e-bikes getting more powerful

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Comments

  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    The new Trek Super Commuter+ with hub gearing... I would... besides the super 4k pricetag.
    trek_super_9.jpg
    Apart from the fact they forgot that we ride on the correct side of the road.....
    If they upped it to 17.5 mph so that urban riding would be easier in taking proper road positioning thus eliminating those annoying close passes that the law (2019) cannot and will not eliminate.
    It has a number plate facility... what would you have on yours?
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    JGSI wrote:
    The new Trek Super Commuter+ with hub gearing... I would... besides the super 4k pricetag.
    trek_super_9.jpg
    Apart from the clunky tyres (2.4s!), guards and stand, that looks pretty good
    JGSI wrote:
    If they upped it to 17.5 mph so that urban riding would be easier in taking proper road positioning

    Or just pedal it to 17.5mph?
    If they do up the speed it's likely to be to 30kph (18.5mph).
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    I got stopped on Sunday morning by a driver in his 30s accusing me of riding 2 abreast and holding him up on a widish and empty at the time town road. I wasn't, I was probably a little to the offside of my even older co- culprit... meaning NOT riding in the flipping gutter, where obviously he thought we belonged. Apparently I was in contravention of the laws of the HC by not not being subservient.
    I just think that when in roadie kit, we act as 'triggers' for mental behaviour for some people.

    Do people on e bikes like the Trek get accosted in a similar fashion?
  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    Probably in near future e-bikes will be the most common and none e-bikes more of a minority niche product? Especially when the new congestion charges etc take effect.

    Iv'e demo'd a e-mtb and as soon as you turn the pedals its basically zero effort to ride just shoots forward. I don't really class then as bikes as requires virtually no effort to ride there more similar to a speed limited moped/motorbike.

    Watch out for OAP's on e-bikes 8)

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... h-cyclists
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Moonbiker wrote:
    Probably in near future e-bikes will be the most common and none e-bikes more of a minority niche product? Especially when the new congestion charges etc take effect.

    Iv'e demo'd a e-mtb and as soon as you turn the pedals its basically zero effort to ride just shoots forward. I don't really class then as bikes as requires virtually no effort to ride there more similar to a speed limited moped/motorbike.

    Watch out for OAP's on e-bikes 8)

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... h-cyclists

    That'll be me soon!
  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... -lane-hell

    Clickbait OTT headline & a poor article as doesn't really discuss solutions,or much details, buy kind of interesting glimpse for what the future may be like & possible problems caused.....
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Moonbiker wrote:
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/20/scooters-and-hoverboards-add-to-dutch-cycle-lane-hell

    Clickbait OTT headline & a poor article as doesn't really discuss solutions,or much details, buy kind of interesting glimpse for what the future may be like & possible problems caused.....

    To be honest, number of the E-things have speed and fairly poor braking etc, which on the whole doesn’t really feel like they should be on a pavement even if it’s a shared use.

    Coupled with the fact that because E-things be they bikes/skateboards/scooters can easily hit 15mph or more they do, hence in my experience though the numbers of E-things I see are relatively low, the proportion that are been ridden sensibly is even lower, sadly people are people.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,152
    roger merriman wrote:
    Moonbiker wrote:
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/20/scooters-and-hoverboards-add-to-dutch-cycle-lane-hell

    Clickbait OTT headline & a poor article as doesn't really discuss solutions,or much details, buy kind of interesting glimpse for what the future may be like & possible problems caused.....

    To be honest, number of the E-things have speed and fairly poor braking etc, which on the whole doesn’t really feel like they should be on a pavement even if it’s a shared use.

    Coupled with the fact that because E-things be they bikes/skateboards/scooters can easily hit 15mph or more they do, hence in my experience though the numbers of E-things I see are relatively low, the proportion that are been ridden sensibly is even lower, sadly people are people.

