Electric bicycles - who buys them?

Electric bicycles - who buys them?

Author
Discussion

President Merkin

2,980 posts

19 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
Fundamental to this debate around motorised vs non motorised cycles is that unless you've got experience of riding a non ebike, an ebike and a motorbike then your opinion is worth absolutely fxk all.

I've had plenty of exposure to all three.

15.5mph is too fekin slow.
Amen to all of that.

PushedDover

5,657 posts

53 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
So if you have NOT got experience of a motorbike you should or should not be able to ride an ebike above 15.5mph

I see folks get on an ebike now and get a fright at times

CheesecakeRunner

3,807 posts

91 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
Fundamental to this debate around motorised vs non motorised cycles is that unless you've got experience of riding a non ebike, an ebike and a motorbike then your opinion is worth absolutely fxk all.

I've had plenty of exposure to all three.

15.5mph is too fekin slow.
45 years riding covering all three.

If you want to go fast, get a motorbike.

monthou

4,581 posts

50 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
CheesecakeRunner said:
dave_s13 said:
Fundamental to this debate around motorised vs non motorised cycles is that unless you've got experience of riding a non ebike, an ebike and a motorbike then your opinion is worth absolutely fxk all.

I've had plenty of exposure to all three.

15.5mph is too fekin slow.
45 years riding covering all three.

If you want to go fast, get a motorbike.
Where does 'fast' start?

trails

3,717 posts

149 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
bobbo89 said:
That's happened to me, similar scenario but took the bike to meet a mate for a pint rather than a ride. Bike threw an error code on the way and kept cutting in and out of power, cracked on regardless.

When I set off back it packed in completely stating a speed sensor error. I dragged it back home but that included 3 fair climbs which killed me. When I got back I just sat on the garage floor for about half an hour as my legs were toast, beyond jelly and just completely dead!
You never forget those epic rides though do you smile

Edited by trails on Tuesday 26th March 09:16

frisbee

4,979 posts

110 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
I've got a motorbike licence, it's about as relevant as my bronze swimming certificate to riding a bike or e-bike.

Experience from tens of thousands of miles riding a motorbike, yes, the training and licence, utterly irrelevant.

25km/h is pointlessly slow. Up it to 20mph and a lot more people will commute by bike.

CheesecakeRunner

3,807 posts

91 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
monthou said:
Where does 'fast' start?
Fast, IMO, should stop at where the average cyclist can ride an unpowered bike. Otherwise you’re into the realms of powered two-wheelers and should be subject to all the rights and responsibilities that go with them.

monthou

4,581 posts

50 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
CheesecakeRunner said:
Fast, IMO, should stop at where the average cyclist can ride an unpowered bike. Otherwise you’re into the realms of powered two-wheelers and should be subject to all the rights and responsibilities that go with them.
And how fast is that?

trails

3,717 posts

149 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
CheesecakeRunner said:
Fast, IMO, should stop at where the average cyclist can ride an unpowered bike. Otherwise you’re into the realms of powered two-wheelers and should be subject to all the rights and responsibilities that go with them.
On the flat, or down a hill; road bike, or full sus MTB, or cargo bike...?

So many variables that would change the speed an average cyclist could ride at, with ease.

monthou

4,581 posts

50 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
trails said:
CheesecakeRunner said:
Fast, IMO, should stop at where the average cyclist can ride an unpowered bike. Otherwise you’re into the realms of powered two-wheelers and should be subject to all the rights and responsibilities that go with them.
On the flat, or down a hill; road bike, or full sus MTB, or cargo bike...?

So many variables that would change the speed an average cyclist could ride at, with ease.
Average adult?
Are we including cyclists in their eighties and 8 year olds?
Average speed or top speed?

I'm nearly 58, less fit than I'd like and a little overweight. I'll hit 20mph most times I'm on a bike. It doesn't feel anything like motorbike speeds.

bmwmike

6,950 posts

108 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
PushedDover said:
So if you have NOT got experience of a motorbike you should or should not be able to ride an ebike above 15.5mph

I see folks get on an ebike now and get a fright at times
Can't work out if this is humour, trolling, or just really odd.

PushedDover

5,657 posts

53 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
bmwmike said:
PushedDover said:
So if you have NOT got experience of a motorbike you should or should not be able to ride an ebike above 15.5mph

I see folks get on an ebike now and get a fright at times
Can't work out if this is humour, trolling, or just really odd.
Bless


Or is it then that unless we are one of the fraction of the population that holds a motorbike license, our opinions of bike vs ebike vs electric derestricted are not valid


Kinda as the top of the page post says.

bmwmike

6,950 posts

108 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
PushedDover said:
Bless


Or is it then that unless we are one of the fraction of the population that holds a motorbike license, our opinions of bike vs ebike vs electric derestricted are not valid


Kinda as the top of the page post says.
Makes no sense.

Having a motorbike license or not is irrelevant. It's a silly comparison. A pedal assisted ebike is absolutely nothing like a motorbike, be it a 50cc, 125cc or 1000cc as someone above posted.

You said "if you have NOT got experience of a motorbike you should or should not be able to ride an ebike above 15.5mph". You think pedal bikes should have a top speed of 15.5mph.

Max assisted speed should be 20mph. It doesn't require a motorbike license to ride at 20mph assisted.




Edited by bmwmike on Saturday 23 March 12:40

PushedDover

5,657 posts

53 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
bmwmike said:
PushedDover said:
Bless


Or is it then that unless we are one of the fraction of the population that holds a motorbike license, our opinions of bike vs ebike vs electric derestricted are not valid


Kinda as the top of the page post says.
Makes no sense.

