What do you think about e-bikes?
NorthCascades
Posts: 10,968 Member
E-bikes are bicycles powered by a motor, with a battery. They tend to have a top speed of 20 to 25 mph. In general these are hybrid, fat bike, or cruiser style bicycles. People tend to ride them on multiple-use trails and on roads in bike lanes, like other bikes.
What is your opinion of e-bikes in general?
Do you think they provide a good workout? Can they be a gateway into (fully) human-powered cycling?
Should they be regulated? Should people need licenses to use them? Should they be allowed on trails and in bike lanes?
What is your opinion of e-bikes in general?
Do you think they provide a good workout? Can they be a gateway into (fully) human-powered cycling?
Should they be regulated? Should people need licenses to use them? Should they be allowed on trails and in bike lanes?
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Replies
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Do they make noise above that of a human-powered bicycle?0
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Once you put a motor on it to power the wheels, it should be regulated as a scooter. That varies from place to place. In my state, it requires a registration / license plate and a license to operate. However, the license is easier to obtain and allowed at a younger age than a typical class C driver's license. Also, I am pretty sure the registrations are cheaper.2
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I see where they could be beneficial for those who use bicycles to commute, but may not have the strength/stamina of a hardcore cyclist. I don't think that the workout is the same as a fully human-powered bike and agree with them being 'illegal' in competition.
If the speed is governed/limited I don't see why you would need a license/endorsement or why you couldn't ride anywhere bikes are allowed... I know I can get up to 35mph+ on my bike on downhills--would the e-bike be any faster?2 -
I think these can be used without the motor, or with only the motor, or mixed.
I don't think they make much noise. I've been passed going up hills and could only tell by the fact that the rider was barely pedaling, and by the battery attached to one of the tubes.
There's a debate going on on a bike forum about them. People make the point that it takes time to build enough fitness to go 25 mph on a human powered bicycle, and by that point people have enough experience to have mostly learned good judgement. On the other hand, you can do 25 on a trail with runners and cyclists she dog walkers even if you've never been in a bike before if you have a motor.4 -
love them, almost bought one, then winter came, will be buying one for sure when winter is over.1
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Anything that gets people active, outside, and using less fuel is a helpful thing. I know many people who ride ebikes who wouldn't otherwise, including a co-worker of mine who is elderly, one with significant leg and back disability, a neighbor who had a DUI, people who are not fit enough to climb hills at home, etc. The list is endless. I've ridden ebikes, and it can be just as much of a work out. You can actually get more of a workout if you can set the bike into "regen" mode. This adds charge to the battery and increases the resistance so you can feel like you are going up a steep hill while on a flat. The more people out there on bikes, the better! Until an ebike doesn’t have the ability to go slower, I see no reason why it should be considered legally any different from a traditional bike (except in competitions, obviously).
HOWEVER…
Often times people who use ebikes are not as experienced as “traditional cyclists” and are not aware of the hazards they pose. The number of ebike users on my daily commute has skyrocketed in the past 2 years. I’ve had several near misses with ebike users due to the same hazards. Ebikes are SILENT. Traditionally, I can hear people panting, the chain, squeaks, and whatnot. It’s usually obvious when someone is biking behind me, especially if they are huffing and puffing to pass. An ebike makes NO NOISE. Also, they are going FAST. They zip past me at 20mph up a hill while the rest of us are going around 10. I would not be able to react from a cyclist at this speed. Because many are not used to biking, they will pass on the right (NEVER do this), they pass without calling out and without signaling, and many pass VERY CLOSE. Like, touch your shoulder close. If I were to turn my wheel a tiny bit to avoid a rock or stick in the road, a collision would happen. Ebike users are presumably not aware of this.
Also, ebikes accelerate more quickly than a traditional bike, and MORE QUICKLY than CARS. Oncoming vehicles often times illegally turn left in front of a cyclist because they know they can turn past the bike before they get both feet on the pedals. Newer ebikes are so discreet, they look just like any bike and the driver has no idea how differently an ebike can accelerate. I am scared to death for ebike riders when I see how they accelerate around vehicle drivers.
I advocate for “transportation education” in schools, including pedestrian, bike, bus and car. Misspelling a word won’t kill you, but transportation might. Why don’t we make this mandatory education? I see and hear about so many incidents where 2 people simply disagree about the right way to travel (who has right of way, which lane to be in, etc.). When we share travel space with anyone, we are communicating with them. Even if we are not signaling, those around us are predicting out next move based on what we are doing. Every move by everyone, pedestrians on up, should be predictable, and we all need to be on the same page (or at least on the same book) to get there. More education along with opening up more dialog about transportation from a young age would nip any hazards ebikes pose in the bud.
