E-Bike Threat

Talk about anything.

Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew

Gari
Posts: 1213
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 5:38 pm
Location: Grantown on Spey

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Gari »

That^^ is boss, would be great for the Pugs for the rest of the year once the snow has gone :grin:
User avatar
Richard G
Posts: 4923
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:09 am
Location: South Wales

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Richard G »

Related to the topic in general... an open letter to ebike brands: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-let ... l-williams
YetiTony
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:21 pm
Location: Essex
Contact:

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by YetiTony »

This has now moved onto STW, it would appear for them though it is concerns about people modifying them so they are now exceeding 16mph and breaking the law.
http://singletrackworld.com/2015/10/ebi ... stributor/
User avatar
Single Speed George
Posts: 611
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:36 pm
Location: Shap

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Single Speed George »

i did notace on strava there is now a catagory for e bikes ( in the more sports part after you have upladed it) , so now i dont care aslong as people put it on that i have no objections any more hahahaha
User avatar
Zippy
Posts: 3059
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 6:43 pm
Location: Suffolk
Contact:

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Zippy »

If I end up with an e-bike, you can bet that I'll be shoe-horning the most powerful motor I possibly can in there Image
Trail-rat
Posts: 641
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2015 1:30 pm
Location: Between Aberdeen and the Cairngorms

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Trail-rat »

why not save the hassle and just buy a motorbike/mobility scooter - delete as applicable.

seems a bit useless once you start needing to mot tax insure and license them as per mopeds.....

how ever - if the government here adopted a dutch approach there would be no issues as we would be on segregated paths with the 49cc mopeds anyway.
User avatar
mountainbaker
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2013 1:34 pm
Location: Devon

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by mountainbaker »

If I end up with an e-bike, please shoot me.
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4062
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by benp1 »

I'm sort of in two minds on this - though to be clear I'm fully supportive of e-bikes

I was thinking that I would unrestrict it, if I had one, as that would be more fun. But I hate seeing evidence of motorbikes in the woods, it just ruins the trails. So a dongle'd e-bike, or one that has been modified in some way, is crossing over into motorbike territory

I can just imagine scumbags doing this round the woods and ruining the trails on BSOs with monster electric assists

(I own and ride motorbikes as well as bicycles)
User avatar
Zippy
Posts: 3059
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 6:43 pm
Location: Suffolk
Contact:

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Zippy »

Trail-rat wrote:why not save the hassle and just buy a motorbike/mobility scooter - delete as applicable.
Certain electric motor characteristics - flat torque curve, superior power control to ICE, far more advanced control strategies, packaging constraints and energy density when making something bespoke etc. etc.

ICE is all well and good, but I'm actually starting to get interested in electricity powered moving things...


Anyway - I doubt I'll be fiddling with one in all reality - it's just if say I got given one or something. More likely to build a jet engine out of an old turbo and attaching that to a bicycle first to be honest.... Image
Trail-rat
Posts: 641
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2015 1:30 pm
Location: Between Aberdeen and the Cairngorms

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Trail-rat »

likewise dont get me wrong im supportive of Ebikes - hell i was selling them when they still had lead acid batterys and had a max range of 20miles - and were almost unridable once flat due to weighing 60lbs +

But i see no reason for them to be assisted over 15mph due to the areas they are using and toally agree once they can go above that pace under their own power that they should be classed as a road going vehicle.

Image

the year was 2002. it was a great vintage.
User avatar
Bearbonesnorm
Posts: 23973
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:53 pm
Location: my own little world

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

I don't have much E-bike experience but my dis-joined thoughts are:

I sometimes meet an old boy in Hafren who rides one, if he didn't have the assist he wouldn't be able to ride - +1 for the E-bike.

I coached a woman last week who brought one with her. It had decent suspension, brakes, etc but weighed an awful lot - I thought, there's no way you're pedalling that home if it runs out of juice. She told me it was over £2.5k which leads me to think that it won't be kids / nobs buying them. They might as well keep buying cheap / stolen motorbikes which are faster and lets be honest - much cooler.

Everyone tells me they're going to be the next big thing. One day they might be but not until the price drops and the battery life increases.

If I'm out riding round Nant Y Moch or wherever and there's an E-bike riding there too, will it have a negitive impact on my enjoyment? No. What if the thing's 'dongled'? Still No. I think I'm failing to see what all the fuss is about.

