Regarding boat bikes...

We've been thinking ahead to when we get our next boat and start cruising in retirement (two years, two months, twenty-three days). We wanted a couple of folding, electric bikes. We settled on a couple of Radmini's and took delivery yesterday.

Radmini website

Pretty easy to assemble. Called the customer service line for advice on one thing, got right through to someone, and he had the answer immediately.

This afternoon, we rode them about four or four and a half miles. Mine hit 19.7 mph on full electric drive with no peddling. At the end of the ride, the battery meter hadn't even moved off of Full. They even come with a little bell on the handlebars.



I'm not affiliated with the company in any way, just a happy customer.

John

They sound great...


Have you investigated any state laws and motor bikes with regards to registration, roads allowed on, etc?

psneeld said:

They sound great...


Have you investigated any state laws and motor bikes with regards to registration, roads allowed on, etc?

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It is my understanding that most states treat them as bicycles if they can pedal even though electrically powered. That means they can operate on streets without licensing.



David

I've had a RadMini for about a year. Great bike, but a bit heavy for (my) boat at 60 lbs. Robust and well build though. I use it to mostly commute down to the Neighborhood marina...

djmarchand said:

It is my understanding that most states treat them as bicycles if they can pedal even though electrically powered. That means they can operate on streets without licensing.



David

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May be true in most states but not in NY

"WHERE TO RIDE:

Electric bicycles may*not be ridden on any street, highway, parking lot, sidewalk or other in New York State that allows public motor traffic."

From:
https://www.evelo.com/new-york-state-electric-bike-laws-definition/

Here's a good primer on current state legislation in the US
http://www.ncsl.org/research/transp...ic-bicycle-laws-a-legislative-primer.aspx#map

Good to know about New York. Thanks. Very legal here in FL.

They are nice, but a little heavy...EBR Electric Bike Reviews..on YT tests and rates 100’s of Models, including lightweight , rust proof , folders...I do love the Rad mini..

I like them. My knees especially would be pleased with them but I guess we're going to have to stick to our original plan of cheap, lightweight bicycles (my wife bought hers from the thrift store) that could be considered disposable since our boat is small & they'll be stored in the weather & salt air/spray. I wonder how the electric ones will fare in a saltwater environment? Then there's the issue of theft. The crooks might not be as interested in out bikes!

I had a Trek mountain bike on board for a time. It was covered, but I still had issues with the disc brakes. I think old-style brakes would be far less susceptible to rust problems. Corrosion is a big issue.

To me a bike needs to be light. I usually ride my road bike down to he marina because of this, but if I'm leaving the dock for a few days would only take the Trek as I would like to minimise the service frequency and cost for the Canondale.

I am also no fan of the small wheels. I had a folding bike years ago and the little wheels and poor speed (gearing) meant that I stopped using it and gave it away. I would be tempted by an electric hybrid if I could get a weatherproof cover with it!

I've had a Rad City eBike for 6 months now. Absolutely love it !! Their customer service is great!!

Not all eBikes are outlawed in NY. If the bike is a "pedal assisted" bike, and limited to 20 mphm I believe its legal. If its a throttle only bike ( meaning no effort required by the driver ) it is currently illegal, but that may change in the future.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/09/nyregion/are-electric-bikes-about-to-take-over-new-york.html

There is a Facebook group for Rad Power Bike riders that is a tremendous resource for information.

Also, there are ways to increase the governed speed limit in the settings menu, but then you might be in a legal grey area.

Can you load them into your dink to take them ashore?

FF said:

Can you load them into your dink to take them ashore?

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That's the plan, yes. No doubt, they're heavier than cheap, lightweight, pedal-only bikes. For safety's sake, It'll probably take both of us to load them from the swim platform to the dinghy but we're okay with that.

19.7 mph... Getting REALLY close to the legal limit there! I wonder if these are built with some sort of governor to keep the speed under 20 mph? Many states seem to have laws similar to Florida's where, if it is capable of going more than 20 mph, then it is no longer just an electric-assisted bicycle, but becomes a full-fledged "motor vehicle."

I've had two. One a folding motor bike. Too heavy to get on and off the boat easily. Gave it away.
Had a expensive, light-weight, super duper folding pedal, non-rusting bike, wheels too small, 16 inch. I had it for about 5 years. Gave it away. They do not make a 20 inch wheels.

denverd0n said:

19.7 mph... Getting REALLY close to the legal limit there! I wonder if these are built with some sort of governor to keep the speed under 20 mph? Many states seem to have laws similar to Florida's where, if it is capable of going more than 20 mph, then it is no longer just an electric-assisted bicycle, but becomes a full-fledged "motor vehicle."

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Yeah, there is a governor, actually user-settable. Just because it WILL go that fast, doesn't mean we will be running them that fast. We have found 10-12 mph is plenty to get us where we want to go.

Notice the six and a half foot alligator in the background?

I bought electric scooters for the boat and they're great! Much smaller and easier to fold than the Dahon bike I had before and more fun too. Small enough that they store easily inside the boat and light enough to carry on the dinghy. No need to lock them or worry about theft since they're easy to bring inside a restaurant and tuck under the table or put in a grocery cart when at the store.

