micromobility - Ebikes, scooters, longboards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility
- They’re fast. Pedestrians are furious: ‘fat’ ebikes divide Australian beach suburbswww.theguardian.com They’re fast. Pedestrians are furious: ‘fat’ ebikes divide Australian beach suburbs
Popular among teenagers, the large electric bikes have triggered ‘numerous complaints’ to councils as fears grow for the safety of riders and pedestrians
Popular among teenagers, the large electric bikes have triggered ‘numerous complaints’ to councils as fears grow for the safety of riders and pedestrians
- ‘This doesn’t make sense. How much shopping can you really carry on a bicycle?’www.brisbanetimes.com.au ‘This doesn’t make sense. How much shopping can you really carry on a bicycle?’
Bunnings trip? Lounge suite? A person? No problem. A politician has sparked a surprising online trend after questioning whether people could actually shop by bike.
- Last Mile Delivery Is Standardizing With Two Cubic Meter Roro Boxes For E-Cargo Trikes - CleanTechnicacleantechnica.com Last Mile Delivery Is Standardizing With Two Cubic Meter Roro Boxes For E-Cargo Trikes - CleanTechnica
Low-speed, electrified, increasingly autonomous vehicles are going to be the norm, not the outlier. Standardized roro boxes and cargo trikes are part of it.
Low-speed, electrified, increasingly autonomous vehicles are going to be the norm, not the outlier. Standardized roro boxes and cargo trikes are part of it.
- What it's like to ditch your car for e-biking | Digital Trendswww.digitaltrends.com What it's like to ditch your car for e-biking | Digital Trends
I spent a whole month testing various styles and models of e-bikes to see if I could meet all of my needs with just two wheels. Here's everything I learned.
- Fix Mfg Payload Pocket Puts EDC Multi-Tools On Your Bike with Simple Bolt-On Mountbikerumor.com Fix Mfg Payload Pocket Puts EDC Multi-Tools On Your Bike with Simple Bolt-On Mount
How did this not already exist? New Fix Mfg Payload Pocket mounts any of Fix’s compact multi-tools to your bike, so you’re always prepared...
How did this not already exist? New Fix Mfg Payload Pocket mounts any of Fix’s compact multi-tools to your bike, so you’re always prepared...
- Self-balancing commuter pods ride old railway lines on demandnewatlas.com Self-balancing commuter pods ride old railway lines on demand
Country folk tend to like the independence offered by their cars, so how do you get them to use public transit? The Monocab system may be the answer, as it utilizes individual on-demand pods that travel on existing abandoned railways.
Looks like they could totally fit a bike rack on these things too!
- Review: Trek Verve+ 1 Lowstep LT E-Bikevelo.outsideonline.com Review: Trek Verve+ 1 Lowstep LT E-Bike
The Verve+ offers a sleek integrated look with solid shifting and braking, gets many things right, but the battery life is an issue.
The Verve+ offers a sleek integrated look with solid shifting and braking, gets many things right, but the battery life is an issue.
- Cyclists blame "utterly ridiculous bike prices" for brands' ongoing struggles
Cyclists blame "utterly ridiculous bike prices" for brands' ongoing struggles, after Giant's sales slashed again; Visma–Lease a Bike's cursed 2024 continues; Devastated Arsenal fan turns to... Lance Armstrong; Bargain hunting + more on the live blog
- Will Biden's new 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles affect e-bikes?electrek.co Will Biden's new 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles affect e-bikes?
The Biden Administration announced sweeping new tariffs on imported goods from China, including increasing tariffs on electric vehicles from China....
The Biden Administration announced sweeping new tariffs on imported goods from China, including increasing tariffs on electric vehicles from China....
> > > TL;DR: No one knows yet. > >
> > > Saved you a click. > >
TL;DR courtesy of @dual\_sport\_dork
- These bike helmets don’t work, officials warn in recall alertwww.masslive.com These bike helmets don’t work, officials warn in recall alert
The helmets don't protect children's heads in a crash, officials said.
The helmets don't protect children's heads in a crash, officials said.
- Guy attempts to ride from Boulder, CO to Austin, TX on micromobility vehiclesnebula.tv Louis Weisz — I Rode 1000 Miles on the SMALLEST Electric Vehicles
I rode 1000 Miles from Boulder to Austin texas in an attempt to stress-test small, personal electric vehicles and settle a years-old burrito debate.
This might be a bit different than what usually gets posted here but I found this on Nebula and its perhaps my favorite video I've seen on the platform yet. You can also watch it on YouTube (strangely YT didn't suggest it to me despite it being right up my alley).
