My Wife Just Got An E-Bike

[New York Albertan]

I have worked hard as propagandist towards my children, that older, "retro bikes" are kings, and the newer, fancier bikes, including E-Bikes, are part of the decline of civilization (okay, I wasn't that dramatic, but we buy local, and try to eat and drink local). I've done the same spiel with old cars, old guitars, and old cameras. Maybe it's me?

So when my wife's E-Bike showed up without a hint, well... It through me. Especially since it came via Amazon, who I also can't support. I hear these lithium batteries are exploding in loft apartments in NYC. Then again, the lithium batteries in my old analog cameras aren't - so maybe that's "fake news"... ? That said, my small, always on the cusp of growing, collection of cheap, old bikes will never explode. One up for the retro bikes, I suppose...

This is really a sarcastic post, though I have yet to sit and ride my wife's E-Bike. Perhaps I won't. I'd rather ride a dirt bike, or motorcycle. But I do notice a lot of young people "regressing" back to film, old digicams, nostalgia, older bikes, more "organic" pursuits, and so on. And I am happy to see this return to simplicity and "local".

Tomorrow, I will take my 1989 Norco Cherokee out for a two hour run on the trails by the Bow River, here in Calgary. It's an old ATB, but I will force it to do what it was built to do in 1989. And it will comply. Or it won't. But my backpack will have one film camera, and an old digicam, to film the experiance.

Rant over. Over and out!

(I just noticed I'm a "Devout Dirtbag". I wear that moniker proudly!)

 

[minor_LEGEND]

I'm with you brother.

 

[Imlach]

Please do get a metal battery box for storing lithium batteries. They are no joke. And do not ever charge without supervision. In the RC world we are very careful to store our batteries away from living spaces, and those who ebike batteries are no joke.

 

[novocaine]

Please do get a metal battery box for storing lithium batteries. They are no joke. And do not ever charge without supervision. In the RC world we are very careful to store our batteries away from living spaces, and those who ebike batteries are no joke.

there is a little bit more to an E bike battery than an RC battery in the form of built in monitoring and protection for charging and cell conditioning. what this means is you can charge them safer than a typical RC battery. the idea of a battery box or pouch however is a good one. (note, this assumes reputable bike manufacturer using reputable battery manufacturer).

the shear size of ebike batteries is really scary, there is a lot of power in one of those boxes.

 

[CassidyAce]

I have worked hard as propagandist towards my children, that older, "retro bikes" are kings, and the newer, fancier bikes, including E-Bikes, are part of the decline of civilization (okay, I wasn't that dramatic, but we buy local, and try to eat and drink local). I've done the same spiel with old cars, old guitars, and old cameras. Maybe it's me?

So when my wife's E-Bike showed up without a hint, well... It through me. Especially since it came via Amazon, who I also can't support. I hear these lithium batteries are exploding in loft apartments in NYC. Then again, the lithium batteries in my old analog cameras aren't - so maybe that's "fake news"... ? That said, my small, always on the cusp of growing, collection of cheap, old bikes will never explode. One up for the retro bikes, I suppose...

This is really a sarcastic post, though I have yet to sit and ride my wife's E-Bike. Perhaps I won't. I'd rather ride a dirt bike, or motorcycle. But I do notice a lot of young people "regressing" back to film, old digicams, nostalgia, older bikes, more "organic" pursuits, and so on. And I am happy to see this return to simplicity and "local".

Tomorrow, I will take my 1989 Norco Cherokee out for a two hour run on the trails by the Bow River, here in Calgary. It's an old ATB, but I will force it to do what it was built to do in 1989. And it will comply. Or it won't. But my backpack will have one film camera, and an old digicam, to film the experiance.

Rant over. Over and out!

(I just noticed I'm a "Devout Dirtbag". I wear that moniker proudly!)

Remember: you do not have to go straight to the divorce lawyers. Obviously, though, there a limits to what a chap can be expected to tolerate. If you contact a marriage guidance counsellor and explain that your wife has just bought an Amazon E-bike, I'm sure that they will understand the severity of the situation you're facing.

 

[Imlach]

there is a little bit more to an E bike battery than an RC battery in the form of built in monitoring and protection for charging and cell conditioning. what this means is you can charge them safer than a typical RC battery. the idea of a battery box or pouch however is a good one. (note, this assumes reputable bike manufacturer using reputable battery manufacturer).

the shear size of ebike batteries is really scary, there is a lot of power in one of those boxes.

