.....isn't that just a motorcycle or scooter?
this post was submitted on 11 May 2024
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micromobility - Ebikes, scooters, longboards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility
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Ebikes, bicycles, scooters, skateboards, longboards, eboards, motorcycles, skates, unicycles: Whatever floats your goat, this is all things micromobility!
"Transportation using lightweight vehicles such as bicycles or scooters, especially electric ones that may be borrowed as part of a self-service rental program in which people rent vehicles for short-term use within a town or city.
micromobility is seen as a potential solution to moving people more efficiently around cities"
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Yes but speed limited to and in bike form. I guess yeah you can argue it's not a bike anymore but who cares? To me the important thing is that it should be allowed in bike lanes if it conforms to existing ebike standards. People with disabilities might not be able to pedal and I don't see why they should be prohibited from using a bike lane just because their bike is powered entirely by electricity instead of just mostly.
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Kind of stupid idea. There is a place and need for light weight transport that is assisted bicycle. Our law classifies these (and electric scooters) as light electric vehicles and has special set of rules for them. Things like when driving on pedestrian paths they can't move faster than 5km/h. On roads maximum is 25km/h but they have to wear reflective west. Kids must wear helmets, etc. For the most part sensible requirements.
That said I am of the opinion everyone should take a test to participate in traffic, bicycles included. For bikes there aren't many rules they need to know anyway. They can skip almost all of the signs except those for the right of way. So it would be easy test but a necessary one. And simply bar kids on bicycles in traffic lanes and that's it. Safest for everyone.
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That's a moped. I suppose they have their space too.
We're basically talking about a low power motorcycle/scooter with optional pedals at that point.
I think the question becomes, should you need to be licensed to operate and should you have to register/insure what essentially become ultralight motorcycles?
If you could get a $1-2k "motorcycle" that was an electric bike, having about a 45 mph top speed, a 20 mile range, and a detachable battery that you could take inside with you to charge, it would be such an efficient, practical method of transportation.
I really like the US take on this one actually. I'm pro ebike and absolutely love motorcycles, but 45 mph is too fast to not require a licence.
Here we have 3 classes numbered as such. Class 1 is 15 mph pedal assisted, class two is 20 mph pedal assisted, and class 3 is 28 mph and allows a dedicated throttle. Class 3 often has limitations for certain bike trails, but most class 3 comes have variable modes to limit them to class 1 and 2 speeds. Generally as long as you're following trail speed limits you really don't have to worry.
This part varies by state, but in general anything over 28 mph is considered a moped and requires a proper license. As an avid motorcycle rider I feel even 28 might be too fast for non-license, but I also understand keeping up with cars, especially in cities, is way safer so I get why the limit is a bit higher than you'd expect.
Yeah it varies entirely by state, the last time I checked in North Carolina there's a legal definition for "moped" which has a maximum speed fo 30mph, an engine of no more than 50ccs displacement, no external shifter controls, etc. And these are legal for road use without registration or a motorcycle license. I don't know how or if they've adopted laws about electric assist bicycles, but I imagine if it can go more than 30mph under its own power it would require a license plate and a motorcycle endorsement to operate.
Class 1 is 15 mph pedal assisted, class two is 20 mph pedal assisted
This is incorrect. Class 1 is pedal-assisted only, up to 20mph. Class 2 ebikes have a throttle that can power the bikes up to 20 mph without pedaling.
I rarely go over 20 mph on mine (class 3). I try and minimize the pedal assist but it allows me to push myself because I know if I go to far (I'm old and out of shape), I can use the throttle to get home. The only time I was close to that was on a 25 mile ride with my son last summer when it it was in the upper 90's and humid. It was a circle route and the return was into a stiff breeze. The last mile or so was a slog and I used the throttle a lot just to get back.
I absolutely agree with this.
At this point making a helmet and insurance mandatory and minimal age is only logical. How many fatbikes will we see if any of the above becomes reality?
Here in the Netherlands fatbikes really started to become a thing after they made helmets mandatory for moped drivers
At that speed, you want something beefier than a bike frame and parts. A US class 3 ebike is limited to 27mph on a 750W motor. That's stressing the limit of bike parts, even with ebike tires and chains.
A typical human can put down around 250W into a bike, and the best athletes around 400W. 750W plus what you put into it is outside the original intent of bike parts.
