• CADmonkey@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    When I was younger and more invincible around 2005, I bought one of these crappy Ebay engine kits for a bicycle. One thing I noticed is that it wasn’t really any slower from home to work than a car, because I could go around traffic. An E-bike would have been great. A lot of them get around on 500 watt or 750 watt motors, which is considerably smaller than an electric car’s motor.

    I’d have one now, but it’s hard to ride one when I have to carry a kid with me most places.

    • grue@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I’d have one now, but it’s hard to ride one when I have to carry a kid with me most places.

      I got an e-bike because I needed to carry a kid (actually, two) around with me. FYI, cargo bikes are a thing:

        • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          No less safe than wheeling a kid around in a little red wagon or letting them ride their own bicycle.

          • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Little Red wagons generally don’t travel at 20mph in the street with cars going even faster. That kid in the photo can barely hold herself upright. One little wiggle or unexpected turn and she’ll slip right through those bars and under an SUV.

            Seriously, you might as well just put your kid in to one of these.

            • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              Oh no, look at all the super dangerous people biking with kids on them.

              https://youtu.be/rQhzEnWCgHA?si=qlcN0Y9YrykPIlPe

              People really don’t fall off of bike seats easily. Maybe you should try biking.

              Literally millions of people have bought e-bikes specifically to carry kids. I own one, and my kid loves riding on the back. I have never heard of a kid falling off of one either.

              Radbikes even makes a bicycle specifically designed to carry children on the back (the radwagon) - and so does Extracycle, Trek, Lectric, Yuba and half a dozen or so other long tail e-bike brands.

              https://youtu.be/-ypwGlE-f88?si=l0RGbouB6efBHAZs

              • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Maybe you should try biking.

                You wanna compare Strava profiles Big Boy?

                My issue isn’t with carrying kids on the back of bikes. It can and is done safely. My issue is with what is happening in this specific picture, and even more specifically with the smallest child.

                • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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                  1 year ago

                  If you want a pissing competition, I’ve spent the last 25 years biking about 10 miles each way for work. Plus a couple of trips to the coast every year, so that’s about a hundred miles each way.

                  I don’t even own a road bike.

        • Uranium3006@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          it’s only unsafe because of all the cars. aside from that, whats’ the danger, they might fall out?

          • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            it’s only unsafe because of all the cars. aside from that, whats’ the danger…

            Swimming in a pool of razor blades is only unsafe because of all the razor blades. Aside from that, what’s the danger?

            …they might fall out?

            Yes

            • Uranium3006@kbin.social
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              1 year ago

              car dominance is literally a conspiracy by big oil to make us dependent, it is in no way natural.

              • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Cars exist, you can’t just ignore them. They’ll run you over whether you believe in them or not

        • daltotron@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Nah this is completely right though. Soon as she stops those two kids are gonna bonk heads together, the smaller one needs a bike seat at the very least, and the toddler probably needs one as well. You could still do that with a bike like this, so it doesn’t discount the point entirely, but the image itself is a pretty stupidly conceived piece of work.

    • paraphrand@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It’s fun how the preview image for the article has two kids being carried around. But I can understand if you don’t see that as safe in your area, etc.

    • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I have both am ev and an ebike, and a 7 mile commute.

      Driving takes between 20 minutes and an hour and a half. Biking takes 45 minutes no matter what.

      Car uses about 25x more energy though and parking is around $20/day.

      I should add my son much prefers the bike.

    • erwan@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I love my Bafang too but be careful of regulation depending on your country, an e-bike is 250W so of you put a more powerful motor you get in the moped category with different rules (helmet, back mirror, insurance…)