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I don't have an issue with these on trails - especially considering how quiet these are, but the speed potential makes them dangerous and would have to be limited. I think they have a strong potential for bringing in new riders and offering new opportunities to those who aren't quite so physical yet.
I have noticed more mopeds on trails and this irritates me as these rarely are muffled and are annoyingly loud.2 -
I don't know I mean personally if they don't make noise, don't go any faster than someone pedaling hard could go and the bike itself doesn't weigh significantly more than a bike that doesn't have a motor then really I don't see why it would matter if it was being pedaled or propelled in terms of safety or damage to the environment or noise pollution.
If all of that is true I guess I wouldn't have a problem with them being wherever there are bikes already. If they are significantly heavier and therefore harder to stop when at speed or would do more damage upon impact or would cause more ruts in wet earth then I take that back.
I guess a quick way to summarize is my concerns or lack there of about bikes have absolutely nothing to do with how much the person on them is exerting themselves.0 -
In densely populated areas, ebikes are a better solution to personal mobility than are 4-wheel vehicles. I don't live in such an area.1
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I rode one on a recent vacation because a half-day ebike rental was included with my hotel package deal. My observations:
- The bike is powered by the human. It doesn't just go by itself if you aren't pedaling. The battery, when switched on, makes pedaling easier - especially up hills. I could set how much assistance I was getting, so on steep hills I would set for more, and on flat surfaces no help. I still got a workout.
- More help = faster battery drain. Keep that in mind if going on a long ride.
- It was easier on my knees to have less resistance than a traditional bike.
- I was able to ride up steep hills I would never have managed on a traditional bike. It wasn't a cakewalk, but it was easier.
- I was able to cover a greater distance as well, meaning more scenery.
- I still got a decent workout since I rode up in the hills. Not sure I'd get much of a workout on a flat road.
- Going downhill seemed much faster than on a traditional bike. It was scary fast.
Would I consider buying one? Yes, as I live in a hilly area and it would be nice to cover more distance and see more things in the same time frame. For me the price would need to come down quite a bit.
At the same time, +1 for everything amandaeve said above!5 -
We have a nice muli-use trail system in my community that gets significant usage. Runners, walkers, bikers, kids new to biking, strollers, roller bladers, dogs on a leash, etc. As it is now there are a few serious bike riders that don't respect other users and bike 20-25 MPH on the trail, often 2 or 3 abreast weaving between other users, resulting in safety issues.
I'd say no to these on a multi-use trail in congested areas, fine for single use bike lanes as their speed is more consistent with other traffic.1 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »They don't work unless you pedal (or they don't in the uk) and can only go 15mph
I recently overtook one travelling at over 20mph and as I pedalled past I saw his hand move on the throttle to speed up. Now that's cheating!
(Made me chuckle while I dug in deep though.)
The regs allow up to 15.5mph and power of 250watts but that amount of power would give a decent road bike a far higher top speed than that so assume that purpose designed e-bikes have a governor built in.
https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules
The one I (only just) passed looked like a bolt on conversion kit.
If they get people out of cars, and potentially also into cycling, then they are a good thing.
The more cycles there are sharing the roads the more they are accepted as part of the road environment then hopefully cycling becomes safer for all.
Plus the reduction in congestion and pollution from cars being used for short journeys would be a benefit.
Trying to get my wife to consider one so she can ride with me but keep hitting the "but it would mess up my hair" objection.6 -
I've had one for years, because Arizona is really hot and I commute to work by bike. It's a pedal assist model and like it. It's not really great exercise, but my heart rate does get up a little bit - noticed that after I found the garmin.
I never engage the motor on crowded trails or sidewalks, only on city streets. Just not to my comfort level. I more find my problem is the really macho wannabe guys who can't really go as fast or faster than me but will get offended and try if you pass them.2 -
I have an e-cargo bike and LOVE it for hauling my two preschoolers around. I'm fit, but the e-assist really helps us use the bike more because I can't even consider biking uphill with 70lbs of kids after leg day.4
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KANGOOJUMPS wrote: »love them, almost bought one, then winter came, will be buying one for sure when winter is over.
