E-bikes - Bad for your health

[Cheeky Monkey]

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/m ... es-uk-data

Blimey

Respect with regards to the tragic incidences and some perspective needed to the other causes of fires. I was surprised how many incidences there seemed to be and growing.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I was in Manchester the other weekend and was somewhat surprised by how many e-bikes were zooming round delivering parcels and food etc. The thing that really struck me was how many of these bikes appeared to be very 'cheap' looking and also modified / cobbled and generally bodged to within an inch of their miserable lives. I wonder how much that may account for?

[Lazarus]

remember when li ion batteries started and we were all advised to charge then in tins and fireproof bags
I wonder how many bikes were modded?

[Cheeky Monkey]

Reading the article that does indeed seem to be part of the problem (sub standard cells, sub standard chargers). I suspect it's compounded by the high level of bike theft so these things are usually indoors and that's where charging also occurs. When it goes wrong that means fire and noxious smoke in a living area. No idea it it's a significant factor but I imagine there's probably fewer high-end Spesh etc bursting into flames compared to the heavily used, mod'd, cheap (and nasty?) courier / deliveroo bikes.

Mleh. I thought there were light-hearted aspects to this but am loosing that vibe rapidly

[johnnystorm]

remember when li ion batteries started and we were all advised to charge then in tins and fireproof bags
I wonder how many bikes were modded?

Li-Po certainly. Li-Ion is a fair bit less risky. If not bought through (at best) grey channels.

[Lazarus]

Could well have been them and my error

[sean_iow]

I'll never forget the look on the local fire officer's face when we met at an old people's assisted living complex and there were half a dozen mobility scooters on charge in the lobby where the protected staircase exited

It was deemed a serious enough risk that they were immediately evicted and we designed a little building to go on the side to store/charge them in.

If you use an ebike to commute you're going to charge it overnight and if you don't have a secure outdoor space what else can you do?

[Moder-dye]

As someone new to being an 'ebiker' as it's good for my health I'm not overly concerned.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd expect number of issues to rise as they become more common regardless of whether they're posh £4/5/6/8k bikes, or cheaper ones, or conversions. Lots of things catch fire everyday in the homes, as well as ic cars, never mind e-cars. I seem to remember the last scare was laptops ?

Probably the more utility bikes also get more use and charging than the posh eMBTs at trail parks.

Mines a tongsheng conversion of my old hard tail. The battery is charged off the bike, not been on overnight so far, but I know it switches off when charging is over. We also have interlinked smoke alarms, not that that would stop the house burning down, but hopefully we'd not fry.

[boxelder]

There's been a few times on ITTs when I'd have happily had my bike set on fire - just so's I could stop pedalling and get warm......

[Hamish]

https://youtu.be/k4wQu698M08

[Itchynuts]

I came across the comments about ebikes recently and as an owner for the last 4 years I feel the need to throw in my thoughts.

I bought mine because I'm an old git who started riding at 68 and has never developed whatever muscles are needed for prolonged pedalling up hills.

I live and cycle in the Forest of Dean (Swamp of Dean at the moment). All off road. For anyone who doesn't know it, the forest has no mountains, nothing really rough but is very hilly. One of my standard rides is 22 miles long and goes up and down 2500 feet. I could train for 100 years and not be able to do that ride.

Concerning the safety aspect, I don't ever recall seeing a recommendation to charge lithium-ion cells in tins or fireproof bags! All batteries have the potential to cause fires if you try hard enough or don't follow the rules. Try dropping a spanner across the terminals of your car battery or better still, don't!

I could ramble on for hours but I'll leave you with this :- 4 years ago when I went to my local trail centre I was usually the only one with an emtb and die hard riders used to look at it and scowl as I went by. Now it must be close to 50% have them and the rest want them. A few times now I have seen people on emtb's towing their mates up the steepest stretches.
They are great and they are here to stay.

Sorry for rambling on but it's either this or get out and cut the grass.

[RIP]

it's either this or get out and cut the grass.

Would that be with an e-mower or the traditional human powered variety?

Can't say I know anyone who's had a battery blow up. But with the massive uptake of e-bikes there's bound to be the odd story.

[Itchynuts]

Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of it myself but yes it is an e-mower too.

In keeping with the rest of the forest my garden is all up and down.

[Jurassic]

I finally cracked last year and bought an eeb. I was riding my normal bike when my friends were on ebikes and (even though I'd promised myself that I'd wait until I turned 60 next year and treat myself to an ebike as a retirement present) I thought what am I waiting for? I have zero regrets about the purchase, it coincided with me getting my 41kg working dog retired home and as my wife is too frail to walk him the ebike means I can get out for a couple of hours blast around our local trails when I probably wouldn't have enough time spare to go out on the normal bike. Mine is a Giant Reign e+1, so basically an electric enduro bike but it's fantastic and mega capable off road. I dunno how long doggo will be around for, hopefully a long time but he'll ten in October and big dogs tend to not live as long so who knows. In the meantime the ebike means I can keep riding with all the physical and mental health benefits that bestows upon me. I have no concerns about charging the bike indoors, it has a pretty sophisticated smart charger and I always charge it during the day when I'm present so that I can keep an eye on it just in case!

