Graham wrote:I'm trying to accommodate Electric bikes without creating yet another forum section.
My simple binary split is conventional bikes & unusual bikes/trikes.
IMO Ebikes/Ecycling needs a section of it's own and not an infringment this section. I think Ebikes popularity is about to explode in the UK much as it's done in the rest of Europe. To ignore it and try to lump it in with another section is to miss it's appeal as another facet of cycling in its own right IMO My 2d's worth
+1. I'm no purist and am happy to consider purchasing a pedelec but I think it merits its own section. There will be lots of discussion about motors, batteries, assist methods, security etc. The potential volume of threads is vast and would drown out other conversations.
Another consideration is whether a separate "electrical assist" forum would attract more enquiries from potential or inexperienced users. If it did, I doubt if there's the knowledge in depth on here to answer queries: a lot might be helpfully re-directed to other forums. Obviously, I'm only guessing there, but if there was a load of interest and expertise hidden away, I suspect it would have emerged before now.
thirdcrank wrote:Another consideration is whether a separate "electrical assist" forum would attract more enquiries from potential or inexperienced users. If it did, I doubt if there's the knowledge in depth on here to answer queries: a lot might be helpfully re-directed to other forums. Obviously, I'm only guessing there, but if there was a load of interest and expertise hidden away, I suspect it would have emerged before now.
IME it emerges if you ask the right people the right questions. I think it would be good to have separate 'electric assist' section, if only to redirect enquiries: the topic's here to stay so we might as well embrace it!
Assuming you've bought an epac, or converted your trusty steed, you'll be pleased to know that CTC, recognising that this may be the only way for some people to continue or take up cycling, extends the full benefits of membership to users of electrically-assisted pedal cycles.
My feeling is that a motor assisted bike remains a bike, and is as valid as any other piece of technology that makes cycling more accessible, attractive, easy, functional for a user. If we ignore the advent of pedelec (and it's only going to get more efficient and widespread) we might just as well have bemoaned the developments of the derailleur on the grounds that the SA hub was all we needed.
Pedelec is here to stay in my opinion. And it has a place for those who chose it, for whatever reason they want.
This post is about where it's most appropriate to discuss the topic. I tend towards creating a particular section. This will not only encourage a new group of contributors (who hitherto might have felt inhibited by a perception that pedelecs were frowned upon by the general membership) but will allow discussion of a wide range of topics particular to pedelecs (technicalities; road experiences; riding styles; purposes of use; etc)
Even with a particular section, there will be many overlapping situations. For example, it would not preclude a discussion in this section on the fitting of e-assist to a recumbent trike. There are enough people who have done this already, for a variety of valid reasons.
climo wrote:It should be a separate section with sub sections such as 'Battery Charging' or somesuch. The CTC has missed the boat by ignoring Ebikes. They are the future of urban transport and the CTC should be in there pushing for their usage and the inevitable changes of infrastructure they will bring. Better to steer something than to be pulled along in its wake.
I firmly believe they're the future in utility cycling and cargo bikes,and once the blue touch paper is lit they'll drive the need for decent infrastructure. The UK has recently,after dragging it feet for soooo I long,had the wake up call on cars in cities and the problems caused by them,pedelecs are the answer for the non enthusiastic potential cyclist,and could be the real influence where infrastructure's concerned.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Heltor Chasca wrote:I read in 'Bike Nation - How Cycling Can Save the World' by Peter Walker, that 53% of bike sales in the NL are e-bikes.
There we go again. The Dutch getting cycling all wrong. AGAIN. Tut.
Separate section gets my vote, which will pacify the purists. I for one think they are fantastic machines on many levels.
It must be remembered the Netherlands is a forward thinking country with regards to cycling(unlike the UK) not only from an infrastructure POV.Last time we were there which is some time ago,we were told by a bike shop owner that an NL citizen can buy a bike tax free by going into any bike shop and informing them of their address and ID number. The cost is automatically deducted from their salary or OAP over a three year period,I should imagine it also applies to 250watt/15mph pedelecs as they're classed as bikes like here.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
I'm here nor there on the subject and I've been trying to look at this only from an admin POV.
A sub-forum has been suggested and if that approach were to be adopted, IMO it would be more relevant as a sub-forum of the general technical section than this NSHPV section.
One point about the way sub-forums are indexed is that you have to know it's there to know where to look. eg the Touring section has a sub-forum indicated by the modified icon, but there's nothing at the index level to say what it is.
My broad point was that this isn't a traditional library where books are best shelved by category to enable them to be retrieved easily: the index takes you to the thread by magic, so to speak, but the index does need to point the way.
Assuming you've bought an epac, or converted your trusty steed, you'll be pleased to know that CTC, recognising that this may be the only way for some people to continue or take up cycling, extends the full benefits of membership to users of electrically-assisted pedal cycles.
With the exception of the long overdue magazine article it's not exactly leading from the front. Surely the way forward is an integrated forum but as a separate section. What I'd like to see is cyclists & e-cyclists (who probably don't see themselves as cyclists) working together under one umbrella for the common good.
climo wrote: ... What I'd like to see is cyclists & e-cyclists (who probably don't see themselves as cyclists) working together under one umbrella for the common good.
I thought we had been discussing the technical aspects but that implies something under "Campaigning and Public Policy."
I also fully agree that e-bikes/trikes should have their own section. My wife and I own three between us, a Bosch powered Tern folder, a Shimano Steps Hase Kettwiesel and a Protanium Hase Pino. Also now very intrigued by the electric Brompton; it's a pity it wasn't available sooner as it could have been an alternative to the Tern that's lighter and folds smaller (so easier to get into the boot without doing my back in). We've had e-bikes/trikes for several years with over 8000 km covered across the three.
PS if it wasn't for the electric assist I would be cycling on my own a lot more... Supports more harmony in the marriage.
PPS the electric assist on the Kettwiesel is also great fun off road and in the snow.
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