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eBikes. Are they bikes? Do they belong in the bike lane?

What's the deal with the lady flying past me at 20mph? Does that thing belong in the bike lane or the street? It's like an electric moped.

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Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on June 6, 2016 at 4:28pm

eBikes have become very popular in Europe - I imagine moms pedaling kids to school make good use of the extra power. Bikes can also be a primary source of transportation to get to the grocery store, run errands, etc. In addition, there are people that wouldn't otherwise be able to put as many miles in due to chronic injury or illness but still want to get out on a bike. I agree, we need to be careful about bikes hitting 20+ mph, especially bikes that can hold 20+ mph but I think it wouldn't be such a bad idea to see how Europe is handling the issue - do they have speed regulation? Do they have wider paths/lanes for bikes? Are pedestrians typically sharing paths with cyclists? 

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on June 6, 2016 at 10:37pm

Ebikes certainly have their place.  But if they're going 20 miles an hour, that place is in the street.  All those ebikes in the European Union, uniformly, are limited to speeds 25% slower than the ones being approved in the U.S., with correspondingly lower-powered motors.  That makes a big difference.  Even so, the evidence is accumulating that ebikes, proportionately, are involved in more and worse accidents than bicycles.  Finally, the speed of ebikes is a slippery slope.  The lobbies already are already pushing, and will continue pushing, for ever more powerful motors and speed capabilities.  It won't stop at 20 m.p.h., that's for sure.

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on June 7, 2016 at 11:30am

We already know the answers to these questions.  In the EU, max. speed is 15.6 mph, and max. power is 250W.  Rarely are pedestrians and cyclists sharing the same paths where I have ridden in NW Europe.

Here we have many more shared paths, and the ebikes can go faster.  Neither is good.

Permalink Reply by Alex on June 6, 2016 at 5:19pm

disclaimer: i haven't read anything anyone has said :D

comment: I just learned that in Amsterdam, moped-like vehicles can drive/ride in the cycle-paths--though there's a power/speed limit!

opinion: ehhh i don't know how i feel about it. maybe it works there...maybe it wouldn't work as well over here.

Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on June 6, 2016 at 10:09pm

It's annoying when kids on motorbikes pass very close to you on a bike path.  But most people in Amsterdam are very experienced cyclists, and they don't get shaken by it.  Over here it would be terrifying, as both cyclists and motorcyclists are much less skilled.

Permalink Reply by Chris Dryjanski on June 7, 2016 at 11:05am

E-bikes have a place for assisting those that may need it, but the throttles need to go.  If someone need some assistance with hills, or just maintaining momentum due to a number of any issues, great they are out riding. A throttle however does turn in onto a moped.  limit the motor output and take away the throttle and no one will know the difference, besides looks. 

Permalink Reply by V W on June 7, 2016 at 11:31am
I can get on board with this, at least treat those "mopeds" different than regular bikes which don't require plates- but don't ban the pedal assist ones that don't go over 20mph from bike lanes. I never see anyone with a throttle (E bike or the lawn mower engine ones) actually pedalling. Those pedals are basically only there for legal purposes so it can avoid having to have license plates.
Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on June 7, 2016 at 7:17pm

Make it 15 m.p.h. like the EU, no throttle, and we might have a deal.  I'd like 10 or 12 better. 

Permalink Reply by V W on June 8, 2016 at 7:56am
EU is closer to 16 right? 15.5 and we have a deal!
Permalink Reply by john89 on June 8, 2016 at 3:05am

Thanks for clarifying the legal perspective . I don't want to dominate this post , but discussion and advocacy needs to happen.

I fear that the law will not favor the class 3 speed pedelecs and they will get combined with the class 4 and essentially get treated like a motorcycle. You mentioned liability for a Grace One that could be riding 30mph. That is not much different than a turbo going 28. Once the lawmakers realize that speed pedelecs are skirting the 20mph law, they will get all safety/legal tight and regulate them. No?

What is happening with class 1 and 2 is fine and covered under the fed law. The debate for 20-30mph bikes is on the table.

I hate the idea of regist, turn lights and licenses for an 800w ebike, required to stay off bike paths and the road only. It will kill effective ebike commuting.
Stealth fighter and Optinike R11 are both in this emoped category.

So again, I hope Larry Pizzi and the ebike committee reads this:
PLEASE add a class and make class 4 for ebikes beyond the 20 mph, throttle only, 750w. Class 4 should be considered high powered ebikes , call them emopeds. Cap them at 1200w and 35mph. Require front and rear lights, no turn . Recommend all class 1-4 allowed on bike trails, subject to local speed limits , for commuting purposes.
I stop and watch/listen.

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on June 8, 2016 at 8:23am

You actually want 35 m.p.h. vehicles allowed on bike trails?  This constant push for speed escalation is what will happen when they are allowed there at all.  Bike paths are not highways.     

Permalink Reply by Andrew Zoleta on June 9, 2016 at 12:18pm

Honestly, Electric bikes are least of my problems. 

I shared the gap between traffic and parked cars with a Motorcycle yesterday and sometimes I see people with Mopeds who think bike lanes belong to them as well. 

What we really need is better bike lane enforcement overall. 

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