E-motorbicycles

[Huertecilla]

Electrically motorised bicycles are a húge thing.
The latest is ABS!!

Although totally awesome technology and great that it offers an opportunity for the less fit/capable to get out on wheels, it is imo a ruse, at least a mistake, to label them bicycles. Only token pedalling is necessary, assuming the user has kept the bike legal which many have not.

The way I see it they are mopeds which after all stands for motorised pedalcycles.
With the weight and power/speed of these vehicles I think they should be treated as mopeds with a petrol engine and not as bicycles.

More power/speed x more weight = way increased risc x generally less capable users equals not good, not good at all.
The interest of the bicycle industry does imo not outweigh safety on the public roads.

Last Sunday we were nearly run into by an elderly woman on het e-bike. We were on a promenade which has a cycle path on the side ´separated´ by a line on the pavement. The lady could not make the corner at the speed she was going and coming up from behind we were not aware of this silent vehicle.
Other pedestrians alerted us and I could júst pull my company aside.
The distressed cyclist went straight on untill she stopped, paused and... whizzed off at max power over the pedestrian area direction cycling path.

[bmwrover]

Not enough passion for a propper Rant ;-)
Since the arrival of e-Bikes, less fit riders, who have not been on bicycles for decades, take to the "pedals" and disaster strikes.
If I have my tinfoil hat on, I thing governments are a bit torn, they like the increase in death rate of pensioners, yet they have to protect tax paying people from incidents described above.
So no matter if the e-Bike is street legal or tuned, the insurance plate as used on mopeds will arrive shortly, I am sure. Glad to hear that you only had a near hit.

[Huertecilla]

Since the arrival of e-Bikes, less fit riders, who have not been on bicycles for decades, take to the "pedals" and disaster strikes.

at speeds they were capable of in the last century....

So no matter if the e-Bike is street legal or tuned, the insurance plate as used on mopeds will arrive shortly, I am sure.

A bit like ´security´ or dashboard cameras; they prevent nothing, add no security.

[WhopperSenior]

If they're going to put something in place they probably would have to cover those segway things of all variants and electric skateboards. I've seen people absolutely chipping it along in London on the monowheel variants in the road which seems pretty insance.

[Montybaber]

OP I think you have made your thoughts on this subject very clear on previous threads

Just buy/ride what YOU like and try not to bore everyone with your own preferences

[mowflow]

I'm pretty sure they have rules on such vehicles in America (perhaps state specific). I was looking at apps for the various rent a bike type companies based in San Francisco and the one offering electric scooters required driving license scanning along with legal statements about helmets and where they could be ridden.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[VDG]

If only old dear was on her NOS 1980s Norta showcasing Shimano aerodynamic 600 AX (6300) group set..

[Alpha4]

Perhaps the old dear has to learn the proper use of the 'throttle'?

[Huertecilla]

Perhaps the old dear has to learn the proper use of the 'throttle'?

Which toutches the core of the problem; all but each one of the e-motorbiks is bought becaúse of being less fit/capable, resulting in the user going faster than they would otherwise.

Apparently there are some less capable with an e-motorbike on this forum in denial or other, dementing even if the bear pit is anything to go by.
It is like with drivers´ licenses: The older drivers are the group protesting most against driving tests every few years and more often above say 60.
I myself am well past my ´best used beofre´- date and applaud such. Have my eyesight tested even more often than obligatory. I knów I am getting older and thus not any fitter et al.

We, me and the ´inlaws´ have been trying to get the grandparents grounded from car driving but their also elderly md gives them the physical green every time. Grandpa is worst. At least he knóws his eyesight is not good enough to go on the bicycle so the e-motorbike is not an issue. If he would be mý dad I would have grounded him but his daughters.... The only thing I can do is prevent my son from getting in a car with him.

Anyway; I could be pretty annoyed by e-motorbikes if I would let stuff spoil my mood/good time.

[shadowninja]

Sounds like an issue with the stopping power rather than the e-bicycle in general?

I quite fancy a foldable e-bicycle for getting me about. Tennis, kung fu and weights for fitness, bicycle for cheap transport.

[VDG]

Perhaps the old dear has to learn the proper use of the 'throttle'?

A stiffer throttle would sort the problem perhaps?

[catch21]

Sounds like an issue with the stopping power rather than the e-bicycle in general?

I quite fancy a foldable e-bicycle for getting me about. Tennis, kung fu and weights for fitness, bicycle for cheap transport.

Quite right. I won't hesitate to get on when I can't manage the pedalling myself. I think they are wonderful things.

[sweets]

I have a thoroughly "illegal " E-Bike that puts out 1000W and is capable of 20 miles without me pedalling at all.
It is a conversion from a full suspension mountain bike with disc brakes. Conversion done by me.
In total it has added less than 18kg to the bike.
It tops out at 29mph (45kph).
I made it to turn a 45min up-down commute into a 35 minute one, which it does.