I absolutely love this idea of trying to do long distance riding with little e-bikes and e-scooters, or basically anything on 2 (or just 1???) wheels.
- I Built An E-Bike Entirely Out Of Trash - The Autopianwww.theautopian.com I Built An E-Bike Entirely Out Of Trash - The Autopian
Those of us who are perpetual tinkerers know that sometimes we find projects and sometimes projects find us. The Trash-E-Bike, aka the IEB (Improvised Electric Bike) was a project of the latter sort. I never asked myself, “Can I build an e-bike out of trash?,” and though I eventually answered that q...
- Pedego Moto review: Fast and furious fun for $4,000arstechnica.com Pedego Moto review: Fast and furious fun for $4,000
Pedego's newest e-bike is quality even if a little bit impractical.
- Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ review | Urban Electric Bike of the Year winnerwww.bikeradar.com Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ review | Urban Electric Bike of the Year winner
The Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 is a slick, smooth and speedy suburban ride, which won our 2024 Urban Electric Bike of the Year award.
- I know nothing about e-bikes. Which should I get?
I’d like to start looking for an e-bike. The primary goal is something off-road capable. I’m thinking simple trails and sand.
The next goal would be portable: if it can break down a little bit so that I could get two inside my small SUV instead of on a bike rack that would be ideal.
Edit: for those stating to look at my local bike shop, the closest is 1.5 hrs away and is Trek-only. There are a few other dealers also around 1.hrs away.
- UK police could get Ghostbusters-style backpack devices to halt ebike getawayswww.theguardian.com UK police could get Ghostbusters-style backpack devices to halt ebike getaways
Device in development fires electromagnetic pulse that tricks ebikes and scooters into shutting off
Device in development fires electromagnetic pulse that tricks ebikes and scooters into shutting off
- 2024 BMW CE 02 Ride Reviewwww.cycleworld.com 2024 BMW CE 02 Ride Review
We ride and review BMW’s latest electric two-wheel offering, the CE 02, a light electric for getting around the city. Just don’t call it a scooter…
- I tested the Tromox MC10 electric trail bike. It's a Sur Ron/Talaria killerelectrek.co I tested the Tromox MC10 electric trail bike. It's a Sur Ron/Talaria killer
On a recent trip to China where I met with several micromobility companies, I was fortunate enough to spend an...
On a recent trip to China where I met with several micromobility companies, I was fortunate enough to spend an...
- China's sweeping new e-bike battery rules could have a major impact in USelectrek.co China's sweeping new e-bike battery rules could have a major impact in US
As electric bicycles continue to grow in numbers in the US, so too have concerns over the safety of their...
- 5 bicycle friendly cities for a memorable bike getawaymomentummag.com Five Bicycle-Friendly Cities for a Memorable Spring Bike Getaway
A spring bike getaway is the perfect occasion to spruce up your bicycle and embark on an adventure to discover fantastic cities
- An Ode To Electric Cargo Bikesstreets.mn An Ode to Electric Cargo Bikes
Everything you need to know about e-cargo bikes, just in time for a “Skill Share” gathering on February 8 at Perennial Cycle in Minneapolis.
- Could This Suzuki Electric Scooter Patent Show Us The Future?
Suzuki showed off a few electric last-mile mobility solutions at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, and now we have a glimpse inside one with a new patent filing.
- Ride1Up Revv1 DRT unveiled as high performance off-road electric bikeelectrek.co Ride1Up Revv1 DRT unveiled as high performance off-road electric bike
Ride1Up announced the launch of its original Revv1 electric moped-style bike back in early 2023, spearheading the brand’s expansion into...
- 10 ways Velotric's electric bikes are built differently: Deep-dive on the Discover 2electrek.co 10 ways Velotric's electric bikes are built differently: Deep-dive on the Discover 2
Velotric’s electric bikes stand out from all the other electric bike makers for more than just their eye-catching colors. Underneath...
- Forget aerobars: Ars tries out an entire aerobikearstechnica.com Forget aerobars: Ars tries out an entire aerobike
Taking to the road in a modern, high-speed version of a 40-year-old dream.
Taking to the road in a modern, high-speed version of a 40-year-old dream.
- E-Bikes Should Not Require Pedaling, Proposes U.K. Government, Diverging From E.U.www.forbes.com E-Bikes Should Not Require Pedaling, Proposes U.K. Government, Diverging From E.U.
E-bikes could get faster, more powerful and not require pedaling, in a move announced today by UKGOV. Cycling organizations are opposed to the plans.
E-bikes could get faster, more powerful and not require pedaling, in a move announced today by UKGOV. Cycling organizations are opposed to the plans.
