No speed please, we're British

[machew]

The government today confirmed that an electrically powered bicycle, may not be sold in this country because its top speed exceeds legal limits.

Spoil sports

 

[fossyant]

Spesh were hoping to sell it. Cancellara won't be happy

Looks a cracker - still I suppose our legs will be banned soon. 28 isn't fast.

 

[ManiaMuse]

I don't get why the limit is so ridiculously low at 15mph for electric bikes, I can sleep faster than that.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think electic Bicycles (and there does I guess need to be some limitation on performance) are a fab way of clean local transportation and could do much to get people out of cars and onto 2 wheels.
When you get to 28 (assisted) MPH on the roads I do think you're entering moped territory and regulation, insurance, yadda yadda

Exciting bit of kit though.

 

[Norm]

Electric bikes aren't limited to 15mph, it's just that they are not allowed to provide assistance over that speed.

You can ride as fast as you like / can but you'll only get help below 15mph.

If you want to go faster than that, pass your test and get a licence.

 

[Fab Foodie]

^^^^ This. There needs to be some demarcation between 'Bicycle' and 'Motorbike' ....

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I don't know why there capped at 15 mph I think 20 mph would be better. The government want more people cycling and I think ebikes are a good way of achieving this. More bicycles/ ebikes on the road can only be a good thing for all two wheelers. They might start putting more cycle lanes round my area if that was the case.

 

[Piemaster]

That actually looks ok too.
Reading that article I wonder if a tweak of the software could drop the max assisted speed to 15mph so it could be sold here, though at that price I can't see it being a big market as "it's only a bike"

 

[BSRU]

I don't know why there capped at 15 mph I think 20 mph would be better. The government want more people cycling and I think ebikes are a good way of achieving this. More bicycles/ ebikes on the road can only be a good thing for all two wheelers. They might start putting more cycle lanes round my area if that was the case.

I assume it is capped at 15mph as they expect people to be using shared paths and any faster maybe considered unsafe.
Although it was probably some civil servant pulling a piece of paper from a hat when they decided the limit.

 

[simon.r]

Spesh were hoping to sell it. Cancellara won't be happy

Looks a cracker - still I suppose our legs will be banned soon. 28 isn't fast.

I think 28mph is fairly fast. I don't profess to be a fast cyclist, my normal 'cruising' speed is about 15mph and my maximum speed on a ride is normally about 30mph - and then only on downhill sections.

I don't find the thought of totally inexperienced numpties being able to ride at 28mph along cyclepaths appealing.

 

[fossyant]

I think 28mph is fairly fast.
I don't find the thought of totally inexperienced numpties being able to ride at 28mph along cyclepaths appealing.

Cycle paths yes - but it's a £4.5k electric bike - can't see many folk buying one. TBH A pedal powered Venge would be as quick - it saves about 20 watts so that's an extra 2-3 mph over 25 mph.

Only 30 down hill - you haven't lived

 

[Norm]

I assume it is capped at 15mph as they expect people to be using shared paths and any faster maybe considered unsafe.

Indeed, and I understand that the recommendations (they can't set limits as bikes are not required to have speedometers) are that cyclists should not travel above 12mph on shared paths.

I think 28mph is fairly fast. I don't profess to be a fast cyclist, my normal 'cruising' speed is about 15mph and my maximum speed on a ride is normally about 30mph - and then only on downhill sections.

I don't find the thought of totally inexperienced numpties being able to ride at 28mph along cyclepaths appealing.

And, indeed, this as well.

For most situations cycling, 15mph is a perfectly adequate for electrical assistance. Not that there is anything against being faster than that but there is a vast gap between someone putting in the effort to ride at 20mph and someone just twisting a throttle to do that speed anywhere that cycling is legal.

There are plenty of options (for less than the Spesh too!) if you want to go faster than 15mph.

 

[simon.r]

Only 30 down hill - you haven't lived

That's my normal maximum, I have got to just over 40 a couple of times, but that's plenty fast enough for me I read about people doing 70 down Alpine passes and my blood runs cold - lycra hitting tarmac at 70 mph - shudder!!

 

[Graham]

There is an elec bike another brand (can't remember which one) which does 15mph. However, it has a button for 'off road' when it will do over 20. So as long as you don't press the button when you are on the road it's all fine!

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Like the bike!!

Although there was a thingyTube movie on here at some time with a madman who'd invented something way faster that looked more like a motorbike.

Funny how there's a limit on electric bikes here, in a country where 99% of drivers are permanently over the speed limit.