# E-bikes are a Transportation Revolution
I bought an e-bike in November 2020, it was life-changing, and now I have 4 (pedal-assist, not throttle). I'm documenting my reflections about the e-bike space here, in the hope it will help others.
## Index
* [Background](/background): bike-sharer → bike-owner → e-bike maniac
* [My e-bikes](/bikes)
* [Overview/Specs](/bikes#specs): weights between 35-60lbs, ranges from 25-130mi, prices from $1900-$7000 ($2500-$8000 incl. gear)
* [VanMoof X3](/bikes#x3): great all-around / starter / city e-bike
* [Brompton Electric](/bikes#e-brompton): smallest fold, most portable, great all around
* [Tern Vektron Q9](/bikes#q9): large cargo capacity, folds up for easy storage
* [Specialized Creo Comp Carbon](/bikes#creo): light, fast, long-range
* [Reflections](/reflections)
* [Speed ⟹ Safety](/reflections#speed-safety): higher top speed – and acceleration – make a big difference in traffic
* [Speed ⟹ Inclusion](/reflections#speed-inclusion): a lot more people can get around quickly+comfortably on ebikes
* [Speed ⟹ Convenience](/reflections#speed-convenience): ebikes are as fast as cars in urban environments; can solve congestion and parking issues
* [Space](/reflections#space): high mobility per unit space; combine with other modes (trains, buses, ferries)
* [Bike vs. Car Storage](/reflections#bike-vs-car-storage): parking takes too much space in cities, and is heavily subsidized; bike parking is 5-10x more efficient
* [Cost](/reflections#cost): the average car cost could fund e-bikes for 10 families
* [Cargo](/reflections#cargo):
* [Groceries, Bulk Items](/reflections#groceries): basically any grocery run, and a surprising number of bulk item moves, can be done via e-bike
* [Kids](/reflections#kids): easy to carry 1 or 2 kids by e-bike
* [PoV: Grocery Runs](/reflections#groceries): I get groceries by e-bike and it's great
* [PoV: Moving House](/reflections#pov-moving-house): I moved across town – with 2wks of stuff – by ebike
* [Health](/reflections#health)
* [Fun](/reflections#fun)
* [Car sewers](/reflections#car-sewers): cars make streets miserable for everyone not in a car; doing this to 100% of streets is extreme, and terrible policy.
* [Getting Started](/getting-started)
* [Bike Shares](/getting-started#bike-shares): easy way to get used to city biking/scooting (if unfamiliar)
* [Renting](/getting-started#renting): rent a few types of bikes before buying one
* [Safety](/getting-started#safety)
* [Stats](/getting-started#stats)
* [Speed](/getting-started#safety-speed)
* [Fear](/getting-started#fear)
* [Riding on Sidewalks](/getting-started#riding-on-sidewalks)
* [Stopping at Stop Signs / Red Lights](/getting-started#stopping-at-stops)
* [Braking](/getting-started#braking): [Sheldon Brown on front brakes](https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html)
* [Helmets](/getting-started#helmets-safety): can't hurt, but often used to blame/criminalize cyclists for infrastructure/engineering problems
* [Lights](/getting-started#lights-safety): the more the better
* [Hi-Viz Clothing](/getting-started#hi-viz): similar to helmets; good practice, but often discussed unfairly
* [Route Planning](/getting-started#route-planning): [Street View](/getting-started#street-view), [Ride with GPS](/getting-started#ride-with-gps), [Strava](/getting-started#strava-route-planning) all useful
* [Traveling with E-bikes](/getting-started#travel): [flying](/getting-started#flying) generally not possible (might work with e-brompton); [trains/boats](/getting-started#trains-boats) generally easy/possible
* [Starter Packs](/getting-started#starter-packs)
* [VanMoof X3 + Gear](/getting-started#vanmoof-x3-pack): $83/mo (incl. maintenance/theft/insurance coverage), $3k outright
* [RadPower](/getting-started#radpower): popular under $2k
* [Reading](/getting-started#reading)
* [ElectricBikeReview.com](/getting-started#ebr)
* [r/ebikes](/getting-started#r-ebikes)
* [Gear](/gear): 10-20% a bike's cost in add-ons can make it 10x more useful
* [Helmets](/gear#helmets): I use [a Lumos "Kickstart"](https://lumoshelmet.co/products/lumos-kickstart) helmet with lights built in
* [Racks, Baskets](/gear#racks-baskets): starting point for carrying bags' worth of stuff on rides
* [Bags](/gear#bags): get weight off of you and onto the bike, where it *rolls*
* [Panniers](/gear#panniers): bags that hang from sides of back rack; can be quite large, very useful
* [Cockpit Bags](/gear#cockpit-bags): smaller bags up around your handlebars for essentials
* [Frame Bags](/gear#top-tube-bags): small/medium bags attached to the frame
* [Back-Rack / Seat Bags](/gear#back-bags): medium bags on top of back rack or behind+underneath seat
* [Phone Mounts](/gear#phone-mounts): phone mounted up front (e.g. w/ turn-by-turn directions) is surprisingly useful; I use [Quad Lock](https://www.quadlockcase.com/).
* [Lights](/gear#lights): [front](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07544KPJL/), [rear](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YFDFXY4/), [party](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G36BT9P/), [Vont 'Pyro' (set)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078TB9TMK/), [KNOG (set)](https://www.amazon.com/KNOG-12144-Plus-Twinpack-Black/dp/B07CYNMD6M/)
* [Locks](/gear#locks): [Kryptonite U-lock + cable](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZT8KZ1/) (medium weight, decent security), [OnGuard U-Lock](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008OHBE8S/) (lighter / more clearance but weaker), [OTTO cable lock](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0799DBYBH/) (compact+light extra security layer)
* [Misc. Accessories](/gear#misc-accessories): [bell](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DFF49R4/), rear-view mirrors ([1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G5H2RSM/) [2](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V5DJR8Z/)), [kickstand](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LNLXML4/), [hand pump](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R5MDQE/)
* [Gloves](/gear#gloves): [padded gloves](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B3PX6TC/), [light but warm winter gloves](https://www.jackrabbit.com/brooks-lsd-thermal-glove---color%3A-black-size%3A-s/609465426438.html)
* [Rain Gear](/gear#rain-gear): [Clever Hoods](https://cleverhood.com/) are popular + good
* [Winter Cycling](/gear#winter-cycling-gear): easier+better than you think, $200 of gear solves cold down to ≈25ºF
* [Heated Gloves](/gear#heated-gloves): [my main pair](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YBW4LCL/), [another good pair](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YYNJ4JQ/), and [one that actually makes a women's size](https://voltheat.com/collections/heated-gloves/products/all-purpose-womens-7v-heated-gloves)
* [Heated Vests](/gear#heated-vests)
* [Pogies](/gear#pogies)
* [Heated Socks](/gear#heated-socks)
* [Hand Warmers](/gear#hand-warmers)
* [Action Cameras](/gear#action-cameras): I use a [GoPro Hero 9 Black](https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/cameras/hero9-black/CHDHX-901-master.html) and [GoPro Hero 8 Black](https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/cameras/hero8-black/CHDHX-801-master.html), in [a chest harness and seat-rail mount](/gear#camera-mounting), to [film rides](https://twitter.com/RunsAsCoded/status/1369745569120464903)
* [Padded Shorts](/gear#padded-shorts): [good all-around active shorts w/ pockets](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WSBTQH7/)
* [Documenting Rides](/documenting-rides)
* [Ride-tracking apps](/documenting-rides#ride-tracking-apps):
* [Strava](/documenting-rides#strava): robust recording app (resumes after phone crashes), good small-circle social network, good open data posture
* [RideWithGPS](/documenting-rides#ridewithgps): similar to Strava, emphasis on route planning/sharing, UX is clunkier
* [wandrer.earth](https://ebikes.neighbor-ryan.org/pages/-Mf-g7e2pqq6gCDM2oAg#wandrer.earth): cool app on top of Strava, providing stats/viz about places you've been and places you might still like to explore
* [Post-Processing Videos](/documenting-rides#post-processing-videos): dealing with videos afterward is its own adventure
* [GoPros](/documenting-rides#gopros) are pretty hard to deal with; telemetry data is often not recorded correctly, and the GoPro software ecosystem is a mess
* [External SSDs](/documenting-rides#ssds): [1TB](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073H552FJ/)/[2TB](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0874XWW23/) Samsungs, palm-sized
* [512GB micro-SD](/documenting-rides#micro-sd): never worry about SD-card capacity in-camera (there's enough to worry about when the data comes off the camera)
* [Wasabi Cloud Storage](/documenting-rides#wasabi): cheap+easy cloud storage; good option for archival video storage
* [VFX Suites](/documenting-rides#vfx): unfortunately necessary to do anything with action-camera videos
* [YouTube](/documenting-rides#youtube): I've posted some ride videos to [Neighbor Ryan on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUEDi4kDGExvmx0g0gkVwkA/videos)
# Background
The COVID "bike boom" hit me hard:; I went from bike-sharer to bike-owner to e-bike maniac in 1 year.
### Timeline
* **2012 → July 2020**:
* Enthusiastic bike-share ([Citibike NYC](https://www.citibikenyc.com/)) user.
* Frequently: take train to a place/event, bike home; 1-way option is nice!
* The bikes are heavy and slow, but convenient.
* **July 2020**:
* Got a hand-me-down roadbike.
* "I still love Citibike, but this is better for some trips/errands."
* **September 2020**:
* Want something for grocery runs.
* Bought a "hybrid" (non-electric; [a cross between "road" and "mountain" bikes; basically a "city bike"](https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/hybrid-bikes-buyers-guide-206065)). Revelatory, love it.
* Got [lots of bags+accessories](/gear) to fit different needs (errands/cargo, distance/joy-ride, day in the city, etc.)
* **November 2020**:
* Still want to try an e-bike.
* Ideally a hauler, that could also fold up for easy storage (my office already had two wall-mounted bikes, but e-bikes are generally too heavy for that).
* Bought a [Tern Vektron Q9](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/471/vektron-q9) (folding + cargo bike).
* **December → January 2021**:
* E-bikes are revolutionary and I need more 🤩.
* Helping friends+family try+buy.
* Market moving quickly; many fascinating takes on what an "electric bike" can be.
* Bought [an electric roadbike](/bikes#creo) and a [VanMoof X3](/bikes#x3) (all-purpose city e-bike).
* **June 2021**:
* Got a [Brompton Electric](/bikes#e-brompton); small fold + portable, nice for little errands, bringing it inside buildings/restaurants
* 3k total miles, mix of errands, recreation, and longer/overnight trips
##
# My E-Bikes / Specs
Here are reviews of my 4 e-bikes (plus a few others I've looked at).
