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Reflections on E-Bikes

ebikes.neighbor-ryan.org

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Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#101

Post by dukeyukey »

russellbeattie wrote: post #31

The thing about ebikes is they sit in a speed niche that hasn't really been seen before, and it's going to cause lots of problems. Before ebikes, you either rode a bicycle, or moved up to a motorscooter or motorcycle, which are much more regulated. The problem is, ebikes are stealth motorscooters . They go really, really fast, for sustained periods of time, and yet are as thin and quiet as a pedal bike. I just starte…

> The thing about ebikes is they sit in a speed niche that hasn't really been seen before, and it's going to cause lots of problems.

At least in the EU (and the UK) e-bikes are limited to 25km/h, about 15.5m/h. Even I can cycle faster than that. And vehicles like moped's were extremely common in European cities a decade or two ago, which fit the same characteristics as en e-bike today.

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#103

Post by MivLives »

One thing that's concerned me about ebikes is helmets. I ride one that can pretty easily handle 25, and if a person is using an old helmet from preMIPs, or has been through a crash that's not going to offer enough protection at those speeds. You need snell, or dot or something certified for faster speeds.

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#104

Post by nicoburns »

LeonidasXIV wrote: post #89

I appreciate the fact that e-bikes are bringing biking to the masses. I really do. But from this post I also read a lot of coping, because your cycling infrastructure is bad. Like the speed argument is completely bogus if you wouldn't need to cycle next to cars that are going that fast. If you had separated bike lanes, maybe not even attached to streets. Proper bike infrastructure is what gets people to bike, e-bikes…

Are e-bikes bringing biking to the masses? At least here in the UK it seems that standard cycling is very common among ordinary people (and a basic bike can be bought for £50-£100). Whereas e-bikes are mainly owned by the relatively wealthy as they sell for upwards of £1000.

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#105

Post by eigenhombre »

Gigachad wrote: post #2

IMO, the number one hurdle for ebikes is theft. The things cost a decent chunk of money and there is basically no way to secure them properly. I have owned an ebike and it's such a fun way to get around, but I quickly sold it because I was in constant fear of it being stolen. And shortly after, one of my cheap non ebikes was stolen while locked inside my apartments bike storage area. I think electric scooters might h…

Theft is a problem for all bikes, for sure, but my ebike[1] cost me less than many road bikes do. I live in Chicago so theft is definitely a concern, but the ebike has replaced roughly 80% of my public transportation trips since Covid came down.

[1] Propella 7S

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#106

Post by notacoward »

Some good points, but the focus seems to be on e-bikes vs. cars. I rarely see any opposition to e-bikes from drivers. The push-back mostly comes from regular cyclists and pedestrians, and those interactions are hardly addressed. Personally, I think putting e-bikes on paths already suffering from contention among cyclists and pedestrians is not something the stewards of those facilities should approve by default. If a particular path can support it, that's great. I wish more did. But I've also seen a bad situation become worse because of e-bikes on trails that were already at or over capacity. "Better than cars" isn't enough.

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#107

Post by leoedin »

I put a relatively low power (250W) mid-drive conversion kit on my commuter bike last year, along with a decent front rack and a child seat for my 18 month year old.

It's incredibly useful for doing short journeys. The motor doesn't make the bike any quicker than a normal bike, but it makes hills a breeze and removes that "can I be bothered" feeling from cycling. If I'm feeling more energetic I drop the assist down to 0 or 1 and it turns into a regular cycle ride. If I'm feeling lazy I blast it to max.

There's a lot of negativity around ebikes here, but I think they're heralding a revolution in city transport. Cycling is a great way to get around, but if you're tired or hungry or going uphill it can be a chore. Ebikes remove all that drudgery, and enable people to ride much heavier cargo bikes. Anecdotally I've seen absolutely loads of people riding cargo bikes in my part of London over the last year - way more than ever before. Bikes like the Tern GSD or the Bakfiets can carry multiple kids or a full food shop uphill with minimal effort. They are actually more useful than a car in a lot of situations.

Once I have a secure place to store it, I'm seriously considering getting a long tail cargo bike like the Radwagon or Tern GSD soon. Driving is so much effort compared to a bike.

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#108

Post by bbarn »

chrisfosterelli wrote: post #28

> Previously, you had to be a serious cyclist to access this speed (and corresponding ability to simply exist on car-dominated roads), but now almost everyone can. Wow, interesting that they frame this as a positive. I'm a general advocate for e-bikes but this has been the absolute biggest drawback I've noticed with them: e-bike riders suddenly get all of the speed of a very fit cyclist but absolutely none of the roa…

Yeah, for the most part, speed comes with experience (genetic freaks of athleticism aside). I can ride at 30mph as comfortably now as I could 20mph 10 years ago. 10 years ago, 30mph was sprinting, and I was not as skilled at maneuvering the machine as I am today. Even with my lack of current fitness (I quit racing and training years ago) I can still comfortably ride with groups of people much more fit because of the experience I gained when I was racing.

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#109

Post by mft_ »

nicoburns wrote: post #104
LeonidasXIV wrote: post #89

I appreciate the fact that e-bikes are bringing biking to the masses. I really do. But from this post I also read a lot of coping, because your cycling infrastructure is bad. Like the speed argument is completely bogus if you wouldn't need to cycle next to cars that are going that fast. If you had separated bike lanes, maybe not even attached to streets. Proper bike infrastructure is what gets people to bike, e-bikes…

Are e-bikes bringing biking to the masses? At least here in the UK it seems that standard cycling is very common among ordinary people (and a basic bike can be bought for £50-£100). Whereas e-bikes are mainly owned by the relatively wealthy as they sell for upwards of £1000.

My observation is that ebikes broaden the group of cyclists to people who (for example) might otherwise consider themselves too unfit or elderly, or who would be put off cycling due to living in a hilly area, etc.

They also broaden the times a bike is used vs. some other mode of transport - for example commuting for people who would not want to arrive at work wringing in sweat and in need of a shower, or carrying heavier loads, or towing a child to school in a trailer over a longer distance, etc.

Re: Reflections on E-Bikes

#110

Post by bbarn »

mdoms wrote: post #38
chrisfosterelli wrote: post #28

> Previously, you had to be a serious cyclist to access this speed (and corresponding ability to simply exist on car-dominated roads), but now almost everyone can. Wow, interesting that they frame this as a positive. I'm a general advocate for e-bikes but this has been the absolute biggest drawback I've noticed with them: e-bike riders suddenly get all of the speed of a very fit cyclist but absolutely none of the roa…

So you think that you can calculate it as dangerous but they can't? It seems to me like the dangers of riding a bicycle fast on the road is really obvious and the e-bike riders are calculating the risk just as experienced riders are. Not everyone has your risk appetite.

The dangers are obvious, but the experience and ability to read your surroundings comes with time spent.

So, yes, I do believe AP when if they say their experience in getting to that speed with a regular bicycle gives them an advantage in those situations to someone jumping on a bike that artificially empowers them to that speed.

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