    As they're all illegal on the road or pavement, it does raise the question of what's the point in having laws if noone ever gets stopped or has it confiscated?
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    roger merriman wrote:
    Moonbiker wrote:
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/20/scooters-and-hoverboards-add-to-dutch-cycle-lane-hell

    Clickbait OTT headline & a poor article as doesn't really discuss solutions,or much details, buy kind of interesting glimpse for what the future may be like & possible problems caused.....

    To be honest, number of the E-things have speed and fairly poor braking etc, which on the whole doesn’t really feel like they should be on a pavement even if it’s a shared use.

    Coupled with the fact that because E-things be they bikes/skateboards/scooters can easily hit 15mph or more they do, hence in my experience though the numbers of E-things I see are relatively low, the proportion that are been ridden sensibly is even lower, sadly people are people.

    As they're all illegal on the road or pavement, it does raise the question of what's the point in having laws if noone ever gets stopped or has it confiscated?

    I suspect it's like the 20mph limit in Richmond Park, it's rarely applied and only if you've also failed the attitude test, never heard of E-bikes or E Skateboards though have heard of folks having their hover boards taken off them.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,152
    roger merriman wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    roger merriman wrote:
    Moonbiker wrote:
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/20/scooters-and-hoverboards-add-to-dutch-cycle-lane-hell

    Clickbait OTT headline & a poor article as doesn't really discuss solutions,or much details, buy kind of interesting glimpse for what the future may be like & possible problems caused.....

    To be honest, number of the E-things have speed and fairly poor braking etc, which on the whole doesn’t really feel like they should be on a pavement even if it’s a shared use.

    Coupled with the fact that because E-things be they bikes/skateboards/scooters can easily hit 15mph or more they do, hence in my experience though the numbers of E-things I see are relatively low, the proportion that are been ridden sensibly is even lower, sadly people are people.

    As they're all illegal on the road or pavement, it does raise the question of what's the point in having laws if noone ever gets stopped or has it confiscated?

    I suspect it's like the 20mph limit in Richmond Park, it's rarely applied and only if you've also failed the attitude test, never heard of E-bikes or E Skateboards though have heard of folks having their hover boards taken off them.

    Or the 20mph limit anywhere for cars.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr8TnqGb9Gc

    This one crept up behind me and thought I'd be able to show muscle beats electric. I was wrong, very, I was doing 20mph and being distanced :(
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    redvee wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr8TnqGb9Gc

    This one crept up behind me and thought I'd be able to show muscle beats electric. I was wrong, very, I was doing 20mph and being distanced :(

    You got one on camera!
    These are the illegal jobbies I also see creating issues with their dual power250/1000w motors.
    Essentially a moped without tax , insurance or registration plate.
    He'll not get pulled unless he rides into someone or RLJs and someone wipes him out.
    I f he sticks to routes like that, it is cheap transport back and from the warehouse, but still a danger and menace to other people.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    JGSI wrote:
    redvee wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr8TnqGb9Gc

    This one crept up behind me and thought I'd be able to show muscle beats electric. I was wrong, very, I was doing 20mph and being distanced :(

    You got one on camera!

    I didn't help myself as I was on 32c knobbly tyres that sapped my efforts a little, I would have still struggled on 25c slicks but not as much.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • PhilipPirrip
    PhilipPirrip Posts: 616
    redvee wrote:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr8TnqGb9Gc

    This one crept up behind me and thought I'd be able to show muscle beats electric. I was wrong, very, I was doing 20mph and being distanced :(
    Have you forwarded the video to the police? It's clearly not road legal so I'd hope they'd respond as they would any other vehicle that shouldn't be on the road or a shared path in this instance.

    He appears to be travelling to/from work so likely to use the same route routinely so shouldn't be hard for the police to locate.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    PhilipPirrip wrote:
    Have you forwarded the video to the police? It's clearly not road legal so I'd hope they'd respond as they would any other vehicle that shouldn't be on the road or a shared path in this instance.

    He appears to be travelling to/from work so likely to use the same route routinely so shouldn't be hard for the police to locate.

