Our customer and friend Jim Kirk answered some questions from a person who was interested in his bike, I thought his answers would be worth sharing:

Jim’s email (not edited):

I’ve owned my 850 since 4/2009 and have about 9.5K miles on it.  I use it daily for lunch commuting (3 miles) and an afternoon or evening ride [about 12-15 miles].

I’ve done all work on the bike myself and have recently tested a 26AH battery for Opti before they released it for their current line of bikes.  I’ve posted often on my work and upgrades on the Google Optibike forum:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/optibike-owners-group
You can browse through my web folders where you have numerous pictures and documents that you can look over.
http://www.jakirk.com/850XLi_1/
You questions:

1.  Have you liked/enjoyed the bike as much as you thought you would?
Yes.  I went from having several Iacocca Electric bikes [still have one] to the Opti.  Here’s a link on an Iacocca bike I sold:
http://www.jakirk.com/ebike/36VolteBike/index.html
I find I use and enjoy the Opti much more than my other electric bikes, my car, or my boat.  It’s just fun to drive.

2.  Has the bike performed as well as you thought it would?
Since I added the Rohloff geared hub I’ve eliminated chain maintenance and performance is excellent.  Riding A1A [Bahia Mar to Oakland Park bridge] I go from a nice leisurely 15-18 mph up to around 28 mph when I really start pumping.  Don’t do 28 mph very often but its nice to know its there .   Come to one of the ICW bridges [17th Street Causeway is the highest] and you’ll still pedal but you really notice the electric assist.  Without undue effort I go up the 17th St. Causeway Bridge at 15mph using full electric power and very modest effort.  On the downhill I often hit 32 mph with no pedalling and when I drop down to about 28 mph I turn on the power and pedal for bit to keep up the nice high speed I’ve gotten.  Get lots of looks from cars when you move along that fast .

3.  Is the bike worth the amount of money that one spends on this type of bike?
It was worth every penny to me but I’m a mechanical engineer who appreciates well designed products that actually work in the real world as Opti does.   You’ll have to make that decision but there is really nothing in the market that I think is comparable.  Also Opti stands behind their product so if you have a problem they will take care of it.  If you can afford the extra money there is an extended warranty available which is worth considering.

4.  Can you feel the electric power when you have it on?
Yes.  If you want you can stand on the pedals to rest your bottom and run as far as you like on electric power alone [I do this often for 1/2 mile or so].  The 850R encourages you to pedal because electric power comes through the motor mounted in the area between pedals [called a MBB=motorized bottom bracket].  So you twist the throttle [similiar to a motorcycle] to assist your pedalling.  Don’t twist as much you pedal harder [good exercise], twist more you get more assist.  Don’t pedal at all and you can go 20 mph using only battery power.  With pedalling I can go up to 30 mph using full throttle and with less power you can pedal slower, go slower and use less battery.  Want to go slower up a hill you’ve got 14 speeds in the Rohloff geared rear hub so you can drop down to gear 5 and go 8 mph using as little throttle as your legs feel like putting out.  Twist the throttle more and your legs will work less.  Shift up and down and turn the throttle to attain whatever speed or pedal effort you like-that’s the beauty of the MBB.  Not other bike has this since its a patented design by Jim Turner, owner of Opti.  Take a quick look at the patent:
http://www.jakirk.com/850XLi_1/Documents/Turner_US2002014366A1.pdf

5.  Have you traveled any amount of ground down here on this bike in the Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano Beach area?
Yes.  I hardly use my car any more.  Summer riding is no problem in the FL heat because you have motor assist.  Not sweaty and in need of a shower after an exhilarating bike ride to work, shopping, or just for fun.  I like ridding at night in the summer [take about an hour ride after supper and go along the beach].  Less traffic, no sunburn, and just plain fun.

Bottom line. It’s about the most expensive bike you can get but it sure is a lot of fun and was well worth every penny I spent.  Without reservation I recommend it.  I would suggest the 850R with the new 26AH battery for the most fun and reliability.  40 miles or more range should be easily attainable based on my experience with the new battery.

Jim Kirk

 Op






Pre-order now for June 1 delivery.


In the fast paced, ever changing world of lithium-ion batteries and electric bikes, one thing is certain: Optibike will continue to bring you the latest and greatest in battery technology. 


The 3rd Generation Lithium-Ion battery from Optibike is no exception.


Compact. The Optibike lithium ion battery is the most energy dense battery deployed in an electric vehicle today. 
Durable. Only Optibike offers a 3 year/30,000 mile warranty for a lithium ion battery. 
Powerful. With 26ah at 36v, the Optibike Lithium Ion battery system boasts the highest capacity primary battery available in an electric bike today.
Lightweight.  295% more capacity than the leading LiPO4 battery of the same size and weight! 


This new battery system is available in bikes starting June 1, 2011 as an optional upgrade (+$399) 


From now until April 8, all new Optibike 850R purchases will come with the new battery for no additional charge (June delivery.)


http://optibike.com/Optibike-850R.html
Plus, just as our way of saying thank you- you can take 75% off a Heavy Duty Package on an 850R at the same time!


Please email Craig@Optibike.com or call 303.443.0932 x201 to pre-order or with questions!

