Inifinte Miles per Gallon....

by Craig ▫ Jun 18, 09:41 AM ▫

The bike is the perfect solution to short trips – to work, the store, or visiting. But what happens when you want to do more? Charlottesville’s hilly terrain can be daunting to experienced riders- throw a casual cyclist and 4 bags of groceries on the hill up Market Street and you aren’t having much fun. And likely an experience not to be repeated.

Enter Bionx. This is a Canadian company that has been making electric add on kits for bikes for a number of years. It is not a scooter or motorcycle type thing – you are still riding (pedaling) a bike. But it is a power booster- making hills & carrying loads very easy. I have been testing the Bionx motor on my standard commuter bike – a Specialized Crosstrail and it has been great. I’ve added racks & bags front and rear to carry ever greater loads without a problem. The electric motor is silent and boosts you power uphill so that you can maintain 15+ mph loaded uphills with light pedaling. It truly extends the possibilities of riding a bike in Charlottesville to a much greater range of people doing more things, and that is a great thing. And not a drop of gas.

The kit adds about 16lbs of weight to your bike. The battery is Li-Ion for light weight and durability, and recharges fully in 3 hours. I get 25-30 miles per charge. Another great thing about this system is that if you are riding with the motor off, there is no drag on the back wheel, making dead batteries less scary- you are riding a normal, if slightly heavy, bike. My Crosstrail weighs in at 49lbs total- not too bad.

One final benefit for commuters is the low effort required. When you ride in the morning to work, you don’t want to come into the office drenched in sweat. The low effort required with a high level of assist from the motor allows you to cruise at 15-20mph without breaking a sweat. Want to get more exercise on the way home? Back of on the level of assist and then you have a nice workout. You can have it both ways.

Bionx is available to fit most bikes, is easy to install, and reliable. Systems range from $1000- $1700, not including the bike. You’ll make that up in gas savings – that’s less than 15 fill ups for a normal size car- after that it’s all gravy. And does Exxon really need your money more than you?