How long before.....?

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
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al_yrpal
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by al_yrpal »

I used to live on the edge of the Chilterns and all the hills were fairly short with only some steep. No need for an Ebike. But...moving to mid Devon was like moving to the Alps! Lots of 1 in 4s and 1 in 5s. My legs couldnt cope and I gave in and bought an EBike. But then I moved to Somerset, much of it flat as a pancake, but being lazy I am often still out on the Ebike. I frequently switch it off and try to use the least powerful assistance in an attempt to make sure I maintain some fitness in my 9th decade. My Ebike is a clunker 27kg all up and probably 30kg with my clutter aboard, I am sure that helps my fitness quest..

I think Ebikes are great and if it gets more people out of cars and onto two wheels thats great too.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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Cugel
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by Cugel »

mattheus wrote: 30 Nov 2022, 10:21am That really does sound a big advance for the "still able" rider!
Am I correct that - due to legislation - it still doesn't help you in common club/social scenarios i.e. on the flat? If you want to keep up with a group doing 17-18mph on the flat, the assist (" magic leg-power fairy ") is nowhere to be seen?
Yes, that's right - and gives the lie to the advertising claim that an older and/or less fit rider can continue to go out with clubmates in a typical cycling club and keep up.

On the other hand, if you're just a big heavy lad and still physically fit, the extra weight of the Fazua-style or Mahle hub motor bikes is trivial on the flat. I can manage 20-24mph on a flat road on the Lapierre, with it's motor/battery in or out. (Not much flat road in West Wales, though).

But when the skinny whippets take off up the hills, the big lads can now keep up courtesy of their motor - unless the hill is of that shallow long sort where the 8 stone fit lasses can manage to go at 17mph or more. Big lads (and even some smaller ones) then drop off, electric bike or no. :-)

As you may have noticed, I'd prefer no speed limitation but a greater power restriction to around 250 watts total for leg + motor (more if your legs alone will do it). This would make the claim that an e-bike allows the less fit to keep up with cycling club speeds more realistic in all circumstances (except riding with the 1st cats in the chain gang).

Cugel
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peterb
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by peterb »

mattheus wrote: 30 Nov 2022, 10:21am That really does sound a big advance for the "still able" rider!
Am I correct that - due to legislation - it still doesn't help you in common club/social scenarios i.e. on the flat? If you want to keep up with a group doing 17-18mph on the flat, the assist (" magic leg-power fairy ") is nowhere to be seen?
Correct - I've been a club rider all my cycling life and the introduction of e-road bikes has enabled me to continue riding on club runs and for me the time I really need a little more assistance is when the speed of the group begins to drift upwards - 17,18, 20 mph on long flat or gently undulating stretches. This seems to be an issue little appreciated by large numbers of e-bike riders, whose advice is generally in the nature of 'get an electric moped' or 'ask your chums to slow down' or '15.5 mph is fast enough for anyone'. I'd welcome a special exemption for e-road bikes allowing a higher assisted speed cut off limit, maybe 20mph.
stodd
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by stodd »

mattheus wrote: 30 Nov 2022, 10:21am That really does sound a big advance for the "still able" rider!
Am I correct that - due to legislation - it still doesn't help you in common club/social scenarios i.e. on the flat? If you want to keep up with a group doing 17-18mph on the flat, the assist (" magic leg-power fairy ") is nowhere to be seen?
That is correct for any legal pedelec.

A lot of people report extra drag on pedelecs when going above the 15.5mph (maybe +10%?) limit. That is not true for most motors, it just feels like extra drag being added when you get to the speed where the assistance ramps down.
peterb
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by peterb »

peterb wrote: 30 Nov 2022, 4:37pm
mattheus wrote: 30 Nov 2022, 10:21am That really does sound a big advance for the "still able" rider!
Am I correct that - due to legislation - it still doesn't help you in common club/social scenarios i.e. on the flat? If you want to keep up with a group doing 17-18mph on the flat, the assist (" magic leg-power fairy ") is nowhere to be seen?
Correct - I've been a club rider all my cycling life and the introduction of e-road bikes has enabled me to continue riding on club runs and for me the time I really need a little more assistance is when the speed of the group begins to drift upwards - 17,18, 20 mph, and more, on long flat or gently undulating stretches. This seems to be an issue little appreciated by large numbers of e-bike riders, whose advice is generally in the nature of 'get an electric moped' or 'ask your chums to slow down' or '15.5 mph is fast enough for anyone'. I'd welcome a special exemption for e-road bikes allowing a higher assisted speed cut off limit, maybe 20mph.
jb
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by jb »

Bottom brackets may one day disappear from all but the lightest and most expensive bikes to be replaced with a flat plate to which is bolted either a motorized system or a non motorized BB, thus reducing the variety of frames needed.
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mumbojumbo
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by mumbojumbo »

This would allow people to add a motorised element as they age, gain weight and go soft in old age. Could be a real bike for life.
stodd
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by stodd »

mumbojumbo wrote: 3 Dec 2022, 8:56pm This would allow people to add a motorised element as they age, gain weight and go soft in old age. Could be a real bike for life.
They already can; front or rear hub additions just change the wheel, and crank drive kits fit standard bottom brackets.

The plate could be an advance if it were standardized, so you could swap between different electrical systems. As above, you can already do that with kits and regular bottom brackets; and the likes of Bosch are unlikely to fall for standardisation unless pushed very hard by the regulatory bodies. The way they totally ignore the right to repair regulations right now doesn't give one much hope for that.
mumbojumbo
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Re: How long before.....?

Post by mumbojumbo »

Sounds rather complex.
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