Out Of The Mouths of Babes

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DearMissMermaid

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Joined
Dec 26, 2009
Posts
2,572
Location
on the move USA
Oh my...

I think my inner child is creeping out of me in a very big way.

It started when Santa Claus brought me a shiny red bicycle 2 years ago. I just can't seem to leave it alone, I keep jazzing it up. It's my treasured toy!

In case you didn't realize it, I don't own a car, just this little old RV, my doggy and a bicycle.

So over time, I've added a front basket to my bike for my puppy dog and rear saddle baskets for his toys and treats.

I added a brass ding a ling bell to warn others, "Here I come, ready or not!"

I added streamers to my handle bars and a cup holder for my sippy water.

I bought some little slip-on Crocs for my feet and bike shorts in assorted colors to match my oversized tunics.

I put dried baby's breath flowers in my rear bike basket. I found a gold bow on the ground around Christmas time and stuck that on the rear fender.

One day recently I put my long hair in braids, put my puppy in his basket up front then rode around the campground on my shiny red bicycle for exercise.

A girl about 8 years old was standing at the edge of her campsite on the side of the road as I peddled by.

She smiled and waved then yelled at the top of her lungs "Look! Mommy! Daddy! Look! I want a bicycle JUST LIKE HERS!"

 

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Looks like fun.....One thing though, I wouldnt depend on those Crocks if you have to put your feet down quick...I might think about some more solid shoes
 
That's cute Missmermaid.  I'm glad you're enjoying this lifestyle!

ArdraF
 
For those who do not know I have seen MMs Bicycle.. It does have an electric booster motor (2 aa's ????) that boosts her speed when needed....Would not mind that system on my bicycle.

She is quite a person.  Some day I will get back to where she hangs out.
 
To Wizard46
You are RIGHT!

To John From Detroit
You are RIGHT!

To mariekie4
Wheeeeeeeee!

To blw2
Yes.
Also working on blog article about that too.

To poncho62
The bike came with brakes, no need to stop it with my feet. Besides my motorhome is so tiny, I can't buy spare shoes.

To Joezeppy
Nope, not a disc brake.

To rebelsun
Tee hee hee *hiccup* tee hee hee!

To carson
I want some of what you're drinking!

To ArdraF
No car, no problem, have bike,have motorhome. Will travel!

To John From Detroit
I am going to be on the SC coast for 6 weeks starting April 26... My bicycle loves beach riding!

ANSWERS...

My doctor said I was crazy and it would be a waste of money to think about buying a bike, that I would never be able to enjoy it given my medical mess. A year later, Santa Claus brought me a bicycle anyhow.

But, the doc was right.

I am crazy!

Also I found out the bicycle left me stranded sometimes or I wasn't strong enough to counter strong head winds or go up some hills. I wasn't able to enjoy the bike as much as I had hoped. On more than one occasion I pushed the bicycle home in tears. I ended up occasionally doing boring circles close to the motorhome.

Oh joy.

I did a mountain of research for over a year while saving up my pennies, nickels and dimes. Finally I bought this front wheel electric kit. It can be moved from bike to bike and my bike can be converted back to a non-electric.

So, yes, I do have emergency electric assist. I will be writing a detailed article about it on my blog soon. I wanted to give it a good fair testing before I started boasting about its fine attributes.

Basically that round silver thing on the front tire is an electric motor connected to a recharable lithium battery. I bought the kit and installed it 16 months after Santa Claus brought me the 7 speed bike.

The motor has a secret magic button. If I need help getting back home, peddling through head winds, making it up a hill, or keeping up with athletic friends, I just use my magic button for electrical assistance. The motor is super quiet if one is already peddling. It can go up to about 15 miles per hour and I tested it on a "You are going this fast" electronic sign in a public park where I actually got up to 17 a few times.

The funny thing is, I am getting stronger and stronger because I have the confidence to get on my bicycle every day now.

I try to peddle 100% of the time for health's sake, but when the going gets tough, the tough push the magic button.