- A bike light that promises to get you seen "5.5 times sooner", plus a hologram-powered smart bike, propeller-powered Seabike + loads more tech news from 3T, Oakley, Continental + more
We've also got an updated aero bike from 3T, another 3D-printed saddle that weighs just 100g and new lids from Rudy Project to tell you about this week
- E-bikes are good for the environment—but what about your health?www.nationalgeographic.com E-bikes are good for the environment—but what about your health?
As electric bicycles grow in popularity, the list of benefits they offer is becoming clearer. Some of them may surprise you.
E-bikes are good for the environment—but what about your health?
While it might seem counterintuitive, electric bikes, or e-bikes as they’re called, provide more health benefits than some people might realize. Stronger muscles, improved longevity, better heart health, and arriving at a location relatively sweat-free are all proven plusses.
"We know that physical activity reduces the risk for multiple diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes—and the intensity of physical activity during e-cycling is sufficient to provide these health effects," says Amund Riiser, a co-author of supportive research and an exercise science instructor and research program manager at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Of course, it matters how one uses an e-bike as there are different classes and asssistance levels to choose from. Class 1 e-bikes are the most popular and require the rider to pedal before the motor kicks in. Pedal-assist levels usually range from one to five and can also be turned off completely. Class 2 e-bikes work the same way, but they also offer a throttle-power mode on the handlebars to allow movement without pedaling. This mode is usually only activated by riders to get heavy e-bikes going or up hills, however, as research shows that e-cyclists are physically active for at least 95 percent of each ride.
Regardless of make or model preferences, e-bike use is growing at a fast pace across the world. Data from the United States Department of Energy shows that in 2019, 287,000 e-bikes were sold in the United States. In 2022, the number rose to 1,100,000. And America isn't even the world's top e-bike market. Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and the Netherlands all have more e-bike riders per-capita. In Switzerland, one in every seven bikes sold is an e-bike; and in many places in China, there are more electric bikes on the road than cars.
"There’s strong evidence that e-bikes will continue to become an increasingly popular and important part of our transportation and recreation landscape," says Chris Cherry, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and co-author of many supportive studies.
This undoubetdly excites e-bike manufacturers, but it’s also good news for millions of e-cyclists who reap the health benefits of riding regularly. Physical benefits for e-bikers
Frequently hopping on an e-bike can help reduce obesity risk and related disease, improve heart rate, grow and tone muscle mass, and increase lung capacity by providing maximal oxygen consumption—known as VO2-max.
"Your muscles' demand for oxygen increases as you pedal," says Aslak Fyhri, chief research psychologist at the Institute of Transport Economics in Oslo, Norway. To meet this demand, he explains, the heart pumps more blood, breathing intensifies, and one’s lung capacity increases.
E-bikes can also strengthen both lower body muscles through pedaling and upper-body muscles through gripping handlebars, maintaining an upright position, and balancing. Though such muscle growth also happens when cycling, the fact that e-bikes are two to three times heavier than traditional bicycles means muscle growth can be greater—so long as the rider isn't relying on high levels of electrical assistance.
A noteworthy meta-analysis also shows e-biking improving aerobic fitness, which is an important predictor of health and longevity.
Studies also have shown that e-biking can help manage healthy blood sugar levels, positively affect one's BMI, and be "a terrific low-impact exercise that's easy on your joints," says David Bassett, a kinesiologist and professor emeritus of exercise physiology at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He says pedal-assist cycling also has been shown to improve one's blood pressure by reducing mean arterial pressure.
Indeed, the cardiovascular and respiratory benefits of e-cyclists closely match those of traditional cyclists. Demonstrating this, researchers in the department of public health at Brigham Young University in Utah found that when they compared the heart rates of participants who rode e-bikes with the heart rates of people who rode traditional bikes, both groups ranked in the "vigorous-intensity heart rate zone.” Other studies have reached similar conclusions and additional research shows that maximal oxygen consumption ranges between 51 and 73 percent for e-bikers and 58 percent and 74 percent for traditional cyclists.
"There is a large body of research suggesting that e-cycling can be considered a moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity across a range of physiological markers of fitness including energy expenditure, maximum oxygen update, metabolic equivalents and more," says Jessica Bourne, co-author of related research and an exercise, nutrition, and health sciences researcher at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
E-bikes may even be superior to traditional bicycles in at least one way: research shows that e-bikers are more likely to ride them more often and for farther distances—even as much as 50 percent further. "Conventional bicycles require higher levels of physical effort to ride, but because of that, people ride them fewer minutes per week," says Cherry. Mental health benefits to boot
Beyond being good for the body, a number of qualitative studies show that e-bike riders consistently report improvements in their mental health as well. These benefits include stress reduction, improved sleep, and increased levels of happiness. Riiser says the release of feel-good hormones such as endorphins and serotonin that are associated with cardiovascular exercise like cycling can further improve one's mood and quality of life.
