Electric bikes what’s going on?
Discussion
I was cycling to work this morning when a foreign student on a ‘shopping’ type bike cut in front of me. Mildly irritated I pulled alongside to pass, and realised that it was an electric bike.
I fondly imagined it would top out at about 15mph having once had a go on one of these. However, at around 20 (on an accurate Garmin) it was still accelerating so I let it go.
The rider didn’t appear to be pedalling (again different from the one I tried - that would only assist when the rider was pedalling). This was on a flat surface with little wind by the way.
Have the rules been relaxed recently?
I fondly imagined it would top out at about 15mph having once had a go on one of these. However, at around 20 (on an accurate Garmin) it was still accelerating so I let it go.
The rider didn’t appear to be pedalling (again different from the one I tried - that would only assist when the rider was pedalling). This was on a flat surface with little wind by the way.
Have the rules been relaxed recently?
I at least “ghost pedal” to give the police some element of doubt! The availability of kits and components online make it possible for even a shopping bike to become a 30 mph++ cruiser.
My ebike is a heavy old steel beach cruiser but it’ll do a shade under 40 mph. Skies the limit really, it’s just a question about how much you’re willing to spend on motor, battery and controller, and of course, how flagrantly you’re willing to ignore the law!
My ebike is a heavy old steel beach cruiser but it’ll do a shade under 40 mph. Skies the limit really, it’s just a question about how much you’re willing to spend on motor, battery and controller, and of course, how flagrantly you’re willing to ignore the law!
Tony1963 said:
How do you know it isn’t completely legal?
IIRC If he's going more than 20mph without pedalling it's not legal, legal ones are electric assist. otherwise it's an electric motorbike and needs the usual plates/helmets n stuff.Of course, I could be wrong, I last checked after a Domino's delivery rider hopped a curb, used a zebra crossing and then shot off without pedalling. I've no problem with the zebra crossing as I use it on my roll to work every day but he was shifting for a tubby looking fellow sitting bolt upright.
Same thing today - woman on a 'shopping' bike, no gloves, long skirt etc doing what seems easily like 30mph, pretty much keeping up with traffic without peddling. Was hard not to misjudge her speed overtaking in the car as there wasn't a lot in it.
I imagine there are going to be some hideous accidents as people not used to coming off at speed are going to make friends with the tarmac at 30mph, but without gloves and bare legs and not being used to the odd 'off'
I imagine there are going to be some hideous accidents as people not used to coming off at speed are going to make friends with the tarmac at 30mph, but without gloves and bare legs and not being used to the odd 'off'
It's going to end in tears. I have a E bike that is hacked to allow me to go over the 15mph limit but I only ride off road and am VERY careful about how I use it. It's also a £6k bike with top end componets so can stop just fine at higher speeds. Then I see random Joes flying down the road at 30mph + on an ebay special with brakes off a Raleigh Chopper. There will be a few BAD accidents and then the law will clamp down big time (and on the scooters/skate boards, etc)
Tiggsy said:
It's going to end in tears. I have a E bike that is hacked to allow me to go over the 15mph limit but I only ride off road and am VERY careful about how I use it. It's also a £6k bike with top end componets so can stop just fine at higher speeds. Then I see random Joes flying down the road at 30mph + on an ebay special with brakes off a Raleigh Chopper. There will be a few BAD accidents and then the law will clamp down big time (and on the scooters/skate boards, etc)
Still not cool, your bike is heavier than most other non £6k MTBs and travelling at those speeds, and for longer, you will knacker up the trails / off road routes and make them s
t for everyone else. Irresponsible and not cool at all. And yet seems to be a badge of honour to some....
It's a small leap from comments like yours to it's only a 125cc MX bike and I am very careful which trails I ride it on...
I am all for ebikes particularly on trails etc as it allows people out and about to see and experience stuff they otherwise may not get to see, allows less fit people to keep up with their mates who are more fit etc, kids to keep up with dad etc. But there is absolutely no need to be able to do over 15mph with the assistance.
It's not fair to others you share the trails with and not fair to those who have to maintain them.
And you know it is wrong too, I bet my mortgage that if you clatter into someone and hurt them, you'd be taking your "hack" off asap to make it look stock.
Sorry chap, but it's not cool.
The press is waiting with baited breath for a serious accident involving a modified/illegal ebike. They need to demonise them enough that the public will support extreme measures against them.
I expect to see one flying over heathrow or something.
Once an incident occurs they'll roll out all the "road tax" and registration plate stuff, basically convince the public that they're cheating them out of money. Currently it wouldn't work, as I think most people would look at what they're paying to run a car and I think the s
t would hit the fan.....I mean i'm feeling disgruntled right now, cycling to work, paying £700+ a year to tax both of my vehicles (+insurance, fuel etc), getting to work in less than 20 minutes, getting fit, losing weight (nearly a stone in 4 weeks) and I get home, I see my car and it angers me that I have to pay so much just to do exactly what my bicycle does. It's positively criminal.......
Still not cool, your bike is heavier than most other non £6k MTBs and travelling at those speeds, and for longer, you will knacker up the trails / off road routes and make them st for everyone else.
Irresponsible and not cool at all. And yet seems to be a badge of honour to some....
It's a small leap from comments like yours to it's only a 125cc MX bike and I am very careful which trails I ride it on...
