Max speed
- Thread starter Biker man
- Start date
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Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
How many threads on this do you need to start? Most of us are experienced riders and are perfectly capable of risk assessing our riding thanks.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
The problem with things like "e-road bikes only" is how you write a law that allows an experience, but now older, club rider to keep up with the club to do 18-20 mph using a bit of assist - but not make it so Keith/Mary are doing 20 mph on the shared cycle path while commuting into the city centre on their commuter bike.
How do you define the bike
maybe have a license plate on it?? - Oh - hang on
This is the point
In my view we are in a sort of sweet spot at the moment - where an ebike is classed as legally 'just a bike' so it can be used anywhere a normal bike can legally be used with no restrictions or extra admin or requirements.
Once you have different categories then the cops (or whatever) have to be able to tell if that bike riding down the pedestrianised high street (or shared cycle path or whatever) if one of the slower (15.5 mph) ones or one of the faster ones that is only allowed on the road.
And, of course, and changes to the Highway Code or the Law has to be approved by politicians. And they need votes. And, in case no-one has noticed (and we all have) cyclists are in rather a minority of the voting public - unlike people who read 'those' newspapers that would love to be able to fill a slow news day with massive headlines about how some politician wants to fill the high paved areas with "lycra clad killers on deafening little old ladies with their screaming silent death machine moving at the speed of light" (yes I know it doesn't make sense - I'm writing a headline here!).
So, I feel that the law at the moment is pretty much OK - doesn't suit everyone but suits most ebike riders (look at the ebike forums when this is raised!). Any changes are likely to come at a cost.
I think we were lucky they sneaked the big power increase in in 2016 under the guise of "levelling it up with the EU" . OK we lost the throttle (which I liked) but went from 200W to 250W which makes a huge difference - and yes - I did have one of the old ones so I have experience the difference!
It is sort of like reading stuff on car forums where the people who drive porches and the like want the speed limits increased to 80 or 90 because today's cars are so much better and more powerful than when the speed limits were set.
No politician will do it becuase the first little old lady or child that gets injured (or worse) by someone who would have been illegal but now 'gets away with it' becomes their fault - and they loose their seat or their party looses the election.
How do you define the bike
maybe have a license plate on it?? - Oh - hang on
This is the point
In my view we are in a sort of sweet spot at the moment - where an ebike is classed as legally 'just a bike' so it can be used anywhere a normal bike can legally be used with no restrictions or extra admin or requirements.
Once you have different categories then the cops (or whatever) have to be able to tell if that bike riding down the pedestrianised high street (or shared cycle path or whatever) if one of the slower (15.5 mph) ones or one of the faster ones that is only allowed on the road.
And, of course, and changes to the Highway Code or the Law has to be approved by politicians. And they need votes. And, in case no-one has noticed (and we all have) cyclists are in rather a minority of the voting public - unlike people who read 'those' newspapers that would love to be able to fill a slow news day with massive headlines about how some politician wants to fill the high paved areas with "lycra clad killers on deafening little old ladies with their screaming silent death machine moving at the speed of light" (yes I know it doesn't make sense - I'm writing a headline here!).
So, I feel that the law at the moment is pretty much OK - doesn't suit everyone but suits most ebike riders (look at the ebike forums when this is raised!). Any changes are likely to come at a cost.
I think we were lucky they sneaked the big power increase in in 2016 under the guise of "levelling it up with the EU" . OK we lost the throttle (which I liked) but went from 200W to 250W which makes a huge difference - and yes - I did have one of the old ones so I have experience the difference!
It is sort of like reading stuff on car forums where the people who drive porches and the like want the speed limits increased to 80 or 90 because today's cars are so much better and more powerful than when the speed limits were set.
No politician will do it becuase the first little old lady or child that gets injured (or worse) by someone who would have been illegal but now 'gets away with it' becomes their fault - and they loose their seat or their party looses the election.
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
It's easy, bikes such as the Orbea Gain, Ribble SLe, Scott e-road would come with 18 or 20mph cut off software. The Orbeas exported to the states are so equipped. Otherwise they are identical to the ones sold here. Other bikes would be restricted as appropriate, and clocking bikes would of course remain illegal.
Those who buy e-road bikes are going to ride them faster anyway. People who buy road bikes ride them faster anyway. Keith and Mary might be doing 20mph on the shared path on their commuter e-bikes unassisted, or on their unassisted bikes, if they are are foolhardy. You don't have to use boost all the time, much as you wouldn't floor the accelerator in your car all the time. I can ride my Gain at over 15.5 mph anyway, under leg-power, how can a police officer tell whether its being assisted or not? (even if they could tell it was an e-bike anyway!)
re. licence etc. - why not a little sticker on the frame, much as you have a UCI approved sticker on some road frames? I'd happily pay a fee for such.
Those who buy e-road bikes are going to ride them faster anyway. People who buy road bikes ride them faster anyway. Keith and Mary might be doing 20mph on the shared path on their commuter e-bikes unassisted, or on their unassisted bikes, if they are are foolhardy. You don't have to use boost all the time, much as you wouldn't floor the accelerator in your car all the time. I can ride my Gain at over 15.5 mph anyway, under leg-power, how can a police officer tell whether its being assisted or not? (even if they could tell it was an e-bike anyway!)
re. licence etc. - why not a little sticker on the frame, much as you have a UCI approved sticker on some road frames? I'd happily pay a fee for such.
classic33
Leg End Member
And along with that "little sticker" would go insurance, MOT, licence and helmet. Also roads only.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
This is why ebike assistance needs to be limited to 15.5mph.
FishFright
More wheels than sense
You might even find yourself in a hole in the dark , in a hole in the dark with an owl !
No blasphemy thank you
Again, highway code changes never had anything to do with EU.
Difference between assisted 20mph and leg power 20 mph is rider, latter has skill and fitness needed to control that bike at 20mph. 80 year old granny doing assisted 20 mph may be too weak to stop at reasonable distance. Of course same can be said about 15.5 mph but, risk of serious or fatal injury drops dramatically with speed reduction.
Wouldn't give a hoot 😉
winjim
Smash the cistern
Stop trolling, we've all read the peacock story already.
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
We are already legally required to have a sticker giving the rating of the motor. I wonder how often that is checked? Maybe only after an e-bike has been involved in a serious accident, but all bikes are checked aren't they?
I know the law isn't going to change, but I don't understand the resistance to the idea of minor changes to assistance levels. Bikes are not cars where power is unlimited, but people don't drive at maximum speed all the time. Sensible e-bikers don't ride with 'boost' all the time. Some idiots ride unassisted bikes stupidly, other idiots ride e-bikes stupidly, others clock them too. Dire predictions of carnage on the nation's shared paths due to a 5 mph increase in the assistance cut-off speed seem way over the top to me. Idiots will be idiots whatever they are riding, or driving.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Have you bought one yet?
No?
Then spare the rest of us and stop whittling.
No?
Then spare the rest of us and stop whittling.
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