They're not as capable in terms of speed (15-16mph) or range (maybe 8 miles) as a good electric bike, but the size makes them more suitable to use my boat. And at $350, they're pretty reasonable!

https://www.amazon.com/GOTRAX-GXL-Commuting-Electric-Scooter/dp/B07F1GNDRL

OldDan1943 said:

I've had two. One a folding motor bike. Too heavy to get on and off the boat easily. Gave it away.
Had a expensive, light-weight, super duper folding pedal, non-rusting bike, wheels too small, 16 inch. I had it for about 5 years. Gave it away. They do not make a 20 inch wheels.

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Very happy with mine....


Vilano Urbana Single Speed Folding Bike

Quick Overview

The Vilano Urbana is a lightweight, basic single speed folding bike perfect for an urban commute or riding around town. You'll love its clean, minimalist style and easy maintenance. With 20 inch wheels and mounts for a water bottle and rear rack, the Vilano Urbana weighs only 21.5 lbs.

I had three Dahons and eventually sold them all. They were OK for a few blocks, any more got quite tiresome with the 16" wheels. I replaced them with Montague folders. For all intents, these ride just like a full size non-folding mountain bike, 26" wheels, real gears, etc. They have no disadvantage compared to a non-folding bike other than weighing about 2 lbs more.

I pulled into Key West and walked around for a couple days, that got old. Walked to K-mart and bought a cheap mountain bike for $89. That bike rode in the cockpit and often got drenched in spray. I knew it would not live long, but it made it about five years. But when it died, it was DEAD.

If you want a smaller alternative, check out folding electric scooters. I got two of these for the kids to ride around when we park at a marina. They work great, go 15MPH and seem to last forever. The official range is 10-12 miles, but depending on how heavy you are, it varies. The kids could go 20+ miles, I think.

Only $399 each, which is less than a lot of e-bikes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F1GZM6Z/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Trek District - weighs 20lbs, full size, aluminum and carbon fiber, belt drive and plastic sprockets, single speed. ..... no chain or gears to rust.

These have lived uncovered at our bow rails for 12yrs and show no rust other than the brake springs which we just replaced.

boatpoker said:

Trek District - weighs 20lbs, full size, aluminum and carbon fiber, belt drive and plastic sprockets, single speed. ..... no chain or gears to rust.

These have lived uncovered at our bow rails for 12yrs and show no rust other than the brake springs which we just replaced.

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Do you like the belt drive?
Not so sure about the plastic spokes.

OldDan1943 said:

Do you like the belt drive?
Not so sure about the plastic spokes.

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Plastic "sprockets " (also plastic crank and pedals). Spokes are aluminum.

Love the belt drive, total silence and incredibly smooth. We use these bikes a lot. No problem with a 12 - 15 mile round trip for groceries.

JohnEasley said:

Yeah, there is a governor, actually user-settable. Just because it WILL go that fast, doesn't mean we will be running them that fast. We have found 10-12 mph is plenty to get us where we want to go.

Notice the six and a half foot alligator in the background?

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Hmmmmm....How fast can an alligator run?

DDW said:

I had three Dahons and eventually sold them all. They were OK for a few blocks, any more got quite tiresome with the 16" wheels. I replaced them with Montague folders. For all intents, these ride just like a full size non-folding mountain bike, 26" wheels, real gears, etc. They have no disadvantage compared to a non-folding bike other than weighing about 2 lbs more.

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If Dahon would supply the large clown feet to use when you ride them, rather than having to buy them from the clown supply store, they might be more popular.

boatpoker said:

Trek District - weighs 20lbs, full size, aluminum and carbon fiber, belt drive and plastic sprockets, single speed. ..... no chain or gears to rust.

These have lived uncovered at our bow rails for 12yrs and show no rust other than the brake springs which we just replaced.

Click to expand...

I can't find a Trek "District" online. Do they not make them anymore, or is there another model that replaced that one?

Just bought one of these, based on a recommendation from TF a few months ago. Weight and folded size were main concerns. It weighs 24 lbs.

Haven't unpacked it yet.

Pea
Varnishing my sole


https://www.jupiterbike.com/

folding bikes.


Or Dahon

Dahon North America | Find Your Freedom

Well, I guess I'm on a different page.....

I have a tandem electric bike that has been absolutely GREAT for my loop trip. We started out with an older higher end tandem that I picked up pretty cheap and that was a good bike.

In a one in a million chance, I picked up a Daymak Classic electric tandem from a nice fellow on the Trent in Canada that was selling it. A crazy story the way I found it. I just gave him the old bike.

My Co Captian does not ride bikes solo, after a few crashed. She used to, and I tried to get he back into it, but didn't work, so a tandem was the only way. Turned out the best thing and absolutely a HOOT. Use it numerous times, and have tons of fun. Used it for shopping and whatever. (It hold two cases of beer... perhaps a bit more).

Now, it's not fast... perhaps 10mph on the battery only. But the battery and motor is geared for low speed torque and will go up a reasonably steep hill without much assistance.

Miz Trom said:

Just bought one of these, based on a recommendation from TF a few months ago. Weight and folded size were main concerns. It weighs 24 lbs.

Haven't unpacked it yet.

Pea
Varnishing my sole


https://www.jupiterbike.com/

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We looked at, and test rode, those. Cute. Fun. Light. Compact. You'll probably have a blast with it! We opted for a little heavier and bulkier but a softer ride.