I just got scalped by an MTB on my Road bike

[classic33]

I've seen a few push bikes around Leicester with petrol engines on them. They should be crushed with the riders still on them.

They be motor vehicles!

 

[Specialeyes]

Or just buy a roadie E bike, even faster. Although the assist is only supposed to kick in more the steeper the gradient. Albeit people with a knowledge of electrical engineering could easily modify them. This makes them slightly illegal though.

Look out for these coming to a climb near you. I must admit, I almost like them, but if I was in the market for an e-bike it would be for utility riding, so would be a more utilitarian frame!

 

[NorthernDave]

I've have been "buzzed" on the road by an MTB with a petrol engine fitted. Hopefully it will have shaken itself to pieces by now.

 

[Lonestar]

Don't really need one for my commute.

 

[die_aufopferung]

I wouldn't bother spending too much time looking for the bike online - most of the illegally quick ones aren't actually modified from e-bikes but are instead created by taking a regular bike and a motor/battery/control pack bought from China via eBay - you can get 1000w motors (UK/EU limit is 250w) that way. I've had quite a few people come into the shop asking about getting "fast" e-bikes and even the occasional one wanting us to help them build their own or do repairs on theirs. The funniest (or most annoying) one was a guy who bought a 27.5" wheeled bike then came in to complain that his 1000watter was built onto a 26" wheel and would we help him swap it over - the answer was of course no.

 

[ColinJ]

It happened to me a few years back but the MTB in question did not have an extra motor. It was powered only by the legs of a woman about half my size! Mind you, she had represented GB at the Olympic Games so she was clearly a pretty handy rider ...

 

[Hedgemonkey]

There's one that comes Westward out of Derby of an evening, must be doing 20-25 mph. Caught me out big time the first time I gave chase, before I noticed the slow cadence. :-(

 

[3narf]

There's no shame in being overtaken by a motorcycle.

 

[Lonestar]

Ironically I got scalped by one at Bow at somewhere near 5am today.Boy he was fast.So fast he didn't see the red lights he went through.

I'm pretty sure it was a leccy.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Yep, I've been there too. I was drafting traffic in primary at ~30mph when I was suprisingly undertaken by a chap on a MTB in the cycle lane. It took me a while to work out what was happening, he was doing 40mph easily. I stopped to chat with the fella at the lights. Having recently done my research I asked him if it was one of the 1000w motors, to which he smugly responded "Yes." Then as he darted off on the green light, he was nearly splatted at the next junction, a car that was pulling out clearly hadn't expected him to accelerate so quickly from the lights. In the wrong hands, no doubt a few people will be hurt with those high powered motors.

I'd be interested in trying one if I had a longer commute, but then realised I didn't want to get points on my licence or be done for driving an uninsured/illegal motor without appropriate lighting and number plates!