Treat it as you would have an mx bike.
The video of the Sparticle overtaking the roadie is hilarious
I like overtaking the odd roadie on my (non-electric) Brompton, it's rapid off the lights, it's hilarious. There's no chance of doing that on a normal ride though, it's just not as quick.
An electric brompton is a great idea, becomes a genuinely practical bit of 2 wheeled transport for the average person. Although it'll be 4kg heavier to pick up
That's what 101 is for. Even if you can;t give enough of a description or they don't have anyone local enough to do anything about it (and not being a road or right of way, is it even illegal, in the same way cheeky trails aren't a police matter?). It might get mentioned in a meeting, which might lead to him being stopped for riding it on the road if they're made aware that it's not a pedelec.Not acceptable, but he had no vehicle, no number plate etc, so what could we do? It was tempting to call police.....
That's what 101 is for.
It's have thought it's a civil issue, riding an electric bike on private land?
The video of the Sparticle overtaking the roadie is hilarious
In rode a Sparticle conversion last week - pretty good although let down by the ride of the brompton.
Still I might get one now I know that twist-and-go throttles are OK on conversions, just might put fatter than normal tyres on it so it is not so twitchy.
Why do you want a throttle so badly turner guy ?
Why not just get a pedal assisted one ?
btw, I said I agree with 250W limit. While that is true, I do think if you are using it offroad say for a bit of cycle camping, or hauling a trailer, I can see that the 250W may struggle a bit?
more wattage justified in that scenario?
Interesting video of someone who has strapped a Baffang motor to their roadbike
74 k/mh (46mph) in a 30 mph zone
Got me thinking about the impact on the e-bike industry if a couple of kids get mowed down by an unregulated e-bike - things woudl quickly change
Why do you want a throttle so badly turner guy ?Why not just get a pedal assisted one ?
It's the only ones they have in stock and they reckon the pedelec sensor doesn't fit nicely to the brompton.
Plus all the reports say the throttle is more fun...
The less breathing I have to do in London the better nowadays with all that nasty, diesel infested, air.
So long as it remains speed limited is that any different to my cargo bike scenario ?
Its not just that 250w will struggle it's than it could easily damage the equipment as it will be working at absolute full capacity under strain to climb hills
Got me thinking about the impact on the e-bike industry if a couple of kids get mowed down by an unregulated e-bike
I'm sure it won't be long now.
Its not just that 250w will struggle it's than it could easily damage the equipment as it will be working at absolute full capacity under strain to climb hills
250w is plenty enough for any bicycle application.
I met a couple touring on FULLY loaded ebikes (google ebikecycletourists) with huge trailers. Bikes were bog standard Kalkoff with the bottom end Bosch motor. At the time their bikes had done around 14.000km with no issues at all. They'd offered to send their bikes to Bosch for inspection afterwards but Bosch we like "No need, we know they'll be fine".
And they were, after 22,000km.....
Anyone who's ridden the Bosch CX Performance line motor will know that they take off like a rat on a rocket as soon as you touch the pedals it really really is pleanty of power.
I've just crunched some numbers and the system the OP is talking about is equivalent to around 13.5bhp (125cc motorcycle territory) and about 106lb/ft torque (car territory) if the numbers are correct.
With the correct gearing that's easily capable of 70-80mph.
So, why should anyone be able to buy one without license, insurance, lights etc? They shouldn't. It's clearly stupid isn't it.
see a women on an elctric moped around town.
It's obviously over 250W.
it's also 'road legal'. It has indicators etc. no numberplate though.
she rides with a open faced moped helmet, sometimes in the road, some times up the shared use pavement.
Wider use like this will get it clamped down upon. I think the law is just about ok atm, just too many people flouting it/ not understanding it.
Got me thinking about the impact on the e-bike industry if a couple of kids get mowed down by an unregulated e-bikeI'm sure it won't be long now.
More worried about the impact on actual bike riders, couldn't give a toss about the ebike riders really.
40kg hardly needs capitals for fully does it ? Thats what 88lbs ? About 1/2 of common Cargo bike ratings ?
Haibikes as well -3 of them
More so the Bosch motor in question is just a software restricted bigger motor. No different to speed restricting a.n.other motor.
As I said dicks will be dicks no matter what the vehicle
"So, why should anyone be able to buy one without license, insurance, lights etc? They shouldn't. It's clearly stupid isn't it"
Absolutely agree and would participate in that no problem. Just point me in the direction of how...and don't say IVA as the mechanism to get a pedelec registered is not there yet. Fingers crossed for January 2017s announcement
Ah but you miss quote out the important part of the legislation it's even mentioned in your linkIt is 250w
maximum continuous rated power outputIts not 250w peak.
As I said apparently not so obvious.
It is obvious to someone trained in the art that a system that will output 1300W peak is going to measure way over 250W max continuous rated power when [url= http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/2013/R085r1e.pdf ]measured according to the method referenced in the regulations[/url]
It might not be so obvious to people not trained in the art, but essentially they are mis-selling that product as appearing road legal when it is not, esp as they advertise the ride 2 work scheme cost for it.
