Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How fast are ebikes?
A: Most ebikes will easily go 20 mph which is quite a bit faster than traditional golf carts that top out at about 13 mph. But as a practical matter, you probably wouldn't ride it over 15 mph on the golf course, even though the larger-diameter soft tires handle bumps a lot more smoothly than a traditional sit-down golf cart, especially if you have front shocks and a suspension seat. Some ebikes even have rear suspension for mountain trail riding, although that is certainly not necessary for golf courses.
Q: How much will ebikes actually speed up the round?
A: To be sure, the practical limitation is whether or not the others in your foursome have ebikes, and if there are regular-pace golfers ahead of you in which case you would mostly get to your ball quickly and have to wait to hit your shot. The ultimate will be when everyone on the course has their own ebike which is our goal. Advocates of single-rider devices estimate that it could cut the round by one third compared to conventional carts. In our testing, our foursome has completed rounds in 2 1/2 hours without rushing. To be sure, you could go faster, but golf is an experience to be enjoyed, so we are not advocating rushing the round...just reducing the long waiting periods between shots while enjoying the freedom that comes from gliding over the course on your own ebike.
Q: What is the impact on the grass?
A: A fat tire ebike actually has less pounds-per-square-inch impact on the grass than a traditional 4-tire golf cart. Of course, we also recommend riding in away that respects the course, using the paths, entering at 90 degrees, avoiding soft spots, replacing divots, and parking away from the greens.
Q: Is it powerful enough to go up steep hills?
A: Most ebikes with at least a 500 watt motor will handle golf courses with hills. If you are a heavy person (200 pounds +), you might need to pedal to start out. A 750 watt motor can start out with throttle-only on most hills without needing to do any stand-up pedaling. If your ebike has gears (most do), you can handle any hills and still be able to gear up to high speeds for long rides between holes if your course is spread out.
Q: How does an ebike handle on wet grass?
A: With soft fat tires, ebikes are very stable on wet grass. We have purposefully ridden up, down, and sideways on the steepest grass hills we could find without experiencing any slippage. I would also note that the fat tires will cross over ridges such as the edge of cart paths easily, as well as over small rocks on cart paths. Obviously, common sense always applies.
Q: Is it difficult to balance with the golf bag on the side.
A: No, not at all. You don't even feel it. As kids, we all remember placing our left foot on the pedal, pushing off, then swinging our leg over the seat as shown in the accompanying photo. But we could also coast as long as we wanted standing on the pedal without ever thinking about balancing. It is automatic.
Q: Does the bag kick stand work on hills?
A: Yes, very solidly. It not only serves as a kick stand, it becomes a “brake” locking the bike to the ground preventing it from rolling. It works on down hills, up hills, and side hills. When tilted out fully, it creates a posi-lock angle that transfers all the bag weight down into the ground which makes it super stable.
Q: Does the auto-tilt bag carrier fit on all ebikes?
A: Yes. Bike racks vary significantly. The size of the tubing, the height, the arrangement of cross-bars on the top, and support bars from the frame...all different. Our universal-fit adapter makes it possible to attach our Carrier to any bike with a rack on the back. At least we haven't found any where it won't work. As time goes on, we will customize the kits specifically for every ebike rack that is sent to us for fitting. But for now, our adapter mounting bracket can be attached to any bike rack without the need for tools.
