Adventures in an all electric vehicle.

[GRW]

I assume you use a cycle cape with a sou'wester hat and your bike has proper mudguards . The capes we used were bright yellow and made us feel as if we had been washed up just off Cape Horn.

I think if I went the cycle to work route - I'd be a bit pragmatic about it.
Wet weather gear is a bit better than z So'wester these days... but if it was bloody awful weather you'd take the car lol.
The big advantage of the e-bike over the "analogue" pedal cycle is I think, that you can ride a respectable distance without arriving sweaty, smelly & knackered for your days work.

 

[DanZac]

I assume you use a cycle cape with a sou'wester hat and your bike has proper mudguards . The capes we used were bright yellow and made us feel as if we had been washed up just off Cape Horn.

Nah, I just get wet because I'm an idiot.

 

[fizzy]

The E-bike is looking like it might well be an excellent commuter vehicle.
No tax/insurance, assistance limited to15.5mph (fast enough) & takes the sting out of pedalling steep hills, and far cheaper than any car, & economical to charge.

Even a 10-mile not too hilly commute is perfectly realistic, & won't actually take much longer than the car journey (less if its a congested area). Thr biggest issue (apart from getting drenched on the wet days) is your workplace would need properly secure parking (& charging, though a 20-mile+ range for an e-bike isn't unusual) for one, or the scumbags will have it away pronto.

In Wales we can get 3 months of non stop rain. I suspect that E bikes will be very heavily regulated soon taking away any joy in ownership.

 

[premmington]

Ebike is viable - cost wise!

You lot have got there in the end - this has pleased me!

It is weight that is the issue...

 

[James1979]

I’m surprised e-bikes aren’t classed as a moped if I’m honest.

The original actual MoPed was a petrol version of what we now know as an e-bike.

It’s probably semantics in the definition that makes them not a moped but I can see some sort of tax, insurance and licensing coming in after a few fatals.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Number plates and insurance are on their way me thinks.

The technology in the "market leader" is quite impressive from an engineering perspective.

 

[James1979]

Number plates and insurance are on their way me thinks!

The technology in the "market leader" is quite impressive from an engineering perspective.

That needs applying to bicycles if I’m honest.

However that’s a different thread probably.

E-bikes will be registered before long I have no doubt. Once the scrotes start using them for crime and hooning about that’ll be it.

 

[James1979]

 

[m_c]

E-bikes will be registered before long I have no doubt. Once the scrotes start using them for crime and hooning about that’ll be it.

Start?
They already are, but generally with electric motorbikes, not electric pedal assist bicycles.
You just need to look at the lads killed in Cardiff and Manchester over the past month to see it's a growing issue.

Anything not limited to 15.5mph, or producing more than 250w, is a motorbike in the eyes of the law.

 

[James1979]

Start?
They already are, but generally with electric motorbikes, not electric pedal assist bicycles.
You just need to look at the lads killed in Cardiff and Manchester over the past month to see it's a growing issue.

Anything not limited to 15.5mph, or producing more than 250w, is a motorbike in the eyes of the law.

Odd number. Must be km converted?

Totally random, but this last few posts got me thinking.

When I were a boy, I had a bicycle with a pannier rack on the back. Me and my mates grafted a starter motor on to it so it rubbed the sidewall like a dynamo and put a vehicle battery on the pannier rack.

Had loads of fun on that Felt like well over 15.5 as well!!

 

[premmington]

Start?
They already are, but generally with electric motorbikes, not electric pedal assist bicycles.
You just need to look at the lads killed in Cardiff and Manchester over the past month to see it's a growing issue.

Anything not limited to 15.5mph, or producing more than 250w, is a motorbike in the eyes of the law.

My " moped" Honda AFS110 has 8.25bhp.

Fast maths = 8.25 bhp x 745w = 6.146KW

(as much as I like the Honda - it is pig slow @6KW ish)

 

[GRW]

That needs applying to bicycles if I’m honest.

However that’s a different thread probably.

E-bikes will be registered before long I have no doubt. Once the scrotes start using them for crime and hooning about that’ll be it.

