Increase in seizures of illegal ebikes

[cyberknight]

On the road, but not on shared paths or cycle tracks where the sensible limit is determined by human factors and not legislation.

Relatively inexpensive options already exist for those that want 20mph motorised travel on the road.

Furthermore, the greet British public are showing writ large that they often cant be trusted to behave and adhere to a 15.5 assisted limit, so the odds of them bejng let loose with more is zero.

quick google says the dft says if you can do more than 18 mph you should consider using the road rather than shared use paths

 

[Drago]

Thats probably not an unreasonable piece of advice.

 

[Dogtrousers]

quick google says the dft says if you can do more than 18 mph you should consider using the road rather than shared use paths

I say if you do not want punctures and your fillings to fall out you should consider using the road rather than (many, but not all) shared use paths.

 

[cyberknight]

I say if you do not want punctures and your fillings to fall out you should consider using the road rather than (many, but not all) shared use paths.

indeed , i was just replying to the subject of the speed that is deemed acceptable on a shared use path I have to use one for part of my commute as im not chancing a 40 mph 3 lane roundabout roundabout where its dodgy enough in a vehicle with everyone playing dodgems ( i speak from experience of driving it ) and i get more flats on the one mile section than i do the rest of the year riding .

 

[CXRAndy]

Im talking about maintaining easy comfy pace for an amateur. The power is peak of the motor not consistent power delivered.

 

[CXRAndy]

Don't you guys use tyre sealant?
I've not had a puncture in many years which stopped my ride. I see my tyres are peppered with micro holes, sealant oozing out, but never go flat. Pump up once month. Caveat they are 50mm wide G Ones

 

[Psamathe]

I don't understand why some are arguing for massively more powerful motors and higher cut-off speeds. What is the purpose of ebikes? Just because a few predominantly lycra clad men love cycling distances and at speed does not mean that's what everybody else wants or needs to do. What additional need or purpose would more power and higher cut-off speed serve?

 

[classic33]

Im talking about maintaining easy comfy pace for an amateur. The power is peak of the motor not consistent power delivered.

It is 250 watt continuous output, maximum. No mention of 250 watt peak power output in the regulations

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The thing with EAPCs is that they are supposed to be "just bikes"

and so have all the advantages and problems of other bikes

so - to me anyway - saying that 250W is not enough and you would need 500W to get up a big hill is not relavant

you would have trouble getting up that hill with a normal bike
so it should still be a problem - just less of a problem

the motor and stuff is not suppoed to make it easy to get up hills
that is what a moped is for and there are regulations for that


and making a 500W motor legal - but under different rules
just makes enforcement even more difficult as most people couldn;t spot the difference

and make the "chipped ones" able to go faster

 

[albion]

Bear in mind you would need towards 500 watts to maintain a gentle 6mph on a 20% hill.
Add the inefficiency of a 250 watt motor, a lot of work will usually still be needed to get up up a 8% hill.
8% is still classed as very steep.

 

[CXRAndy]

There are legal 250W Bosch motors already on many bikes. developing way more peak power.

Im Just advocating a rise to 20mph to align with national speed limit, an honest acceptance of more powerful motors, which many are sold under the guise 250W constant power.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Bear in mind you would need towards 500 watts to maintain a gentle 6mph on a 20% hill.

And 300W will give you 4mph, requiring a mere 50W contribution from the rider to a 250W limit. 250W will still give you over 3mph - walking speed. And remember that the 250W value is continuous rated power, not peak.

Now consider how incredibly rare 20% hills are. I don't mean hills that cyclists say are 20% but which are really 15% - there are hundreds and hundreds of those. Actual 20% stretches are short and infrequent.

250W is enough assist for anyone who wants to undertake any normal cycling in the UK. If you want a bike that puts you on a par with trained cyclists, without you having to put in any effort at all then what you want is an electric moped, not an EAPC.

 

[albion]

Not with a hub motor.
Whilst I am hoping for another 14,000 trouble free miles with mine, they do need human assist to actually get above 0mph going up steep hills. Efficiency is quite low on the steeper inclines, even with human assist.

 

[CXRAndy]

Those speeds are wobble, fall off.

And 300W will give you 4mph, requiring a mere 50W contribution from the rider to a 250W limit. 250W will still give you over 3mph - walking speed. And remember that the 250W value is continuous rated power, not peak.

I know from experience we have a steep hill of 12% average gradient. I used to die a thousand deaths trying to cycle up on my regular non assisted bike. I can now climb it in comfort maintaining a speed which allows stability.

 

[classic33]

Those speeds are wobble, fall off.


I know from experience we have a steep hill of 12% average gradient. I used to die a thousand deaths trying to cycle up on my regular non assisted bike. I can now climb it in comfort maintaining a speed which allows stability.

Go from two to three wheels if stability is really a problem.
Just keep it legal.