| Steve, I want you to know how pleased I am with your Auto-Tilt Golf Bag Carrier. I thought it might make it difficult to balance since it is hanging on the side of the bike, but balancing is automatic. I can't even feel it. Before getting your carrier, I used a tow-behind 2-wheel cart, but it was tippy, noisy, and I had to put my bike's kick stand up and down between every shot which was a real hassle, especially on uneven ground. Your bag-carrier-as-kick-stand feature is fast and stable. It works smoothly and is quiet. When other golfers see me pull up to my ball and lean the bike over against the bag, then see it auto-tilt back when I take off, they want to take a closer look. My RadRunner ebike with your bag carrier has given me the opportunity to continue to play golf when I thought I might have to give up the game. As an added bonus, I can ride my bike to and from the course which saves on gas. My home course has several steep hills and I just can't walk the 18 holes any more. But I do still want to get some exercise while I play, and using a sit-down cart doesn't provide that. My ebike with pedal assist is the perfect solution. I get just as much exercise as I can handle, and that is good for my health, and will keep me playing the game I love for many more years. If the exercise, speed, and convenience wasn't enough, I've crunched the numbers and it will pay for itself in 1 or 2 years just in cart-rental savings. That might not be exciting news for golf courses, but I am paying them green fees, and a lot more often than if I had to rent a cart, and hopefully for a lot more years. Thank you for your great invention and service. Oakley Smith, RadRunner ebike owner |
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Q: Why did DivnickGolf invent a bag carrier for ebikes when its adjustable loft clubs make walking so easy?
A: That is a great question. Divnick Clubs are telescopic for easy travel and the Adjustable Loft Club can be used for the whole game which makes it VERY easy to walk. Even so, most of our customers use our clubs for travel, but they play with a full set at home where an ebike is a perfect solution. Plus, we have many senior customers who want exercise, but walking 18 can be hard on the joints. So the ebike is a great option for those reasons.
Q: Will ebikes appeal to older golfers?
A: Absolutely. Riding a bike is easy. We all know how to do it. Riding an ebike is even easier. Of course, there will come a time when all of us have to put the clubs away. But when walking 18 holes becomes too difficult, riding a bike will EXTEND our ability to play golf, and provide much-needed exercise at a time in our life when exercise is vitally important. That is also good news for golf courses and the golf industry because it will keep older golfers playing more years.
"Innovation can help golf attract the younger generation."
Green Sports Alliance
Q: Will it attract younger golfers too?
A: Yes, that is one of the benefits of single-rider devices. They allow the game to be played faster which is critically important for youth and young adults. Younger generation players will also like the ability of ebikes to provide as much exercise as they want. ebikes will attract those who value fitness. They also have the appeal of environmentally-friendly electric power.
Q: What if it is raining?
A: That is one of the negatives. ebikes don't provide any protection from rain and it would be difficult to use an umbrella in the wind created by the forward motion. But then, most golfers don't like to play in the rain anyway, even if they can retreat to a conventional cart between shots.
Q: What are the advantages of folding ebikes?
A: It is very quick and easy to fold an ebike as shown in the video below. They will easily fit into most car trunks. I have a mini-van, and I just fold the handlebars down, then insert the front tire in between the passenger seats. If you have a hitch-mount bicycle rack, you wouldn't need a folding bike at all. But if you don't want a rack on the back of your car, a folding bike can be a great advantage. As a bonus, folding bikes usually have the lowest step-through height. Ebikes usually weigh 40 to 60 pounds (18 to 27 kgs).
Q: Can ebikes include holders for a drink bottle, cooler bags, scorecard board, a sand bottle, and cell phone?
A: Yes. All those things are also commonly available on Amazon, Ebay, Walmart and other stores. In fact, we encourage all ebike golfers to carry a sand bottle to fix our divots and help keep the course in good shape. We want golf courses to know that we are good for golf. You can get your own sand bottle (many are available on Amazon and other sources) or use one supplied by the course. All courses will gladly provide a bottle and sand for you...just ask. Consider a wire basket such as the one shown in this next picture. You can either hook it over the right side of your rear rack, or over the handlebars. It can carry a sand bottle, water bottle, range-finder, clipboard, and other items you want readily available. Search for "wire bike baskets" which are available for less than $20 on Amazon.
Click here to see the general Bag Carrier information page
Instructions - Operating and Installing
Golf Course Responses
Customer Reports and Gallery
Ideal Ebikes for Golf
Join the Movement
Single Rider Topics - Golf Industry Encouragement