    Hadn't really thought about it TBH but will do so now.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • sgt.pepper
    sgt.pepper Posts: 300
    redvee wrote:
    PhilipPirrip wrote:
    Have you forwarded the video to the police? It's clearly not road legal so I'd hope they'd respond as they would any other vehicle that shouldn't be on the road or a shared path in this instance.

    He appears to be travelling to/from work so likely to use the same route routinely so shouldn't be hard for the police to locate.

    Hadn't really thought about it TBH but will do so now.

    Can't say I agree with reporting him. I'd rather an ebike rider, than another car user. Having just visited the UK again for the first time in ages, I was struck by the lack of ebikes - the ridiculous and arbitrary 15mph limit has killed their use stone-dead. As long as they're behaving, I say more power to people delimiting and getting around on them.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Ebikes do sometimes have their issues.
    https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/5860/aft ... um=twitter
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Sgt.Pepper wrote:
    Can't say I agree with reporting him. I'd rather an ebike rider, than another car user. Having just visited the UK again for the first time in ages, I was struck by the lack of ebikes - the ridiculous and arbitrary 15mph limit has killed their use stone-dead. As long as they're behaving, I say more power to people delimiting and getting around on them.
    Yes, No, yes? ...
    It might just be an individual who has managed to source an illegal motor or circumvent the controller on a legitimate motor - or it may lead to someone else who is supplying de-restricted bikes - and if they're doing that illegally, then what else are they doing?
  • lvquestpaddler
    lvquestpaddler Posts: 416
    I'd put compulsory GPS and speed limiters or tachos (that send the road and speed info to the plod every week) in all vehicles then....have a system whereby no vehicle can speed anywhere in the UK. I can see a situation in towns where keeping up with, or even ahead of, traffic is safer than accelerating to 15.4mph and then hitting the proverbial wall while all the cars catch you up. It seems the states have a 20mph limit which seems a better deal.... After all many urban roads now are "20's plenty" zones, let the e-bikes hit this and maybe it would deter folk tinkering with the bikes for a few extra mph?? I once hired an e-bike in Tenerife a year or so ago and it was great until it passed the assistance point...!!!
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Good one last night as I was driving back along a 30mph road for a few miles. Caught sight of a non pedalling bikester (ordinary clobber and no helmet) in rear view mirror, keeping a pace when doing 30. Not a single pedal stroke to conceal the fact that the rear wheel hub had a massivo motor installed. I crept speed up to 35 and yup , still there. I stopped for red light, (as you do) he didnt.
    No coppers when you want one.
    The fact that these are illegal machines, they'are all under the radar of the authorities -- until at some point they have an incident.
  • surfercyclist
    surfercyclist Posts: 894
    It may be annoying but no way are the police going to bother with an over powered e-bike unless they actually caused a serious accident involving injury. Pretty sure plod have better things to do and even if they haven't they won't be bothered.
  • matudavey
    matudavey Posts: 108
    Slowbike wrote:
    It might just be an individual who has managed to source an illegal motor or circumvent the controller on a legitimate motor - or it may lead to someone else who is supplying de-restricted bikes - and if they're doing that illegally, then what else are they doing?

    You make it sound like you've got to arrange a dodgy deal under a bridge in a car park.

    In reality, you just go on ebay and order a 500W motor wheel. Swap it out, stick a battery on and 'forget' to connect the limiter wire.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    SurferCyclist wrote:
    It may be annoying but no way are the police going to bother with an over powered e-bike unless they actually caused a serious accident involving injury. Pretty sure plod have better things to do and even if they haven't they won't be bothered.

    Being clobbered by something doing 30mph+ silently and with a pilot who dont givafck , is going to hurt.
    I also noticed how intrinsically 'unstable' the damn thing was - not to mention the absolute weediness of its v brakes.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I'm hoping that these illegal bikes will sort themselves out. As you say - the bike is not designed for that Power and I'm sure the riders will wipe themselves out sooner or later.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Thinking back, it reminded me of the 'the Terminator' in rear view mirror... or Spielberg's 'Duel' .. couldn't drop him even in a car.

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