If you want to go 45mph, everything needs to go up a notch in design. That increases both weight and cost. A $1-2k range is only possible with the cheapest crap scooter parts. Get closer to $4k and things look better.
People should have some kind of licensing for this. Always should have for the ICE versions, and probably for class 3 ebikes, too. Maybe just the motorcycle license, maybe something specific, but it shouldn't be wide open.
I agree with most of what you've said.
However, I have a bottom of the barrel, 250w hub motor ebike. With pedal assist, it gets me cruising at 20mph no problem. I got it from Walmart for $400. I am pretty ignorant when it comes to production and manufacturing but it stands to reason that at 5x the price, they could make something that would safely go a little over twice the speed.
The problem with ebikes is that they manufacture all these huge, fat-tire, inefficient pieces of garbage and then price them at $3k like some luxury item.
I'm hoping cheap, fast ebikes are coming soon.
Wait, the bike I was hoping for already almost exists. Its called the goat v2. Its just a little over $2k with some promo codes and realistically, it's a couple mph shy of 45.
I think we're going to see bikes like this everywhere within 5 years, which is great!
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Here we have these 25kph IAmAbikeAndNotAMotorcylce Frankensteins on the bike lane and I freaking hate it. They go illegaly on the pedestrian, look at their phones while driving, block the narrow bike lanes. They should be supposed to have a drivers license and go on the street. Most if not all of them are food couriers. They should be treated as such.
Sorry for the rant, and funny enough I live in the EU (in Austria)
Same issues with them in the Netherlands. Fatbikes and the people who typically ride them are the worst. Fatbikes dont belong on the bike lane.
Fatbikes dont belong on the bike lane.
Why not?
I have an ebike that doesn't require pedalling and goes up to 35km/h on full power and full battery. No fat tyres, you'll be happy to know. (Although I still don't understand why the width of tyre bothers you.)
I've driven a taxi for years, driving kids to school, doing this in the third gen. My father used to have "gentleman of the road" on the back of his car.
I use the same principles when in traffic.
My bike is awesome and the reason I don't need to own a car myself.
Better bicycling infrastructure would be cool, and I support something that would come between be between pedestrians and cars as a a lane. I mean, bike lanes already exist, but a more dedicated "light vehicles" lane or smth that you can't walk (or cycle slowly) on.
Why don't you just get an electric vespa?
Because I like bicycling, and a vespa won't fit into my apartment. (Can't leave shit unattended in the bike cellar in my building.)
My bike doesn't require pedalling, but because it's an option, I usually do it and then feel good about it, which leads to a positive feedback loop.
A cold morning? I don't need to use electricity, just pedal and warm up. Get a bit hot, don't want to arrive at job while sweating? -> Glide on electricity and take in the cool breeze.
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As long as the speed limit remains the same as for pedal-assist bikes then I don't really see any difference wether the rider is pedaling or not.
Exactly. Class 2 already has a throttle lever.
It doesn't add any cost to include a throttle on the ebike.
Regulate speeds, not mechanisms. Moving people to micromobility is a benefit regardless of the form of that micromobility. Speed is the safety concern, not any of this loophole-inducing nonsense.
No, no and no. In our country, there's a loophole in traffic regulation allowing for anything under 25kph on bike paths if it's electric powered. This resulted in a super dangerous situation for normal cyclists. I commute by normal bike and believe my it's terrible:
- food delivery guys switched to electric scooters (think Vespa) and clog bike paths. These things are way too heavy in case of a collision with a pedestrian or cyclist.
- the 25kph speed limit is not observed! Either the manufacturers don't care or the drivers tweak their rides.
- the acceleration is way too sudden. Even a regular E-Bike needs to ramp up to speed. And you see when the driver engages his drivetrain by way of them moving their legs. With a throttle you just have a lump of mass that suddenly jumps forward. Super unpredictable.
So now we basically have way too big, way too heavy and way too quick objects on bike paths endangering everyone else.
There needs to be strict mass limits for vehicles allowed on bicycle paths. There need to be acceleration limits. There need to be mandatory checks for pedal-less ebikes. If a bike from a manufacturer is found that can exceed the speed limit, there need to be existentially threatening fines. Because their products are threatening lives!
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Based on the other things the UK gov has been saying, I assume this is some ploy to reduce the prevalence of e bikes.
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