[Lazarus]

Many of us will no doubt end up with them as we age- way better than not riding.

Round my way I increasingly see people half my age on them as humans ,even when exercising, are incredibly lazy.

At some point ebikes will be the norm.

[Jurassic]

Many of us will no doubt end up with them as we age- way better than not riding.

Round my way I increasingly see people half my age on them as humans ,even when exercising, are incredibly lazy.

At some point ebikes will be the norm.

I understand the perception that ebikes are for lazy people or old/infirm people but the reality is that (with legal ebikes at least) you still have to pedal it and you still get a good workout, you just ride up the hills a lot faster than you did on a normal bike and consequently cover more ground and get to enjoy more descending. People don't regard uplift as reserved for oldies and with a segment of the ebike community at least that's a better way to regard them (as a self contained uplift device). With that in mind it's not surprising that they're catching on with the gravity fuelled, adrenaline seeking market (who aren't necessarily old, unfit or disabled). I think there's a certain amount of misunderstanding regarding ebikes but there's no doubt the waters are muddied by the influx of cheap, illegal ebikes (with throttles) and Sur Ron type bikes which are electric motorbikes and not ebikes. There are loads of adverts for cheap Chinese ebikes popping up on social media most of which aren't legal to ride in UK public spaces.

[johnnystorm]

Many of us will no doubt end up with them as we age- way better than not riding.

Round my way I increasingly see people half my age on them as humans ,even when exercising, are incredibly lazy.

At some point ebikes will be the norm.

By going somewhere on an eBike they've already done better than a sizeable proportion of the population.

I was very dismissive initially and considered them cheating but I'd really like one as I think it would probably be great fun.

[riderdown]

At some point ebikes will be the norm

Doubt it. Second hand they are a potential write off when the drive goes without a warranty. Batteries start to go, etc etc

They'll get more popular, I'm even thinking of one for the 22m each way commute to work as it will probably bring it down to not much more than an hour to get home (more up hill). But a simple bike will always have appeal.

[fatbikephil]

Many of us will no doubt end up with them as we age- way better than not riding.

Round my way I increasingly see people half my age on them as humans ,even when exercising, are incredibly lazy.

At some point ebikes will be the norm.

By going somewhere on an eBike they've already done better than a sizeable proportion of the population.

I was very dismissive initially and considered them cheating but I'd really like one as I think it would probably be great fun.

E-bikes replacing car journeys is definitely one of their (potential) benefits. I suspect a lot of the buyers of the cheap Chinese efforts are using them in stead of the bus though. Over on Bikepacking.com the zealots seem to get very steamed up about them, moaning that they are replacing normal bikes not cars. Hey ho. They are a funny bunch over there though

E=cargo bikes have caught my attention. Once I'm over 60 and have a bus pass, I'm wondering if an e cargo bike, bus pass and car hire will replace the car; on the basis that I'm not going to be buying an e car under any circumstances. I'd also look at e motorbikes of course, once they get fast charging sorted.

[jameso]

Over on Bikepacking.com the zealots seem to get very steamed up about them, moaning that they are replacing normal bikes not cars

Reality is a bit of both I think. For some, an e-bike can replace a bike and get more use and it'll replace a few car trips too - more than the normal bike probably would.

[RIP]

I'm wondering if an e cargo bike, bus pass, [train pass], and car hire will replace the car... I'd also look at e motorbike

Yep that's the way to go. I'm just waiting for my lottery win to afford a Ti Brompton e-bike .

On similar subject of "sustainable travel", have coincidentally just been to the railway station (not train station for goodness sake!) on my non-e-Brompton to book my non-e-MTB on Paddington to Cardiff train for a Valleys jape with some chums in June, based in Pontypridd. Trust me to choose the week the Severn Tunnel is closed, so going the scenic route via Gloucester. Will jump on Valleys trains from Pontypridd for one-way trips back down the valleys. Also hoping to cover Rhymney - Tredegar - Trefil - Pontsticill - Merthyr - Pontypridd on one of the days, but of course the Rhymney train goes via Caerphilly not Pontypridd so some thought required.

Big fan of bus/train/bike japes.

Back to e-bikes....

[PaulB2]

An e-cargo bike would tick a lot of boxes as a 2nd car in our house now that the kids have outgrown our trailer. It'd be great for shopping and taking a child around the town. It's just a shame that the longer distance cycle paths around here normally have very narrow access points that might tricky if not impossible to get through.

[RIP]

It's just a shame that the longer distance cycle paths around here normally have very narrow access points that might tricky if not impossible to get through.

Tis true. Same with a trailer sometimes. Someone in Milton Keynes local to me complaining, below. (Sorry, back to e-bikes again).

https://road.cc/content/news/new-cycle- ... ers-300009

[PaulB2]

I remember reading about that one - this is the council that run a e-cargo bike scheme for businesses where the bikes are too wide to fit through the bollards they've just installed in a glorious bit of not very joined up thinking.

[rudedog]

That looks like it will fit through?