Can you class using an Electric bike as cycling

[very-near]

I work with a couple of people who use these. One of them has recently got a Wisper 905se City.

I picked it up the other day to gauge the weight of it and was surprised even with the battery removed for charging how heavy it was.

Although many of the cycle components are genuine cycle ones, the effort required to move it can be from full on cycling (dragging the weight of the motor and battery) to using it like a moped with just the press of a button to move along at 15mph up hill and down dale.

 

[Paulus]

I voted no to is it cycling, but i suppose if you are having problems of one sort or another riding up any kind of hill and you don't want to go down the motorbike/scooter route then these bikes are the next best thing if you want to stay on two wheels. I think I just confused myself and should of voted yes.

 

[Over The Hill]

I think no- Cycling is powered by the rider not a motor (be it electric or petrol). This is a bit borderline as it seems it can be used in both ways.

V-N I am interested to know who would actually buy a bike with an electric motor on it? I only know one person - my dad but he is 75 and was not on two wheels until he was about 70.

So who is deciding to commute on an electric bike.

Also are you not tempted to go home the same way as them and overtake them? I think I would be keen to do that.

 

[very-near]

I think no- Cycling is powered by the rider not a motor (be it electric or petrol). This is a bit borderline as it seems it can be used in both ways.

V-N I am interested to know who would actually buy a bike with an electric motor on it? I only know one person - my dad but he is 75 and was not on two wheels until he was about 70.

So who is deciding to commute on an electric bike.

Also are you not tempted to go home the same way as them and overtake them? I think I would be keen to do that.

There are a couple of people who use them.

One was banned for the second time for drink driving last year and would have to take 2 buses to get to work, and the other has got 9 points on his license (for speeding), and has decided to cycle commute. Being 52 and not very fit, he realised that any moped would involve a license/CBT, and his commute is 11 miles each way with a couple of hills each way.

 

[Joe24]

Someone i know has an electric bike, that looks like a moped, but is electric. He has a very bad shoulder that he got while cycling and fell off badly, so using a normal bicycle is out of the question. Its his ownly transport, except for public, so its given him more independence.
Its still got a crappy low speed, except when you put it in the off road setting

 

[tyred]

I would consider it cycling. It allows people who are not physically strong enough for one reason or another to start cycling again. And if seriously unfit people buy an electric bike to commute, who knows, one they feel fit enough to buy a normal bicycle. No matter how you look at it, if someone is travelling by electric bicycle, it's one less car on the road.

 

[very-near]

I would consider it cycling. It allows people who are not physically strong enough for one reason or another to start cycling again. And if seriously unfit people buy an electric bike to commute, who knows, one they feel fit enough to buy a normal bicycle. No matter how you look at it, if someone is travelling by electric bicycle, it's one less car on the road.

Could the same not be said for moped users ? , the question is not whether they remove a car from the road, but whether they could be considered cyclists given that virtually no physical effort is expended in their use.

 

[GilesM]

It can not be considered cycling, as it is a motorised vehicle, but it would be an interesting little project to make a decent one, no reason why it has to be so heavy.

 

[grhm]

I'd consider it cycling - but then I'm basing this on someone who coummutes to the building next door with one. It only seems to have a motor that "assists" - he still pedals on a slight incline. I have seen him pootle along on the flat without pedaling.

So I think it cycling for someone who can't manage (or doesn't want) to cycle the whole journey - (perhaps they're less fit/able, perhaps they don't want to arrive too sweaty)

 

[tyred]

Could the same not be said for moped users ? , the question is not whether they remove a car from the road, but whether they could be considered cyclists given that virtually no physical effort is expended in their use.

The only type I've seen are pedal assist type which need to be pedalled before the motor helps out. Therefore they are cycling to a certain extent.

What would you consider this as and is the rider a cyclist or not? I consider an electric bike as the modern day equivalent-

 

[Keith Oates]

I see nothing wrong with people wanting to use them either for health reasons or because they like the convenience but for me it's not cycling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tyred]

The poll couldn't be more evenly matched at the moment...

 

[very-near]

The only type I've seen are pedal assist type which need to be pedalled before the motor helps out. Therefore they are cycling to a certain extent.

What would you consider this as and is the rider a cyclist or not? I consider an electric bike as the modern day equivalent-

If they only work as pedal assist, then I think they are still cycles, but the bikes being used here will offer either full motor drive (sit there and press the button like a moped throttle) or the rider can pedal if they wast to go a bit faster than the motor offers.

 

[summerdays]

I voted for cycling ... if I was finding that I was unable to cycle due to hills/ill health etc, then I would consider an electric bike - anything if it gave you that feeling again. Somehow a scooter wouldn't work. There is a bloke near me who rides one and we ended up going the same route for a mile or two - if it gives him independence then why not (he's in his 80's).

 

[very-near]

I voted for cycling ... if I was finding that I was unable to cycle due to hills/ill health etc, then I would consider an electric bike - anything if it gave you that feeling again. Somehow a scooter wouldn't work. There is a bloke near me who rides one and we ended up going the same route for a mile or two - if it gives him independence then why not (he's in his 80's).

What also confuses the mix is this. It is a fully electric bike with a similar range. Just as quiet, but styled as a scooter, and not a cycle

I put the question to both riders today, and both fessed up that they didn't consider them to be cycles in the true sense, and their bikes are lookie-likie of a real cycle.

Wouldn't want to pedal that thing very far though.