Monthly Archives: April 2009

What range and electric bikes really means to you (or at least us!)

Posted on by
Reply


Riding an electric bike is about freedom (the real kind),exhilaration, fitness, fun, and a host of other emotions/sensations.  Where does range and distance fit into this experience?

Having adequate range on an electric bike is about having NO LIMITS.  Whether you are cruising the open road, getting groceries, or exploring a vast wilderness area- we believe that you should stop riding when YOU want to, not when your E-bike runs out of battery power.

How far do you need to go?

We have given this question some serious consideration and designed the Optibike to perform according to what we believe is the right answer.  We have talked to E-bike owners(both of Optibikes and other brands) and we have logged thousands of miles ourselves in the quest to determine the answer.  The magic number that we came up with is 100 miles on a single charge.

Riding 100 miles (called a century) on a bike is a tremendous feat that most cyclists seek to attain at least once in their lives.  For us at Optibike, the first time we rode one was at the 2005 Tour De Sol in New York when we rode 104 miles in 4 hours through the rolling hills of upstate New York.

That is an average of 26 mph for over 4 hours on a single charge- and since then, our batteries have vastly improved in both size, energy density (energy capacity per gram of battery), output capability, and lifespan(we warranty them for 3 years/30,000 miles.)

No other electric bicycle made can even come close to delivering this kind of performance.

How does the Optibike go so far, while every other bike leaves you wanting more?

The Optibike has a 20ah lithium battery and is ready to accommodate an additional Optibike Touring Package to double the capacity.  That is a total of 40ah at 36v.  No other electric bike offers this magnitude of capacity.

The Optibike 850XLi uses 23 amps of power continuously at 36v to get 850w, so with this battery capacity- you can ride for just under 2 hours at full speed, or about 5 hours in economy mode (a half power feature that comes standard on all Optibikes.)  Or,in the essence of full disclosure and truth in advertising- the 850XLi runs for just under an hour with the standard 20ah battery at full speed.

** Important note: The Optibikes Motorized Bottom Bracket (MBB), unlike our hub-motor driven ancestors, has the same efficiency on flat ground as it does climbing hills.  So the Optibike will run for an hour strait uphill while a hub motor will die really quickly.

There are E-bikes out there with 1000w motors and only 9ah batteries.  How long will they run?

1000w = 27 amps of discharge current.  (1000/36volts)  So a 9ah battery will run for only 20 min!!!

That’s like riding in a car with a 1 gallon gas tank.

You get what you pay for and while good, big batteries are more of an investment upfront- you won’t feel limited when you want to go out and ride until YOU feel like stopping.

How to avoid battery disappointment in an electric bike.

Posted on by
2

There are four main types of batteries in use today on electric bikes:

1. Lead Acid (Old, large,heavy technology)

2. Nickel Metal Hydride (used in Optibike 2007)

3. Lithium Phosphate (A123 Style)

4. Lithium Cobalt (used in Tesla Electric car, Optibike)

Battery capacity is are rated in amp –hrs (ah), but all capacity ratings are not the same. Depending on the current rating, one 12 amp hr battery may not be the same capacity as another 12 amp hr battery. Sound confusing? Read on.

Many battery capacities are listed as “ideal Capacities” which exist for only a few charges (or cycles) and then rapidly drop off. Optibike Lion batteries are actually “de tuned” meaning they are advertised under their real capacity so they last longer and give true capacity. The Optibike Internal 20 amp-hr battery is actually a 23 amp hr battery. This way, the battery actually delivers the advertised amp/hr capacity and will continue to do so longer since the battery is managed to operate at 85% of its actual capacity rather than beating it to a quick death at 100%. The Optibike lithium battery systems are warranted for 3 years or 30,000 miles. We guarantee that your battery will still have at least 80% of its original capacity after this time- meaning that after 3 years or 30,000 miles of riding your Optibike lithium battery will have more capacity than most electric bikes have right out of the box.