My current e-bikes are:
1. [VanMoof X3](/bikes#x3): great all-around/starter city bike. One size fits all, [automatic shifting](/bikes#x3-shifting), ["boost" button](/bikes#boost-button) for quick starts. [$83/mo](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/payment-plans) includes [theft replacement, insurance, maintenance](/bikes#x3-plan).
2. [Brompton Electric](/bikes#e-brompton): most compact fold, easy to bring into buildings/stores, great all-around city bike, one size fits all.
3. [Tern Vekton Q9](/bikes#q9): folding cargo bike, one size fits all.
4. [Specialized Creo](/bikes#creo): electric road-bike; light and fast, long range.
Each is useful in different contexts, and together they cost less than half [the $40k average new car in the US](/#cost) (see below for [starter packs from $2k or $83/mo](/#starter-packs), 1/20th to 1/10th the avg new car price).
I'll probably [end up with 1 or 2 more](/bikes#other-ebikes). In particular, I want the ability to take people+cargo on rides that would otherwise require an SUV (which might still be worse in various ways, and would definitely cost much more), so [I'm eyeing a RadWagon](/bikes#radwagon).
## Specs
A rough overview of the specs on my e-bikes (and a few other models I've looked at):
| Bike | Weight (lbs) | (add-ons during weighing) | Battery Wh | Range (max boost, no extra battery) | Range (min boost, extra battery | Price (base) | Gear / add-ons | Price (total) | One size fits all? | Top speed |
| ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------ | ---------------------------- |
| [VanMoof X3](/bikes#x3) | 50.2 | front+rear racks, handlebar bags | 504 (+378=882) | 30mi | 70-90mi? | $2300 | [Theft/maintenance plan](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/peace-of-mind) ($690), [extra battery](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/electric-bikes/powerbank) ($350), [front basket](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_us/accessories/x3-front-waitress-carrier) ($90), [rear rack](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_us/accessories/x3-rear-carrier) ($70), [panniers](https://www.rei.com/product/885299/ortlieb-back-roller-classic-panniers-pair) ($190), [basic bags/mounts](/gear#basic-bags-mounts) ($250) | $4000 | ✅ | 20mph (US class 1) |
| [Brompton Electric](/bikes#e-brompton) | 40.6 | party lights, bags, battery | 300 (+300=600) | 25mi | 60-80mi? | $3800 | [Extra battery](https://www.condorcycles.com/products/brompton-8-55ah-battery-for-electric-bike) ($690), [city bag](https://us.brompton.com/catalogue/bags/electric-bags/city-bag-for-brompton-electric) ($250), [basic bags/mounts](/gear#basic-bags-mounts) ($250), [rack](https://www.clevercycles.com/brompton-rack-complete-with-4-rollers-and-15785114.html) ($185), [panniers](https://www.ortlieb.com/usa_en/sport-roller-classic+F6310) ($170) | $5400 | ✅ | 20mph (US class 1) |
| [Specialized Creo SL Comp Carbon](/bikes#creo) | 35.2 | handlebar bags, flat kit | 320 (+160=480) | 30mi | 130mi | $7000 | [Extra battery](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sl-range-extender-battery/p/173733) ($450) + [cable](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sl-range-extender-cable-220mm-road/p/173736) ($35), ["Y" charger cable](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo-sl-y-charger-cable/p/173737) ($65), [bottle cages](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/zee-cage-ii--left/p/171461) (2x$25), [basic bags/mounts](/gear#basic-bags-mounts) ($250), ["egress" pocket](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/Handlebar/EgressPocket) ($70), flat kit ([hand pump](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R5MDQE/), [tubes+levers](https://www.amazon.com/Continental-Bicycle-700x20-25-Presta-Bundle/dp/B01FG3PJ24); $60) | $8000 | ❌ | 28mph (US class 3) |
| [Tern Vektron Q9](/bikes#q9) | 56.6 | battery, panniers, basic gear | 400 (+500=900) | 30mi | 100mi | $3200 | [Panniers](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/accessories/472/bucketload-pannier) (2x$100), [basic bags/mounts](/#basic-bags-mounts) ($150); [400Wh](https://propelbikes.com/product/bosch-powerpack-400wh-performance-line-downtube-battery-html/)/[500Wh](https://propelbikes.com/product/bosch-powerpack-400wh-performance-line-downtube-battery-html/) extra batteries cost $629 ($777) but I've not bought one yet | $3600 | ✅ | 20mph (US class 1) |
| [Specialized Vado 4.0 SL EQ](/bikes#vado) | 41 (estimate, relative to Creo) | | 320 (+160=480) | 30mi | 130mi | $3750 | Similar to Creo, ≈$1000 | $4750 | ❌ | 28mph (US class 3) |
| [RadWagon 4](/bikes#radwagon) | 78 | basket, bag, front rack | 672 (+672=1344) | 25mi | 100mi | $1900 | [Extra battery](https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/rad-battery-pack-2021) ($550), [bags/seats](https://www.radpowerbikes.com/collections/accessories) could total $300-$600? | | ✅ | (20mph) (US class 1) |
| [Fiido D11](https://www.fiido.com/products/fiido-d11) | 41 | | 418 | 25mi | 60mi | $1000 | | | ✅ | 16mph (EU class 1), throttle |
## My E-bikes
### [VanMoof X3](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/x3)
* Excellent all-around / starter e-bike
* Many great/unique features:
* ["Boost" button](/bikes#boost-button): extra pedal assist, makes starting+stopping easy+fast
* [Automatic shifting](/bikes#x3-shifting): very convenient in urban settings with frequent starts/stops
* ["Peace of Mind" plan](/bikes#x3-plan): theft protection/replacement, insurance, maintenance
* [Internal lock + alarm](/bikes#x3-lock): nice first line of defense; coupled with [a "Peace of Mind" plan](/bikes#x3-plan), makes it easier to take+leave places
* [$83/mo includes theft replacement, insurance, maintenance](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/payment-plans).
* You may want to be within range of a VanMoof shop (I recommend [booking a test ride](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/test-rides) if you are!)
* The battery is not removable, so you need to be able to keep the bike somewhere where you also charge it
#### "Boost button"
When you press or hold this button on the handlebar, the pedal assist is amplified for a few seconds. It's great for accelerating from a stop, or holding a line in traffic.
It's one of my favorite features on all my ebikes; I've noticed I am an extra curteous rider on my VanMoof because stopping and starting again is no sweat, thanks to the boost button.
#### Automatic Shifting
VanMoofs automatically shift gears for you, based on your speed, which makes for a simpler/carefree riding experience. I really appreciate it when city riding; on my other bikes I shift down and then up again, sometimes by multiple gears (usually 6 on my Creo!), every time I stop and start again. Less experienced riders can also be intimidated by gear-shifting, so it's a nice accessibility feature as well.
It took a bit of getting used to; I first tried it in a very hilly place, and it was especially confusing. Some tips:
* Use [the "boost" button](/bikes#boost-button) liberally on uphills, and when starting from a stop.
* The gears shift based on your speed (not cadence, or torque).
* Sometimes you'll have started slowing down on an uphill, pressing hard on the pedals and making little progress turning them, and it won't have down-shifted yet, which can be frustrating.
* Eventually, you will slow down enough, and it will shift down
* Also, reiterating: I recommend just laying on the boost button when climbing.
* I spent some time in the app micro-managing the speeds at which it would shift into each gear. After a bunch of thrashing, I think I ended up back at almost exactly the factory defaults 😂 (having also learned the glory of the turbo button).
#### "Peace of Mind" plan: theft protection, insurance, maintenance
[VanMoof's "Peace of Mind" plan](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/peace-of-mind) gives you 3 years of theft protection, insurance, and maintenance for $690. It's not the cheapest, but knowing that I have backup if anything goes wrong is very reassuring, and it's the kind of offering I expect other brands to move toward as well.
If your bike gets stolen, [VanMoof's "bike hunters"](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_it/bikehunters) will try to recover it in 2wks, or replace it for you.
#### Internal Locking
VanMoofs have a lock inside the bike. You engage it by pushing a button on the frame, and disengage it from the app on your phone.
It doesn't stop someone from picking the bike up and throwing it in the back of a truck, but the bike does make an alarm sound if moved while locked, and VanMoofs have a few other forms of DRM (including a tracking chip and ["bike hunters" team](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_it/bikehunters)) that hopefully make them less attractive to thieves.
#### Reliability / Shop Proximity
A common refrain on [r/vanmoof](https://www.reddit.com/r/VanMoof/) is that you should be prepared to take it to the shop for tune-ups or troubleshooting.
I've had to go in once because we transferred ownership of the bike between VanMoof accounts, and it ended up stuck in "EU mode" (with a top speed of 20kph, instead of the US's 20mph). It was easy enough to fix in the shop. I've popped in a few times when I was in the neighborhood to have them try to make my brakes less squeaky (with mixed results), or just to top up my charge a bit.
#### Shipping
I've observed them to quote a 2-3mo timeframe for shipping, only to have the bike show up in a couple weeks!
#### Range
* I get ≈30mi to a charge, using the "boost button" liberally.
* I'll receive [a "PowerBank" extra battery](https://www.vanmoof.com/en-US/electric-bikes/powerbank) in the next few weeks which I expect will increase my range to ≈50-60mi.
* A full recharge takes a few hours.
#### Reviews
* [TechCrunch: "Transportation revelation"](https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/16/vanmoof-x3-review-e-bike/)
* [PC Mag: "A smart commuter bike with a boost"](https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/vanmoof-x3-electric-bike)
* [Wired: "A great electric bike, all around"](https://www.wired.com/review/vanmoof-s3/)
* [r/vanmoof](https://www.reddit.com/r/VanMoof/): lots of more grassroots reviews/discussion here
#### Gallery
I stayed in a friend's apt for 2wks via VanMoof:
It worked well through the winter:
I take it to Central Park pretty regularly, with picnic/Aerobie gear:
I also occasionally do [grocery runs](/reflections#pov-grocery-runs) with it:
### [Brompton Electric](https://us.brompton.com/bikes/brompton-electric)
Bromptons are a classic/famous British folding bike, and they did a decent job engineering a motor and battery onto the front. I bought mine from [Redbeard Bikes](https://g.page/RedbeardBikes) in Brooklyn (delightful store run by a couple who have been very helpful through my process).
#### Pros
* Most compact fold of all bikes (electric or not!); relatively portable ([fits in an airplane overhead bin!](https://www.google.com/search?q=brompton+overhead+bin\&tbm=isch), though [flying with ebike batteries either requires special permission or is impossible](/getting-started#flying)).
