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(NOTE: all prices given in USD for ease) After years of living in Colombia, Germany, Portugal, and Liberia, I moved back to Texas, got a Yamaha TW200 and tied up a bunch of loose ends. This month I moved to Montreal with the intent to spend the summer, but I'm loving this place and things are going well so later this month I'm thinking to hit the pavement and see if I can find someone to sponsor me for a work visa (I have an M.A. and 14 years of work experience in foreign policy analysis). Here in Montreal the Dyad e-scoots are *everywhere* because they have a big shop downtown that does sales, service, and rentals. So I routinely see packs of tourist on e-scoot tours, or people out running errands on these cute (if dorky) little bikes. I've dreamed of an e-bike for years but they're always so pricey, but the Dyads are $765 brand new or $580 used, though if you upgrade to the lithium-ion battery the price literally doubles). http://dyadcycles.com/en/montreal/shop/electric-scooters/e500/   Top speed is 20mph (which is fine since I just want this for minor city streets), autonomy is 35km with the lead battery or 90 with lithium-ion. No license required, and they can ride on bike paths (but only the street-level paths, not separated paths), but Montreal does require a helmet. I know it's a little dorky, but that's really drat cheap and could be a fun way to dip my toe into an e-bike. The used ones don't come with warranty, so I'd need to gauge whether to save $180 buying used but risk needing to get it serviced, but I could literally just pedal it to the store if need be. Definitely would start with lead at first since the lithium battery costs as much as the bike does. I was pondering a bit about making it look less-lame, like maybe putting a top-bar on it to look more moped-like, but on further thought that'd kill resale, make it hard to loan to women friends wearing a skirt, and also might be a little too try-hard. So instead I'm thinking to maybe get a used one with dicked-up paint and just rattle-can it, tweak some of the accessories to make it look different from stock, etc. What do y'all think? I have no need to buy a big bike to prove my masculinity since I have the "motherfucker, where were you in spring of '03, seizing Baghdad? No, you didn't, so pound sand". I'll read some reviews re durability, and how tweakable it is. Or maybe after a year of it I'll feel ready to jump to a nicer e-scoot, or maybe Honda will *finally* stop cock-teasing me and just release the e-Cub and I will be at peace.
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May 13, 2017 13:51
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Looks like you can't swap the headlight as it's integrated with the gauges. I'd try something reversible so I didn't hurt resale too badly, like vinyl wrap. Something bonkers like digital camo: Or velvet texture:  Can't cost much since you only need a tiny amount.
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May 13, 2017 14:24
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Can you rent one for a day to see how it would work for you? I think it looks pretty awesome for the price, but also that might mean they're complete poo poo as even electric bicycles are routinely more than that. If ~$1000CAD isn't a ton of money to you, I'd definitely give it a shot to at least give you an idea of how you like it. If you did and it was a POS, you could then upgrade to a respected eBike or something else.
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May 13, 2017 14:50
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I'm agreeing with dreesemonkey: 20mph kind of puts you in the zone where an electrically assisted bicycle or this scoot would work. $780 brand new is pretty drat cheap, but I'd be worried about longevity at that price point being that good batteries and motors/controllers on e-bicycles can cost that much alone without the wheels, frame, and everything else. Also, I'm going to second the test ride before purchasing, as 500w is a really small motor, and if you do need to pop over to an area that doesn't have dedicated bicycle lanes, having pedals to help push you along would be a godsend in keeping up with traffic. Also, do you have an idea where you're going to store or park it during the day when you get a job in Montreal? Though they're more money, a folding e-bicycle would allow you to bring the bike into an office to charge alongside a desk (and keep away from the less honest folks in the city). Same idea with no plates, no insurance, no problems there but you could also pedal like a madman and go 30. Or upgrade the hub motor to a 1kW model and scare motorcyclists. 
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May 13, 2017 15:21
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E-bicycles are getting pretty loving trick these days. Top components, battery pops off to charge inside etc etc. But I'm not sure what you get in that category for $780.