Having a motorbike license or not is irrelevant. It's a silly comparison. A pedal assisted ebike is absolutely nothing like a motorbike, be it a 50cc, 125cc or 1000cc as someone above posted.

Pedal bikes can easily exceed 15mph so why limit the assistance to 15mph. It makes even less sense than your assertion that "if you have NOT got experience of a motorbike you should or should not be able to ride an ebike above 15.5mph" which seems to suggest that the brakes should be applied automatically at 16mph?! You don't seem to understand that pedal assisted ebikes can ride well above 15.5mph, and someone riding at 16mph assisted or otherwise need not get a "fright" as you put it.

Max assisted speed should be 20mph. It doesn't require a motorbike license to ride at 20mph assisted.
yet:

dave_s13 said:
Fundamental to this debate around motorised vs non motorised cycles is that unless you've got experience of riding a non ebike, an ebike and a motorbike then your opinion is worth absolutely fxk all.

I've had plenty of exposure to all three.

15.5mph is too fekin slow.
That was the part I was responding to that you have taken debate to

dave_s13

13,814 posts

269 months

Saturday 23rd March
quotequote all
PushedDover said:
bmwmike said:
PushedDover said:
Bless


Or is it then that unless we are one of the fraction of the population that holds a motorbike license, our opinions of bike vs ebike vs electric derestricted are not valid


Kinda as the top of the page post says.
Makes no sense.

Having a motorbike license or not is irrelevant. It's a silly comparison. A pedal assisted ebike is absolutely nothing like a motorbike, be it a 50cc, 125cc or 1000cc as someone above posted.

Pedal bikes can easily exceed 15mph so why limit the assistance to 15mph. It makes even less sense than your assertion that "if you have NOT got experience of a motorbike you should or should not be able to ride an ebike above 15.5mph" which seems to suggest that the brakes should be applied automatically at 16mph?! You don't seem to understand that pedal assisted ebikes can ride well above 15.5mph, and someone riding at 16mph assisted or otherwise need not get a "fright" as you put it.

Max assisted speed should be 20mph. It doesn't require a motorbike license to ride at 20mph assisted.
yet:

dave_s13 said:
Fundamental to this debate around motorised vs non motorised cycles is that unless you've got experience of riding a non ebike, an ebike and a motorbike then your opinion is worth absolutely fxk all.

I've had plenty of exposure to all three.

15.5mph is too fekin slow.
That was the part I was responding to that you have taken debate to
That wasn't my point at all.

If you want to opine that 15.5mph for an ebike is perfectly adequate and if you want to go faster, buy a motorbike. Then you haven't got experience of riding 2 wheeled devices in all their forms and therefore your opinion is irrelevant.

You need to have experienced.

1. Blowing out your arse on a normal bike
2. Riding a restricted ebike, seeing the massive potential but experiencing the boat anchor effect...it's st.
3. Riding a 20mph assisted ebike and experiencing that is in fact the sweet spot between safety and usability.
4.Getting on something that will rip your arms out of the sockets and fills up with petrol....only to know the statement about wanna go faster, get a motorbike is complete bks.

To be clear I do not condone totally unrestricted ebikes or ebikes with throttles ridden by ballied up yoofs....they are just deadly.

Edited by dave_s13 on Saturday 23 March 19:38

gangzoom

6,303 posts

215 months

Sunday 24th March
quotequote all
Let's all nor forget its 100% perfectly possible to go faster than 15.5mph on an eBike that's not been 'chipped'


-Pete-

2,892 posts

176 months

Sunday 24th March
quotequote all
gangzoom said:
Let's all nor forget its 100% perfectly possible to go faster than 15.5mph on an eBike that's not been 'chipped'
but let’s not forget that some e-bike motors create huge drag when they get over 15.5mph

PushedDover

5,657 posts

53 months

Sunday 24th March
quotequote all
-Pete- said:
gangzoom said:
Let's all nor forget its 100% perfectly possible to go faster than 15.5mph on an eBike that's not been 'chipped'
but let’s not forget that some e-bike motors create huge drag when they get over 15.5mph
So why change the law because some are stter than others ?

monthou

4,581 posts

50 months

Sunday 24th March
quotequote all
PushedDover said:
-Pete- said:
gangzoom said:
Let's all nor forget its 100% perfectly possible to go faster than 15.5mph on an eBike that's not been 'chipped'
but let’s not forget that some e-bike motors create huge drag when they get over 15.5mph
So why change the law because some are stter than others ?
Because not everyone can / will throw £5K at an e-bike.
And not everyone wants to use them in the same way.
What's the downside of assistance to 20mph, given any cyclist who wants to will see that going downhill anyway?

carlo996

5,669 posts

21 months

Sunday 24th March
quotequote all
OutInTheShed said:
Keeping e-bikes to 15-ish mph is perhaps pointless on an actual road, but it's different on a bridleway or shared path where pedestrians are not expecting motor vehicles.

There are journeys where a 30mph moped would be a more sensible answer than a 15mph ebike.
There are places where pedestrians can reasonably share with a 15mph ebike but not 30mph mopeds.

For other purposes, a 70mph electric motorbike would be a tidy means of transport.

I think what a lot of people actually want is something like an 'electric 125'. You'd need insurance, a helmet and a bit of training. Adequate speed to play with the traffic, and to get where you need to be in sensible time, an actual alternative to getting in your car.

Not a toy pushbike for lazy people.

Other people have journeys to do where an e-bike ticks the box and are quietly cracking on with it.
Personally my needs are either met by a dumb pedal cycle or 1000cc of proper bike, but if I had trips to do which screamed 'ebike', I'd have one by ther end of the week. YMMV!
At least you’re consistent.