Sorry for the rambling nature - feel free to ignore it.
May the bridges you burn light your way
ton
Posts: 2504
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 9:53 am

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by ton »

any able bodied person wanting to use a ebike is not right. I used on for 3 years through ill health. I got rid as soon as I was able.
User avatar
Richard G
Posts: 4923
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:09 am
Location: South Wales

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Richard G »

ton wrote:any able bodied person wanting to use a ebike is not right
My missus is "not right" then. I want us to be able to go out on rides together, and she's not into type 2 fun... so an ebike is really the only option in Wales. That's before you consider the fact that I train 8 hours a week on the bike and really struggle to go as slow as average Joe any more.

Frankly I can't wait to get her one, but I'm struggling to find out the full specs on most of the ones I've looked at (run time is going to be really important, as I'd like us to ride for a couple of hours, grab a bite to eat, and then ride back for a couple of hours).
jameso
Posts: 5090
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by jameso »

That open letter makes a good point, valid concern.

Last week I was looking at some high-power e-mountain bikes with a buyer I work with. No-one seemed sure about where in the UK you could use it since it's not road legal, thf classed as a moped/motorbike, so it's only allowed where a green-lane crosser can go - ie not on 95% of the places we'd ride. Even then you couldn't ride on road to the places you can ride off-road w/o plates and a road-legal motorbike lid. OK there's the footpath cheeky trail argument with normal bikes but it's not really the same as selling a bike that the customer may not realise is risking points if used on-road and the general displeasure of most if used as an average MTB. Maybe I've missed something in the legistaltion since I'm only interested in road-legal e-bike kit but it seems like a flawed product if the regs are as I think they are.


Richard G, same here, my OH loves her Shimano E-bike demo and what it's done for our cycling is great. There's a lot of regular/relatively quick riders finding the same thing, seems that side of the e-bike market is being recognised at last. It just evens things up. Shimano STEPs does around 4-6 hours or 80-90km under a 50-60kg rider, goes well on min power mode with max only being needed to ride up hills at a quicker pace than I can match once it's over 7% or so. As an example we've used it for 80+ mile mixed on/off road bikepacking trips over a weekend, ~6kg on her e-bike inc the charger, stopped for 2 top ups, one each day. It's been impressive, has 1000km on it now and Evans have committed to the bike so orders are going in.
User avatar
Richard G
Posts: 4923
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:09 am
Location: South Wales

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Richard G »

Cheers jameso. Interesting.
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4062
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by benp1 »

jameso wrote: so it's only allowed where a green-lane crosser can go - ie not on 95% of the places we'd ride. Even then you couldn't ride on road to the places you can ride off-road w/o plates and a road-legal motorbike lid.
Actually, it needs an MOT, tax and insurance as well...
ton
Posts: 2504
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 9:53 am

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by ton »

}My missus is "not right" then.]
sorry, that sounded wrong from me. I was meaning coming from a cycling/sporting background.
jameso
Posts: 5090
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by jameso »

benp1, yup, you need all that with plates but it's worth saying. Could put people off the idea of a 500W e-mtb pretty fast.
User avatar
benp1
Posts: 4062
Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:36 pm
Location: South Downs

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by benp1 »

jameso wrote:benp1, yup, you need all that with plates but it's worth saying. Could put people off the idea of a 500W e-mtb pretty fast.
Yep, it'll just be a slow motocross bike :grin:

I guess you'd need a CBT as well, or not if you're old enough to have the right driving licence...?
User avatar
Richard G
Posts: 4923
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:09 am
Location: South Wales

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Richard G »

ton wrote:sorry, that sounded wrong from me. I was meaning coming from a cycling/sporting background.
It's alright, I wasn't particularly offended. :P
DrMekon
Posts: 141
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:02 am
Location: Otley

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by DrMekon »

Image
User avatar
Scattamah
Posts: 2030
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 4:18 pm
Location: Beyond The Black Stump

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Scattamah »

At some point in the future, I'd love to get my missus on a Powerfly full susser. Then she'd be able to come out and play rather than Spot stalk me. Problem is I'd probably want to nick it or get lazy and ask for a tow!

Greetz

S.
User avatar
Richard G
Posts: 4923
Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:09 am
Location: South Wales

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Richard G »

Scattamah wrote:At some point in the future, I'd love to get my missus on a Powerfly full susser. Then she'd be able to come out and play rather than Spot stalk me. Problem is I'd probably want to nick it or get lazy and ask for a tow!
That's not nearly as expensive as I was expecting.
User avatar
Ian
Posts: 4655
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:10 pm
Location: Scotlandshire
Contact:

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by Ian »

"Lost" my first KOM to some bloke on an ebike yesterday :roll:
User avatar
voodoo_simon
Posts: 4092
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2013 9:05 pm

Re: E-Bike Threat

Post by voodoo_simon »

Ian wrote:"Lost" my first KOM to some bloke on an ebike yesterday :roll:
I got a lot of podiums last week whilst testing a E-bike :lol:
Post Reply