Conserve Energy: Commute with a Hamiltonian
I'm looking forward to an entirely electric commute.
Which is surprisingly tricky, given the 40 miles I have to go, through a landscape of suburbia, cities, and parkland, all very much designed for cars. I told myself a long time ago that the next car I'd get would be electric (and the GM EV1 had just come out around then. But that's another story.)
So I got a Prius, which is halfway there. But even though the electric acceleration gives a hint of what is possible in terms of power, quiet, and convenience, it is still a car, noisy and smelly and bumpy and beholden to traffic and parking and generally demanding too much of your attention, whether you're in it or not. End litany.
There are the light rail and Caltrain lines, which take me 90% of the way, but the biggest problem is getting up the hill to work. I can take a shuttle bus, if I'm prepared to time my morning to get in before 10. And see noisy, smelly, bumpy, above. (Caltrain is not actually electric. Yet. But hopefully by 2012!)
My solution is to get an electric assist for my bike. It's a 1500W motor installed in the front wheel, with a battery pack on the back rack. More than enough power to get up 1.5 miles of 7% grade by itself, and keep going over 20 mph. In fact, the risk was that it might twist up the front forks, but they seem strong enough. On the flat, it'll go 36mph - they recommend motorcycle gear and training! Probably a 10 mile range, maxed out. Going slower, or actually pedalling, could bring it to over 20 miles.
It becomes quite a heavy beast, with 30 lb of motor on the front and 4 x 10lb sealed lead acid batteries at the back. I shall need to practice the bike rack snatch to get it on the train. Light rail actually gets 90% of the way to most places in the south bay, so it'll give me quite a bit of mobility. Instead of 40 minutes of driving to work, I'll have 30 on the train and 30 of cycling.
It should be ready for me by Friday! Physical exercise daily will also be good. Physics exercises have their place too.
Which is surprisingly tricky, given the 40 miles I have to go, through a landscape of suburbia, cities, and parkland, all very much designed for cars. I told myself a long time ago that the next car I'd get would be electric (and the GM EV1 had just come out around then. But that's another story.)
So I got a Prius, which is halfway there. But even though the electric acceleration gives a hint of what is possible in terms of power, quiet, and convenience, it is still a car, noisy and smelly and bumpy and beholden to traffic and parking and generally demanding too much of your attention, whether you're in it or not. End litany.
There are the light rail and Caltrain lines, which take me 90% of the way, but the biggest problem is getting up the hill to work. I can take a shuttle bus, if I'm prepared to time my morning to get in before 10. And see noisy, smelly, bumpy, above. (Caltrain is not actually electric. Yet. But hopefully by 2012!)
My solution is to get an electric assist for my bike. It's a 1500W motor installed in the front wheel, with a battery pack on the back rack. More than enough power to get up 1.5 miles of 7% grade by itself, and keep going over 20 mph. In fact, the risk was that it might twist up the front forks, but they seem strong enough. On the flat, it'll go 36mph - they recommend motorcycle gear and training! Probably a 10 mile range, maxed out. Going slower, or actually pedalling, could bring it to over 20 miles.
It becomes quite a heavy beast, with 30 lb of motor on the front and 4 x 10lb sealed lead acid batteries at the back. I shall need to practice the bike rack snatch to get it on the train. Light rail actually gets 90% of the way to most places in the south bay, so it'll give me quite a bit of mobility. Instead of 40 minutes of driving to work, I'll have 30 on the train and 30 of cycling.
It should be ready for me by Friday! Physical exercise daily will also be good. Physics exercises have their place too.