A lot of people can quite easily ride between 15 to 20 mph without blowing out of their bum, wouldn't it be nice if their riding buddy on an ebike who might normally struggle at those speeds got a bit of assistance.
Petition for law change - Ebike Assist Limit
- Thread starter jowwy
- Start date
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A lot of people can quite easily ride between 15 to 20 mph without blowing out of their bum, wouldn't it be nice if their riding buddy on an ebike who might normally struggle at those speeds got a bit of assistance.
booze and cake
probably out cycling
Or if they were a buddy they should have no problem slowing down a bit so their friend isn't struggling.
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- Location
- Glasgow
Yet again a post with huge assumptions attached to it........and the usual reply of its ok, but not in my back yard. Maybe we should restrict normal bikes to 15mph as well then, to ensure everyone is safe, because normal bikes can reach higher speeds and do on cycle paths. I’m not going to make the assumption as others have above and state other riders speeds with my naked eye. But let’s just say, I’ve seen regular riders cause more agro on shared use, segregated and roads than ebikers, but I won’t tar every rider with the same brush.
But again people on here are saying the average rider speed is already 15mph plus so Ebikes should be limited to that too......but and here’s the assumption people make, which clouds their judgement. For the average joe to ride at an average speed of 15mph, he/she would have to ride a fair significant part of their journey at above speeds of around 20mph, making up the the times of stopping, riding uphill, traffic lights, slow cars, traffic jams etc etc etc......so limiting an ebike assist to 15.6mph max is therefore causing Ebikes to average slower than normal riders as the heavier bike, motor drag, bigger tyres etc etc decreases their ability to ride above the cut off limits. Therefore ebike riders are averaging slower than normal riders. Hence within this thread E road bikers are also asking for the limit to be increased so they can keep up on club rides that go higher than the cutoff point and make it difficult for them to keep up, hence they no longer partake in club rides. If the increase to 20mph means they can then average the same 15.6mph as normal riders of the same distance would be classed as levelling the playing field as they say.....but hey let’s not that get in the way of the NIMBYS on this thread who think that a max assist limit of 15.6mph is the same as the average speed limit of normal bike riders......as it’s not
Yes it would and it should be that way........
But isn't that one of the reasons why the limit is being asked to be raised so ebikes can keep up with buddies who ride quicker, most group rides I have been on average over 16mph and above, and on some rides the proposed 20mph wouldn't be enough.
I used to be of the opinion that ebikes needed a higher cut off speed, and was tempted to either mod my own ebikes to get more speed or just buy a non road legal kit. In fact i often aired these views on various forums.
I've since changed my mind completely about this. I've come to appreciate the fact we can legally use cycle/canal paths and go anywhere bicycles can go..... and i'm seeing a fair few modded and non road legal ebikes at these places, some with dinner plate sized hub motors.
It make me fear legislation that could impact law abiding ebike riders and remove some of the privileges and freedoms that we currently enjoy. Especially for disabled and health deteriorated ebike riders.
In this health & safety obsessed society we live in, more motor speed will be deemed more dangerous..... and that usually gets legislation and restrictions added to it by the authorities.
I've since changed my mind completely about this. I've come to appreciate the fact we can legally use cycle/canal paths and go anywhere bicycles can go..... and i'm seeing a fair few modded and non road legal ebikes at these places, some with dinner plate sized hub motors.
It make me fear legislation that could impact law abiding ebike riders and remove some of the privileges and freedoms that we currently enjoy. Especially for disabled and health deteriorated ebike riders.
In this health & safety obsessed society we live in, more motor speed will be deemed more dangerous..... and that usually gets legislation and restrictions added to it by the authorities.
- Location
- Glasgow
Well, we can only self regulate on cycle paths.
The "assistance" to this self regulation is, of course, one's fitness/ability.
A motor removes this restriction, enabling more wannabe racers to cause damage.
