no more uphill climb for electric bikes

Jeff Baum\'s daily commute is amazing.
He set off from his home in Frisco, Colorado, traveling 16 kilometers each.
His office in Brekenridge-along a winding road and eventually climbing over 3,000 metres into the Rocky Mountains-served as executive director of the Brekenridge festival.
In the 10 years of the film festival, he drove a standard gasoline --
Electric SUVs.
In last September, however, he began to leave it at home for something cheaper, quieter and cleaner: electric bikes.
He says it takes longer for him to go to work, but the bike is more reliable, flexible, energetic and fun than the SUV.
\"I personally feel very good about it,\" said Baum, 53 . \" He paid $7,000 (U. S. )
Buy a bicycle.
\"I got fresh air, and in fact, by turning to the bike, here is one of the few ways I as a person can have a good impact on our environment.
\"Electric bikes have something in common with traditional bikes.
They have work pedals and most of them have gears.
They look similar to traditional bikes, and the two types of riders follow the same road rules.
But when the key starts the battery of the electric bike, the difference begins.
On some models, the rider can screw or thumb throttle on the handlebar without trampling the board and move forward.
On other people, they can step lightly and speed up quickly.
Electric bikes are usually used at speeds of up to 33 km/h and do not require a stampede.
Battery charging can generally cover 80 kilometers, within the distance of many daily commutes.
At the end of the journey, the battery can usually be removed from the compartment and inserted into the wall with special wires.
After a few hours of charging, it can be used again.
Bicycles may not go too far or too fast compared to cars, but with rising fuel prices and heightened concerns about the environment, they are becoming viable options for commuting, shopping and other local tours.
The price of electric bikes ranges from a few hundred dollars for cheap models to $2,000 or more.
Some manufacturers sell electric mountain bikes, flat bikes, folding bikes and even tricycles.
In addition, traditional bicycles can be replaced with electric versions with conversion kits, such as bicycles using lithiumion batteries.
The cost of these kits ranges from a few hundred dollars to $1,000.
Potential savings in fuel can mitigate any sticker impact.
With home gasoline bills averaging more than $2,000 a year, buyers of electric vehicles may recover most or all of their initial costs in a few months.
Popular e-bikes in Asia and Europe have yet to gain a large following in North America.
The annual sales volume here is tens of thousands, compared with 10 million in China in the last year.
Finding a place to buy an electric bike can be a challenge.
Shoppers have little place to kick tires and test spins, while online retailers can charge $200 or more for assembly and delivery.
Internet sites also provide information and sell electric bicycles.
Brooklyn businessman Elrich Daniel said he bought a bike online after doing some research there.
But he said he was sorry he couldn\'t try his bike first.
Daniel, live in a walking place.
The apartment, did not even ride it after the bike was delivered.
\"It is too heavy to lift the steps,\" he said . \".
He decided to have a light bike.
His next option was a Quando II folding electric bike-about 22 kilos-which he bought for $1,150 from NYCeWheels, a store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Quando, manufactured by eZee, has a lithium-
Lighter, more powerful ion batteries (
And more expensive)
More than the lead-acid battery that came with his other bike.
He can feel 8-
He recently had a poor kg of bike weight when he was in the store.
Evelyn avoglia from Stamford, Connecticut
At the same time, try the same model in the store.
\"I have a regular bike but it takes up too much space in my studio apartment and I sweat if I take it to work,\" she bought an eZeeLocal stop-and-
Traffic jam on her 14-year-
Old Honda Civic, though walking and public transportation are too impractical for where she lives, she said.
Morris Swadener, a retired Navy sergeant who lives near Seattle, bought his bike from Houston\'s Veloteq company for $1,450.
He said he was satisfied with his choice.
\"My knee is not good and I don\'t want to step on it,\" he said . \".
\"But I want to go by bike.
\"His Veloteq is like a scooter with a padded seat enough for two people, a spare pedal on the side of the foot pedal, and a safety system.
After the key is taken out, the handlebar lock, the rear wheel is closed, and the alarm rings if someone tries to steal the bike.
If this is not enough to serve as a deterrent, potential thieves need muscles to take 75 lbs. kilogram bike.
The replacement of Quando Veloteq is like this --called pedal-
Auxiliary bicycles are often larger-
Wheeled mountain bikes with more range and speed can be provided.
These models use less power when the rider steps down the pedal. Among the best-
On the Internet and in stores, the known option is a bicycle made by Giant, a traditional bicycle manufacturer that sells electric models for $1,075 and $1,300.
\"Good e-bikes usually cost at least $1,000,\" said Ed Benjamin, President of Cycle electric, a Florida consulting firm . \".
A lot can be found under $2,000.
Then there\'s Optibike, one-year-
Old company based in Boulder, Colorado.
It offers three versions for $5,500, $7,000 and $8,000, respectively.
16 pieces have been sold so far;
Baum\'s were the first.
Optibikes can exceed 33 km/h for a fee of 80 kilometers.
Jim Turner, the builder of Optibike, called it \"the Ferrari of electric bicycles \".
\"He has reached the peak of pike, and he is proud to say that in the game against the muscles --
Armstrong, he will win.