* [Half-folded "shopping cart" mode can be pushed around in stores](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m91tfT4AMLY).
* Surprisingly nice ride / feels like a normal bike (despite looking a bit flimsy/silly due to small 16" wheels).
* Decent extra battery story for increased range; currently my 2nd highest range ebike (after the [Creo](/bikes#creo)) as a result.
* Great mix of fun/whimsy with real transportation / portability / overall utility.
#### Cons
* Expensive ($3800) for relatively small amount of bicycle/machine. They're well-made, so I felt it was worth it (once I'd covered other ebike use cases), but the price point is simply too high for most people I talk to.
* Supply chain has been especially backed up since COVID.
* Still a bit heavy to lug around (32lbs just the bike, 38 w/ battery, 40 with a rack).
#### Gallery
Brompton Electric, folded, next to a much larger/heavier throttle e-bike:
On [a BikeJC light-up ride](https://www.instagram.com/p/COqyBwPjZyP/):
Folded into "shopping cart" mode inside a CVS:
### [Tern Vektron Q9](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/471/vektron-q9)
This was my first ebike, from [Bfold](https://goo.gl/maps/BTfhfQWMpm5BVMt97), a delightful bike store in the East Village (David was really helpful at talking me through the market when I was starting from zero).
I also test rode a Vektron at [Propel](https://g.page/propel-bikes-brooklyn) in Brooklyn, who had a very slick appointment-booking flow and beautiful inventory of Reise & Muller bikes. [Their YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/LIElectricBikes) is also an excellent source of ebike info; [here's their review of the Vektron](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWhOQxky0lo).
#### Pros
* High-quality + rugged; Bosch motor system is premium.
* Folding, cargo, and electric are hard to find in one bike.
* The Vektron is the only model I know that does a good job at all 3.
* See ["Grocery Runs"](/reflections#pov-grocery-runs).
* Nice folded+rolling mode ([demo video](https://youtu.be/mi_3ZMbkufU?t=2057)).
* One size fits most (4'9"–6'5"); good [telescoping seat post](https://youtu.be/mi_3ZMbkufU?t=515), [adjustable handlebar/stem system](https://youtu.be/mi_3ZMbkufU?t=605).
#### Cons
* Expensive ($3200): it's obviously a heavy-duty machine, so it's clearer what you are paying for, but that's still sticker-shock-inducing for most people
* Heavy (49lbs): again, this is understandable given its sturdy build and cargo-hauling emphasis, but you don't want to carry it up stairs
* Still large when folded: it folds in half (as opposed to the Brompton's thirds), folded footprint is more "corner of room" than "under desk".
* A minor annoyance is that the battery recharge socket is blocked by the frame, so you basically have to take the battery off of the frame to charge it. It's pretty easy to do though and not a big deal, to me.
#### Gallery
My Tern and Brompton, folded in my office:
Carrying groceries:
### [Specialized Turbo Creo SL Comp Carbon ("Creo")](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo-creo-sl-comp-carbon/p/184435?color=300465-184435)
The Creo is a high-end, carbon-frame road-bike with a slick integrated motor+battery. Specialized seems to be one of the first brands to have executed on this really well, and the result is a transportation machine the likes of which has never existed before. It's really incredible: light, fast, fun to ride, smooth pedal assist, very efficient / long range.
The "never existed before" claim can be applied to many ebikes, since there are many companies exploring a huge design space, and leveraging cutting-edge battery and bike material technologies, but the Creo is remarkable for having many of the best attributes of ebikes as well as of performance road-bikes. It starts at 28lbs (including battery+motor), has the most range (40-130mi, depending on boost level and extra battery use), and provides a mobility superpower that very few people have experienced.
#### Specialzed "Turbo" E-Bikes
Specialized is one of the most famous bike brands, and "Turbo" is their ebike line. Their branding and marketing pages confused me at first, but I eventually decoded the marketing-speak:
There are 4 types of Specialized "Turbo" ebikes:
* [Creo](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-creo): road bike
* [Levo](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-levo): mountain bike
* [Vado](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-vado): hybrid (b/t road and mountain) bike
* [Como](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-como): city bike / cruiser
Within each line, a few variants may appear:
* SL ("Super-Light"): lighter weight version (including a less powerful motor and smaller battery), cf. [Creo SL](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-creo-sl), [Levo SL](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-levo-sl), [Vado SL](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-vado-sl), [Como SL](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-como-sl).
* EQ ("EQuipped"): comes with fenders and a rack
* Carbon: most Creo and Levo models have carbon frames, but their entry levels are a slightly heavier aluminum alloy
* Expert: slightly nicer and lighter than the entry-level carbon frames (e.g. carbon wheels, better shifter)
* EVO: [something about the geometry being a little more off-road friendly](https://youtu.be/FikFAkl1iDU?t=6)
* S-Works: this is Specialized most prestigious brand (ebike or otherwise); generally 2x the price for benefits that seem marginal to me (but I've never ridden one, and I'm a casual enough cyclist that I'd rather have 2 Creos so a friend could ride one with me than one S-Works 😄)
Finally, the links above go to marketing sites for each ebike line, but from there you can click through to the actual shop pages, and some decent model-comparison pages.
#### Motor / Battery / Range
**tl;dr:**
* 40mi (60mi w/ extra battery that fits in water bottle holder, plugs into bike during ride) on boost 2 (of 3)
* 90mi (135mi w/ extra battery) on boost 1 of 3
* smaller battery and less powerful motor are nontheless very efficient
* road-bike setup means it's easy and efficient to provide power yourself; bike just gives you a nice boost
At first blush some Specialized ebike specs seemed underwhelming. For example, the Creo has a 320Wh battery and 240W motor (the lowest of all my ebikes).
However, some combination of factors results in my Creo getting by far the most range of all my ebikes:
* lower power levels generally seem to correspond to more total range; a twice-as-high boost level will exhaust a battery more than twice as quickly
* lower power output from the bike means it is effectively tricking you into supplying more power, over a given distance
* building on the above, the road-bike posture means it is easy and comfortable to actually work on the Creo; my other ebikes are more upright, and it's hard to help the bike much even if you want to (or get a real workout)
* the carbon frame (and smaller battery+motor) make the Creo 10-25lbs lighter than my other ebikes, so a given Wh battery goes further
I usually ride on boost level 2 (of 3), and get 40mi (or 60 with the [range extender](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/sl-range-extender-battery/p/173733), which is the slickest extra-battery story on any of my ebikes). The motor is super smooth, it feels like you are riding a really nice roadbike but with an incredible tailwind giving you an extra 3-5mph. It also provides assist up to 28mph (whereas my other bikes top out at 20mph).
For longer rides, or rides with leg-bikers, I can drop to boost level 1, where it's effectively just compensating for the extra weight of the motor+battery (maybe a bit more), and I get 90mi (or 135 with the range extender, presumably; I haven't tested that yet!).
#### Pros
* It's a dream to ride: fast, fun, efficient, long range, and feels like a really nice road-bike.
* You can work as much as you want on it; there are even professional cyclists starting to use it for training.
* Lightweight for an ebike (28lbs):
* More like 35lbs with the baggage I always keep on it (tubes/pump in handlebar roll bag, misc junk in handlebar "snack bags").
* Not exactly "throw over your shoulder" light, but a big difference from other ebikes that are 2x that weight or more (electric citibikes are 75lbs!).
* Smaller frame battery combined with "range extender" extra battery means it's easy to shed a few lbs of battery weight if you know you won't need it (as opposed to other ebikes that have a large/heavier battery as the default option)
#### Cons
* Cost ($7k): obviously this is way out of bounds for most people. I was one of those people, but once I found myself a couple ebikes in, having done a lot of research + demos, gotten very excited about the space (and exploring where the limits were and what was possible), and made peace with a significant ebike budget (embracing ebikes as a substitute for a car), I was drawn to it.
* No integrated lights, difficult to add bags / carrying capacity, difficult/uncommon to add fenders: it is meant to be an elite racing bike, and added accessories/weight is pooh-pooh'd by bike shops and experts. Nevertheless, I wanted a lightweight+fast ebike for transportation, so [I have made some "bikepacking" configurations work](/bikes#creo-gallery).
#### Gallery
Loaded up for a bike-train-bike-boat-bike trip home from my in-laws' in Westchester:
Same trip, at the ferry at 39th St on the west side of Manhattan:
≈2.5hrs door-to-door (similar to taking a car to Metro North then subway from Grand Central, and comparable to a 90-120mins drive), with less than an hour biking:
My longest ride to date was a 93mi day on [the "Harbor Ring" ride](https://harborring.org/) (around New York harbor, except for the 2mi Verrazzano bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island, which has 13 lanes for cars and biking/walking is prohibited):
I was leading a group of leg-bikes, and alternated between boost levels 1, 2, and 0 (just riding it as a regular road-bike with some extra weight, which was also totally fine; I was generally still slowing down to wait for folks).
## Other Notable E-bikes
Some other models I've looked at or helped people buy:
### [Specialized Turbo Vado SL ("Vado")](https://www.specialized.com/turbo-vado-sl)
This is the "hybrid" (straight handlebars, but fast like a roadbike) version of [my "Creo" electric roadbike](/bikes#creo) (part of [the Specialized "Turbo" ebike line discussed above](/bikes#specialized-turbo)). It has the same motor/battery system that I love from the Creo, and is also just an incredible machine. It has essentially all the speed/range/quality of the Creo, but you can put a rack and panniers on it and haul stuff / use it around a city a bit more easily.
My sister-in-law has a [Vado 4.0 SL EQ](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo-vado-sl-4-0-eq/p/170202), and my mother-in-law has [a "step-through" version](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo-vado-sl-4-0-step-through-eq/p/188206). I've been thinking about getting a [Vado 5.0 SL EQ](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/turbo-vado-sl-5-0-eq/p/154892) (newer model, has a couple nice features over the 4.0 (like [the "Future Shock" handlebar suspension](https://www.specialized.com/us/en/future-shock)).
### [RadWagon](https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/radwagon-electric-cargo-bike)
This is a true cargo e-bike (as opposed to [my Vektron Q9](/bikes#q9), which has less capacity and power, as a foldability tradeoff) for just $1900. [RadPower is aggressively targeting a mainstream price point](https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/04/rad-power-bikes-raises-150-million-as-electric-bike-sales-boom/), seemingly mimicking Tern designs but with less premium components and a more mass-market focus.
This is a leading contender for my 5th e-bike, since I still have occasional cargo/hauling needs beyond what I can accomplish with my Q9, and it is so aggressively priced.
### [Gocycle](https://gocycle.com/)
Cool sporty/design-y folding ebikes. They seemed a bit expensive and lacking in hauling capacity for what I needed when I demo'd them, but could be good commuter bikes.
