Anyway, I am not a bike fan and certainly not a fan of electric bike. However I have ridden many mopeds and scooters in India during my college days. In fact I used to own a dealership in my home town which used to be the authorized dealer for automatic drive moped called "Avanti Garelli" originally manufactured by Kelvinator India. The automotive division of Kelvinator was later aquired by Monto Motors, thanks to google, I found them. In early 90s, these mopeds were priced Five thousand seven hundred Indian Rupees (little more than $100) and note that it was not an ordinary moped, Kelvinator had collaboration with Garelli of Italy who were original designer of these mopeds. I couldn't find the current price of Monto Mopeds (still named Avanti..) but my guess is that it won't be more than 15000 Indian Rupees ($300) even now. However I understand that these mopeds run on gasoline and optibike is an electric bike, I am talking about apple and oranges, but the point I am trying to make is if something so green and useful for majority of daily city commuters, why are they beyond our reach. After all, what does it have - a fast charging Lithium Ion batteries, some smart circuitries, rugged and reliable gear train. Do these features justify the cost of the bike? The price of LCD television came down 80% in just 3 years, why are these technologies so over priced? I plan to go, schedule a test drive and find out the answer myself some day. Until then, let me know what you think about it...
Please test drive an Optibike. It is truly an amazing invention. I own one and live in San Francisco. While certainly expensive, it is the best investment I have ever made. I use it to commute to work, while getting some exercise. I also use it to run errands, visit friends and some light trail runs on the weekends. I hope that electric bikes continue to grow in the US, as they are one way to be environmentally green, healthy and sustainable.
ReplyDeleteHi Jim, Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, Optibike does not have a dealer in South bay where I can just go and test ride. But I am definitely going to check with them. The point I was trying to make is that if it is a truly amazing invention and good green tech for our environment, it should have been made available inexpensively. After all, a lot of oil and car companies have been sucking tax payer's money in the name of reducing foreign oil dependencies. I commute 7 and half miles to work one way over hilly area and looking for an electric bike, but little hesitant to spend 6k.. Thanks again !
ReplyDeleteOptibike are doing nothing to help save the planet, and delay Peak Oil hitting us all. Electric bikes priced at this ridiculous level are just putting people off buying an electric bike in the first place. We need cheap, reliable electric bikes which have a ten to twenty mile range, offer 250 watts of constant power, and will help people who wouldn't normally ride a bike to work, to ditch their cars and get one. The optibike is just a ridiculous waste of money - all that people who buy one are admitting is that they have too much money, and not enough sense to build their own electric bike for MUCH less.
ReplyDeleteIf they're stupid enough to spend $8,000 plus on an electric bike, of course they're not going to admit that they made a bad decision.
I can buy a good quality second hand CAR for $2,000, let alone a bike. Just look at what's involved in the manufacture of the Optibike and compare it to a car - the car has thousands more parts, a hundred times as much steel, etc.etc.
Jim Optibike is an idiot. You can't seriously "hope that electric bikes continue to grow in the US" when you are advocating buying one which is obviously massively overpriced. You have too much money. Never tried a Typhoon motor?
1) There are many options for anyone considering a electric bicycle. Starting at a few hundred dollars. http://www.electric-bikes.com/bikes/bikes.html. A used car required maintenance, insurance, gas, parking cots, etc. There are some used/refurbished OptiBikes available too via the website.
ReplyDelete2) Optibike is a high quality, top of the line eBike option. Similiar to high-end road bikes, it has the best components. Optibike also has performed cutting-edge R&D to invent a truly incredible product. You can ride 28 miles in an hour on the Optibike and it handles SF hills magically.
3) You can contact a local Optibike ambassador to test ride one. There are several in the Bay Area, just check out the Optibike website. Also there is a risk free 90 day trial period. I initially was a skeptic, until I rode one.