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May 13, 2017 17:03
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Buy an emmo instead, at least their DUIcycles look cool. http://emmo.ca/electric-scooter-ebike/
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May 13, 2017 17:35
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quote:Can you rent one for a day to see how it would work for you? I think it looks pretty awesome for the price, but also that might mean they're complete poo poo as even electric bicycles are routinely more than that. Did just that today, went and rented one for the day. Started out with a lead-acid battery and went to drop my date off at home, and the batt died halfway there and I had to pedal all the way back, not pleased. The store apologized for giving me a batt without full charge and dropped a lithium-ion into the rental. With the lead it ran okay (before dying) but it's a whole different creature with the lithium, got up to 50kph (30mph) which is totally fine for the city. I wish it had a faster 0-30 and it lagged notably going up even moderate hills, but not terrible. It's really agile and flickable, though like on a bicycle you have to horizontal the pedals before leaning into a sharp turn or you'll scrape. It has *just* enough ground clearance to go up a wheelchair ramp (ask me how I know) and overall pretty enjoyable. I'm going to rent a few days, ride both solo and with the dirty French girl I'm dating, and see how I like it. I was wondering if it can be juiced up yet further, though technically if I did that it wouldn't be a "bicycle" anymore and would need license/registration/insurance. https://saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/road-safety/modes-transportation/electric-bike/ posted:Modes of Transportation quote:I'm agreeing with dreesemonkey: 20mph kind of puts you in the zone where an electrically assisted bicycle or this scoot would work. $780 brand new is pretty drat cheap, but I'd be worried about longevity at that price point being that good batteries and motors/controllers on e-bicycles can cost that much alone without the wheels, frame, and everything else. Also, I'm going to second the test ride before purchasing, as 500w is a really small motor, and if you do need to pop over to an area that doesn't have dedicated bicycle lanes, having pedals to help push you along would be a godsend in keeping up with traffic. quote:E-bicycles are getting pretty loving trick these days. Top components, battery pops off to charge inside etc etc. But I'm not sure what you get in that category for $780. The lithium one I got up to 30mph today, and 500w is the legal limit for "electric bicycles" (same reason it has pedals). I don't know where I'll be working so not sure where to park it, but for at night in the industrial loft I'm staying in now I just take the rental up the elevator. If anyone bitches I'll google up Quebec law and point out that it's a "bicycle". It's just light enough to easily be able to lift it up a step, though I wouldn't want to carry it up a flight of stairs. I looked it up and its 60kg (130lbs), though the lead battery is massively huge so the lithium might shave off some of that. I realize it's a made-in-China cheapie, but Dyad has an established storefront here, provides warranties and service packages, and these bikes are really common out on the street. Even if I just have it for the summer before moving again, if I can sell it for $400 I'll consider it worth it. Finger Prince posted:Buy an emmo instead, at least their DUIcycles look cool. Meh, the Emmos are just the same stuff in different Chinese plastic shells, like airsoft guns just use the same motors in different wraps. quote:Looks like you can't swap the headlight as it's integrated with the gauges. I'd try something reversible so I didn't hurt resale too badly, like vinyl wrap. Something bonkers like digital camo: Nah, I'd fix that poo poo with a rattle-can: - Strip off the dorky little lock-box on the front (which could be defeated in seconds with a screwdriver) - Paint the main body Desert Tan - Paint all chrome with matte-black - Upgrade chain? - Make some stencils in a cool language, imitating military markings, and apply - Get a novelty Texas moped license plate Bing, bank, way less lame. I briefly considered welding a bar across the body since I used to think underbones looked lame, but that seems too try-hard, plus I want to be able to loan it to friends, and they'll hate me if they're wearing a skirt. EDIT: basically with minimal cost/effort other that spray-paint I could make it look like the wonky little flipper-baby version of this: 
TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 23:11 on May 13, 2017 |
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May 13, 2017 23:04
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Plate a small dirtbike, spend weekends at SRA about 30 minutes north of you, be happy.
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May 13, 2017 23:37
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shacked up with Brenda posted:Plate a small dirtbike, spend weekends at SRA about 30 minutes north of you, be happy. Small dirtbikes require license (I have a Texas M license though), insurance, registration, all that. Also I don't tend to hang out in woods because I can't find a pub every quarter-mile. Also the population density of dirty unshaved pixie Quebecois punk-rocker girls is significantly lower once you leave Greater Montreal.