You might find a better deal over the winter. Lot of shops will discount last year's models to make room for new ones.2 -
An interesting article came up on my facebook today:
https://www.bicycling.com/culture/imba-now-supports-allowing-e-mountain-bikes-on-some-trails?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=Social&utm_term=1154236891&utm_campaign=Bicycling
I still think they are more for the casual user/for commuting and are out of place on the trails...0 -
thanks for the thread. as a bike commuter i've only just begun coming up against them on my current route - used to ride to places and at times where i rarely ran into anyone else on a bike, of any kind. so i've been trying to work out how much of my reaction to them is just kneejerk get-off-my-lawn from a traditionalist, and how much might be something i'll still stand behind after i'm done trying to figure it out.
i do find it's hard to make mental room for them in the designated 'car free' paths. i know i bristle about people on fully-motorized scooters using 'our' space, because i do feel that's just as inconsiderate and dangerous as when one of 'us' rides down a sidewalk instead of taking the road.
i'm just not sure where i stand about the e-bikes. as far as i can tell, i'm still in the phase where most of my opinions are based on the primal reaction to them, and not yet on any longer-term thinking process. damn progress always making me re-think ground that i felt like i knew.2 -
I like them and think they should be allowed anywhere a normal bike is allowed. My next bike will be either one of those or a new under seat steering recumbent. I'm leaning towards the recumbent because I could maintain 25 mph for my 11 mile commute on my last one, but going up hills easily is looking pretty good to me too.1
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You can't use them on multi-use paths here...no motorized vehicles allowed, which I think is a good thing as I think it would be a safety hazard, particularly on very busy stretches of trail like the Bosque trail near the river.
I know someone who commutes on one as he's a really pro "go green" guy and he can make his commute faster than in a car...he doesn't seem to be particularly interested in traditional cycling.4 -
For anyone looking to buy, I have 2 pieces of advice (coming from my mom and bf who have/had electric assist bikes):
1) Do it! They are great!
2) You are paying for a relationship with the bike shop as much as you are paying for the bike. Think of that when considering price and where you buy it. Brakes, cables, etc. can be serviced by any bike mechanic. But, you'll need to update the firmware and replace the battery eventually on an ebike and only shops familiar with your make and model can help you with that.
As far as paths go...it seems like enforcing a speed limit for all bikes would make more sense. I can easily pass most ebikes when going downhill on my bike. I am all for outlawing combustion engines on paths, trails, sidewalks, etc. But I vote to allow electric motors, specifically because of the booming aging population and the subsequent eventual boom in power chairs, mobility scooters, etc. I would hate to exclude this huge and growing population from using these paths. Also, where I live hoverboards, segways, and electric skateboards are popular, and it is weird when this population uses the road.4 -
I am a candidate because of my knees. I feel like I am stuck doing short loops because I have had a couple of bad experiences with a knee acting up causing me to have to do a painful return trip. It's degenerative arthritis and I can't really get better. Because it might happen, I have trouble keeping up if I ride in a group (a recreational group). The harder/faster I pedal, the more likely I am to go gimpy. I want to pedal and be assisted unless one of the knees complains a little too loud and then I want to be able to turn around and get back without having to exert much, if any, force with my own power.
Here in NC, if they go 20 or less they are treated like any other bike. The group I would like to ride with stays under 15.1 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »Do they make noise above that of a human-powered bicycle?
Mine doesn't. Very quiet.0 -
I have had mine for a little over a month and have put 400 miles on it. I commute to work about 18 miles roundtrip. It's so much fun!
I ride a RadPower City bike. It maxes out at 20 mph, which I have only hit a few times. I move along somewhere between 13 and 17 mph on a mixed-use urban trail. Plenty of regular bikes pass me every day, and I pass some as well. I am posing no additional hazard to anyone.
I certainly get some exercise as I keep it on the lowest power assist mode except on hills, when I generally use level 2 assist (2 out of a possible 5 levels). I also make regular use of the throttle to get a good (and easy) start after stopping at an intersection. I use my level 5 power assist only on really, really steep hills.
Some naysayers have insisted it isn't a bike, or that I'm not really getting much exercise, or that I'm dangerous. Well, I'm certainly getting more exercise than I'd get in the car. (I get my heart rate up and get a little sweaty and out of breath.) And I'm not going faster than many of the bikes already out there.
I've seen so many beautiful sunrises, ridden through the fall leaves, seen the city skyline, the lake, and the canal every day, and gotten some good exercise. I haven't even minded the rain. It just feels great to be outside and moving.
It's the best thing I've bought in a long, long time.