I alone could easily be heavier than the combined weight of the bike (with kit) and me
And I could easily be going faster than the top assisted speed without the kit. In fact I do go fater than that on the downhills (as I do on my other non-assisted bike).
With the brakes in good condition it stops very quickly.
You forget that brakes need weight to generate friction between bike and road in order to work. Provided the braking effort is sufficient, a 120 kg combined bike load can stop equally as fast as a 100kg one. That is fact.

What you describe as an incident is an example of a total lack of competence, something which is also to be found amongst the non-assisted cyclists as well as electrified ones. Regardless of how much E they have to boost them.

Do not try and tar everyone who uses an E-Bike as an incompetent idiot. They aren't.

E-Bikes are like E-Cigarettes
They can be seen as a very useful method of getting people who would not otherwise cycle out of their cars and on their bikes, exactly like my 75 year old neighbour, for whome the hills of Bristol would be too much without his E-assistance.
In exactly the same way as E-Cigarettes get people who would not otherwise give up smoking to do so (like me).

I agree, a little more ensuring that the bike is well specified, and rider is competent, is a good idea.

But in the UK anyone can ride a bike on the road. Regardless of how useless they are, or how E-assisted or not they are.

Dave

[SimonH]

I'm in France and a few todays ago rode up the Col du Albon whose Strava segment is called the Mur du Albon so you can imagine it's fairly steep.

I got to to the top and after a minute a a sweaty old fat bloke arrived and I thought that can't be possible but we chatted and took photos for each other and it transpired he was on an e-bike.

I think e-bikes are awesome if they get people like him out doing exercise and seeing the countryside. There will always be people who mess up like the lady in the OP but until that statistically is shown to be common then I think it's just one of those things.

Friend of mine's wife has one, he said he was annoyed to get dropped by her on her on Streatley Hill. His FTP is 320w and he races at quite a decent level! But he likes it because it gets them out together.

[Templogin]

My electric Moulton, pedelec, is assisted to 15.5mph, where the assistance cuts out. I have reached 44mph downhill fully loaded, and 32mph loaded, with a trailer carrying a fridge on the back. This is of course extremely reckless behaviour, but I have seen the light and will now stay indoors, where it is mostly safe.

[Huertecilla]

I think e-bikes are awesome if they get people like him out doing exercise and seeing the countryside.

That is what I wrote too.
My point though is that they are mopeds. Not bicycles. Emotorised bicycles at most = moped.
It is history repeating itself for the umpteenth time. This time with the green con sauce and the silence of the things making them wider accepted and more deceptive.

Here in the mountains the ever so predictable development of the motorcross use of them has taken off already.
The Big Bad is that walkers are increasingly objecting to cýclists because they do not make the distinction, are simply annoyed by ´cyclists´ crossing the senderos at motorcross speeds.

It will sort itself out soon enough.
Hopefully with them being recognised as the e-mopeds they are and not with a ban of all mtb cyclists...

[VDG]

So by that logic disability scooters are mini eSUVs?

[Huertecilla]

So by that logic disability scooters are mini eSUVs?

Disability scooters are very stringently regulated and defined.
Furthermore the freedom those have is only because it is politically incorrect to mention that not all of those are always acceptable everywhere.

[Enoch]

Disability scooters are very stringently regulated and defined.
Furthermore the freedom those have is only because it is politically incorrect to mention that not all of those are always acceptable everywhere.

They maybe stringently regulated over there, but here, by carefully filling out the forms with only the “required” info, and not answering voluntary questions, I managed to get these registered as disability scooters...🇬🇧 Complete with DVLA issued registration document and tax disc..

Funnily enough despite thousands of miles on them, the only place I got stopped and questioned was on the sea front at Benacasim...

The Spanish police weren’t quite sure what to make of it, but once they saw the official UK tax disc they let me on my way..

Top speed around 20mph. Range of around 10 miles...... primary use, taking the dogs for a walk around the lanes..👍👍

[Huertecilla]

Top speed around 20mph. Range of around 10 miles...... primary use, taking the dogs for a walk around the lanes..

I rest my case.

[Enoch]

I rest my case.

Good for you.... you do realise that a bicycle can easily do 20 mph don’t you?. This is no different, other than I’m incapable of using a bicycle... (my legs don’t bend)

These scooters get me out with my dogs, 99% of the time is spent at dog walking pace.

They’re also extremely versatile in that I can fold it down and chuck it in the back of the car, and use at the many race meetings I attend..

[Saint-Just]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...e_iOSApp_Other

[Bristolian]

Who needs a BI-cycle.

This is the future lads...