BBC Breakfast item today on illegally modded ebikes

[classic33]

Along with very low saddle and pedaling very slowly whilst travelling at high speed.

Never seen any of the riders in Leeds actually pedalling. Travelling at any speed.

 

[DRM]

A Mini 850 engine wouldn't fit into a Bantam frame. And why use an 850? The 1275 uses the same block put provides a lot more power.

this is very true, mine had all on fitting the single cyinder 125 engine in it

 

[raleighnut]

this is very true, mine had all on fitting the single cyinder 125 engine in it

If you look at the video clip where he talks about it he cut the frame in half then fastened it to the mini block as a school project

 

[DRM]

Never seen any of the riders in Leeds actually pedalling. Travelling at any speed.

I saw one on Friday afternoon rush hour tailgating a Volvo Estate along the A650 through East Ardsley & Tingley, the traffic was moving along at the 40 Mph limit, all without a turn of the pedals, not surprisingly it disappeared, ridden at a rate of knots towards Middleton

 

[HLaB]

In South East London on my commute, hooky e-bikes out number normal cycles. Only yesterday whilst cycling in London, one passed me on a segregated cycle path on the A200, I was doing 19mph (I checked) he shot past me as if I was standing still.

That reminds me. I had a drafter sitting on my wheel coming out of Cambridge on the guided busway when I was going a steady 19mph. A modified e bike shot by, the drafter jumped off my wheel in to the ebike's draft and lasted about 15secs before blowing up (in the energy sense) and grinding to a halt. He had no energy to try and get back on my wheel even if I'd been going 10mph

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Rules of Strava Leaderboards:

1) Any one higher than you has cheated
2) See rule 1.

The auto flagging of dodgy stuff does seem a bit rubbish

a while ago I realised that several of my ebike rides were flagged as walks
They had been there for ages and has an average walking speed of well over 10 mph!

 

[Cavalol]

Back in the 70's loads of us had 'field bikes', generally mopeds or small capacity motorbikes that we rode around farm lanes or the local quarry*.
These high powered e-bikes just seem a new version of this, no doubt 'older folks' were just as pished off by us back then.

* even Allan Millyard did it but being him he grafted a Mini 850 engine into a BSA Bantam frame..............by his own account it was lethal.

Must admit, we mostly stuck to fields on stripped Honda C90s, but we weren't averse to riding round roads (and pavements) late at night and early in the morning. Quite often with no exhaust.

Not for a minute saying I agree with illegal e-bikes being hammered about at crazy speeds, but you can see the advantages to the youth of today, because you can't hear them coming like a motorbike, or the now seemingly out-of-favour pit bikes.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Just come across this article about Liverpool police seizing an ebike modded to do 62mph!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwye84yj14lo.amp

 

[Drago]

^^^ that's not an "ebike" though, and never was. From the moment it plopped off its owners workbench it was a moped or motorcycle. The media and the Feds should be more careful with their terminology.

 

[Cavalol]

^^^ that's not an "ebike" though, and never was. From the moment it plopped off its owners workbench it was a moped or motorcycle. The media and the Feds should be more careful with their terminology.

If you scroll a little further down, they're saying it's this...

...not that Surron thing. To be honest, I'm not convinced that mountain bike would do 62mph, it looks like a fairly basic cheap home mounted kit.

 

[Drago]

If you scroll a little further down, they're saying it's this...

View attachment 779696

...not that Surron thing. To be honest, I'm not convinced that mountain bike would do 62mph, it looks like a fairly basic cheap home mounted kit.

Yes, thats the the picture I was referring to.

An ebike, pedelec, whatever, has a certain legal meaning and the media and dibble should be careful to maintain that state of being in the public consciousness to avoid the legal majority being tarred with the same brush.

This device was never an "ebike" - from the moment it left its owners workbench it was a motorcycle, regardless of appearances.

 

[raleighnut]

If you scroll a little further down, they're saying it's this...

View attachment 779696

...not that Surron thing. To be honest, I'm not convinced that mountain bike would do 62mph, it looks like a fairly basic cheap home mounted kit.

Speed is controlled by the box of gubbins, easily possible you'd need a lot of power but that could easily be a 1,000-1,500 or 2,000 watt rear wheel, fit a control box from a 16" wheel kit and easily possible with no sensors fitted. Don't understand why they took the chain off though, if I did it I'd have a 52 tooth ring/crankset on the front as those wheels have a standard freehub on them.

 

[Cavalol]

Yes, thats the the picture I was referring to.

An ebike, pedelec, whatever, has a certain legal meaning and the media and dibble should be careful to maintain that state of being in the public consciousness to avoid the legal majority being tarred with the same brush.

This device was never an "ebike" - from the moment it left its owners workbench it was a motorcycle, regardless of appearances.

Ahh, my apologies then, I thought you were referring to that Surron 'thing'.

 

[Drago]

Ahh, my apologies then, I thought you were referring to that Surron 'thing'.

No worries.

Although it equally narks me when the media and the Bow Street Runnere refer to Surrons, which are very obviously mopeds/motorcycles and even available in road registered form, as "ebikes". It belies a lack of understanding and does responsible riders a disservice.

 

[fossyant]

If you scroll a little further down, they're saying it's this...

View attachment 779696

...not that Surron thing. To be honest, I'm not convinced that mountain bike would do 62mph, it looks like a fairly basic cheap home mounted kit.

Given there is a rather large motor in that hub, yes it probably does, but then you've got a cheap set of brakes to try and stop it. Let's say, I'm very glad I have a set of high end four pot brakes on my MTB, but I never get near 50mph - more like 25 off road, and then you need the stopping power.

Got passed by four balaclava'ed lads last night, doing wheelies through the village - unfortunately they survived (the drivers in that pat of town are shocking - cyclists seen as peasants - if you know you know). The shocking thing, that were actually on dirt bikes. Brum.