Electric Bikes: A Preview of Potential

Seeing, for the first time, what looks like a basic bicycle coasting along at the foot of a hill, then watching it turn onto that hill and effortlessly and silently climb it without the rider pedaling, can trip the mind’s double-take switch. David Crutcher is an investor in and representative of the San Diego, California-based FLX electric bicycle company. He was giving demonstrations of their bicycles in Rockland at the Maine Boats & Homes Show in August. People of all ages were lining up to take them for a spin.

The Panasonic 18650 battery powers FLX bicycles, the same battery technology used in Tesla electric cars, noted Crutcher. The bikes are pedal-assisted, enabling the rider to move between the motor and pedaling. Depending on the weight of the rider, the terrain, tire type, tire pressure and how much pedaling is included, the distance between battery charges, Crutcher said, can be 200 miles. The bike’s charge meter indicates the percentage of remaining battery power. The back-up power source is the rider.

Top speed can be influenced by the above factors and by the particular battery’s power. The range is 32 MPH to 45 MPH. Crutcher said, “The common Chinese bicycle knock-offs look good on the outside, but can be poorly constructed.” The Shanghai company building FLX bikes builds to FLX specifications. This includes triple-welded frame joints, a rigid-frame, mid-drive electric motor, disc brakes and shocks. The FLXs weigh from 42 lbs. to 49 lbs.; 10 lbs. of that is the battery.

Electric bikes are not new. Electric cars preceded the internal combustion engine version in the United States, but that’s another story. For a great history, view the PBS broadcast Timeline: The History of the Electric Car in October 2009. Link: http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/223/electric-car-timeline.html.

There are a lot of electric bikes in the world, just not so much in this part of the world. The number of bicycles in use for transportation in the Netherlands, Crutcher said, is 20 times greater than in the U.S. In China, possibly the most bike-riding country in the world, the personal automobile is a minority. There are now separate cars-only and bicycles-only roads in the economic development zones of China.

With no brick-and-mortar storefronts, FLX sells over the internet and ships directly to the customer. Crutcher said this model allows the company to sell bikes for $1,300 less than a competitor’s comparable bike. Crutcher is the only one demonstrating FLX bikes regionally. He has a place in Stonington with inventory, and demonstrations can be arranged. davidcrutcher@gmail.com