YAY! Huge thanks to our friends at Ktrak (http://www.ktrakcycle.com/) who styled us out with their latest generation snow track/ski combo that we are going to affix to an Optibike over the next 24 hours.  The quality of this unit is remarkable, I am surprised with the weight (or lack thereof!) and I am beyond excited to take it out for a spin.

This unit has a 10mm front axle, so we will be able to hook the ski up directly to the front axle and there is a 6 speed cassette on the rear, so we will have do dig up a 6 speed derauilleur (I am sure we have one here somewhere…)

Craig Taber and his new Ktrak!

Videos:

Dry Run on the Ktrak

Optibike with Ktrak

There seems to be a resurgence among product marketers to proclaim their product is “Made in the USA” yet there also seems to be some variance in the definition of what exactly that means.

As far as the Optibike is concerned, this is what it means:

Frame/Swingarm: Stamped/welded/machined/painted in the United States.

Battery:  Cells made overseas (not many are made in the US) the assembly of the pack and case happens in the US

Electronics/wiring: Manufactured in the US.

Motor: Manufactured in the US

Gears/MBB parts: Machined/manufactured in the US

Fox Suspension/Chris King Headset: Manufactured in the US

Then, of course, the entire bike is “assembled” in Boulder, CO.

Some of the bicycle components we use such as the Avid Disk brakes, Mavic Wheels, seats, pedals, grips, etc are made overseas- many are not available from US based manufacturers.  However, the overwhelming majority of every Optibike is actually made within 1000 miles of our factory in Boulder, CO.

This is not to say that one method/location of sourcing is better than another, its just a matter of clarification.

Thoughts?

The Optibike 850R is the best electric bike on the market. It is the Bugatti of e-bikes, the gold standard by which all other electric bikes are measured. Calling the Optibike 850R just a bike is like calling the Mona Lisa just a painting. It is a high test piece of technical badassery that will make you rethink getting back into your car….MORE

Photo by @SheaGunther

photo by @SheaGunther

photo of Rohloff Speedhub by @SheaGunther

As difficult as it is to imagine an electric bike as anything other than a lazy man’s chariot, it does present a practical solution to the challenge of a long-distance commute. Imagine the guy who drives 15 miles to work every day. Maybe he bikes it a few times a year, but it’s a pretty hefty jaunt for a daily routine. Throw a little electricity behind those pedals and suddenly a 15-mile commute feels a little closer to a 5- or 10-mile commute. It’s still a decent haul, but not nearly so intimidating.

To that end, Optibike is making the world–or at least that 15-mile stretch–a little bit easier. The Colorado-based company is custom producing bikes with more rugged chutzpah than you’ll find in the typical electric model. By the company’s measure, they’re offering the most powerful battery of any electric bike on the market. It’s the same one used in Tesla electric cars.

I took the Optibike for a spin around Manhattan, and as an avid bike commuter, I felt like a cheat. Of course, my daily ride isn’t nearly so long as to require a motor. Even with the bike’s aluminum frame, it’s still a little heavy to comfortably haul up the stairs that occasionally impede my journey, but revving it up strip of grass alongside the stairs, I had a moment’s feeling I was goosing a dirt bike. The motor kicks. I hit a top speed of 28 mph on flat ground, which was fast enough to outpace all other riders on the street. Clearly the bike is bulkier than the carbon fiber road bike I’m used to, but by no means is it too cumbersome for an open road.

Overall, it’s a fun ride, and certainly worth considering if ….More

Watch the video here:

Fast. Light. Electric. We take the Optibike for a spin.

Pikes Peak Challenge Winners!

Hey Fabian Cancellara, wanna race?

Some of you may recall the “electric bike scandal” where Mr. Cancellara was accused of using an electric assist to help him win the Paris-Roubaix.  There is no guessing whether Team Optibike uses performance inhancing electric motors- we are proud to design and build the Worlds Fastest Electric Bikes- and going head to head against the pros who race by our Boulder, CO factory is just plain fun.

Team Optibike went up against some top pro riders in the Boulder Time Trial Series on Wednesday June 30, 2010 and placed an impressive first and third.  See the official results here. Not bad for our first race of the season.

Optibike is going to continue to enter this event over the next 3 weeks, trying out different combinations of equipment to see how the times change.  You will be able to track our progress at http://blog2.optibike.com and in the Optibike Newsletter- sign up for that here.

Here is how the bikes/riders were configured for the 6/30 race:

First place rider: Ryan Welsh, Optibike MBB Systems Engineer.

Time: 20:55  (average speed 28.97 mph)

Bike:  2008 Optibike 700 with a 2010 22ah 36v Lithium battery and 850 watt silver motor, 55 tooth front chain ring with standard 9 spd cassette (11-34), platform pedals, and standard street/running clothes.

Third Place Rider*: Kyle Hale, Optibike Production Manager.

No Lycra was used in the winning of this race.

Time: 22:25 (Average speed 27.03)

Bike: 2010 850R HD with clipless pedals, Marathon Plus tour tires, standard street clothes, 44 tooth front chain ring with Rohloff rear. Powered by external battery.

*about a mile into the race, Kyle was wondering why he was only going 20 mph.  It was then he noticed he was in “eco” mode.  We corrected the problem and finished in “fast” mode.  He promised to win next week.  We shall see…

Some info about the course:

Distance:  10.1 miles from Lyons to Boulder, CO on highway 36.

Elevation Profile for the race.

Stay tuned for next weeks bike configurations and race results!