What is wrong with people?

[Drago]

Now I'm a pedelecist myself I've been browsing a few forums. However, all people seem to want to talk about is what pedelec to buy (of little interest to me now I have one), or how to derestrict them. If that wasn't bad enough, the site owners seem happy to allow these discussions to take place despite most of them being quite open and honest about wanting to use them on the roads.

What is wrong with people? Why cant the be sensible and buy the correct vehicle in then first place, and get the correct documents to go with them?

I sign up to very few forums - here, and Army Rumour Service are the only ones - and this sort of daftness has put me off of signing up for any pedelec forums.

 

[Nitram55]

One of the first questions people often as about my E-Bike is why don't you hack it to make it faster, The answer that its illegal and it would vastly reduce the range seems to leave them bemused.

 

[Drago]

I wonder...in a year or two all new cars will come with intelligent speed limiters (albeit for the first few years with a ridiculous override function). Will car forums suddenly be full of people asking how to derestrict their cars?

 

[raleighnut]

I wonder...in a year or two all new cars will come with intelligent speed limiters (albeit for the first few years with a ridiculous override function). Will car forums suddenly be full of people asking how to derestrict their cars?

Probably
A lot did it with Mopeds when the 35 'sloped limit came out and 125s when the 12hp limit was introduced, one bike magazine ran an article 125 from a 125 (RD 125 LC) They didn't quite make it but concluded a 160cc 'big bore' kit would do it easy.

 

[gavroche]

@Drago . I am blaming you for looking at shops with ebikes now although, being only 69 ( not for much longer) , I am still faaaaaar too young to even consider buying one.

 

[HMS_Dave]

You've not owned a Saab and been on the Saab forums then @Drago?

Years ago, I owned a 9000 turbo, similar to the one that ended Cozy Powell, and it's full of mods, ECU hacks and even people sharing remaps to get crazy speeds out of these things...

Not for me, a useful resource to find out common issues but full of people performing the dark arts of motoring....

Im assuming it's a similar story on these pedelec websites...

 

[Profpointy]

You've not owned a Saab and been on the Saab forums then @Drago?

Years ago, I owned a 9000 turbo, similar to the one that ended Cozy Powell, and it's full of mods, ECU hacks and even people sharing remaps to get crazy speeds out of these things...

Not for me, a useful resource to find out common issues but full of people performing the dark arts of motoring....

Im assuming it's a similar story on these pedelec websites...

That's rather different as it isn't turning the vehicle into something out and out illegal, or at least requiring a proper licence

 

[HMS_Dave]

That's rather different as it isn't turning the vehicle into something out and out illegal, or at least requiring a proper licence

Which member were you on the Saab forums?

 

[marzjennings]

I wonder...in a year or two all new cars will come with intelligent speed limiters (albeit for the first few years with a ridiculous override function). Will car forums suddenly be full of people asking how to derestrict their cars?

Yes, because hacking vehicles to make them faster, regardless of legality, will always be a thing. Heck, half the cars my friends drove in Cornwall when we were kids were completely illegal hack jobs that all 'passed' their MOT 'cos we all went to the same guy. So I'm not surprised at all that folks are looking for ways to derestrict ebikes, I know I would. I've already had to tell my mum who's knocking on 80 not to ride the dodgy ebike's her friend is building.

 

[Profpointy]

Which member were you on the Saab forums?

I'm not on it though I do have a Saab

 

[Drago]

You've not owned a Saab and been on the Saab forums then @Drago?

Years ago, I owned a 9000 turbo, similar to the one that ended Cozy Powell, and it's full of mods, ECU hacks and even people sharing remaps to get crazy speeds out of these things...

Not for me, a useful resource to find out common issues but full of people performing the dark arts of motoring....

Im assuming it's a similar story on these pedelec websites...

to be fair to SAAB, it must be pointed put that Cozy Powell was driving at a ton plus, was over the drink drive limit, and on the phone to the married woman he'd been having an affair with

 

[Ananda]

Maybe because:
A. The 25km/hr speed limit is silly, since you easily go much faster than that on a normal bike (I routinely hit 60 in the area I usually cycle without even trying too hard....it is called gravity)
B. In most EU countries you cannot register a non speed limited ebike anyway, so if even if you wish to be legal, you cant.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I know that you know this - but the 25 kph limit is only for the motor - so if you can go faster by pedallin then that is OK - just saying for people from other countries or new people to pedelecs

Personally - I like the fact that (EU/UK) law says that my ebike is treated exactly the same as a normal bike - can use cycle lanes. pavement where shared, Police will not pull me up for cycling on the pavement for safety etc etc
If someone put forward a speed cutoff increase then I can see some or all of these getting whittled away and replaced with a higher speed limit - but some other bits that such as compulsory registration or something.

It is also notable that when a petition was put to Parliament in the UK then it received very little support in spite of being publicised a lot of ebike forums and thread
I have also received far more support for the 'leave things as they are in case .....' arguments than I would have expected.

Generally I tend to ride just below the cut off speed but go over on nice flat sections or when the wind is behind me

 

[Drago]

Maybe because:
A. The 25km/hr speed limit is silly, since you easily go much faster than that on a normal bike (I routinely hit 60 in the area I usually cycle without even trying too hard....it is called gravity)
B. In most EU countries you cannot register a non speed limited ebike anyway, so if even if you wish to be legal, you cant.

A. Why exactly is it silly? Simply labelling the phenomenon as "silly" offers nothing by way of explanation. If you can pedal faster, great, all power to you. If you cant, then what's wrong with 15.5mph? If you do have some major issue with 15.5 mph then get a speed pedelec...

B. You may not have realised that we in the UK are not in the EU. "Speed pedelecs", as the pedelec capable of well in excess of 15.5mph max assistance are called, can indeed be legally registered and used in the UK - you may want to do your homework before making such statements. There are companies that sell them either already documented, or as the bike on it's own for the purchaser to do the donkey work with the DVLA themselves and save a few quid. Here you go...

https://urbanebikes.com/collections...bUoD7icFOCMjV-BGBDuL4yNL-MULmTswaApQVEALw_wcB

In addition, ebikes and S-Pedelecs are legal in the EU, provided they have all the appropriate documentation and the rider meets the licence requirements.

This being the case, with speed pedelecs being both legal and available all across geographical Europe, why do muppets want to illegally pep up their bikes and ride about uninsured and, quite often, unlicenced?

 

[welsh dragon]

Maybe because:
A. The 25km/hr speed limit is silly, since you easily go much faster than that on a normal bike (I routinely hit 60 in the area I usually cycle without even trying too hard....it is called gravity)
B. In most EU countries you cannot register a non speed limited ebike anyway, so if even if you wish to be legal, you cant.

You can go faster than 25km, that's just the speed at which the motor cuts out. After that the faster you go it's all down to you . On mine going downhill I can hit 34mph and i have 20 inch wheels.

So many people seem to think that 25km is the fastest it will do.