U-PASS Profiles
Bicycling: Profile
(originally published in the Spring 2002 U-Commute News)
Jim Portugal, Central Services Manager
For Jim Portugal it might not be the electric bike he rides, but perhaps the purple helmet, purple reflectors, and purple "W" on his battery pack that catch people's attention as he rides 13.7 miles one-way from Kenmore to the UW along the Burke-Gilman trail.
Jim began riding a pedal-only bike in 1997 because he lost a bet with a neighbor. Jim bet that the Huskies would win that year's Apple Cup against the Cougars. Unfortunately for Jim, they lost. As a consequence he was forced to place a full-sized Cougar sticker on his car covering the back window for a year. As a loyal Husky fan, he was too embarrassed to display the sticker in public, so he chose to park his car in his driveway and bike everyday except for Fridays when he brought his clothes to the office so he wouldn't have to carry them Monday through Friday on his bicycle. On the days he drove, he parked in an unidentified location.
During this year, he lost 45 pounds. After the bet was over, he continued to ride his bike to work, but acknowledges it became difficult to bike from home to campus and still manage to balance work and family, which includes his wife and three boys. He spends his evenings after work coaching his older son Colin's baseball team, participates in church activities, and shows his Husky support by regularly attending football and basketball games. To accommodate his schedule and reduce his commute time, Jim decided to buy an electric bicycle in August 2001.
The electric bicycle is a rapidly emerging new legal category of vehicle. Approximately 30,000 electric bikes were sold in 2001 in the U.S., 70,000 in Europe, 200,000 in Japan, and 300,000 in China. An electric bike's hill-flattening ability, plus the option to arrive without a single bead of perspiration, are convincing many that there are more attractive transportation choices for commuting, errands or recreation than the automobile.
There are a number of electric bicycles on the market from Power Assisted Peddling (PAP) to Variable Power Control (VPC) technologies that are taking cycling to a new level. There are also kits that make it possible to convert a pedal-bike into an electric bike. This 400-watt motor with 24-volt energy source lets any cyclist cruise up the steepest hill and last on longer rides while still enjoying the health benefits of cycling for a portion of the trip.
Electric bikes do not require licenses or insurance, are allowed on most bike trails including the Burke-Gilman, cruise up to 20 mph, and cost no more than what some people pay for a pedal-only bicycle.
These days, Jim is able to maintain his busy lifestyle and keep in shape, by riding his electric bike. "If I wanted to ride, I need to do it in the most efficient way." On days when he plans properly, he rides into work. Then, in the evening, he takes his bike across the 520 bridge on the bus and rides the rest of the way to the baseball fields where he meets his wife who brings the sports equipment. "In some cases, I actually get there faster than the cars," Jim says. And he has continuous flow and doesn't get stuck in traffic.
An electric bike costs between $700 and $2,000 depending on the model. According to Eric Sundin of Electric Vehicles Northwest, Inc., the only electric dealership in Seattle, there are approximately ten UW staff and faculty who have purchased electric bikes. Even if ridden five trips per week the bi-monthly charging cost would typically be less than one dollar. This energy use would rank between the cost of using a computer or hairdryer ($2.41 and .50 bimonthly respectively).
Although Jim's wife is supportive of him bicycling to work, she wasn't inclined to pay for his bike with the family budget. So in order to purchase his $800 electric bike, Jim created web sites for neighbors and "…even mowed lawns over the summer to earn the money necessary to purchase the bike." His bike looks more like a pedal bike than other types of assisted bikes.
Jim makes his commute easy by setting up his home computer so all of his work files are accessible. This limits the amount of items he needs to carry back and forth. Additionally, he keeps a wide variety of clothes, including suits and Dockers, in his locker. He takes a shower after his ride and is ready to begin work at 7:30 am.
The least appealing parts of his commute are the headwinds around the lake along the Burke-Gilman and the bugs. "I hate bugs. One of these days, I'll learn to keep my mouth closed."
Jim uses the electric part of the bicycle for only about 10 minutes out of his 35 minute commute of what used to be a 50-55 minute commute on his pedal-only bike commute. The electric bike allows him to fully crank and keep his momentum up the hills. Most of the time, however, he is going faster than the motor. The times he uses the electric component are going up hills to get his speed back up, or when he is too exhausted to maintain 15-20 mph. He often times himself to try to beat his time from a previous ride. Biking gives him "down-time" to connect with nature, which allows him to appreciate his surroundings. It is at this time that he makes a connection with nature allowing him to appreciate Washington, the place he calls home.
For more information about Electric Vehicles Northwest, Inc. visit
206.547.4621
JIM'S TIPS:
1. Layer your clothing appropriately.
2. Make sure people hear you when you pass. Use a bell or yell out, "passing on your left."
3. Commute rides are different than recreational rides. Ride with a purpose.
4. Drink plenty of water along the way.
5. Don't carry your clothes. Once a week drive in and drop off what you'll need for the following week.