For an electric bike, it is desired to have a battery with the most capacity, lightest weight and smallest size, this gives maximum distance. Lithium Cobalt batteries have the highest amp hr rating for their size and weight. For their weight, the Lithium Cobalt pack used in the 2008 Optibike has nearly three times the capacity of the same weight Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) (used on 2007 Optibikes) and two times the capacity of an A123 pack and seven times the capacity of a Lead Acid pack.

Higher capacity means longer distance traveled. Be careful as some batteries claim very high Watts per KG which is the amount of power the battery can discharge, not energy. For example, if the battery is 9ah and 36v the battery will have 324 watt/hours. If the motor is 1000w than the bike can run for 1/3 of an hour, or 20 minutes- ONLY if the battery really has 9ah.

A high quality battery is the foundation of a great electric bike. Good batteries are not cheap, but your investment in a high quality battery will pay off in long run with years of faithful service. The Optibike Lithium Cobalt battery system, managed to run at 85% capacity is warranted by Optibike for 3 years or 30,000 miles. This is the longest warranty offered by any electric bike manufacturer and we offer it because we know that we make the lightest, most powerful, longest lasting battery available.

Battery Type

Cycle Life

Watt-hr/kg

Watt-hr/liter

Lion (Cobalt) (Optibike) *limited to 90% capacity for long cycle life

1000

208

365

Nickel Metal Hydride (NIMH) (Optibike 2007)

500

70

213

Lead Acid (SLA) (Optibike Prototypes)

350

36

103

Lithium Phosphate (A123)

2000

98

175

Worlds First High Performance Electric Bike for Women unveiled

Posted on by
Reply

April 22, 2009; Boulder, CO: The Optibike Helia is the electric bike designed for women, its lightweight, safe, and reliable- without sacrificing style or performance.

The Helia is capable of 50 mile rides and is loaded with options to ensure years of comfortable use on road and off. Air filled front and rear Fox brand suspension keep the Helia light and responsive in bumpy conditions while the hydraulic disk brakes work equally well in wet or dry conditions.

The advanced lithium ion battery is the largest and lightest (per ah) battery offered in an electric bicycle. This battery is warranted for 3 years/30,000 miles and costs only pennies to fill with electricity from a standard wall outlet.

The Helia is available in 4 colors: Optibike Red, Twilight Blue, OB Silver, and of course, Hibiscus Pink with a flower design hand painted by a local artist.

“In 2008 we had more couples than ever call us for a pair of electric bikes- so they could spend time together riding. For women looking for a perfect fitting electric bike with long range- there was nothing available, so we developed the Helia,” says Jim Turner, CEO. For more information on the Optibike Helia visit http://shop.optibike.com

All Optibike Electric Bikes are hand built to fit individual customers needs and specifications in Boulder, CO from all American made parts. They can be found on the web at www.optibike.com

For more information contact or high resolution photos contact:

Craig Weakley

Marketing Director

www.optibike.com

o:303.443.0932 x201

craig at Optibike dot com

5 Ways You Can Participate in Earth Day 2009

Posted on by
Reply

According to the Earth Day Network’s web site, it took us (collectively as a human race) about 125 years to use our first trillion barrels of oil. We’re going to use up the next trillion barrels in only 30 years.

It stands to reason our increased oil usage has an impact on our environment, our health and our lives.

So this year as we celebrate Earth Day let’s remember there are simple yet effective steps we can take to help preserve our world. Here are 5 things you can do right now to honor Earth Day this year.

1.) Replace your light bulbs with energy star bulbs. This simple step can reduce your carbon footprint by 450 pounds per year. And all you need to do is by energy efficient light bulbs and use them! There’s more information here at the official Energy Star web site: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=lighting.pr_lighting

2.) Plant a tree. Trees are Mother Nature’s all-in-one air conditioner and heater. It’s estimated that three properly-planted trees can reduce energy bills by as much as 30% – that’s both heating and cooling. Help out by planting a tree this year on Earth Day.

