I’ve been in communication with members of the Ukraine Territorial Protection Forces, who’ve been searching for assist getting all types of kit. Most lately, they’ve been searching for any form of off-road autos they will get, however regardless of the assistance they’re getting from western governments, provides are all the time in shorter provide than they’d like. This contains not solely autos, however the diesel or gasoline to maintain them shifting. Luckily, clear vitality offers them an alternative choice.
After explaining the advantages of e-bikes (they don’t want gasoline, you possibly can nonetheless pedal them if useless, they usually’re the quietest method to go sooner than strolling), they agreed that they’d be a superb possibility for each navy items and assist employees of varied sorts. Not solely can electrical mountain bikes go off street, however they will extra simply get round rubble, broken roads, and the tank obstacles which are current in lots of cities.
Earlier than I clarify additional why e-bikes are an excellent answer for the underdog in a struggle, I need to go forward and ask readers for assist supplying them. I’ve skilled points with fundraising websites previously blocking gadgets meant for warfare and humanitarian assist abroad, so as a substitute of asking for funds, I’d prefer to request that firms and people ship bikes and equipment immediately. Transport from the US to Ukraine is already taken care of. For those who’d prefer to ship us any of the under gadgets, go to our “contact us” web page and we’ll reply with my handle.
I also can obtain funds by way of Venmo (@jennifersensiba) and Money App ($jennifersensiba). Any funds despatched can be used to buy provides listed under, for gasoline to trailer the bikes to a close-by airbase or terminal, or to unencumber time within the occasion I get swamped with bikes and must briefly work on this full-time (and even then, I’d solely use the naked minimal wanted to do that). Any quantity helps. I’m not a non-profit group, so sadly you possibly can’t deduct it in your taxes.
For those who signify an organization that sells e-bikes, I’ll function your bikes in a overview article earlier than sending them off to assist, and thanks on your assist in featured articles. I can even request follow-up pictures and tales of how the gear helped individuals, and would point out you in these if potential. This is able to each profit your organization and would possibly make it tax deductible as an promoting expense (I’m not a lawyer, please examine along with your accountant or tax lawyer on this).
What We Want
Why We’re Asking For All This
Bicycles even have rather a lot historical past of navy use. For a very long time, the Swiss navy had entire items of “mild bicycle infantry” who rode on actually terrible bikes. The velocity, the silence, the independence from gasoline, and the power to get to many locations the place motorized autos can’t go all provides as much as being extremely helpful. Add an electrical motor, energy electronics, and a contemporary lithium battery, and you’ve got the power to maneuver extra like a bike whereas nonetheless staying silent and having the ability to push or carry the bike a lot simpler. You will have nearly the mobility of a horse, however with out the necessity for feed and veterinary care.
You can too carry weight on the bike with minimal effort. Meals, water, shelter, weapons, ammunition, and rather more don’t weary one’s legs. Add a trailer, and you possibly can carry all the pieces from shoulder-fired missiles to wounded troopers.
Trendy militaries are already experimenting with them and discovering methods to get essentially the most use out of them. There’s the Australian navy (video under), together with quite a lot of European militaries in varied phases of testing.
On high of the mobility benefits, militaries are already planning on utilizing photo voltaic panels to maintain the bikes shifting on lengthy treks without having to ascertain provide strains to ship gasoline. This helps scale back the prices of protection and helps make it a LOT more durable to chop them off and get them out of the battle. Plus, warmth signatures and different methods of getting focused are lessened.
So, this isn’t just a few foolish thought inexperienced fanatics got here up with. It’s one thing bigger, well-supplied militaries are wanting into. Serving to it change into a actuality for Ukraine is an effective way to assist them defend their nation and preserve their prices down in a struggle that doesn’t favor them.
Extra importantly, it’s one thing that we will do for them with out having to have the price range of the US authorities. We will’t provide them with planes, tanks, or something like that, however we can provide them an edge.
Don’t Like To Assist Warfare? Assist Speedy-Supply Life-Saving First Assist Companies
For those who’ve seen social media popping out of Ukraine, it’s clear that there’s a variety of civilian struggling. Damaged buildings and houses, broken streets, and tank obstacles make it troublesome for EMTs, assist employees, and folks delivering important provides to maneuver round cities which have been shelled and bombed.
E-bikes present an highly effective different in these onerous instances. Expertise in France reveals us that utilizing bikes to get round city congestion lowers the time it takes to get public security personnel on scene and saves lives. The congestion in locations like Kyiv is kind of completely different from that in Paris, however the capability to go over small obstacles, undergo small areas, and even carry/push a motorbike over rubble makes issues potential that aren’t potential with ambulances, police vehicles, and different conventional public security autos. Like navy e-bikes, it’s additionally potential to cost them with photo voltaic mills and never depend on scarce gasoline to avoid wasting lives.
The lower-end bikes above are geared towards this mission, so that you don’t should assist warfare to make a distinction and assist harmless individuals experiencing ache and demise proper now.
I hope you’ll be capable to assist this trigger, and if not, I hope you’ll be capable to share this text so we will get issues rolling!
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