E bikes that look like motorbikes ?

[Vantage]

So when you or one your kids gets hit by one of these things because you never heard it coming you'll be OK with that because at least they weren't "sound polluting" when they hit them....

My kids have eyes and use them.
Again, are you happy to have the same noise emitting device attached to your bike?

 

[classic33]

A throttle is completely legal its just a way of controlling power levels the restriction is the motor mustn't operate if not pedalling but its fully legal to have a throttle as long as it only operates as you pedal the ebike. You could also fit a 24T chainring at the front and a single 40T cog at the rear if that was possible to make the gearing extremely low so you don't have to assist the motor at all really. It's effectively a twist and go ebike as per before 2016 legislation. The EU legislation was really more about EU ebike designs and how the industry in mainly Germany wanted to reduce imports from China it was never good legislation and resulted in a lot of very high cost, high maintenance and unreliable ebikes. Over 95% of ebikes in the world are hub based according to Chinese industry statistics and they make most of the ebike parts and complete ebikes.

Illegal under the current regulations, unless the e-assist bike was built before 2016 and came equipped with a throttle then. It doesn't apply retrospectively. And it's not the age of the bike if you're considering putting a conversion kit on a bike built before 2016.

See the thread Throttle on here for more information. Including from a manufacturer who will put it through the MVSA test for you.

The changes to the regulations in 2016 were to get a single standard across the EU. These include the motor size and speed.

 

[Roadrat77]

My kids have eyes and use them.
Again, are you happy to have the same noise emitting device attached to your bike?

I don't do 50mph on the pavement.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Ebikes are like a lot of things - started off as a geat idea but became corrupted. They should.d be fitted with a noise device like electric cars are these days. My hearing is superb but I once stood on a street corner and an electric vehicle pulled out of a side street next to me and I literally never heard a thing and was totally unaware of it until i looked at it - that is not good news for pedestrians or cyclists.

Does your 'manual' bike make a lot of noise? If so I suggest you get it serviced and lubricated. My e-bikes emit a barely audible hum when using maximum assistance, but my (well maintained) non-e bikes are quieter still ...

 

[Vantage]

I don't do 50mph on the pavement.

Neither do ebikes.

 

[vickster]

Neither do ebikes.

Yes they do, the illegal ones can do well in excess of the permitted 15.5mph (presumably yours is legally limited). Illegal ones seemingly being the OPs topic

 

[Roadrat77]

Neither do ebikes.

Neither do then

Yes they do, the illegal ones can do well in excess of the permitted 15.5mph (presumably yours is legally limited). Illegal ones seemingly being the OPs topic

Exactly - on both points.

 

[Vantage]

Mines limited, yes. But I have unleashed it to see what it'll do. 23.5mph with its current gearing. Doing that on the footpath would be difficult with street furniture in the way. 50mph+ I imagine would be almost impossible in most situations. Plus the fact it would take one hell of a battery and motor to reach 50mph. Those things aren't cheap. The motor and battery I bought set me back over £600 and those are bog standard models. I don't think we're at pandemic levels of 50mph+ ebikes just yet.

 

[vickster]

Mines limited, yes. But I have unleashed it to see what it'll do. 23.5mph with its current gearing. Doing that on the footpath would be difficult with street furniture in the way. 50mph+ I imagine would be almost impossible in most situations. Plus the fact it would take one hell of a battery and motor to reach 50mph. Those things aren't cheap. The motor and battery I bought set me back over £600 and those are bog standard models. I don't think we're at pandemic levels of 50mph+ ebikes just yet.

I have definitely witnessed many going 30+ with no pedalling. There are dozens around here being used for food delivery

 

[boydj]

Yes they do, the illegal ones can do well in excess of the permitted 15.5mph (presumably yours is legally limited). Illegal ones seemingly being the OPs topic

Legal ones can do well over 15.5mph as well - depending on how much power the rider can produce and without assistance from the motor.

 

[vickster]

Legal ones can do well over 15.5mph as well - depending on how much power the rider can produce and without assistance from the motor.

Ok with the assistance.
These machines go up hills with no assistance from the rider pedalling

 

[boydj]

...........

On a hub motor ebike if the chain breaks the motor still operates when you turn the cranks despite the person not assisting the bike at all. You are just spinning the cranks with zero resistance. There is no law to stop you removing the chain and operating your ebike this way. You are still technically pedalling to allow the motor to function.

@bonzobanana - if you are not turning the cogs there is nothing for the motor to assist, surely. I have an Orbea Gain wth a hub motor and, if the chain is off, turning the pedals does nothing. The cogs need to be turning to be able to be assisted.

Legal e-bikes will have different levels of assistance available - mine has 3 - which could be seen as a very primitive type of throttle.

 

[Vantage]

Ok with the assistance.
These machines go up hills with no assistance from the rider pedalling

So does mine. Quite easily too.

 

[vickster]

So does mine. Quite easily too.

At 30mph though?

 

[Vantage]

No not 30. 15 maybe depending on the gradient.
I don't think speed uphill is the issue here though. It's speed in general and the fact that some ebikes can be powered to those speeds without any effort from the rider.
However, I've seen plenty of threads/topics where everyone happily posts the top speed they reached on their non powered bikes and those speeds are usually given a 'well done old chap/girl' without issue.
I can't understand why there's a hatred of ebikers doing the same thing. It makes no sense. I suspect its because some non ebikers think it lazy but then are happy to jump into their cars and drive around sat on their arse. Hypocritical? I think so.