### [Qualisports Dolphin](https://www.qualisports.us/products/dolphin)
A friend recently got one; it seems like a good commuter bike: cheap ($1400), powerful, has a throttle.
### [Carbo Model X](https://ridecarbo.com/products/carbo-model-x)
They had [a huge crowdfund campaign](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/carbo-the-world-s-lightest-folding-electric-bike#/), and the specs seem like the best of several worlds (folding, lightweight carbon, powerful motor, large battery; an e-folder that's 10lbs lighter than the Brompton, and more powerful).
I was able to test-ride one at [Greenpath](https://goo.gl/maps/Tvo7Hm1KHjgHFgc57) in Brooklyn; I felt like I might miss having multiple gears, and the carbon frame had some flex to it that I found a bit disconcerting. I've heard that low-quality carbon frames can fail in catastrophic ways, so I ultimately decided to let the "carbon e-folder" space mature / dust-settle for a bit before looking at it again. I had recently narrowly missed clicking "buy" on United City Bikes' "The One", which was a similar crowdfunded low-cost carbon e-folder, only to [have them liquidate the company the next day](https://www.reddit.com/r/unitedcitybikes/comments/m883o4/unitedcitybikescom_down/grn4t4a) 😭!
Things are moving fast in ebike-land, and there's something to be said for going with reputable brands and stores you can go to for service!
# Reflections
E-biking has made me rethink things about my city, cities in general, and mobility as a human need and right. Here are things that have struck me while learning to use (e)bikes for transportation.
### Speed ⟹ Safety
It's counterintuitive, but having access to more speed (and acceleration) can make biking safer. Starting from a stop at lights, holding a lane on shared roads, minimizing the number of cars that close on and overtake you (and the speed they overtake you at)… you are much more in control of your relationship to traffic on an ebike. This is one of new e-bikers' biggest "💡"/"🤯" realizations.
It's also surprising how a little boost makes a *big* difference in your control and safety. Increasing your top speed from 15mph to 20mph means a car going 25mph *passes you half as quickly* and *has twice as much time to "see you coming" as it comes up behind you*.
In more typical urban settings where cars might be averaging 15mph (between 0 and 20mph due to mild congestion and lights), it means you can find one driver who: 1. sees you 2. is not telegraphing their desire to murder you
and draft them for a while (until the next light, when you must bid them "🙏", glide up to the front, and find a new host).
Previously, you had to be a serious cyclist to access this speed (and corresponding ability to simply *exist* on car-dominated roads), but now almost everyone can.
### Speed ⟹ Inclusion
The "Speed ⟹ Safety" effect is particularly true for people who are not stereotypic young/fit men (women, children of all ages, older people, differently abled people, …). I was brave enough – [some of the time](https://app.gitbook.com/s/-MUdgxOCTfiSbuYn44a7/TODO) – to bike around NYC before e-bikes, but it was not feasible for my wife (though she is in her 30's and reasonably athletic) due to the high baseline level of bullying from drivers (both inadvertent and intentional) as well as specific vitriol and threats she received as a woman taking space that some men motorists feel is theirs.
Related:
* During COVID, [Citibike NYC saw a 147% increase in women cycling (vs. 68% increase in men)](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/07/nyregion/nyc-biking-covid-women.html)
* In Paris, [the percent of women among new bike-share subscribers rose from 40% to 49%](https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/how-new-york-and-paris-got-women-into-the-bike-saddle)
* [There's a fascinating history of bicycling + feminism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycling_and_feminism)
* My 70yo in-laws have been ebike-pilled in their hilly town in Westchester; it's a wonderful way to allow people to get around, get to know their own neighborhoods, get fresh air / exercise, and accomplish daily tasks.
### Speed ⟹ Convenience
The most obvious benefit of speed is that it lets you get from A to B faster (or for less work, at a given speed). You can worry less about getting sweaty or feeling like getting home is daunting or you're not up for it, and it's generally easier to go places and do things.
[Class 1 e-bikes](https://www.wired.com/story/guide-to-ebike-classes/) provide a pedal-assist up to 20mph; this lets casual riders (who normally top out at 12-15mph) play in the 15-20mph range and, as with [the "safety" angle](/reflections#speed-safety), that ≈30% difference actually makes for a qualitatively different experience. I consistently pass more cars than pass me. It's pretty hard to go 15-20mph in a car for very long in urban environments, so ebikes are faster for a large class of trips (not even counting time parking).
This is a brand new, developing mode of transportation that changes the basic math of transportation in cities.
### Cost
On average, [a new car in the US costs $40k](https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/average-new-car-price-2020) or [$800/month](https://www.motor1.com/news/370609/average-american-monthly-car-spendings/).
Lots of the US effectively levies a $40k tax to participate in society, which hits the least well off the hardest. We had a vicious political battle over one-off $1200 COVID relief checks, but enabling people to live car-free is like an $800/mo stimulus in perpetuity.
[80% of car trips are under 5mi](https://app.gitbook.com/s/-MUdgxOCTfiSbuYn44a7/TODO) and easily replaceable by e-bike kits that, on the high end of the market and including [gear and accessories to the max](/gear), cost 1/10th what a car does.
#### 1 car ⟹ 10 e-bikes + gear
When I am passing cars stuck in traffic, a sad realization is that each car could have paid for 10 families' e-bike mobility solutions™️.
Some of the darkest images of the failed state of American governance as well as transportation culture were the long lines of cars at food banks during COVID lockdowns:
[ ](https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/long-lines-at-food-banks-across-us-idUSRTX7EHU2)
### Space
E-bikes take up very little space for the mobility they provide. Mode shift from private cars to e-bikes directly improves a large class of congestion and parking issues in cities.
Taking up less space also means you can bring your bike with you on other modes when necessary ([trains](/getting-started#boats), buses, even ride-shares), store it easily, etc.
#### Bike vs. Car Storage
A critical area where American cities fail in enabling biking – and especially e-biking – is providing secure bike parking infrastructure.
[Oonee](https://www.ooneepod.com/) (pronounced "uni") is an NYC-based startup I love, that operates [phone-unlocked pods near transit where a dozen bikes can be stored](https://www.ooneepod.com/product), and is piloting ["mini" pods that replace single-car parking spots w/ secure storage of 6-10 (e-)bikes](https://www.ooneepod.com/mini).
For comparison, here are some examples of bike parking in other countries that would be a nightmare if replaced with car-parking:
*see also:* [*Re-thinking the School Run*](https://app.gitbook.com/s/-MUdgxOCTfiSbuYn44a7/TODO) *and* [*London's school streets*](https://mobile.twitter.com/Knowlesy83/status/1414553018478039040)
Compare to car-centric North American analogs:
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IsMeKl-Sv0)
### Cargo
E-bikes can replace cars for a surprising variety of cargo-hauling tasks:
#### Groceries, Bulk Items
There is a small (but growing), dedicated group of people that love to show off the things they haul on their (e-)bikes, that I recommend checking out (images link to tweets):
[ ](https://twitter.com/CourtneyCyclez/status/1353444517580578826)
[ ](https://twitter.com/spokesmama/status/1364753194681659395)
[ ](https://twitter.com/fighterkites/status/1400141235558432769)
#### Kids
Even my X3 (VanMoof's smallest bike) supports [a Yepp child seat](https://www.thule.com/en-us/child-bike-seats/rear-mounted-child-bike-seats/thule-yepp-maxi-_-12020232) (the most popular brand I see used):
Larger bikes can fit 2 on the back easily:
[ ](https://twitter.com/christineadair/status/1289669201674690560)
There are also front-loading options ("bakfiets" or "box bikes"):
[ ](https://twitter.com/jeffnovich/status/1400549753205800963)
Of course, it's possible to do even more with less:
but luckily, new and evolving e-bike technology is making all configurations much, much easier.
Finally, most children are capable of biking themselves to school at a relatively young age, if we kept them safe from drivers; see [re-thinking the school run](https://app.gitbook.com/s/-MUdgxOCTfiSbuYn44a7/TODO) for more discussion.
#### PoV: Grocery Runs
My grocery runs since getting an e-bike have also been so surprising and delightful that [I've been documenting them in an album](https://photos.app.goo.gl/ASed6bguwTXAXSxt8):
*Farmer's market runs 🙏🙏*
*and it folds!*
*going for the "La Croix + Juice" record*
*Sometimes you just have a craving… or 7*
#### PoV: Moving house
Recently, I moved to my brother's empty apartment for 9d (after a small-chance of COVID exposure, to avoid any risk of exposing my wife).
I packed a comfortable >1wk vacation into 4 bags (2 [panniers](/gear#panniers), 1 bag in front rack, 1 backpack), and [biked, ferried, and biked from Jersey City to the Flatiron](https://www.strava.com/activities/4777398862):
…[and back 9d later](https://www.strava.com/activities/4820311973) (having added [pogies](/gear#pogies) for no-nonsense hand-warming):
### *Fun*
TODO
### Health
TODO
### Car sewers
Biking in cities makes you realize that roads are terrible *places*. They're noisy, dirty, and dangerous because they are dominated by cars. They're awful to be in or around (unless you're in a car).
Interacting with roads on a bike *feels better* in its own right (in at least medium-dense areas, say): it's easy to see how many more people could do so and, if they did, how everyone would get where they're going more quickly/pleasantly/safely (including those who still need to use private cars for one reason or another).
It also underscores how ill-suited private cars are to urban environments: [watching one double-parked car or truck snarl blocks of traffic](broken://pages/-Mf-SxzCH4VYJ1bNn5t9#parking), hearing [horn honks or mufflers that are obnoxious (if not dangerous)](broken://pages/-Mf-SxzCH4VYJ1bNn5t9#noise) over [a radius that typically includes 1000's of homes](broken://pages/-Mf-SxzCH4VYJ1bNn5t9#honk-density), watching parents+stroller bullied in crosswalks by turning SUVs w/ [head-height grills](broken://pages/-Mf-SxzCH4VYJ1bNn5t9#grills), etc.… cars don't work very well in dense areas, and they ruin them for everyone outside them.
I'm sorry to speak so negatively but there is enormous, real, preventable harm happening every day because of the level of car-dependence in the US, and most Americans have never known any kind of modern or functional public transit, so it's important to talk both about how much better we can make things but also what is bad about the status quo that most people don't realize or fully appreciate. The [War on Cars](broken://pages/-Mf-SxzCH4VYJ1bNn5t9#war-on-cars) section discusses this with more detail and rigor.
# Getting Started
Everyone's journey will be different, but here are some resources and intermediate steps I've found useful on the way to relying on (e)cycling more.
