Made in Nova Scotia Ebikes?

Actually, it equals momentum. Force = mass x acceleration.

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@Ghost
That is correct, I apologize for the inaccuracy. Our point, however, is that it is the energy of the vehicle that matters, not whether its propelled by feet, hands, or rubbing your belly. 32 km/h * 40 kgs equals the same Newtons no matter how that energy was generated.

But yes, you are correct. Thanks

I totally get why some people would find an e-bike an attractive option for commuting (who wants to show up to work sweaty). The less cars on the road during rush hour the better as well IMO. That said, if I were in the market for an ebike for that purpose, what kind of strengths does the SURU have over say Giantā€™s Quick-E+? The Quick-E+ has most of the same parts as a standard bike which means itā€™ll have better serviceability. Iā€™d be willing to bet itā€™s lighter as well. The battery capacity is a tiny bit smaller, but since the bike is setup pedal assist only, Iā€™m assuming the average range with the Quick-E+ would be longer (Iā€™m finding numbers online saying 70 miles for the Quick-E+ vs 30 miles for the SURU). Price wise theyā€™re very comparable.

As far as I can tell the one way the SURU differs (that some people will consider a strength) is that you donā€™t have to pedal if you donā€™t want to.

Iā€™m kind of curious how it feels to use the motor on the SURU and pedal at the same time. Since the userā€™s pedal input isnā€™t tied to the speed controller at all, the user would have to pedal up to their comfortable cadence first then adjust the throttle to a level where it begins to assist their input? Which to me doesnā€™t seem very user friendly.

@JonMacD

To answer your direct comparison, I would say operating cost and durability.

In our research and conversations with fleet customers (municipalities, resorts, rental operators), the seasonal repair bills on bicycles and electric bikes are very significant, including for large name-brands. Some operators report replacing bikes once per season. The facts are that bicycle most commercial components were not engineered for sustained use without regular servicing, which is fine for many casual individual customers. I would answer your question by saying that SURU is a ride and forget solution for people or companies that simply donā€™t want to think about maintenance except recharging the battery.

Serviceability is not an issue. The wheels and tires are designed to handle three times the mass and five times the speed of any bicycle. The tires will outlive the bike, the rims have four time the lateral stiffness, and hub brake is self adjusting and is unlikely to ever require replacement. If it does we sell the parts, which can be installed by any bike shop. Unlike bicycles, which use absurdly expensive and proprietary solutions to basic engineering problems like bearings. A SURU swingarm bushing costs $1. Per pair. The headset bearing is an off-the-shelf cartridge bearing you can buy anywhere for $10.

SURU may not be for you, but we have earnestly tried to design and manufacture a product that fills the need for an e-bike that offers more than a converted bicycle, which, is what 90% of e-bikes are. Plus unlike the competitor you mentioned, it is manufactured in North America.

I hope that makes sense.

@SURU_Cycles, I get it youā€™re trying to have maximum market potential for your product butā€¦ if it has a throttle it is a motorcycle and it shouldnā€™t be in public parks and trails. I have written my councilor to express this opinion. I donā€™t care about any of the other details or analogies sorry.

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Pedal pedal pedal jump brother!

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@bent6543

Iā€™m glad you contacted your councillor, because that is the kind of engagement we need to make good choices in this and other matters concerning mobility.

Yeah, that answers all my questions thanks. TBH, Iā€™d rather see your bikes being rented out for tourists to ride around downtown than having to step off the sidewalk to let a bunch of them by on segways.

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I find it very telling how the company has come here to try and ā€œdefendā€ itā€™s design/place in the market.

@SURU_Cycles, appreciate you joining the conversation on ECMTB. Like you say, energy of a collision is important and depends on both mass and speed. Speed is a big issue. I average 20km/h-ish on my road bike. But thatā€™s on a road bike with slick tires. Less on a trailbike with knobbies. Iā€™d be concerned about a 32 km/h x 80kg vehicle surprising me by blasting around a corner at Shubie Park. BLT trail might be less of an issue, because of the long sightlines of a rail trail. Many here could average faster speeds than me, but our trail bikes probably weigh 10-15 kg-ish. Iā€™m guessing not many here could sustain 32 km/h on an 80kg bike, or sustain 32km/h on trail with a trailer, so comparisons with a human-power only bicycle arenā€™t equal. Comparisons with motorized wheelchairs are probably not fair either. I donā€™t know what the maximum speed of a chair is, but probably not 32 km/h. Iā€™m not sure that advertising that the Suru has racing technology (racing motorcycles cornering hard) on your website is going to help your discussions to access trail either. The Suru sounds like a really interesting option for commuting around town, and I really like that e-bikes are quieter than the gas-powered hybrids. Best wishes for your business venture.

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@Rockhopper

Thanks for the welcome and encouragement. Just and FYI, SURU weighs 35 kgs. I am not sure where you are getting 80 fromā€¦ pounds maybe.

Anyway, safe, happy trails.

M

Oops. Yes, must have mixed up my units. Happy Suruing. :slight_smile:

I believe it was two years ago that e-fatbikes hit Europe like a storm, and for the most part people were very open minded and accepting. Switch to North America and they are practically cursed on and shunned. I wrote a blog posting on E-Fatbikes and the amount of hate mail I received was KRAZY.

I personally have a EVGlobal E-Bike that was designed by Mr. Mustang and Minivan himself . . . Lee Iacocca. The company was a little ahead of its time and folded. Beautiful bike: 36V 500w motor, front suspension, lightening and it had gears (7 I believe). Speed was limited to 35kph.

Do I see myself riding a e-fatbike now? No. Unless I wanted to go some incredible distance in the winter on backwoods trails. As I get older . . . maybe . . . so I can kinda keep up with the younger 40 year olds.

There are markets for e-bikes and I commend @SURU_Cycles for taking a stab at it.

Step off soapbox.

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@FatbikeRepublic

I have been a cyclist for thirty years, but made my career in the motorcycle industry. I know of what you speak, the phrase ā€œideological dogmaā€ must have been invented by some sect of the motorcycle community.

"A Harley-Davidson with liquid-cooling and chain-driven cams? A BMW without separate turn signal indicators? A Vespa made of plastic? 1000 LASHES YOU HEATHEN! "

One day we will all just ride what we want (safely and respectfully) and care less about what others think of us.

Thanks for the comments

_SURU

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Just curious what yā€™all think of my wifes all electric rig with no pedal assist at allā€¦ it is throttle operated and does 13km/hr. Oh and it also has a cane holder on the backā€¦ are some of you suggesting my wife shouldnā€™t ride the non motorized only rail to trails or canā€™t ride Subie Canal or Point Pleasant?

It can become a slippery slope when you start making waves about something that should be a non issue. Some on here sound like the hikers complaining about bikes on their trailsā€¦

Considering the SURU, (or any electric rig for that matter), couldnt handle the trails i ride, (if you cant gap it, you cant ride it) - i couldnt care less. But there gets to be a point where you need to draw a line with multi use trails. I understand both sides of the party here but we cant have it wide open with no regulations