Commuting on a Clem vs. an electric bike

[ANDREW ALLEN ERMAN]

Dear all, I hope you are weathering the many and terrible challenges facing our country at the present time.  I am always thankful for bikes but more so now.  It is good to have something in one's life, that one loves.  Grant's essay on the racial inequities regarding biking hit a nerve.  I guess being privileged can mean taking things for granted, like being able to ride a bike and not worrying about being singled out because of how I look.  I digress.  I have commuted to work for the past 31 years.  Several years ago I got tired of changing my clothes when I got to work and when I left, so I bought an electric bike (a Stromer ST2).  My ride was faster.  I did not sweat.  I could wear my work clothes to work (no need to change my clothes).  I have logged around 6000 miles on the Stromer.  I have no complaints about this bike.  It has been reliable and does the job.  A while ago, I set my Clem up for commuting or carrying groceries or whatever.  When the weather was cold (a relative concept, as I live in Los Angeles), I decided to try commuting on the Clem.  My commute is 4 miles each way.  I have been riding it ever since and my Stromer has sat largely unused.  So here are the pros and cons as I see it, between commuting with these 2 bikes:

Stromer pros:

Fast (up to 28 to 30 mph, if I work hard, usually cruise in the low 20s)

No to little sweating

Comfortable (seat and front suspension)

Stromer cons:

Doesn't quite feel like a regular bike - there is always a little undefinable something (weight, moment of drag, not sure what it is)

Changing a rear flat is a MAJOR hassle as this is a rear hub motor and removing the wheel is more difficult - I use Marthon Plus tires and thankfully have had only one flat in the years I have owned the bike

The bike is very heavy (a. 60 lb.) so transporting on a trunk mounted bike rack is more of a challenge

Clem pros:

Comfortable (more than the Stromer, probably because I am going slower and perhaps because of the long wheel base)

I get to enjoy the scenery more as I am going slower

Clem cons:

I am back to riding in bike shorts and T-shirt and changing my clothes at work

Overall, I enjoy the riding experience of the Clem more.  It feels more like a bike, which funny enough, it is.  I am enjoying the low tech-ness of the Clem.  I look at the Clem (which is parked in my office) and I enjoy the view.  I did not do that with the Stromer.

I will probably ride the Stomer when it gets very hot.  For now, I am on the Clem.  However, I am subject to change, like the weather.

My best to you all.

Andy

[Mark Roland]

Hi Andy. Thanks for the comparison. I've been commuting by bike for about the same timespan, including on a Clem. For the last 5-6 years, my commute has been 5-7 miles each way. I commute in most weather.  It gets humid and hot here in the Hudson Valley in the summer months. I maybe ride a tad slower, but really, as soon as I arrive, pow, the sweat just materializes. Oh well. I change my undershirt and clean up a bit with a damp towel. The chance to ride in on a beautiful summer morning completely outweighs any worry about sweat.

[ANDREW ERMAN]

I forgot to mention I love riding the Clem!   Just a wonderful bicycle.  

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[Joe Bernard]

You could make an eClem, who wants to hear me talk about that endlessly again??

GO AWAY JOE!

[Dave Redmon]

I'm about to switch my e motor/battery from my Sam to my Clem L. Looking forward to riding on a longer wheelbase and wider tires!

Dave in Kansas

[J Imler]

The Joe Appaloosa makes for a fine Ebike conversion as well. I’m loving the utility and comfort. I’m not in a hurry usually, just enjoying the ride. The Smart Sam Plus tires are a tight fit in the rear, but it all clears.