Jengod, I’d love to hear more about the Elf you purchased. I never knew about these and I live not far from where they’re manufactured. Plus, I’m in an ideal location for one. Now, if I can just get my husband on board.Would love to hear how and when you use it.
Hi @retiredat58:
We have three little kids (with #4 due in May) and we live smack in the middle of a very car-dependent city, so if we want to do commuter bike stuff we think we need to do it a little differently. I just don’t feel safe with my babies on bikes alongside our large highways.
Our first try was a Babboe Curve 4-seat cargo bike. We love it and I use it a lot. This is best for grocery shopping or supply-run type errands, and the afternoon school run when I’m not in a rush.
Our second try at cycle-based commuter transport is the ELF (Electric Light Fun). The ELF we purchased has room for two little kids to squish in the back. There’s a little trunk but not too much storage so I haven’t used it for shopping yet. This is best for the morning school run when my husband can stay with our 2yo and we need a little speed.
School run in car (one-way): 8 mins
School run in ELF: 10-15 mins
School run in Babboe: 25 mins
I am 5’2” and not particularly fit so the ELF’s e-assist is great getting up hills and ramps, and when I am carrying lots of kids. It’s also great to use the throttle to kick off from a stoplight at basically regular traffic speed.
The ELF only has one seatbelt in the back. (I tried putting my daughter’s big car seat in there and it just tipped her forward and didn’t seem to fit right.) The Babboe has harness-like seatbelts for each passenger and a custom “toddler seat.”
In stop and go gridlock, the ELF is easily competitive with a car. On a surface street with no traffic, the 20-25mph top speed is slow compared to cars that are going 40-45.
The battery is trickle-charged by the solar but can/should also be recharged from a wall outlet.
It has headlights, turn signals, a horn, a bell and an onboard battery monitor.
The biggest problem so far was that I tried to take it in a big automated car parking structure and it’s so light that it couldn’t trigger the magnet sensors that turn on the gateway machines. I should have just left it parked on the grass but my 6yo complained that was weird.
So far we’ve really liked it. It’s technically a “solar-charged recumbent e-bike in a car-shaped kayak shell” or a “solar car/golf cart.” My husband wants a second one someday, in a less garish color than our current Mango Safety orange.