Electric bicycles - who buys them?
Discussion
There were fewer eMTBs than I expected out last Saturday as I rode round Leckhampton Hill (Cheltenham) - it was my first time out. And it's thanks to following this thread for years that I finally bought one.
The thing which still surprised me was that it's as much fun going up hills as down them now. I used to cycle the same hill in the mid-90s on my first proper MTB; now I want to ride up everything I used to do when I was young and fit.
Not being able to chuck your bike over gates and stiles is a small price to pay, frankly. The big price is of course the purchase cost
The thing which still surprised me was that it's as much fun going up hills as down them now. I used to cycle the same hill in the mid-90s on my first proper MTB; now I want to ride up everything I used to do when I was young and fit.
Not being able to chuck your bike over gates and stiles is a small price to pay, frankly. The big price is of course the purchase cost
What most of us call Ebikes are legally classed as EAPC(Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles) and can go anywhere pedal cycles can go so we're unlikely to see "no ebike" signs on any routes with public access. Obviously privately owned bike parks can do what they like. I'm sure at some point we'll see a crack down on illegal bikes but thats more than likely going to be those 1000w home built bikes rather than someone who's derestricted their Levo to run 20 mph rather than 15.5 mph sure both are illegal but one more obvious than the other
Ebikes have caused a massive cash injection into the cycling industry, people spending 5-10k on a bike used to be limited to hardcore cyclists now beginners are forking out that kind of money for an ebike.
Ebikes have caused a massive cash injection into the cycling industry, people spending 5-10k on a bike used to be limited to hardcore cyclists now beginners are forking out that kind of money for an ebike.
gangzoom said:
BIRMA said:
This was my main concern, I've spent most of my life on Trial and Motocross motorbikes and decided to buy an E-MTB instead of a Bultaco Brinco R last year.
Just looked up the Brinco, you wouldn't want to run out of charge on one them! Why do they even have pedals? Surely you will need to be Jan Ullrich on max drugs to even move at 5 mph without the motor.
The restriction speed limit is infuriating. If it was raised to 18mph I think most people would say that it about where it needs to be. Just a couple of miles an hour faster with assistance. I think it would transform the experience with little increase in any ‘danger’. My bike is usually doing 18mph anyway, just I’m doing most of the work.
TTmonkey said:
The restriction speed limit is infuriating. If it was raised to 18mph I think most people would say that it about where it needs to be. Just a couple of miles an hour faster with assistance. I think it would transform the experience with little increase in any ‘danger’. My bike is usually doing 18mph anyway, just I’m doing most of the work.
The US speed limit is 20mph and that's about perfect - that's what I run on the E8000.MaxFromage said:
Agreed. 15-16mph is too low and the reason why I derestricted my Haibike. Just done the same with my Giant Road E+2. 20mph and I wouldn't bother.
20 mph would be ideal agreed. On the other hand, if sticking to 15mph means we avoid the kinds of trail restrictions we see in canada, then perhaps an underground modding scene, with the bulk of legit bikes at 15mph, is best of a bunch of bad choices.Doesn't help commuters if rules disallow 20mph on/off switches, however.
aparna said:
MaxFromage said:
Agreed. 15-16mph is too low and the reason why I derestricted my Haibike. Just done the same with my Giant Road E+2. 20mph and I wouldn't bother.
20 mph would be ideal agreed. On the other hand, if sticking to 15mph means we avoid the kinds of trail restrictions we see in canada, then perhaps an underground modding scene, with the bulk of legit bikes at 15mph, is best of a bunch of bad choices.Doesn't help commuters if rules disallow 20mph on/off switches, however.
chopper602 said:
PushedDover said:
Just whipped up the Sheepwash here in Osmotherley as if no different to normal, hanging off the back was my 7 year old on her Bobbin road shopper bike.
How is the new surface up there? Walked around, flying the drone, before it was finishedFaster on the bike but bland.
I have just ordered my ebike. The plan is to commute at least twice a week as soon as it is light enough in the morning (round trip of around 60km).