I have a Garmin, and I'm not afraid to use it!
booze and cake
probably out cycling
But if 20 mph is still too slow, are you now asking for 25mph? What next 30mph?
classic33
Leg End Member
Compared to cycling as a whole, how long have e-assist bikes been around. And how quick have regulations governing their maximum assisted speed been changed. If 20mph was given as the new limit, how long before 25mph was being asked for?*
How fast could one go. 100mph plus, depending on the rider. I've an electric motorcycle near me. Perfectly legal, as is the rider. He stays within the speed limits more than most other vehicle users. But meeting it on a quiet road is another thing. He'll slow down and talk to you, if it's safe. But having him alongside, very little noise, takes a bit of getting used to.
He chooses the speed, not the machine.
How fast could one go. 100mph plus, depending on the rider. I've an electric motorcycle near me. Perfectly legal, as is the rider. He stays within the speed limits more than most other vehicle users. But meeting it on a quiet road is another thing. He'll slow down and talk to you, if it's safe. But having him alongside, very little noise, takes a bit of getting used to.
He chooses the speed, not the machine.
- Location
- Glasgow
Well, then, you cannae participate, same as me
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Sorry to be pedant, but "glass cranking" doesn't mean freewheeling. It means pretending to pedal hard without putting much real effort through the cranks. You do it when you don't want or can't contribute but don't want to p off your fellow riders.
The assistance removes no such restriction....people who want to, can still self regulate in the way we do now, no matter what their ability or fitness levels.
Your just of the opinion that nobody can have/do more than you can, I can only average 15mph so you should only be allowed to as well. But life doesn’t work that way and there is always some one that will try and break the law and use illegal means to do so.....that is the uncontrollable element.
What you have now is companies supplying equipment that allows ebikers to break the law as the arbitrary figure of 15.6mph isn’t fast enough for club rides and road ride commutes, so they find illegal means of doing so. That causes even more danger than just a simple legal increase of the max speed assist limit. But you don’t see it that way, as your only thinking about your segregated/shared cycle path....which is a very narrow minded view of the bigger picture at play
In this instance glass cranking as stated in a previous post is invariably limiting the assist level of the ebike and therefore would be detrimental to the ability of the bike reaching 25mph......as the poster assumed the bike was illegally de-restricted allowing next to no input from the rider. Crank based motors with cadence sensors require input from the rider and the lower the cadence/input the lower the level of assist ( again that’s on the new style of Ebikes now available) some may have older tech Ebikes without cadence sensors and with throttle control
I don’t believe the cube E road bike is of the old style as e road bikes are new to the market
stoatsngroats
Legendary Member
- Location
- South East
I have used an ebike, and Mrs SnG has one, but for us, I wouldn’t see any benefit of a higher cutoff speed. If we wanted to ride faster, it’s still possible to do so, so I wouldn’t sign the petition.
I think the issue of wanting the higher cutoff speed would be likely to provide others, whom may not be considerate, even less likely to share they space they ride along, and more likely to compete in (or into) that space, which would potentially increase risk for others. (My consideration - I cannot prove this, but have seen on shared spaces and roads, that effort, speed and space can be seen as a goal to be achieved.)
So, for me it would probably result in an increase in poorly viewed cyclists, with all that comes afterwards, Misunderstanding, anger, frustration, etc.
Just my thoughts, but thanks for sharing the opportunity to sign a petition.
I think the issue of wanting the higher cutoff speed would be likely to provide others, whom may not be considerate, even less likely to share they space they ride along, and more likely to compete in (or into) that space, which would potentially increase risk for others. (My consideration - I cannot prove this, but have seen on shared spaces and roads, that effort, speed and space can be seen as a goal to be achieved.)
So, for me it would probably result in an increase in poorly viewed cyclists, with all that comes afterwards, Misunderstanding, anger, frustration, etc.
Just my thoughts, but thanks for sharing the opportunity to sign a petition.