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Our multiple use trails are posted at 15 mph, so it doesn't matter how fast a bike (or rider) can go - as long as they don't exceed the posted speed there should be no issue. In bike lanes I would say as long as the rider is obeying traffic and safety rules I don't see a problem. Speaking as a recreational rider who is routinely cut off by arrogant team groups on regular bikes I would say the issues would be due to the rider, not the bike.4
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Should these be allowed on non-motorized trails?0
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Speaking as a recreational rider who is routinely cut off by arrogant team groups on regular bikes I would say the issues would be due to the rider, not the bike.
Yes.I have had mine for a little over a month and have put 400 miles on it. I commute to work about 18 miles roundtrip. It's so much fun!
I ride a RadPower City bike. It maxes out at 20 mph, which I have only hit a few times. I move along somewhere between 13 and 17 mph on a mixed-use urban trail. Plenty of regular bikes pass me every day, and I pass some as well. I am posing no additional hazard to anyone.
I certainly get some exercise as I keep it on the lowest power assist mode except on hills, when I generally use level 2 assist (2 out of a possible 5 levels). I also make regular use of the throttle to get a good (and easy) start after stopping at an intersection. I use my level 5 power assist only on really, really steep hills.
Some naysayers have insisted it isn't a bike, or that I'm not really getting much exercise, or that I'm dangerous. Well, I'm certainly getting more exercise than I'd get in the car. (I get my heart rate up and get a little sweaty and out of breath.) And I'm not going faster than many of the bikes already out there.
I've seen so many beautiful sunrises, ridden through the fall leaves, seen the city skyline, the lake, and the canal every day, and gotten some good exercise. I haven't even minded the rain. It just feels great to be outside and moving.
I'd never really thought about it before (I think I read one article about eBikes in a bicycling magazine that was kind of neutral) and hadn't realized they were a big thing at all, and probably been a bit negative about them (it's fake, why not ride a real bike) UNTIL I read your other thread, which turned me around on them and made me realize they could be really useful and positive. One thing that I hadn't really thought through before was commuting in hilly areas -- I bike commute in Chicago which is, uh, not hilly, to put it mildly, but my parents are just north of Portland in a hilly area and live on top of a huge, long, steep hill (it's basically the mile at the end of any run starting and returning to their house and kicked my kitten last time I did it), and even though I've done a number of hilly rides I really can't imagine bike commuting regularly with that as part of it (the darkness of the area would be a different and separate problem). Your thread made me think through all that and see how helpful the ebike could be.
Personally, as someone who does basic riding in a flat area, I train for hills and have been in decent hill shape from doing that, but downhills that are steep scare me and I tend to take them probably overly slow (on my last hilly trip I was passing most people going up and getting passed going down, and that happened to me in my last triathlon too). So even with an ebike the commuting element would not necessarily be fixed for me, but I understand that's me and my lack of experience. ;-)3 -
One thing that I hadn't really thought through before was commuting in hilly areas -- I bike commute in Chicago which is, uh, not hilly, to put it mildly, but my parents are just north of Portland in a hilly area and live on top of a huge, long, steep hill (it's basically the mile at the end of any run starting and returning to their house and kicked my kitten last time I did it), and even though I've done a number of hilly rides I really can't imagine bike commuting regularly with that as part of it (the darkness of the area would be a different and separate problem). Your thread made me think through all that and see how helpful the ebike could be.
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Here in Seattle it's hard to find a spot that isn't hilly. And quite a few of the hills are HILLS -- really steep. That's why our city has so many nice views. And also why I love my ebike!3 -
This is exactly right!I would say the issues would be due to the rider, not the bike.
It makes no difference whether its someone on electric bike going 20mph being inconsiderate to the people around them, or someone on a traditional bike.
I've ridden a decent lightweight hybrid bike for the past 5 or 6 years but only really for the purposes of going out for a bike ride. I hardly ever used it for transport - mostly because I really struggle on hills and get all sweaty so I don't want to be arriving somewhere like that. Since having an electric bike I've found myself trying to find excuses to go out on it - going to the market in town? Cycle instead of drive. Want to visit that country pub the other side of the hill? Get the bike out. Going to the station? Cylce instead of catching the bus. Anything that encourages us to be more active has got to be a good thing.
The only problem is that last time I was on MFP cycling was my main way of earning extra calories.....not sure I can do that now because whilst I obviously expend some energy, the motor does provide a lot of help.1 -
They are great for the elderly or infirm, so they can get out and excersizing, or people who don't have motorised transport who for whatever reason do not use public to get to work. In the UK they are treated as pedal cycles in a legal sense. For young/healthy people they are not necessarily a good thing, as you dont get the benefit of true cycling.1
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