It's the Surons (I think they are called - basically e-motocrosser/enduro motorcycles) that are causing mayhem in many places.
Also (though they too are actually eminently practical, but as usual it's the behaviour of nuggets on them) the e-scooter is illegal - but towns & cities are teeming with them.

A bit like the FS1-E (my first motorised machine at 16) which had pedals instead of footpegs (to work-around the moped laws of the period), the e-bike meets the regs for not requiring to have a no. plate, tax, licence, insurance etc. Its limited to a 250w motor, 15.5mph sees the assistance disabled, and it must require the rider to pedal for the motor to assist (the Chinese kits with a thumb throttle that remove the need to pedal - are illegal on the road).

I'd not be shocked though of course if in future "Govt" didn't decide to move the goalposts to screw more revenue - from e-bikes. If they got popular enough (and/or idiots ride them stupidly enough and clobber Peds etc) then registration etc is far from far-fetched.

 

[DanZac]

Odd number. Must be km converted?

30 KPH. Which is about what a normal, competent (and fit) cyclist can average on a normal road bike for any length of time, so I guess it's from EU regulation and stems from that?

 

[premmington]

30 KPH. Which is about what a normal, competent (and fit) cyclist can average on a normal road bike for any length of time, so I guess it's from EU regulation and stems from that?

I would agree...

 

[premmington]

Start?
They already are, but generally with electric motorbikes, not electric pedal assist bicycles.
You just need to look at the lads killed in Cardiff and Manchester over the past month to see it's a growing issue.

Anything not limited to 15.5mph, or producing more than 250w, is a motorbike in the eyes of the law.

250w is not a lot to play with.

 

[m_c]

My " moped" Honda AFS110 has 8.25bhp.

Fast maths = 8.25 bhp x 745w = 6.146KW

(as much as I like the Honda - it is pig slow @6KW ish)

There are two main types of illegal e-bikes around, ignoring those who've de-restricted a proper pedal assist bike (which consequently makes it illegal to use on the road, as it doesn't meet any of the legal requirements for such a vehicle).

Basic ones which are essentially a standard bicycle with a 1-2kw motor and battery.
Only weight penalty being the motor/battery, and you can do 40kmh without that much effort.

Or what are essentially electric trials/enduro bikes.
Capable of 50+kmh, as an electric motor and battery is a lot lighter than an engine/gearbox/fuel tank.

 

[premmington]

There are two main types of illegal e-bikes around, ignoring those who've de-restricted a proper pedal assist bike (which consequently makes it illegal to use on the road, as it doesn't meet any of the legal requirements for such a vehicle).

Basic ones which are essentially a standard bicycle with a 1-2kw motor and battery.
Only weight penalty being the motor/battery, and you can do 40kmh without that much effort.

Or what are essentially electric trials/enduro bikes.
Capable of 50+kmh, as an electric motor and battery is a lot lighter than an engine/gearbox/fuel tank.

I did this maths 6yrs ago - six years later - nothing viable has come onto the market place to replace a/my Honda C90? (AFS 110 108cc Honda C90)

Simple question?

(no bullying please )

 

[Agrismith]

There are two main types of illegal e-bikes around, ignoring those who've de-restricted a proper pedal assist bike (which consequently makes it illegal to use on the road, as it doesn't meet any of the legal requirements for such a vehicle).

Basic ones which are essentially a standard bicycle with a 1-2kw motor and battery.
Only weight penalty being the motor/battery, and you can do 40kmh without that much effort.

Or what are essentially electric trials/enduro bikes.
Capable of 50+kmh, as an electric motor and battery is a lot lighter than an engine/gearbox/fuel tank.

The electric trials bikes are only illegal as they are being run illegally. They can be licensed and motd. The ones being run illegally are no different to the petrol ones being run illegally.
Some of the legal motorbikes look really good. 2.5hrs charge time on some and do anything from 30mph to 110mph depending on your license.
I think they look like a great option.

 

[fizzy]

Limiting the power to 250w is crazy. Limiting the speed makes sense. A heavy bloke up a steep hill will need a lot more than 250w!

 

[James1979]

How hard would it be to IVA an electric enduro bike?

Mrs79 follows a bloke on instagram called Lyndon Poskett and he’s done the Dakar on one.