this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2023
2069 points (96.2% liked)

Memes

45894 readers
1008 users here now

Rules:

  1. Be civil and nice.
  2. Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Yeah but everyone "needs" an e bike nowadays, which compared to regular bikes is another step back.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If it makes the difference between someone using a bike and not using a bike, it's still a step forward.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago (2 children)

which compared to regular bikes is another step back.

I initially assumed that too, but it turns out that e-bikes are even more efficient than regular bikes. In other words, holding the total amount of (food calories + electricity kWh) constant, an ebike rider can go farther than a regular bike rider on the same amount of energy.

I also recognize that it's easy to fall into a gatekeeping attitude of considering e-bikes as "cheating" compared to regular bikes, but us cyclists have really got to work hard to get over it because it's not helpful.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think they called it a "step back" in terms of being worse for the environment, because of batteries, etc, while a common bike can be used for years and years without creating additional pollution.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They literally could just support asteroid mining so we could have all of this green tech they want without the surface mining baggage.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That tech is unfortunately too far off at this point to be able to supply batteries to the surface of the earth in time to meet the demand from all the new electric vehicles we're seeing.

0G Mining isn't a solved problem either, but we have almost zero experience with controlled reentry of materials at that scale. We would need to manufacture heat shields in space in order to do it, which is a whole other can of worms.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's not too far off. NASA's Artemis program is going surprisingly well and with it we'll have access to resources on the Moon, especially metals that can be mined, and we can access near-Earth asteroids a lot more easily.

Hell, NASA just got a sample back from an asteroid literally a couple of days ago so I think tehnologically we'll be okay. It's high time we overcame those hurdles anyhow.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

The issue isn't whether we can mine space rocks, or even if we can bring back materials from space, it's about doing it at scale and cost-effectively, soon enough for it to matter.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm pretty sure the cyclists out on the bike path appreciate when I pass them and take point for a few minutes. They have my 6'3"/192cm frame sitting tall and creating a nice wind break for them for a few, then I resume my full speed.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I see it as a bridge between cars and bikes, and both have a time and place. My area is pretty flat and I do it partly for the health benefits so I won't get an e bike. But if you have tons of hills, want to haul cargo or have a longer commute I can see it. It can be a "gateway drug" for people that wouldn't otherwise buy a bike.

My concern with e anything are the tons of batteries that will need to be properly disposed of in the coming years and how many can't or won't be.