I am all for ebikes particularly on trails etc as it allows people out and about to see and experience stuff they otherwise may not get to see, allows less fit people to keep up with their mates who are more fit etc, kids to keep up with dad etc. But there is absolutely no need to be able to do over 15mph with the assistance.
It's not fair to others you share the trails with and not fair to those who have to maintain them.
And you know it is wrong too, I bet my mortgage that if you clatter into someone and hurt them, you'd be taking your "hack" off asap to make it look stock.
Sorry chap, but it's not cool.
[/quote]
What a load of tosh.
E Mtbs ain't that much heavier than some downhill bikes but you don't hear people whinging about them.
They're only 10kg or so heavier than trail or enduro bikes, so again not much at all.
I'm about 20kg heavier than some of my riding buddies but I've never heard the 'cause more damage to the trail argument' aimed at my fat arse before...
t for everyone else. Irresponsible and not cool at all. And yet seems to be a badge of honour to some....
It's a small leap from comments like yours to it's only a 125cc MX bike and I am very careful which trails I ride it on...
I am all for ebikes particularly on trails etc as it allows people out and about to see and experience stuff they otherwise may not get to see, allows less fit people to keep up with their mates who are more fit etc, kids to keep up with dad etc. But there is absolutely no need to be able to do over 15mph with the assistance.
It's not fair to others you share the trails with and not fair to those who have to maintain them.
And you know it is wrong too, I bet my mortgage that if you clatter into someone and hurt them, you'd be taking your "hack" off asap to make it look stock.
Sorry chap, but it's not cool.
[/quote]
What a load of tosh.
E Mtbs ain't that much heavier than some downhill bikes but you don't hear people whinging about them.
They're only 10kg or so heavier than trail or enduro bikes, so again not much at all.
I'm about 20kg heavier than some of my riding buddies but I've never heard the 'cause more damage to the trail argument' aimed at my fat arse before...
JB8 said:
What a load of tosh.
E Mtbs ain't that much heavier than some downhill bikes but you don't hear people whinging about them.
They're only 10kg or so heavier than trail or enduro bikes, so again not much at all.
I'm about 20kg heavier than some of my riding buddies but I've never heard the 'cause more damage to the trail argument' aimed at my fat arse before...
Downhill bikes tend to be used downhill, on purpose built tracks. Not powered uphill with loads more torque than a normal bike.E Mtbs ain't that much heavier than some downhill bikes but you don't hear people whinging about them.
They're only 10kg or so heavier than trail or enduro bikes, so again not much at all.
I'm about 20kg heavier than some of my riding buddies but I've never heard the 'cause more damage to the trail argument' aimed at my fat arse before...
Likewise you don't produce bucket loads more torque powering out of bends or up hill.
poo at Paul's said:
Tiggsy said:
It's going to end in tears. I have a E bike that is hacked to allow me to go over the 15mph limit but I only ride off road and am VERY careful about how I use it. It's also a £6k bike with top end componets so can stop just fine at higher speeds. Then I see random Joes flying down the road at 30mph + on an ebay special with brakes off a Raleigh Chopper. There will be a few BAD accidents and then the law will clamp down big time (and on the scooters/skate boards, etc)
Still not cool, your bike is heavier than most other non £6k MTBs and travelling at those speeds, and for longer, you will knacker up the trails / off road routes and make them st for everyone else. Irresponsible and not cool at all. And yet seems to be a badge of honour to some....
It's a small leap from comments like yours to it's only a 125cc MX bike and I am very careful which trails I ride it on...
I am all for ebikes particularly on trails etc as it allows people out and about to see and experience stuff they otherwise may not get to see, allows less fit people to keep up with their mates who are more fit etc, kids to keep up with dad etc. But there is absolutely no need to be able to do over 15mph with the assistance.
It's not fair to others you share the trails with and not fair to those who have to maintain them.
And you know it is wrong too, I bet my mortgage that if you clatter into someone and hurt them, you'd be taking your "hack" off asap to make it look stock.
Sorry chap, but it's not cool.
Bill said:
JB8 said:
What a load of tosh.
E Mtbs ain't that much heavier than some downhill bikes but you don't hear people whinging about them.
They're only 10kg or so heavier than trail or enduro bikes, so again not much at all.
I'm about 20kg heavier than some of my riding buddies but I've never heard the 'cause more damage to the trail argument' aimed at my fat arse before...
Downhill bikes tend to be used downhill, on purpose built tracks. Not powered uphill with loads more torque than a normal bike.E Mtbs ain't that much heavier than some downhill bikes but you don't hear people whinging about them.
They're only 10kg or so heavier than trail or enduro bikes, so again not much at all.
I'm about 20kg heavier than some of my riding buddies but I've never heard the 'cause more damage to the trail argument' aimed at my fat arse before...
Likewise you don't produce bucket loads more torque powering out of bends or up hill.
While you could tear up a trail a bit due to the extra torque it has less effect than than locked rear wheel descents and slides. I generally agree about not treating what are effectively electric motor bikes as the same as legal pedal assist bikes though.
essayer said:
frisbee said:
We should ban rain as well, that causes far more erosion than a few e-bikes.
BAN HORSES 
The fact that both groups agreed would suggest that the problem was never the damage and they simply had a problem with sharing the trails with another group of people.
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