and not commuting of course, so 5000 miles for an E commuter isn't too out of the ordinary. I think we have members who do that.

Nationally advertising an average of 20 mph was a bit unwise though!
.

In 1991, after I retired aged 58 (was 62 at the end of the trip) I cycled 1050 miles with Angina and the wife (not a menage a trois) in 40 days carrying camping gear (but not cooking kit) and many changes of clothes. From Shaftesbury, Dorset to St. Raphael, France. Ah, what freedom! What energy!! Of course it was in the good old summertime.
An e-bike with climbing ability could do that - all up weight might be a problem unless one stayed in hotels or chambres d'hote (B&B) for recharginbg overnight. (1 1/2 batteries per day, each with deep discharge)
We were very hygenic in those days. Are electric bikes (instead of a push-bike) for those who like to commute to work, a form of deodorant?
Peter

 

[flecc]

My daily mileages in that year were very variable due to weather, I rode almost 300 days of the 365. Least daily mileage was 12 miles, and highest 54 miles.

Your 26+ mile per day average was a good level to maintain in hilly country when not enjoying full health. I had no medical excuses, except saddle soreness for the first three weeks.
.