All depends how much heat it can dissipate and the how soon it reverts to its 250watt MCR
I doubt it can sustain 1300watt peak for more than a couple minutes if not less of a 30minute test.
But that doesn't stop then writing clever program a bit like vw did with their cars to get them through testing. I know there are a couple of identical motors you can buy with different labels and programming - depending on which country your in.....
btw, I said I agree with 250W limit. While that is true, I do think if you are using it offroad say for a bit of cycle camping, or hauling a trailer, I can see that the 250W may struggle a bit?more wattage justified in that scenario?
Nope.
Still going to tear up the trails. Spend the thousand pounds or so on lighter kit instead. If you're genuinely old/ill, 250W will take you up to (and possibly beyond) what other people can manage - and to be honest if you ever get to anything you can't ride over, you'll be a bit knackered regardless. If you want a motorbike, get a motorbike and ride it where you are permitted to ride a motorbike. Otherwise, pack light or go slow!
I've just crunched some numbers and the system the OP is talking about is equivalent to around 13.5bhp (125cc motorcycle territory) and about 106lb/ft torque (car territory) if the numbers are correct.
With the correct gearing that's easily capable of 70-80mph.
So, why should anyone be able to buy one without license, insurance, lights etc? They shouldn't. It's clearly stupid isn't it.
Indeed, almost like the 250W limit (as well as speed restrictor for the assistance) is sensible!
footflaps - Member
That's what 101 is for.
It's have thought it's a civil issue, riding an electric bike on private land?
They often have a motorcycle nuisance team, and although I'm no legal expert, a quick google gave this old article: [url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4809898.stm ]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4809898.stm[/url], specifically:
Sgt Airth stressed that it was a criminal offence to ride a motorcycle or moped on common land without lawful authority and that it was the responsibility of riders to obtain permission from landowners.
However, the rules do not allow the output power to vary much throughout the test.
Basically anything that ever outputs more than 275W is not allowed.
This is for the controller & motor combination, the motor itself can be oversized to guard against overheating in demanding conditions, or allow it to provide max power across a range of speeds etc.
But any bicycle advertising a peak power of over 250W is not UK road legal. They are just using the '250W nominal' figure to encourage wishful thinking people to think it kind of conforms, when it obviously does not.
Edit:
I've just crunched some numbers and the system the OP is talking about is equivalent to around 13.5bhp (125cc motorcycle territory) and about 106lb/ft torque (car territory)
No, 1bhp is about 750W, you've put a decimal point in the wrong place or something.
Got me thinking about the impact on the e-bike industry if a couple of kids get mowed down by an unregulated e-bike
Well, it certainly put a stop to the rise of the "motor car" (I think I've got that name right, not sure if anyone else has heard of them, but apparently some chap invented them and then people started mowing down other people in them so they never really took off.)
I have no problem whatsoever with eBikes. Off-road/on road, power output or whether the user should/should not wear a helmet, or be of a certain age to ride them.
I think they should be encouraged and open to all.
One proviso only, that they should be fitted with peddles.
And no throttle would be my addition to that bikebouy assist only
And no throttle would be my addition to that bikebouy assist only
the funny thing was that with the throttled brompton/sparticle I actually did pedal anyway, it just seemed more natural and possibly more stable.
I couple of times I coasted to experience it, but generally not.
I think the key difference was I could open the throttle and start moving and then pedal along, instead of the other way round - and I think that had the edge on making a smooth, and possibly safer, getaway.
It certainly might mean you could get away with a 2 speed brompton instead of three as it would be easier to push the harder gear from a standstill, and therefore you could choose a bigger front ring for when you want to push past the 15.5mph.
I think the current EU law allows for a throttle but only up to 6mph, so that might be why.
Just had a wee play on it, just about the estate on the roads, just clocked up 4.5 miles. Tis a bloody marvellous thing! Cruising a steep uphill at 20mph is brilliant! 😆
Was really easy to get it up to 25mph, any higher than that I you'd either need to pedal like mad or have and very long straight to let motor go beyond that, which I think it would quite easily. Though this is on a 25/30kg(inc motor etc) fat bike, so if you stick it on the likes of a road bike, you'd smash that no problem.
Wouldn't like to run out of battery on it mind, you'd get home, but it'd be a tough pedal.
As a commuting machine though e-bikes in general really should start a revolution I reckon, you don't need the 1000W power, but still, I think there should be a large push by the government to get people on them, if for no other reason, they'd go a long way to reducing congestion. Yes you can just put the thing on 9 and you're using next to no effort, but there's a calculation there in that if you want to go further you need to pedal to preserve the battery.
All in all a big thumbs up from me! 🙂 I kinda want one, but I'll resist the temptation for a few years I think.
Mine is 250w Bosch. It
Legally cuts out at 15mph. But of
Course you can pedal past it
Got up to 42 mph down a local fire road