After loads of research and a few test rides I have settled on a Radon Relate 9.0 CX, as the spec seems really good for the price and anything I can find here in Germany with similar spec is at least 500€ more. They only sell Radon bikes through one online dealer so I was a little sceptical at first but Radon seem to get great reviews for many of their bikes (this one is too new to have any real reviews). Latest 85Nm Bosch motor, 625 battery, pretty much all Shimano XT groupset, 100mm Rockshox air fork, Bosch Nyon display - https://www.radon-bikes.de/en/e-bike/trekking/rela...
Got to wait till May though.
As my in-laws have ebikes and we have a Urban Arrow Family cargo bike to carry our kids in I can see lots of bike day trips coming up in the summer.
After loads of research and a few test rides I have settled on a Radon Relate 9.0 CX, as the spec seems really good for the price and anything I can find here in Germany with similar spec is at least 500€ more. They only sell Radon bikes through one online dealer so I was a little sceptical at first but Radon seem to get great reviews for many of their bikes (this one is too new to have any real reviews). Latest 85Nm Bosch motor, 625 battery, pretty much all Shimano XT groupset, 100mm Rockshox air fork, Bosch Nyon display - https://www.radon-bikes.de/en/e-bike/trekking/rela...
Got to wait till May though.
As my in-laws have ebikes and we have a Urban Arrow Family cargo bike to carry our kids in I can see lots of bike day trips coming up in the summer.
Cupramax said:
The 15mph assistance limit is made all the more stupid when you see how fast a half decent club cyclist can go on a road bike. Makes a mockery of it. I tend to ride my home build around 20 as that’s a speed both I and the bike seem to feel comfortable at, although it will go quite a bit faster if I want. I’ve had a couple of near misses due to motorists completely misjudging or just disregarding the speed im going.
If depends who you see electric bikes as being for. Anyone who doesn't cycle regularly for fun isn't going to get much above 15mph anyway so it seems a pretty sensible speed to me when you consider how many people who don't cycle regular can hop on one and hit that speed easily. I generally do between 20 and 25 kph on my commute, and overtake way more cyclists than overtake me. I reckon the average commuter here (Netherlands) is doing about 15 kph. Loads of older folk here pottering about on e-bikes and I reckon a fair few of them would be dangerous at higher speeds.
The UK is a bit of a weird market for bikes in general though, they tend to mainly be seen as recreation rather than transport.
Dog Star said:
I happened across a Youtube video last night by some cockney sounding cretin called "Duxel" who was riding what is not an ebike or MTB, but an electric motocrosser - a "Sur Ron X" and taking it on the road to some bike park near Camberley, Video is him making out that it's fine, it's an ebike innit - the YT comments were the usual cretins you get on there so I never bothered commenting.
Absolute nob - it's not an ebike - it's a MOTORCYCLE, end of. He's probably got no licence, he definitely hasn't got insurance, registration, correct helmet, DOT approved tyres or anything else that he needs to have that out in public.
Normally I'd not be arsed, but these d
heads will ruin it for legit eMTB riders at bike parks or even worse get legislation introduced in the same way that the "field bike" and illegal off-road crew have fked everything up for responsible, legal off-road motorcyclist.
Utter tit - I'm hoping to see a video at some point of him getting the godawful looking POS taken off him and crushed as well as bleating about the million points he ends up with.
He is well hated on the swinley Forest MTB facebook page.Absolute nob - it's not an ebike - it's a MOTORCYCLE, end of. He's probably got no licence, he definitely hasn't got insurance, registration, correct helmet, DOT approved tyres or anything else that he needs to have that out in public.
Normally I'd not be arsed, but these d
heads will ruin it for legit eMTB riders at bike parks or even worse get legislation introduced in the same way that the "field bike" and illegal off-road crew have fked everything up for responsible, legal off-road motorcyclist.Utter tit - I'm hoping to see a video at some point of him getting the godawful looking POS taken off him and crushed as well as bleating about the million points he ends up with.
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