## Testing the bike waters
### Bike Shares
I [citibiked](https://www.citibikenyc.com/) in NYC and JC for years. I loved it and still love it. Electric-citibike inventory is hitting critical mass, and the system is expanding all the time. I will always keep [an annual Citibike membership](https://www.citibikenyc.com/pricing/annual) on auto-renew ($179, or less than 2x a monthly MetroCard; still a great value).
There's also an explosion of scooter-shares, moped-shares, on-demand e-bike leasing services, etc. In my experience, most such things are worth signing up for and trying to use a few times, or for a few months, to see how they can fit in to your life.
I "graduated" to owning a bike somewhat accidentally; my local ferry shut down during COVID and I needed to get to a ferry stop in Hoboken (outside the Citibike JC area at the time… [no longer!](https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/02/hoboken-jersey-city-take-final-steps-toward-a-merged-citi-bike-system.html)). I'd also started to want to do longer rides, and felt constrained by the Citibike network limits.
### Renting
When I started researching buying bikes, I rented a few bikes from my local [Grove Street Cycles](https://www.grovestreetbicycles.com/). One afternoon on [a modest "hybrid"](https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/escape-2-disc) convinced me that, though I love Citibike, I'd outgrown it more than I realized, and a whole new class of mobility and freedom awaited from owning (vs. renting ≤45mins at a time) a nicer/lighter/faster bike.
I definitely recommend seeing if you can rent a few different kinds of bikes – including e-bikes! – as a way of learning about the options in a way that is more visceral than anything you can get reading reviews.
## Safety
This is a big topic and I am not an expert. [The League of American Cyclists has many resources and guides you should check out](https://www.bikeleague.org/content/smart-cycling-tips-0).
A few specific safety sub-topics:
### Stats
Here are [some NYC DOT stats](https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/bikestats.shtml#crashdata):
* Bicyclists killed or seriously injured (KSI) is roughly flat since 2000 (around 350/yr)
* The rate (per 10MM trips) dropped from ≈80 in 2000 to ≈10 in 2018
[Wikipedia says](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_safety):
> In a 2014 analysis, incidence of cycling death took place at a mean rate of 4.7 deaths per 100 million kilometers cycled in the U.S., compared to 1.3 deaths per 100 million kilometers in Germany, 1.0 in the Netherlands, and 1.1 in Denmark.[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_safety#cite_note-6) In the United Kingdom, cyclists have half of the rate (killed and serious injury per km) of motorcyclists but eight times the rate for motorists.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_safety#cite_note-7)
### Speed
Cities are often the safest places to cycle, because cars aren't going as fast:
Biking is often safer if you can match the speed of traffic, [which is one reason I feel much safer on ebikes](/reflections#speed-safety).
### Fear
As I've ridden longer, and as cycling infra has improved around me, I less frequently run into situations that scare me or spike my blood pressure. I've become more deferential to pedestrians and the letter of the prevailing traffic laws. The whole cycling experience has become de-adrenalized a bit.
That's allowed me to notice that *fear* is consistently the reason that I make mistakes, break traffic laws, etc. A driver will do something scary, or I will find myself extremely vulnerable on a road designed for cars, and my priorities shift. I generally don't fault vulnerable road users prioritizing their safety.
#### Riding on sidewalks
Cyclists would rather be on roads than on sidewalks, but will always use sidewalks where roads are not safe.
The solution to sidewalk-riding nuisances is to make roads safe for cycling. Pedestrian/Cyclist conflicts are a distraction from cars' being allocated most public space.
[ ](https://mobile.twitter.com/_dmoser/status/1405782816386859011)
#### Stopping at stop signs + red lights
Cyclists should stop at stop signs and wait at red lights, but a 250lb cyclist+bike running a stop is very different than a driver doing so (in a 4000lb car with its own climate and sound system, and a 100mph top speed):
* A cyclist slowing (e.g. to yield to any pedestrians present) before rolling through a stop sign at 5mph has similar kinetic energy as a car rolling through a stop at 1mph.
* Cyclist also generally have better situational awareness than a driver, and more at stake (being more vulnerable in the event of a crash).
Several states have ["Idaho stop"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop) laws, which allow cyclists to treat stops as yields and lights as stops. These are great, not least of all because they emphasize yielding to pedestrians in a way that gets lost when cyclists have been overlooked (and asked to follow rules made for cars, by default).
### Braking
[Sheldon Brown on front brakes](https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html) is a good read; beginners are taught to be careful with the front brake (left hand), to avoid potentially going over the handlebars. As you get more comfortable riding, you should reincorporate the front brake for maximum stopping power.
### Helmets
* I always ride with a helmet, but a lot of discourse around helmet-wearing involves blaming cyclists who are victims of bad infrastructure and negligent drivers; this distracts from discussion and action around the root issues.
* [Helmets are rare in the best cycling cultures](https://twitter.com/CarHelmets/status/1169663862133547008); they are a symptom of dangerous roads that should be addressed directly.
* Helmets are not designed to protect against collisions with cars, and there is evidence ([1](https://helmets.org/walkerstudy.htm), [2](https://www.bicycling.com/news/a25358099/drivers-give-helmet-cyclists-less-room/)) that drivers pass helmet-wearing cyclists more dangerously.
* [Helmet mandates in particular are generally used to discourage and criminalize biking](https://www-curbed-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.curbed.com/amp/2021/06/bicycle-helmet-laws-new-york-felder.html?amp_gsa=1\&_js_v=a6\&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s\&aoh=16233527802479\&csi=0\&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com\&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.curbed.com%2F2021%2F06%2Fbicycle-helmet-laws-new-york-felder.html).
* [50%-70% of all traumatic brain injuries occur in car crashes](https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2020/01/28/op-ed-yes-gov-cuomo-car-helmets-could-save-lives/); arguably better policy is to require helmet for car occupants:
See also: [discussion of specific helmets is in the "Gear" section](/gear#helmets).
### Lights
Lights are definitely useful for safety; "more" is "merrier" as far as I'm concerned.
Something I like about ebikes is that most of them have integrated lights. Not having to fuss with charging separate lights makes the whole process of riding safely at night much simpler.
See also: [discussion of specific lights I like](/gear#lights).
### Hi-Viz Clothing
I usually wear [this $15 pink hi-viz vest while riding](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VTPF73Z/):
Drivers seem to mess with me less when I'm wearing hi-viz.
[This Amazon vest](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VQ1HBVV/) also lets you print custom images on it:
## Route Planning
### Street View
Google Maps Street View has been indispensable for checking out roads before riding them.
Ironically, it can even help identify when Google Maps directions are sending you somewhere unsafe, like [this 4-lane, 50mph no-shoulder highway](https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0907942,-73.7488006,3a,62.4y,78.16h,86.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYvNGcVjsn2qqfjm5pxw0wg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e3):
[That is apparently a "bicycle-friendly road" (and prioritized by Google Maps' biking directions whenever I am planning routes in this area 😱)](https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0890094,-73.748844,15.56z/data=!5m1!1e3):
I also used Street View extensively when making [bit.ly/mellowbikewestchester](https://bit.ly/mellowbikewestchester) ([discussion below](/getting-started#mellow-bike-maps)); after a while you can get pretty fast at warping ahead by many increments, zooming in to scan for speed limit signs, and using the map detail in the lower-left to teleport longer distances, but it gets a bit tedious after a while. An interface better tailored to this use case would help.
I've also been surprised not to find any decent map apps that make it easy to see roads' speed-limits at a glance. I suspect the required data may exist in [OSM](https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=5/38.007/-95.844), but haven't had a chance to explore it much yet.
### Ride with GPS
[ridewithgps.com](https://ridewithgps.com/) is one of the best tools for planning/sharing/discovering bike routes.
For example, [here's someone's route up Manhattan's West Side Highway and looping between the George Washington and Tappan Zee bridges](https://ridewithgps.com/trips/51461847):
Here is a route I made (and hope to ride soon) that includes 23 NYC bridges (all Manhattan bridges and a few in Brooklyn and Roosevelt/Randall's Islands) and 1 boat:
### Strava
[Strava](https://strava.com) also has route-planning features that seem decent; [here's the same "23 Bridges 1 Boat" route](https://www.strava.com/routes/2849702787779782978) on Strava.
Both Strava and RideWithGPS make it easy to export and import things in GPX or other formats, so data portability is easy, which is refreshing.
### "mellow bike maps"
Inspired by [the Chicago "mellow bike map"](https://mellowbikemap.com/), I made a ["mellow bike Westchester" Google map](https://bit.ly/mellowbikewestchester) while staying up there for a few weeks and trying to plan rides (for myself and others less experienced, where it was extra important not to accidentally end up on no-shoulder 45mph roads):
## Traveling with E-bikes
### Flying with Ebikes
This is mostly a non-starter as ebike batteries are generally larger than the FAA and commercial airlines' allowable limits.
[TSA says](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/lithium-batteries-more-100-watt-hours):
> **Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours**
>
> Carry On Bags: ❗️ Yes (Special Instructions)
>
> Checked Bags: ❌ No
>
> Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours may be allowed in carry-on bags with airline approval. One spare battery, not exceeding 300 watt hours, or two spare batteries, not exceeding 160 watt hours each, are permitted in carry-on bags. For more information, see the [FAA regulations on batteries](https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/more_info/?hazmat=7).
>
> [For more prohibited items, please go to the 'What Can I Bring?' page.](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring)
>
> ❗️ The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.
I *think* [the electric Brompton](/bikes#e-brompton) is within the limit here, as its battery is 300Wh, and the bike itself [folds up small enough to fit in an overhead compartment](https://www.google.com/search?q=brompton+overhead+bin\&tbm=isch) (and can also be checked).
A folded [Vektron](/bikes#q9) can fit into a large checked bag, in principle, but I don't know of a way to fly with the 400Wh battery.
The [VanMoof](/bikes#x3) and [Creo](/bikes#creo) don't fold, and would basically have to be taken apart to be shipped, and their 504Wh and 320Wh internal batteries are too large to fly commercially.
### Trains, Boats
Other modes are generally friendly to multi-modal travel that includes e-bikes:
* [Amtrak's Bike FAQ](https://www.amtrak.com/bike-faqs) says:
> Electric bicycles under 50 lbs. are allowed in checked baggage and on trains with walk-on bicycle service. Gas-powered motorized bicycles are prohibited.
That means all my e-bikes should be allowed (the [Vektron](/bikes#q9) weighs in at 49lbs, without anything on it; [with bags/etc. mine is in the mid/high 50's](/bikes#specs), but since it folds up I am optimistic it would be allowed)
* I frequently bring ebikes on the NY Waterway ferry (between NYC and NJ)
I've run in to a couple of grey areas:
* [The Port Authority recently banned e-bikes on PATH trains at all times](https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2021/06/23/the-path-train-just-quietly-banned-e-bikes-at-all-times/), though there's been a lot of pushback and [some signaling](https://twitter.com/PATHTrain/status/1407700154325606404) that they are not planning to enforce it (at least not very strictly).