I've had a bit of wicked fun with it too. A few camgrounds back some snotty little kids on their bicycles were loudly making fun of me as they passed by me and said some very unkind words that would make their parents embarrassed to know them. (Think of middle school bullies.) I let them get ahead, then as they were getting ready to go uphill, I peddled fast and furious, hit my magic button and FLEW up the hill, past those little brats leaving them way behind in the dust. I even turned around and stuck my tongue out too!

My inner child... acting up... tee hee hee!

After getting the electric kit, I began jazzing up the bicycle with other accoutrements.

Trivia...
Since I've owned the bicycle, my doggy has done every mile but 2 with me. He loves it!


 
hey that's really great, but expensive!!!! Prob worth it though.....& I'm glad it's working well for you and you're having fun with it!
 
blw2 said:
hey that's really great, but expensive!!!! Prob worth it though.....& I'm glad it's working well for you and you're having fun with it!

Everything is expensive these days...  ???

This is .036 cents per mile, that doesn't seem expensive to me, but to each their own.  ;)

For instance my battery is rated for 20 miles, so figure one can go 10 miles running errands then turn around to go home and that's assuming no pedaling. It's virtually maintenance free, no costly licensing, taxes or insurance involved, no fuel to buy. Think about it... what other mode of "motor" transportation can you use that factors out to be so ridiculously cheap?

The 20 mile battery sells for $369 and has about 500 recharges, so that is about 10,000 miles of motor alone, without pedaling or  0.036 cents per mile.

The entire kit with the 20 mile battery and 26 inch front whell (they sell smaller batteries) but the 20 mile one with the entire kit,  sells for $799 plus $13.99 shipping so that is $812.99
If you want to throw out the old motor and wheel, then "replace" the  entire unit (motor, front wheel and battery) every 10,000 miles, that is still only .08 cents per mile.

Elec front wheel bike kit:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K7IA5JG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00K7IA5JG&linkCode=as2&tag=motorhomeandrvstore-20&linkId=L4MNITMUQPDXP4BO


Since I already pay camping fees that includes electricity, I obviously use their electricity to recharge the battery, though a solar panel would work fine too, so basically I have no electricity charges.

But I pedal because that's the main reason I ride the bike, for exercise and sightseeing, though I have actually run errands and shopped with it. I use the motor when I need to, it gives me the confidence to go out and about since I am not the athlete I would like to be.  :p

I don't own a car so I can jump for joy that my little electric kit gives me the confidence to go out biking, and I am not needlessly polluting for pleasure. Just think about it... if half the adult Americans used electric assist bicycles to run common errands, pollution would decrease dramatically, traffic jams would be a thing of the past, health care costs would drop (assuming one occasionally pedals for the vast circulatory benefits)

But when I am dragging myself about dreading walking or dreading bike riding, just dreading exercise in general... I ask myself "Would you rather be sitting in a doctor's office or would you rather be out walking or biking?"  ;D

When I read that many folks had lost weight and improved their health after buying an electric assist kit or bicycle, I was dumb founded. But after digging deeper, what I discovered was that folks like me, suddenly had the confidence to get up and go on their bicycle knowing they had the magic button for assistance when needed. As a result, they built up strength and stamina by pedaling more and more each day. each ride.

I have a friend who is athletic and loves to ride 10-20 miles a day on a bicycle. Two years ago when we tried riding together, I was pooped out tired after 1 or 2 miles. Now when we ride together, we can do those long trips together and I have "assistance" when needed or desired. Biking has become fun fun fun for me now and my silly little dog rides everywhere with me.

 

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I don't think we're in Kansas any more ToTo!

BTW, I like the window box, and flowers growing on the side of the slide out of the RV....lol  ;)
 
That sounds like something that would work for Sue Anne.  I would like to get her a 3 wheeler for stability so she and I can ride, that might give her the confidence to do so.  Will have to look into that.

I like the idea Miss Mermaid, I think its a good deal.  Also if you get to far away you don't have to worry about being able to get home.
 

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