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May 14, 2017 00:12
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Finger Prince posted:Buy an emmo instead, at least their DUIcycles look cool. Are these guys gutting groms and ruckuses and converting them to electric or what?
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May 15, 2017 12:17
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Jim Silly-Balls posted:Are these guys gutting groms and ruckuses and converting them to electric or what? All I want is a goddam Honda eCub, but they've been cockteasing me since like 2010 with 'coming soon!'  Anyway, I rented a Dyad for three days (they apply any rental fees towards your purchase if you buy) and it was a ton of fun. I'm planning to go speak to the owner tomorrow morning, and buy a used body but with a new lithium battery (gently caress lead). Then this weekend when I go over to work on the gf's Honda CRV, I'll do some rattle-canning on le biek. At first I was tempted to go all art-bike, but I also want to hack it a little and get more torque (and maybe a little more speed) and the gf had a really good point (imagine this with a heavy French accent): "you can *either* make it artsy, or you can make it a lawbreaker, but don't be stupid and do both. If you attract a lot of attention and a cop notices you doing 65kph, they'll cite you and confiscate your bike. So either leave it totally legal and looking artsy, or make it look lame but have extra power but hidden." drat she's a smart girl. So since I don't like gloss black, I think I'll get a scuffed-plastic used one, scrap the dumb lunchbox on the front, tape off the chrome and the moving parts and rattle-can it matte-black. And later I'll see if I want to do the chrome with matte silver too. I also have the terribly dorky idea of doing stencils on it, in a *slightly* different shade of black so that it's only noticeable up-close, so looks stock to I also know someone who can put me in touch with a guy who hacked his and got a ton more torque, but at significant cost to battery life. I asked about adding a "turbo switch" and was told that's blatantly illegal for an "electric bicycle" so it'd have to be non-obvious if I do it. Other that that, I have a few small fun ideas, like adding some speakers and bluetooth so I can play Hank Williams III tunes while idling at stoplights. And even though I know it's silly, and I certainly wouldn't have them on while driving, it'd be fun to have some simple underglow ground-effects for when I have it parked out on the town. Oh, and if at all possible I'd love to convert it to keyless entry and have it just sense proximity to my phone (is that doable or just crazy?) and if there's any non-SIM but wifi-based tracker I can put inside it that'll give some idea of location if it gets jacked. Fun (if not totally practical) features to play with, or dumb ideas? TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 01:11 on May 16, 2017 |
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May 16, 2017 01:04
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I'm guessing the used ones are only available from the brick-and-mortar store?
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Jul 19, 2017 02:47
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kimbo305 posted:I'm guessing the used ones are only available from the brick-and-mortar store? I believe so, at least around here, though some pop up on Kijiji (whether used or stolen). That reminds me, since they're legally bicycles you can register their serial# with Montreal PD, so I should probably do that. I'll have a more complete update later, but suffice to say I bought a used frame with a brand-new lithium battery, am loving the heck out of it and hooning all over town, and have started doing initial modifications to improve it. But at the end of June I had a family emergency come up so I've been away from Montreal for over a month and just got back in last night, so will have a more complete report and fun pics in the next few days. Meanwhile, I also bought a GigaByke Groove e-moped used in Portland OR for a grand, to keep in the small US-Midwest town where my family lives so they can use it and I can use it when I visit. The frame is much heavier and the components of higher quality than my Dyad, though overall it's the same concept, though interestingly enough the battery shape is different. GigaByke doesn't currently offer lithium batteries, just "silicon" which I assumed is lead-acid, but I called them and they say they should have lithiums in stock by late-summer or early-autumn. Despite the quality, it's pretty pokey with the stock battery, so I'm looking forward to dropping a lithium into it. Interestingly enough too, GigaByke says the lithiums will be $500 or so, while Dyad Montreal charges CAD$1k for a lithium. Totally fun little bieks though, been absolutely ideal for getting around and parking in Montreal, whereas having a car here is a nightmare. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Aug 9, 2017 |
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Aug 9, 2017 13:39
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