You can plant one in your yard or donate one to someone. If neither of those options work for you then consider donating a tree to one of our national parks. Find more at the Arbor Day Foundation’s web site: http://www.arborday.org/trees/

3.) Celebrate Earth Day locally. There are lots of events being held on Earth Day so find one and join in!

Whether you’re a student on campus, live in the suburbs or are an urban dweller you’ll find various events going on in your area. Pitch in, lend a hand and promote saving our Earth. Go to Earth Day’s web site to find what’s happening in your town: http://earthday.net/

4.) Buy local, organic food. By some estimates our US-grown produce travels up to 1500 miles before it reaches our neighborhood supermarket. When you calculate one gallon of gas creates 20 pounds of carbon dioxide you can see how much damage produce can do – and that’s for US-grown food.

Buying organic saves the Earth because you aren’t adding harmful chemicals into our eco-system (not to mention they aren’t going into your body).

Check out Local Harvest’s web site for more information: http://www.localharvest.org/buylocal.jsp

5.) Ride an Optibike. According to the Earth Day web site, by the year 2030 the world will consume 47% more oil than it did in 2003.

And almost all of us contribute to that statistic – especially if we drive a car.

So choosing to ride the electric bicycle Optibike versus driving a car means you aren’t using oil to run the bike and you aren’t polluting the air when you do.

In fact your carbon footprint from riding an Optibike is very small – Optibike gets the equivalent of 2,000 miles per gallon. No hybrid can offer you that kind of gas mileage! Find out more here: http://www.optibike.com/content/view/97/144/

Start with these and you’re bound to find many more ways you can go green this year for Earth Day – and every day after that.

What design elements go into a Womens Specific Optibike?

Posted on by
Reply

In the next 2 weeks, the first Womens Specific Optibike Electric bike will be available for delivery.  What makes the womens bike good- for women?

1)  Lightweight.  The Optibike Helia is specifically designed to be as light as possible.

  • Air filled suspension. The front and rear suspension are filled with air, not heavy oil giving Optibike riding ladies all the comfort and performance of full suspension without the weight.
  • Carbon Fiber handlebars. These handlebars are not only stylish, but also featherlight and ready to absorb any vibration that makes it up from the road and threatens to make your hands go numb on long rides.  Carbon bars are both light, and vibration absorbent.
  • Lithium ion battery. Lithium Cobalt batteries have the most energy for the weight.  This is commonly referred to as “energy density” and with an electric bicycle, having as little weight as possible is essential to what we like to call your “enjoyment factor.”

2)  Designed to fit, perfectly.

  • The Optibike Helia, like all other Optibikes is built to order and built to fit your body.  We will have to break from tradition and ask you your weight (gasp!!), also your height, length of your arms, inseam length, and how you like to sit on the bike (more upright, or bent over.)  The Optibike is the only electric bike that offers free custom fitting and guarantees the results.
  • Womens Handlebars are more narrow than mens bars.  This is because womens torso lengths tend to be shorter, so the narrower bars keep you from feeling like you are too overextended.
  • Womens seat.  Do not let anyone tell you a womens seat is the same as a mans.  There are some logistics associated with bike seats in order to make sure whover is sitting on it can still feel what they are sitting on after 20 minutes.

3)  Solid.  Safe.  Reliable.

  • The Optibike Helia has the same hydraulic disk brakes that professional riders use.  Pro’s use them because they work equally well when they are wet, muddy, hot, cold, etc.  You will feel the difference and have confidence that your hydraulic disk brakes will work perfectly, everytime.
  • The lithium battery is covered by a 3 year/30,000 mile warranty- the longest warranty offered for an electric bike battery.  The frame is warrantied for life, and the rest of the bike warrantied for a full year.
  • The Optibike Helia uses all standard high end bicycle parts so service is easy, when maintenance time comes due.  The oil cooled motor is sealed so you do not have to do anything to maintain it.

4)  The fun stuff.

  • Your choice of 4 colors.  Red, blue, silver, and of course Pink with a custom painted flower pattern.
  • Breast Cancer awareness black leather seat.  A portion of your purchase goes toward finding a cure.