* [Metro North Railroad's bike policy seems to prohibit electric bikes](https://new.mta.info/guides/bikes/bike-permit-regulations-mnr), though we've taken the [Creo](/bikes#creo) and [Vado](/bikes#vado) on them without a problem:
In general, some e-bike prohibitions seem aimed at heavier-duty (esp. throttle) e-bikes; my pedal-assist bikes generally look/weigh/fit similarly to regular bicycles, and get a pass.
## Starter Packs
### VanMoof X3 ($2300; $3k w/ "Peace of Mind" plan)
The [VanMoof X3](/bikes#x3) is the cheapest of my 4 ebikes, but is the best all-around and my go-to e-bike for trips around greater NYC.
It starts at $2300, but I added:
* VanMoof's 3yr theft+maintenance plan ($590);
* [front basket](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_us/accessories/x3-front-waitress-carrier) ($89), [back rack](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_us/accessories/x3-rear-carrier) ($69)
* [my standard mounts + bags](/gear#basic-bags-mounts) ($250)
* [fleece-lined pogies](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M41KGZ8/) ($47) for toasty hands in below-freezing temps (I've only had it during winter months, so far)
* [bungee cable set](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S7HKJ1I/) ($14) for securing items in the front basket
* [Extra battery](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_us/accessories/vanmoof-powerbank) ($350)
* Still waiting on delivery, have not needed it that badly
* Excited to be able to go on longer rides (it should extend my range, using liberal boost, from ≈30mi to ≈50mi)
This $3k-$4k package should let you replace/improve a wide class of trips that you'd otherwise use other modes for. [See more discussion here](/bikes#x3). Also, the bike + plan can be financed for $83/mo.
### [RadPower](https://www.radpowerbikes.com/collections/electric-bikes): <$2k
RadPower are a popular brand that [is aggressively targeting a lower-pricepoint, mainstream audience](https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/04/rad-power-bikes-raises-150-million-as-electric-bike-sales-boom/). [My 5th/next e-bike will likely be a RadWagon](/bikes#radwagon); they seem to be easy to order online and shipping reasonably quickly.
## Reading
### [electricbikereview.com](https://electricbikereview.com/)
This was consistently one of the highest-quality review sites I saw. I learned to seek them out on a Google results page, or go there directly to search for a specific bike.
They did the best job of showing critical stats about bikes in an easy-to-scan format, especially including stats that the industry is sheepish and user-hostile about (\*ahem\* bike weight \*ahem\*).
Here's are their reviews of [a Creo similar to mine](https://electricbikereview.com/specialized/turbo-creo-sl-comp-carbon-evo/) and my [Tern Vektron Q9](https://electricbikereview.com/tern/vektron-q9/). Their brand pages are great too: [the Specialized reviews page](https://electricbikereview.com/brand/specialized/) was very useful in sorting through [a bunch of confusingly-named models](/bikes#specialized-turbo).
### [r/ebikes](https://www.reddit.com/r/ebikes/)
Nice forum with encouraging/inspirational stories and examples
Vendor-specific subreddits are often, e.g. [r/vanmoof](https://www.reddit.com/r/VanMoof/) or [r/brompton](https://www.reddit.com/r/Brompton/).
# Gear / Accessories
The right add-ons might cost 10-20% what your bike cost, but make it 10x more useful.
Before I e-biked, I lived out of a backpack while in+around the city. Getting that weight off of me and onto the bike while in transit has been a huge improvement. The options for letting the bike roll things along with you – from "a purse" up to "several suitcases" – are worth exploring.
## Basic Bags+Mounts
Here are a few bags/mounts I put on basically every bike:
* [**Phone mount**](/gear#phone-mounts): [QuadLock "Out Front Pro" phone mount](https://www.quadlockcase.com/collections/shop-mounts/products/out-front-mount?variant=13538735095883) ($60) + [black plastic "lever"](https://www.quadlockcase.com/collections/shop-mounts/products/colored-lever-out-front-mount) ($10)
* [**Cockpit bags**](/gear#cockpit-bags):
* 2x [Revelate "Mountain Feedbag"](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/MountainFeedbag) handlebar bags ($49 ea)
* [Revelate "Magtank"](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/Magtank) ($59) or ["Jerrycan"](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/Jerrycan) ($46)
* [**Multi-tool**](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FIE49A) ($16)
* [**GoPro seat-rail mount**](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SRXFG2Q) ($14)
## Racks, Baskets
For carrying substantial weight or bulk, a back-wheel rack is the platform you build on. Front baskets/racks also range in size, and can significantly add to your carrying capacity.
* my VanMoof's [front](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_us/accessories/x3-front-waitress-carrier) and [rear racks](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_us/accessories/x3-rear-carrier) let me roll [2 large panniers and a tote bag along with me](/reflections#pov-moving-house)
* my Tern has a super heavy duty ["Atlas" rack](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/tech/471/atlas-v-rack) that can hold 2 [panniers](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/accessories/472/bucketload-pannier) as well as [a giant Market Basket](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/accessories/471/market-basket); I also put a smaller ["holdem basket"](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/accessories/471/hold-em-basket) on the front, for [maximum grocery capacity](/reflections#pov-grocery-runs).
* I got great use out of a [Topeak "Explorer" rack](https://www.topeak.com/us/en/products/247-MTB-&-700C-Touring-Racks/151-EXPLORER-) on my main non-electric bike (if not buying from the same brand that made your bike, you have to check a little more that things are compatible).
## Bags
There are a lot of incredible bags you can put on your bike. Panniers are the workhorses, but [Revelate](https://revelatedesigns.com/) in particular offers dozens of bag shapes you can put basically anywhere else on your bike based on where they fit and how much capacity you want:
*this is the bike version of SUV commercials that show ridiculous off-roading the average SUV-owner will never do*
I bought 1 (or [6](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/MountainFeedbag)) of nearly every bag they offer (see [my Creo bikepacking setup](/bikes#creo-gallery)), and typically mix-and-match which bags make the most sense on which bikes for a given ride.
Getting weight off of you (esp. your back!) and onto the bike – where it just rolls – is an amazing part of getting around by bike (as opposed to walking or other transit modes where you may sometimes wind up standing).
### Panniers
Panniers are bags you can attach to a rack on the back of your bike, and are a great way to haul stuff by bike:
I've tested a few kinds:
* [Ortlieb Back-Roller Classics](https://www.rei.com/product/885299/ortlieb-back-roller-classic-panniers-pair) ($190/pair, 40L ea) are [a well-regarded set](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bike-rack-basket-panniers/#a-tough-as-nails-gear-hauler-ortlieb-back-roller-classic) that I've had the best experience with.
* I have [Tern-brand panniers](https://www.ternbicycles.com/us/accessories/472/bucketload-pannier) ($200/pair, 24L ea) for [my Tern](/bikes#q9), and they work well.
* I ordered [VanMoof panniers](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_nl/vanmoof-rockbros-pannier-bag-black) (€78/pair, 18L ea) for [my VanMoof](/bikes#x3), but they haven't arrived yet, and the Ortliebs fit and work well (and are larger), so I'm not sure I'll need them.
* I also have a set of [Banjo Brothers Market Panniers](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D4GS74/) ($120/pair, 24L ea) that I've never really gotten in to using.
* Finally, I got [this backpack that converts to a pannier](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q26854B/) ($180, 30L), and it's been very useful.
### Cockpit Bags
I love [Revelate's "Mountain Feedbags"](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/MountainFeedbag); I've put a pair on most of my bikes:
Between them, I'll carry a battery that charges my phone while riding (and [sometimes other fun lights](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/465045/110158221-17fee500-7db7-11eb-96bf-cd8e55165742.png), [GoPro batteries](/gear#camera-batteries), etc.), a glasses case, tissues/chapstick/[hand-warmers](/gear#hand-warmers)/snacks ("it's like a deli up here", someone who borrowed my bike said recently), airpods, extra masks, [resealable zip ties](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YARIYL6/), etc. They are easily opened and closed with one hand, work on pretty much any bike, and are easy to transfer b/t bikes). Very useful.
### Top-Tube Bags
[The Revelate Mag-Tank 2000](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/magtank2000) (and earlier/smaller [Mag-Tank](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/cockpit/Magtank)) are great bags that can sit on top of your top tube and hold lots of good stuff. Sometimes I'll have one up front and another at the base of my seat, and between them store wallet/keys, [cable lock](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0799DBYBH/), full flat-change kit ([tire levers + spare tubes](https://www.amazon.com/Continental-Bicycle-700x20-25-Presta-Bundle/dp/B01FG3PJ24), [CO₂ cartridge](https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Force-Cartridges-Threaded-Pack/dp/B07GVS8JYF/), [multi-tool](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FIE49A), patch-kit), etc. They're also easily openable/closeable with one hand, and the magnetic clasp is nice.
### Back-Rack / Seat Bags
I have used Revelate's [8L "Terrapin"](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/seat-bags/Terrapin8L) bag and [16L "Spinelock"](https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/seat-bags/Spinelock16) bag; both are great, especially for bulky but lightweight items like clothes.
I've also used a Topeak [Aero Wedge seat bag](https://www.amazon.com/Topeak-TC2261B-Wedge-Strap-Medium/dp/B000FIE45O) and [MTX Trunk Bag Dx](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0187ZRLX8/).
## Theft Protection
### Locks
There's no substitute for [secure bike parking infrastructure](/reflections#bike-vs-car-storage), but some locks I use that I think are basically good enough for occasional, short, daytime outdoor parking in NYC:
* [Kryptonite U-lock + Cable](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XZT8KZ1/): medium weight, decent security
* [OnGuard U-Lock](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008OHBE8S/): lighter / more clearance but weaker
* [OTTO cable lock](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0799DBYBH/): compact+light extra security layer, easy to keep a spare in a [tube bag](/gear#top-tube-bags).
Other lock systems worth noting:
* [ABUS frame locks](https://mobil.abus.com/uk/on-road/Locks/Frame-Locks) stay on the bike and seem like a convenient and secure option
* [VanMoofs have an internal lock](/bikes#x3-lock) that provides added security.
* [The Wirecutter has a more comprehensive review of the bike lock market](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bike-lock/).
People that have to lock bikes outside in cities can use stronger locks – like [Kryptonite's "New York Fahgettaboudit" line](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XCMWW9H/) – and [heavy chains](https://www.backcountry.com/kryptonite-new-york-fahgettaboudit-chain-1410-and-ny-disc-lock). However, these are heavy, and [can still be cut](https://twitter.com/TheJakeSchmidt/status/1362549515488800768) by thieves with angle-grinders and time (especially overnight, having observed bikes locked in the same place every night).
Bike theft is clearly organized crime in many cities, but is not something law enforcement seems to spend much energy on. Increasing cooperation between [national bike registries](https://bikeindex.org/stolen), [bike insurers](/gear#insurance), and bike- and lock-manufacturers (adding location-tracking to bikes and even [sending their own teams to find them](https://www.vanmoof.com/shop/en_it/bikehunters)) will hopefully improve this in the future.
### Insurance
I got [Velosurance](https://velosurance.com/), on a recommendation from a friend whose family e-bikes in Jersey City; he said:
> I fear theft but I purchased an insurance policy from Velosurance. This helps me sleep at night; as long as I've locked the bike to a fixed object, I'm covered. You should think about it.
My monthly quotes were around 1/300th the bike's cost, or 4% / 1/25th per year, which was cheaper than I expected! Thankfully, I haven't had to use it yet, but having it has given me peace of mind.
## Misc. Accessories
* Bells: [this $6 Amazon bell](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DFF49R4/) has worked well for me 3x. I also got [a Spurcycle](https://www.spurcycle.com/products/better-bicycle-bell) ($49) after hearing that it is the best, but I think I prefer the Amazon one 🤷🏼♂️.
* Hand Pump: [this one](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R5MDQE/) is super compact + light and contains a hose w/ presta and schrader nozzles
* Kickstand: [this two-legged style of kickstand](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LNLXML4/) is sturdy and easy to deal with
* Rear-View Mirrors: [I have this one](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G5H2RSM/) and [this one](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V5DJR8Z/) mounted on handlebars on 2 different bikes.
### Helmets
(See [discussion of helmets from a safety PoV](/getting-started#helmets-safety))
I wear [a Lumos light-up helmet](https://lumoshelmet.co/products/lumos-kickstart) on all my rides. In the past, I used [this more compact+lightweight Giro helmet](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015YW31P4/), which I would clip onto a backpack and take on the subway, into the office, etc.
### Phone Mounts
Having my phone mounted up front on my handlebars has been surprisingly useful. I typically have Google Maps' turn-by-turn directions or [Strava's](/getting-started#strava-route-planning) speedometer up while riding:
When getting started, you're mostly riding in areas you're less familiar with. Having the map handy helps to not feel lost or get lost, as well as to e.g. find detours if a road doesn't feel safe.
I've exclusively used [Quad Lock](https://www.quadlockcase.com/) handlebar phone mounts ([the Wirecutter's choice](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bike-phone-mount/)) and associated phone cases. They are good products, though a bit pricier than I'd expect: $60 ["out front PRO" mount](https://www.quadlockcase.com/collections/shop-mounts/products/out-front-mount?variant=13538735095883), $10 [black plastic "lever"](https://www.quadlockcase.com/collections/shop-mounts/products/colored-lever-out-front-mount) (you'd think you could just replace the included blue one for free…), $30 for [a compatible phone case](https://www.quadlockcase.com/collections/pixel-5/products/case-all-pixel-devices?variant=32873800630347) ⟹ $100/bike, and I've outfitted 5 bikes at this point! One-hand releasing is easy and convenient, but getting the right angle to rotate the phone into the mount still takes me a minute (I expect I'll get better at that over time).
### Lights
You want a white "headlight" facing forward and a red taillight facing backward. There are many options and they're mostly all good. Here are some I've used and like:
* [CYGOLITE Metro Plus](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07544KPJL/) ($46): right head-light
* [CYGOLITE Hotrod](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YFDFXY4/) ($40): bright tail light
* [Vont 'Pyro' (set)](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078TB9TMK/) ($14): front+rear, good+cheap
* [KNOG (set)](https://www.amazon.com/KNOG-12144-Plus-Twinpack-Black/dp/B07CYNMD6M/) ($29): front+rear, very convenient; plug lights directly in to any USB-A port to charge, easy to clip them to things. Good backups to keep in [a bag](/gear#cockpit-bags)
[My Lumos light-up helmet](/gear#helmets) is also a good light to have (at a higher, more visible location).
#### Party lights
I've also thrown [party](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G36BT9P/) [lights](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L5R98KG/) and [wheel lights](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5ATP5Y/) on bikes:
[You can have a lot of fun in this direction](http://douglas.malnati.com/2020/08/21/hey-check-out-my-bike/):
### Gloves
In warmer months, I wear ["MOREOK" gloves](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B3PX6TC/) ($17) on most rides. Some light gel-padding is nice on hands/wrists during longer rides.
In colder months, [Brooks LSD Thermal Gloves](https://www.jackrabbit.com/brooks-lsd-thermal-glove---color%3A-black-size%3A-s/609465426438.html) ($50) are great touchscreen gloves with retractable, waterproof mitten covers. I can use my phone at like 90% with them, but they're also pretty warm with mitten covers pulled over. I've used them below freezing (mid/high 20ºF's) by putting [hand warmers](/gear#hand-warmers) in the palm or mitten cover parts; wearing them inside [pogies](/gear#pogies) is an even warmer+easier setup. They're very light and easily crumple/fold into small pocket spaces, so I keep them on me ≈6mos/yr.
See [Winter Cycling Gear](/gear#winter-gear) below for [heated glove](/gear#heated-gloves) and [pogie](/gear#pogies) recs.
### Padded Shorts
I often wear [BALEAF padded bike shorts](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WSBTQH7/) ($29); padded shorts seemed a little silly at first, but they're pretty good for biking but also misc other outdoor activities. I got some baggy swimsuit-style padded shorts and some spandex-y ones like this, and liked the latter better. The pockets on these are great as well. As it cooled down, I would wear them over tights.
## Rain Gear
### Clever Hoods
I got some [Clever Hood "Rover" Capes](https://cleverhood.com/shop/rainwear/rain-capes/rover-rain-cape/) and they seem good, though I haven't used them a ton / haven't 100% integrated them into my routine yet. People I follow swear by them, and I basically get the vision of a well-designed + reliable "protection from wind+elements" system. They pack down well, so I bring them along as mix of a rain / optional-warmth layer sometimes.
### Rain Pants
[I got these from REI](https://www.rei.com/product/137186/rei-co-op-essential-rain-pants-mens), but haven't really needed them yet.
## Winter Gear
I grew up in Miami and have bad hands/feet circulation. I don't like the cold and I'm bad at it. Biking in cold weather (let alone cold rain/snow) generally sounds miserable to most people.
It turns out a a few $100 of gear and technology basically solves this problem. Whether you winter cycle or not, you should probably buy heated [gloves](/gear#heated-gloves), [socks](/gear#heated-socks), and [a vest](/gear#heated-vests). My recs are below.
#### Aside: it's not *that* cold a lot of the time
I think people think it's colder in greater NYC more of the time [than it is](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/24/nyregion/climate-change-nyc.html). [January is the coldest month in NYC (avg daily hi/lo 39°/26°F)](https://share.getcloudapp.com/NQuKnNmj); for sure there are days and times when it is annoying to go out, but for the price of a couple car payments you can move that from "days under 50°F" (several months of the year) to "days under 30°F" (odd days here and there).
In the winter, cars often function as ["2 ton, internal combustion parkas"](https://twitter.com/Ollie_Cycles/status/1160537625347940353). Clearly they maximize internal comfort for riders, but they also [externalize a variety of costs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externalities_of_automobiles). It turns out it's not *that* hard to keep warm in most situations while traveling more efficiently.
### Heated Gloves
This winter I discovered heated gloves, and they are amazing (though also less necessary once I got [pogies](/gear#pogies)):
* [VELAZZIO Thermo1 Battery Heated Gloves](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YBW4LCL/) ($90-10%):
* These are my go-tos: charge via USB-C, sleek form factor, good warmth.
* Below freezing (and without pogies), I wear them over my thin Brooks gloves, and put them on high.
* Sizes run large (I got a "S" for my wife (5'4") but they ended up fitting me (6')), underside of button can borderline-overheat against bare hand on "high" setting
* [LUWATT Heated Gloves](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YYNJ4JQ/) ($50): good all-around, but became backups/loaners for me behind the Velazzio's above (a bit bulkier?)
* [Volt WOMENS 7V ALL PURPOSE HEATED GLOVES](https://voltheat.com/collections/heated-gloves/products/all-purpose-womens-7v-heated-gloves) ($150): after the "S" Velazzio's were huge, I found this higher-end brand that made me believe their palm measurements etc. were actually accurate. Size "S" does fit women 5'2"-5'4" I ride with. They generally seem sleek and good.
### Heated Vests
[This ARRIS Heated Vest](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NW4LK62/) ($139 - $10 coupon; also [women's version](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VKLKSYV/)) is an excellent accessory, and dramatically changes what it's like to go out in the cold:
* 3 independent heat toggles for chest, stomach, and back+neck, and 5 heat levels on each.
* Comfortable, feels high-quality.
* Great zippered-pocket design.
Pushing buttons on the vest lets you control your core temperature across a ≈50ºF range without carrying bulky layers, and the 4 pockets are really useful. Highly recommended.
### Pogies
I started with [these neoprene ODIER's](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077SY7J6F/) and found them to be a revelation. Later I upgraded to [these fleece ODIER's](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M41KGZ8/) and they are incredibly warm and nice. My hands always limit how cold I can be outside, and these completely solved that problem (I rode comfortably down to about 20℉; and other things start to limit me at that point).
### Heated Socks
I've bought heated socks from [Binnice](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DKR47QP/) ($36) and [Jomst](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GK7PVFJ/) ($38). In both cases, I have barely been able to feel the heat they generate, even on the "high" settings. It's possible they're still helping, but a bit strange since the [gloves](/gear#heated-gloves)/[vests](/gear#heated-vests) I've tried are unmistakably warm.
### Hand Warmers
I have [a 40-pair box of disposable hand warmers](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007ZF4OA/), and keep 3 pairs in a side pocket of my [handlebar bags](/gear#cockpit-bags) when it's cold out (just in case). They're a good fail-safe if [heated gloves](/gear#heated-gloves) or [socks](/gear#heated-socks) aren't enough (or you didn't think you'd need them). Supposedly you can "recharge" them with boiling water, so as to avoid single-use waste, though I've not tried that.
## Action Cameras
I film basically all my ride with 2 GoPros: [one chest-mounted and one rear-facing, seat-rail mounted](/gear#camera-mounting). They're mostly a nice-to-have safety measure (though presumably only useful if something truly horrible happens 😔), but some of my rides also feel like incredible ways to see the city, and [I am working on processing+sharing them](/documenting-rides#post-processing-videos) in ways that convey that. They're also useful for [mundane documentation of road conditions](https://seeclickfix.com/issues/9320300#comment-29145140), [filing 311 tickets](https://twitter.com/RunsAsCoded/status/1363511098562011137), etc.
### PoV: Lost Glove Search & Rescue
One day last winter, I lost a glove on a ride, and [was able to find on my tapes where it had popped out of my front basket](https://www.strava.com/activities/4638483151).
[ ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/gDTbMgUbVnxDDBv4A)
We went back the next day, and someone had put it up more visibly:
My GoPros are a [Hero 9](https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/cameras/hero9-black/CHDHX-901-master.html) and a [Hero 8](https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/cameras/hero8-black/CHDHX-801-master.html), and I choose which one faces forward vs. backward each ride (rear-cam gets good front-on shots of people I'm riding with, so sometimes I'll put the higher-quality Hero 9 back there, otherwise I face it forward to get the best shots of what I'm seeing). The Hero 9 is the latest GoPro, and seems noticeably better than the [Hero 8](https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/cameras/hero8-black/CHDHX-801-master.html); it has a bigger battery, supposedly better stabilization, and can sit on my desk with no battery in for longer before [resetting its date+time to 1/1/2016](https://community.gopro.com/t5/Cameras/Hero-9-Date-amp-amp-Time-defaults-to-1-1-2016/td-p/783025). Both are much better than the [Hero 5 Session](https://www.amazon.com/GoPro-HERO5-Session-Waterproof-Digital/dp/B01LZTLCFX) I started with.
### Batteries
I have ended up with 5 batteries and 2 2-battery chargers for each of my GoPros ([this 3x-USB-C cable](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GY7FBHZ/) is handy):
I get ≈90mins of film time per battery at 1080p24, so swapping batteries on longer rides is common. It's a bit annoying to have to pay attention to, but I guess it also ensures I don't go too long without a break / sip of water.
### Mounting
I keep one of [these quick-release "J-hooks" on each camera](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5OZYVU/):
[](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5OZYVU/)
…and [a corresponding quick-release plate](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BWDH7O0/) anywhere that I need to mount them:
[](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BWDH7O0/)
My chest harness came in [this $30, 50pc gear kit](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01171X0UW/), and [my seat-rail mount](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SRXFG2Q) involves [several more adapters than one might hope](https://www.reddit.com/r/gopro/comments/ntq8nv/rgopro_weekly_questions_thread_ask_all_of_your/h1vtohq):
### Tripods
I also have several tripods for stationary filming ([small](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081DYTR9J/), [large](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075ZHTHD5/), [foldy](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081DYTR9J/)).
# Documenting Rides
Notes on tracking and documenting my rides using a few services/devices.
## Ride-Tracking Apps
### Strava
I like [Strava](https://app.gitbook.com/s/-MUdgxOCTfiSbuYn44a7/strava.com) for recording and sharing rides. I pay them an annual fee, the app is well built, and they don't try to own my data in any way. It also serves as an uncomplicated, shared-interest-driven social network.
### [wandrer.earth](https://wandrer.earth/)
This is an app I love that lives on top of Strava's API, imports your Strava history, and gives you cool statistics and visualizations about where you've been.
The "[Big Map](https://wandrer.earth/dashboard/map#7.75/40.618/-73.792)" is one of the main attractions:
I have a shortcut to this page on my phone home screen. On some rides I leave it open and use it to navigate in real-time, trying to ride as many new/unexplored roads as possible. It's really fun and a cool way to explore an area.
wandrer.earth also showcases some good open-data norms in the apps people use for these purposes; it sits on top of Strava and provides some additional, more niche features that I also pay for (separate from my underlying Strava subscription). After all the perversity of consumers' relationships to big, ad-driven tech co's, there's something nice about having these clear, transactional relationships with developers making useful apps but not trying to own me or my data or my eyeballs!
### [RideWithGPS](https://ridewithgps.com/)
Very similar to Strava, a bit more emphasis on heavy-duty route planning/sharing, and less on social features.
I'm starting to use it more, as it appears to be the de facto way people create and share routes (though Strava seems to have comparable features, or be copying them?).
### [Relive](https://relive.cc)
Similar to Strava or RideWithGPS, with an emphasis on rendering cool 3D flyover videos of your routes, after the fact. I used it a couple of times and found it a bit less robust than Strava (less smooth-/robust-feeling at starting/stopping/backing up rides), and the videos felt a little one-note after seeing a dozen or so of them, so I don't use it regularly.
## Post-Processing Videos
Filming rides can generate huge amounts of data. For example, my laptop's 1TB SSD could hold ≈45hrs of "low-res" (1080p24) video (if there was nothing else on it).
In ≈2 years, I've shot about 10x that much, so I've had to bring a lot of hardware and software to bear on storing and processing that data.
### GoPros
[My GoPros](/gear#action-cameras) can shoot 4K60, but for a while I ratcheted all the way down to 1080p24 (their minimum), to streamling editing/storing all that data. Now I typically shoot 4K30 on my Hero 9 and 2.7K30 on my Hero 8 (which also causes them to need battery changes at about the same rate, since the latter's battery is smaller).
#### Chapters
On disk, long GoPro shots are cut into ≤4GB "chapters" (≈11mins at 1080p24, ≈9mins at 4K30). This detail surprised me (and [others](https://community.gopro.com/t5/Cameras/Split-Video-Files-Chaptering/td-p/761115) around [the internet](https://havecamerawilltravel.com/gopro/gopro-split-video-files/)) because you essentially have to use [a VFX studio](/documenting-rides#vfx-suites) to do anything with your GoPro data.
#### Telemetry Data
I've found it extremely difficult to do anything with the telemetry (GPS, speed, etc.) data that GoPro embeds in its videos.
There is basically no way to join "chapters" that preserves GoPro's this data.
* [Someone open-sourced a GPMF parser](https://github.com/stilldavid/gopro-utils) (and JSON/GPX exporter), and [someone else forked it and carried the torch forward a bit](https://github.com/marengaz/gopro-utils), but neither has been updated in years.
* [Here's my fork](https://github.com/runsascoded/gopro-utils/) that I will hopefully make broadly usable / up-to-date at some point.
They all require `ffmpeg` to extract the raw GPMF data first, e.g.:
```
ffmpeg -y -i GOPR0001.MP4 -codec copy -map 0:m:handler_name:" GoPro MET" -f rawvideo GOPR0001.bin
```
[GoPro's "Quik" app can't even read the telemetry from their newest cameras](https://community.gopro.com/t5/GoPro-Apps-for-Desktop/hero-9-not-showing-telemetry-overlays-on-gopro-quik/td-p/782383). It's a surprisingly messy situation for the most famous action-camera brand.
One talented developer has built a custom VFX suite for GoPros, the [GoPro Telemetry Extractor](https://goprotelemetryextractor.com/free/), that you can buy for $300 (or various subsets of the functionality for less), but it's pretty awkward to have a whole 3rd-party VFX studio just to get basic telemetry out of the cameras.
Other rough edges:
* [GoPros won't record GPS data (nor other telemetry, IME) if you use "Quick Capture" to start filming](https://community.gopro.com/t5/GoPro-Telemetry-GPS-overlays/GoPro-GPS-not-working-Performance-stickers-and-telemetry-FAQ/gpm-p/419554) (i.e. just push the button, as opposed to turning the camera on, waiting for a GPS lock, and then starting to film).
* [GPS signal doesn't work if the camera is upside-down, or its GPS antenna (on top somewhere) is obstructed](https://community.gopro.com/t5/GoPro-Telemetry-GPS-overlays/GoPro-GPS-not-working-Performance-stickers-and-telemetry-FAQ/gpm-p/419554) (same forum post). In general, GPS is expected to be worse than a phone's (which can also use cellular info to triangulate).
* If you leave a GoPro sitting around without a battery for a while, a smaller internal battery that powers the clock will die, and the time will reset to 1/1/2016. It will not fix itself until you connect a device to it ([even though it could infer the time via GPS](https://community.gopro.com/t5/Cameras/Does-the-GPS-not-set-the-internal-clock-on-the-Hero-5/td-p/273877)).
### External SSDs
I started with [a 1TB external SSD](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073H552FJ/) and added [a 2TB](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0874XWW23/) later. These things are pretty incredible, they fit in your palm:
### Wasabi (Cloud Storage)
Eventually I filled up the 2TB too, and started putting data in [Wasabi](https://wasabi.com/) (cheap cloud storage w/ good tooling). I'm 2-3mos into using that, with ≈8TB stored, and planning to use it as my canonical/archival store, upload new videos there automatically, and have downstream pipelines that react to them landing there.
My SSDs are not backed up anywhere so they might become an [LRU cache](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_replacement_policies#Least_recently_used_) of data in Wasabi. Given the price points, I'd rather pay-as-I-go on Wasabi than capacity-plan and deploy a RAID array on my desk 😁.
### 512GB micro-SD
My GoPros each record to [a 512GB micro-SD](https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Select-microSDXC-Adapter-MB-ME512HA-dp-B0887CHVFF/dp/B0887CHVFF/):
*where does all that data go…? 🤯*
I started with smaller SD cards, but worrying about the camera card's capacity was too annoying (on top of juggling battery + spares and archival storage capacity post-ride), and ultimately solvable for $75.
### VFX Suites
I resisted using proper VFX suites to process my GoPro videos for a while, but ultimately caved, bought [Final Cut Pro](https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/), and have been learning to use it. It does a good job abstracting over [the 4GB GoPro "chapter" files](/documenting-rides#chapters) that every shot is broken into, and is easy to use for speeding up / cutting video.
It has a steep and long learning curve, but the official documentation forums and YouTube tutorial ecosystem are pretty robust. I want to script things on top of it and/or directly access the SQLite files it stores projects/metadata in, and that all sounds hard and annoying, but it's clearly a powerful tool I can continue learning to use for a while.
I eventually need to try+buy the [GoPro Telemetry Extractor](https://goprotelemetryextractor.com/free/) as well.
I used to use GoPro's "Quik" app just for an auto-import when I plug my SIM in, but I always found Quik unusable as a VFX suite. I pay $5/mo for GoPro's "unlimited cloud storage" as well, but the uploads were so slow that I don't even bother with it anymore either ([I back up to Wasabi now](/documenting-rides#wasabi)), and have given up on Quik altogether.
### YouTube
When all of that stuff works well together, I sometimes post ride videos to [my "Neighbor Ryan" YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUEDi4kDGExvmx0g0gkVwkA/videos).
##