I have no doubts that the ones supplied with bikes from various reputable brands are quite safe, and obviously much safer than RC batteries, in which we have a lot more freedom as to how we wish to charge our batteries, and obviously the protection circuits are very crude, nonetheless I've not seen one single manufacturer who hasn't encouraged supervising charging and discouraged overnight charging when it comes to ebikes. I may just be very overly cautious, but I always apply a better safe than sorry mentality to these things. I generally try to supervise the charging of various tech gadgets as well.

I know you weren't disagreeing with me. I just keep informing people as we are seeing a huge amount of ebike fires and they're not just results of off-brand bikes/batteries. But there is of course a huge validity to what you're saying, because quite often the fires are a result of modified bikes using third party batteries/parts, and of course cheap Chinese offbrand ebikes which are a minefield, literally.

There's no better protection than common sense

My RC batteries are stored in a metal box outside away from living spaces, and if I had an ebike that'd sure as hell not be sitting in the living room or attached garage

 

[novocaine]

I have no doubts that the ones supplied with bikes from various reputable brands are quite safe, and obviously much safer than RC batteries, in which we have a lot more freedom as to how we wish to charge our batteries, and obviously the protection circuits are very crude, nonetheless I've not seen one single manufacturer who hasn't encouraged supervising charging and discouraged overnight charging when it comes to ebikes. I may just be very overly cautious, but I always apply a better safe than sorry mentality to these things. I generally try to supervise the charging of various tech gadgets as well.

I know you weren't disagreeing with me. I just keep informing people as we are seeing a huge amount of ebike fires and they're not just results of off-brand bikes/batteries. But there is of course a huge validity to what you're saying, because quite often the fires are a result of modified bikes using third party batteries/parts, and of course cheap Chinese offbrand ebikes which are a minefield, literally.

There's no better protection than common sense

My RC batteries are stored in a metal box outside away from living spaces, and if I had an ebike that'd sure as hell not be sitting in the living room or attached garage

all fair points.

one note, if common sense existed I wouldn't have a job. (risk and safety technical expert) it doesn't matter how fool proof we make something, we keep making better fools.

your suggestions of controls in regards to batteries are all valid and I'd place them as isolate and control controls in the hierarchy of controls:
- Eliminate
- Reduce
- Isolate
- Control
- Protect
- Discipline

this list is in order of effectiveness, and I'd place eliminate and reduce ahead of it. we can't eliminate the hazard but with good equipment we can reduce the likelihood of an event or the consequence of it. for me the best way to reduce it is to use smaller batteries and not located them all in one place when stored or charged, which is what I do with my LIPO packs (all small as my quadcopter is tiny), held in packs of 2 and charged in a metal tin in my office when I'm there working.


right, I'm stopping, I try not to go down this road when it isn't work related as I worry I'm "that guy" at a party.

 

[Imlach]

all fair points.

one note, if common sense existed I wouldn't have a job. (risk and safety technical expert) it doesn't matter how fool proof we make something, we keep making better fools.

your suggestions of controls in regards to batteries are all valid and I'd place them as isolate and control controls in the hierarchy of controls:
- Eliminate
- Reduce
- Isolate
- Control
- Protect
- Discipline

this list is in order of effectiveness, and I'd place eliminate and reduce ahead of it. we can't eliminate the hazard but with good equipment we can reduce the likelihood of an event or the consequence of it. for me the best way to reduce it is to use smaller batteries and not located them all in one place when stored or charged, which is what I do with my LIPO packs (all small as my quadcopter is tiny), held in packs of 2 and charged in a metal tin in my office when I'm there working.


right, I'm stopping, I try not to go down this road when it isn't work related as I worry I'm "that guy" at a party.

When you have the knowledge there's no reason not to use it when applicable.

 

[New York Albertan]

Remember: you do not have to go straight to the divorce lawyers. Obviously, though, there a limits to what a chap can be expected to tolerate. If you contact a marriage guidance counsellor and explain that your wife has just bought an Amazon E-bike, I'm sure that they will understand the severity of the situation you're facing.

Brilliant! She loves it. I smile.

Peace in the valley...

 

[New York Albertan]

When you have the knowledge there's no reason not to use it when applicable.

So the battery should not be stored in the garage? I'll have to find a metal box of some sort - perhaps an old tool box we have in the garage - then store it in the detached shed in the backyard.