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E Bikes

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energyman:
Not sure what the rest of the world does but here in the UK E-Bikes are legally limited to 15 mph maximum assistance.  An increasing number of bike retailers are advertising the "super fast E-Bikes" capable of 20 mph plus.
Legally if you buy one then you need third party insurance, registration & a number plate.  So far I haven't seen one of these bikes with a number plate.  The advertising small print (and in some cases I mean very small print) explains this.
E-Bikes are becoming more popular as an alternative to cars.
I'm just waiting for the first report of an incident involving one of these bikes and the subsequent action by the authorities.
It's bad enough getting run down by aggressive drivers of four wheeled disabled chariots in pedestrian only areas.
.....sorry, rant over.......

jags:
i'd feckin love one  ;)

Danneaux:
e-man,

A nice summary of e-bike laws 'round the world can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws

In the US, laws vary by state and so do allowable maximum speeds, which the charts at the above link show are usually 20-30mph, unlimited, or undefined. With the exception of Pennsylvania, it appears license, insurance, and number plates are not required.

I'm seeing a growing number of e-bikes here in my town, but the biggest problem seems to be cyclists of all stripes who don't always pay the greatest attention to speeds when riding on bike paths congested with shared pedestrian traffic. I saw a fellow on a single-speed nearly take out a lady pushing a pram yesterday. It was a case of simply going too fast for conditions. Similarly, though a well developed network of standalone and on-street bike paths exists here, I'm seeing growing numbers of riders who prefer to cycle on the sidewalk amidst pedestrians. City planners are exploring development of on-street bike lanes segregated from traffic as a way to address the needs of people who prefer riding on sidewalks to riding next to traffic. This model works well in the Netherlands, but the conversion is expensive and there are local concerns about how it might affect on-street car parking.

Best,

Dan.

Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop:
I've been looking into this a fair bit (on a personal level not on behalf of Thorn) as the law currently stands with a speed pedelec you need to wear a motorbike helmet, unless the UK finally gives in and adopts the EU Speed Pedelec helmets most manufacturers now have. This is the deal breaker for me.

All the other stuff is simple Bikesure https://www.bikesure.co.uk quoted me £135 third party only & Quoterack https://www.quoterack.co.uk quoted £200 fully comprehensive. The bike has a V5C like any motorbike/car, due to emissions the VED is £0, Demon Plates will knock you up a numberplate, most Speed Pedelecs have a Supernova rear light which incorporates a downlight for the number plate.

The only other grey area is if its ok to use a cycle path still....

jags:
my idea of a ebike would be a hidden motor on my audax help me get up those hills ,not at all interested in speed .Bianchi have a lovely ebike looks exactly like a roadbike .

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