With the price of gas going over $3.00 a gallon i think we all are looking for ways to save money on travel. This may be an option for you. The obsession with bigger trucks and suvs has led us to consume more and more gas every year. Enter..or should i say straddle..the lowly bicycle. And for those of us who get winded just riding around the block...the electric bike. In an article in Mother Earth News an electric biker named Rick Parrish of Woodruff S.C. writes: I weigh 220 pounds and the bike will pull me up some pretty steep hills at 13 mph without pedaling and at 16 to 17 mphwith pedaling. I have already done 30 miles on one continuous ride with no loss of power; the charge meter had just begun to drop from full at the end of the ride.Top speed of this bike on level ground(with the speed limiter unplugged) is 24 miles per hour without pedaling, 27 to 28 mph with pedaling.
I am 48 years old and originally decided on an electric bike for health reasons. I have been pleasantly surprised by the exercise I'm getting since i find myself pedaling everywhere. My fuel cost will average about 25 cents a week and the benifits to the environment are fantastic.
The bike cost me less money than it would have to re-register, insure and pay taxes on my car. On top of this it will save me $120 to $150 a month in fuel cost and my health is improving. Rick's choice of bike was a Liberty Electric Bike 643 Town and Country Cruiser. Now i know we all cant rush out and buy electric bikes. Distance of commute and other factors come into play and everyones situation is different. Still..think what would happen if 1 in 100 decided to ride a bike,electric or otherwise, just some of the time. A gas savings of $120 a month is a big incentive..plus the savings on insurance and taxes. Just another push for us all in the direction of a greener and more frugal lifestyle.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment