Fun on the Bike Trail

[stevej37]

Pulled into bike the White Pine Trail this morning and parked next to a new F-250 pulling an RV trailer and the guy was unloading two matching e-bike trikes. They were both brand new (he said) and were Tornado brands with pedals. He said they would do 30 mph.
Him and his wife had their smartphones loaded with 'Trail Link' maps and I could see the
pic of our location and trail on them. (I don't know that a map is needed when the trail only goes straight north and south)

I took off for the next city..which was 9 miles out. I figured they would pass me within a few miles...I average about 15-17 mph
Arrived at the 9 mile stop and turned around to head back. Finally I see them and they are stopped, headed back, at about the midway point.

The guys t-shirt is soaked. He said his electric gave out and he had been pedaling back and was exhausted. His wife's bike was working...they had no rope.

He said it wouldn't be such a big deal to pedal back...but his trike weighs 125 lbs.

I continued pedaling on....I had no rope.

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[rwest]

125lbs is nuts for something that you are going to be pedaling at least a bit- yea, right it’s almost all motor at that point and isn’t exercise anymore...

...well, unless it breaks down and you are now getting the workout of your life if doesn’t kill you first!

[stevej37]

His wife wasn't looking too happy about the whole thing.

I suspect there will be two e-trikes for sale soon.


I'm just guessing...but I bet each is at least $2K new.

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[CurtEgerer]

So 'motorcycles' are allowed on that trail I was in Michigan recently and rode a few rail trails, all of which were posted 'No Motorized Vehicles - $500 Fine'. Despite this, I saw a couple of morons with e-bikes on the trail

[stevej37]

^^^ The trail is the 'Fred Meijer White Pine Trail' and it goes 92 miles from Grand Rapids to Cadillac.
It's signed 'No Motorized Vehicles'...but e-bikes are used, seldom where I am.

These two e-trikes were the step-thru newer type with a throttle.

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[rwest]

MN and I would guess many other States don’t consider e-bikes as motorized vehicles when they meet certain criteria and are allowed on bike trails. I just took a gander at our laws and they do say children under 15 are not allowed to use e-bikes on the trails.

[stevej37]

^^^ That's how I understand MI to be also.
I have no problem with them...as long as they ride under control.

[CurtEgerer]

I've ridden parts of the Meijer Trail several years ago. It's a great system. The incidents that I witnessed were very large fat-bike e-bikes at probably max speed (30-35MPH) and no pedaling motion going on. That is dangerously fast on a mixed-use rail trail. There are many dog walkers, runners and I even came across an elderly woman in a wheelchair being pushed by a caregiver.

The craziest incident tho was a cyclist complete with nice road bike, logo-jersey, shorts, helmet, etc. riding toward me on the very LEFT edge of the trail (very nice paved 15 ft wide). I saw him 500 yards in front of me and assumed he would eventually drift back to his right. Nope. Kept coming and I eventually slowed and pulled off on the grass!!!!!! He saw me with maybe 20 yards from a head-on collision and then finally jerked over to the proper side of the road. At that point, I got off the trail and rode public roads the rest of the ride without incident.

[look 171]

Since I tweaked my back three weeks ago, I took it easy on my riding. Last week was my first ride. We have stupid bike lanes that screwed up traffic flow (two lanes is now one). I ride street mostly and almost never bike trails due to bone heads and their dogs on long leashes with music fully blasting through their head phones. Typical amount of traffic doing about 30 on 35 zones. A couple of Harleys blew by me doing about 40 revving their engine from way back mtelling me to move over, so I did to let them by. Its a ticket for sure riding that big-o-bike in the bike lane but when you have a bunch of people in a crowded city, no one seems to follow the law anymore. Its every men for themselves, sadly.

I can't imagent riding that 3 wheel boat anchor back for 9 miles. I laughed as I read your post. Hey, he got a work out that's for sure

[stevej37]

^^^ Curt
There were several miles (25-30)mid-way in the trail that were not paved until this year.
Now, the trail is all paved and the new portions are smooth as can be....nice riding. I've done the 92 miles several times, but never all in one day. The section from Reed City to Cadillac is the best...desolate of any crossroads, completely wooded.

Yes, you see all types on the trail. The worst are the dog walkers that don't pay attention to what side of the trail the dog is. They expect bikers to stop while they pull their dog back to the right.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by look 171

I can't imagent riding that 3 wheel boat anchor back for 9 miles. I laughed as I read your post. Hey, he got a work out that's for sure

I had a hard time keeping from laughing when he said how much work it was. I wondered how he got that one back into his trailer.
His wife didn't look like she was going to do any pushing.

[porsche930dude]

I just worked on an ebike for somebody. It was a 48v kit with the rear hub motor. They cobbled it on so it had a lot of little problems. It worked really well. But it did suck to pedal with the added weight I wouldnt want to go anywhere except downhill with just the pedals.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by stevej37

His wife wasn't looking too happy about the whole thing.

I suspect there will be two e-trikes for sale soon.


I'm just guessing...but I bet each is at least $2K new.

.

So no warranty on a 2k purchase?

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Alan A

So no warranty on a 2k purchase?

I would think there is.....but it didn't do him much good where he was.

He could have just left it there and rode double with his wife except they were both large sized.

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[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ Curt
There were several miles (25-30)mid-way in the trail that were not paved until this year.
Now, the trail is all paved and the new portions are smooth as can be....nice riding. I've done the 92 miles several times, but never all in one day. The section from Reed City to Cadillac is the best...desolate of any crossroads, completely wooded.

Yes, you see all types on the trail. The worst are the dog walkers that don't pay attention to what side of the trail the dog is. They expect bikers to stop while they pull their dog back to the right.

Yeah, we rode the north section up by Big Rapids and Cadillac and I seem to recall several (mostly?) unpaved trails but they were very rideable with our road bikes (a few years before the advent of gravel bikes). Almost no traffic up that way and it was nice. But where we live now in FL, there are no rail trails and I ride on the road which I've always enjoyed. Vehicle traffic is not bad at all here in south-central FL. So the ride on the rail trail in MI was the first time in 6-7 years. I did not enjoy it at all. I've ridden many 100s of miles on that same trail in years past and it was OK. It wasn't just the incidents I described. It felt a bit claustrophobic. I guess I like the variety of conditions on the public roads and having my situational awareness on high alert at all times. Makes for a more interesting ride I guess

edit: Going by memory, the route we used to do was starting in Sanford Lake on the 'Midland Railtrail' heading west through Clare, Farwell and then Reed City and then turning north toward Cadillac. That was an out and back route and a long day in the saddle.

[stevej37]

^^^ I ride mostly county roads from my house...some days I do 20 miles and see less than 5 cars in the whole ride.
My county had extra money this year and re-surfaced almost all the roads around me. My route changes, but it never includes the same road twice, on the same trip. (it's rectangular)

Sounds like you took the 'Pere Marquette Trail'.....the first rails to trails in Michigan. (runs east/west thru Reed City)

[vash]

I will buy an E-bike one day.


I will stick with the bigger names. Tornado brand isn't one of them.

I tried to convince my wife of this. she, on her own bought a HUGE name brand E-Bike. unfortunately, the brand was HUFFY. hahha...I laughed at the love of my life, bit my tongue and put it together for her. she never got it running right. the motor never engaged. I took the battery out, she gave it to the friend that convinced her to buy it, since she had one as well, and I took the bike and put it into my office dumpster. my tongue had teeth marks for Months. months!!

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=vash;12525387]I will buy an E-bike one day.

I will stick with the bigger names. Tornado brand isn't one of them.



I didn't ask him the brand....but the model was Tornado.(decaled on the upright bar)
All his other items items were top notch...New F-250, new rv trailer, fancy biking wear.
So I have to believe that he didn't skimp on the e-bike trikes.

Someone here prob knows who makes a Tornado model?

[CurtEgerer]

I can only see 3 cases for a bicycle powered by a motor:

1. you're physically disabled and can't pedal without a motor.
2. you use it in place of a moped for basic transportation to work, etc., not fitness.
3. you're a racer and want to cheat.

The beauty of an actual bicycle is you can pedal at your own pace and level of fitness. If you lack balance, get a 3-wheel version. Not that fit? Fine, just pedal slower in an easier gear and you'll still improve fitness. Why the need to go fast?

I maintain a couple of e-bikes for some elderly neighbors so I've ridden them many times. They are poor-handling, ungodly heavy and faster than the skill level of 95% of their riders. Every time they break down, somebody has to go get them because they're too unwieldly with a dead battery. Ridiculous for an able person.

< rant mode off >

[stevej37]

I thought this was informative....stuff I didn't know.