Researchers in the U.K. also have demonstrated improved cognitive function, showing that older adults who e-cycle regularly have faster processing times and improved accuracy and decision-making skills than older adults who don't.
Some of these mental health benefits have even been found to be higher in e-cyclists than traditional cyclists. "There is a sense of freedom in being able to get out in the fresh air without feeling limited by terrain or distance," says Bourne. A worry-free and environmentally friendly commute
This also makes e-bikes more enticing to commuters.
"E-bike riding takes the 'edge' off of bicycling, meaning hills and hard efforts that can take the fun out of bicycling for most people," says Cherry.
And because e-bikes can handle a lot more weight than most conventional bicycles, they make it possible to bring children to and from kindergarten or bring groceries home from the store.
All of this is also good news for the environment. A University of Oxford study found that swapping a car for a bike just once a day slashes an individual's transportation emissions by a whopping 67 percent.
"E-bikes are an important piece of a nation’s transportation plan," says Bassett. "They allow people to move from place to place while using only a small fraction of the energy of a motorized car—and with a miniscule carbon footprint." Existing barriers and limitations
But it isn't all good news. Fyhri says e-bikes are more frequently stolen than conventional bikes; and Bassett says the fact that they are much heavier can make them difficult to carry up flights of stairs for apartment living and harder to load onto a vehicle bike rack.
They also can be quite expensive, with entry-level e-bikes starting at about $1,000 and most middle-tier models running from $2,000 - $4,000. The price can run as high as $13,000 for some models.
"The lighter you want it go and with greater range, the more you will have to pay," says Bourne.
There are also some infrastructure limitations to consider, depending on where you live.
"The United States and Canada are far behind many of the European countries in terms of bicycling infrastructure, which means that the popularity of e-biking is being held back by the lack of safe routes for riding," says Bassett. Getting started
For those interested in e-cycling, Fyhri recommends spending time shopping for a reputable brand and talking with experienced e-cyclists about which options might be worth paying for or skipping.
It’s also recommended to start slow, as the extra weight of an e-bike can make braking and getting going a bit harder to get used to. "I think e-bikes are relatively easy to use in terms of gears and changing assistance levels, but having a lesson from a trained instructor is always recommended," says Bourne.
And if you want to reap the physical rewards of e-biking, Fyrhi recommends keeping the bike's e-assist level low, "and always avoid riding on the maximum assistance level."
"My best tip to get the most health benefits out of your e-bike is to use it as often as you can," suggests Riiser. "By commuting with an e-bike instead of a car, you can improve your own health through increased physical activity, your neighbor's health by reducing local air pollution, and the planet's health by reducing carbon emissions."
- Michigan Dems OK $3M for e-bike discounts. GOP says plan is off the rails | Bridge Michiganwww.bridgemi.com Michigan Dems OK $3M for e-bike discounts. GOP says plan is off the rails | Bridge Michigan
Michiganders could take hundreds of dollars off a new e-bike purchase price under a House budget championed by Democrats but panned by Republicans.
- Burning LiPO Batteries • IMPORTANT LESSONS LEARNED • Do LiPO Bags Actually Work?
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- 'Pretty remarkable': UBC study finds e-bike rebates led to decreased car usebc.ctvnews.ca 'Pretty remarkable': UBC study finds e-bike rebates led to decreased car use
There's new evidence that offering people incentives to purchase e-bikes can significantly reduce their reliance on cars.
- Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about carsarstechnica.com Bike brands start to adopt C-V2X to warn cyclists about cars
More automakers will need to adopt C-V2X to see a real benefit, though.
- DEA agent seeks federal immunity after allegedly killing Salem cyclist
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- 'Underwater bicycle' propels swimmers forward at superhuman speednewatlas.com 'Underwater bicycle' propels swimmers forward at superhuman speed
French company Seabike has developed a swimming device that uses your own leg power to accelerate you through the water at superhuman speeds. This crank-driven pusher prop looks a bit like an underwater unicycle... We'd love to take one for a spin!
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.smeargle.fans/post/159545
- 10 of the biggest game changers in cycling techwww.globalcyclingnetwork.com 10 of the biggest game changers in cycling tech
From clipless pedals to e-bikes, we take a look at some of the most influential pieces of tech through the history of cycling
- BMW's New Scooter Is An Electric Slide Machine
Try as they might marketing the CE 02 toward city dwellers around the world, the BMW electric scooter only makes sense when you treat it like a fun, silly toy.