Faster e-bikes could ease post-pandemic congestion

[Andrew U]

Not sure if you will be able to access, but good to know higher speed limits are being talked about.

Faster e-bikes could ease post-pandemic congestion

The speed limit on e-bikes has had the unintended consequence of dramatically reducing the number of workers who are willing to cycle to and from work.

www.afr.com

 

[urastus]

Geez! All those retarded lonely people who are wasting their lives in their cars are whinging like cut snakes now trying to say that bikes need to be registered (misery loves company). Imagine what those microcephalic assholes will do with this!

 

[SquireRides]

I dont see why we need to stretch the definition of what an e-bike is to introduce faster two wheeled vechicles on to the street. You could have a higher powered e-bike today, it would just be classed as a moped (in the UK, I appreciate the article is AUS).

So why not relax the rules on mopeds, and avoid the confusion of people taking high powered ebike to places you probably dont want them (e.g. offroad footpaths). You could, for instance, remove the distinction between provisional and full licenses for mopeds, and introduce financial/tax incentives to reduce the registration/insurance burden.

 

[urastus]

I dont see why we need to stretch the definition of what an e-bike is to introduce faster two wheeled vechicles on to the street. You could have a higher powered e-bike today, it would just be classed as a moped (in the UK, I appreciate the article is AUS).

So why not relax the rules on mopeds, and avoid the confusion of people taking high powered ebike to places you probably dont want them (e.g. offroad footpaths). You could, for instance, remove the distinction between provisional and full licenses for mopeds, and introduce financial/tax incentives to reduce the registration/insurance burden.

Yes, it all sounds awesome. There are so many great possibilities. Here in Aus, the majority of car drivers have retarded views when it comes to alternative forms of transport. I think they're all in an unknown to me major sect that is focused on planet destruction with misery along the way

 

[wepn]

That article looks interesting although is behind a paywall.

Given congestion, pandemic, emissions, obesity, depression, social distancing etc etc, allowing faster bikes or mopeds whatever it takes - especially safe separated infrastructure - bring it on. ASAP.

 

[Andrew U]

If this did happen and we were allowed to go a bit faster, would it simply be a firmware or bike shop adjustment to get the boost?

We wouldn't need to resort to hacking our bikes I hope....

 

[ImSundee]

Ebikes are fast enough, you want to go faster pedal harder.

They need to make roads safer for more people to ride to work ect.

Also the risk of leaving your bike outside is currently to high a risk - as thief of them is massively high.

 

[wepn]

Ebikes are fast enough

Not if you have long distance fast cycle routes & s-pedelecs. The future is here in the Netherlands, also Copenhagen, London & an increasing number of cities in Europe.
The Snelle Fietsroutes – Netherlands
The Supercykelstier – Greater Copenhagen (DK)
The Fietsostrade – Flanders (BE)
The Cycle Superhighways – London (UK)
The Radschnellwege – North-Rhine Westphalia (DE)
The Vélostras – Strasbourg (FR)
The Supercykelväg – Malmö – Lund (SW)

 

[mas]

Ebikes are fast enough, you want to go faster pedal harder.

They need to make roads safer for more people to ride to work ect.

Also the risk of leaving your bike outside is currently to high a risk - as thief of them is massively high.

This is exactly right.

It's pretty unsafe riding on the road, particularly in peak hour, and the bike paths almost never link up as well making getting into the city even harder.

Second hand bike sales are booming and so bike theft is booming too.

 

[Andrew U]

This is exactly right.

It's pretty unsafe riding on the road, particularly in peak hour, and the bike paths almost never link up as well making getting into the city even harder.

Second hand bike sales are booming and so bike theft is booming too.

How fast do you think road bikes go? 40-70kms?

I fail to understand the difference in allowing a heavy ebike assistance up to the 40-50 km range.

 

[mas]

How fast do you think road bikes go? 40-70kms?

I fail to understand the difference in allowing a heavy ebike assistance up to the 40-50 km range.

I think it's about accessibility and infrastructure. If they were just restricted to the road then I could see it being possible but at the moment I wouldn't want someone doing 40-50km/h on the footpaths used to access the city. People struggle just getting along and avoiding others on those electric scooters. Don't get me wrong, I would like to see it happen and would prefer that over cars, I just dont see it happening safely under the current conditions.

 

[TheRealPoMo]

I think 30kph would be better.
It's the accepted max speed on bike paths.
More probably would attract the attention of whingers and since energy usage increases as a squared function (more if you factor resistance), battery range would suffer.
I can quite easily sit on 35 on a flat bike path (weird because it's easier than my flat bar roadie with 25mm tyres), but it falls to 25 on a hill.

 

[maynard]

Fuck the law . I ride my de restricted levo to work everyday . Around 25 to 30 kms . Highlight of my day. Well other than spending time with my family .

 

[wepn]

Fuck the law . I ride my de restricted levo to work everyday . Around 25 to 30 kms . Highlight of my day. Well other than spending time with my family .

LEGAL to drive to work

ILLEGAL to ride to work

?

 

[Andrew U]

Fuck the law . I ride my de restricted levo to work everyday . Around 25 to 30 kms . Highlight of my day. Well other than spending time with my family .

I had derestricted my Levo until late last week. Went out for MTB ride today and for the most part was OK until was on a flat fire road.. then it felt like I was towing a ship anchor over 25km/hr...

 

[TheRealPoMo]

I dunno, still on the fence. No need to go > 25 on my fire roads as long as I can do 20 up grades that worry clockwork MTB's.
In Maynard's scenario I wouldn't hesitate tho.

 

[baydoh]

I wish we could increase the speed to 35kmph. I find when commuting to work i sit on about 28km. I think 25 is fine when mtbing

 

[Rosemount]

I wish we could increase the speed to 35kmph. I find when commuting to work i sit on about 28km. I think 25 is fine when mtbing

My experience ; When riding black trails . 25 KM restriction can be dangerous . Lining up a gap and BOOM the assistance drops out . The force of my pedaling has to increase substantially . The suspension begins to react to the much greater pedaling force and the bike starts to bob up and down just as you are about to set up for jumping the gap . NOT FUN .

 

[flash]

I commuted for years when I lived in Sydney. Most of the time I was actually faster than peak hour traffic or public transport during peak hour. Significantly faster. Assistance above 25kmh would have been useless most of the time. But it would have been nice up the Spit hill... It's more that Sydney drivers are aggressive and angry fucktards to bikes much of the time. The main issue in Sydney is cycling safety.

And really, the "drag" almost disappears when you ride on the right tyres. I has some Hookworms on my Merida hardtail for a while and road riding above the limit was actually pretty easy. And a Fazua or SL motor has essentially no drag over and above an acoustic bike. The right tool for the right job. I use my e-gravel bike with a Fazua motor on the road weekly. We average about 29kph on a 50km loop. I get a lift up the hills and ride the flats on my own. No worries. If I were commuting in Sydney I wouldn't use an eMTB except maybe a Levo SL or eZesty with the right tyres anyway. An e-road or e-gravel would be more suitable and they don't have issues over the assistance limit.

There's a simple solution if you want to go 50 to 60kmh (not that you'll do more than 15 in Sydney peak hour). Get a licence and buy a moped or motor bike. It's not that fucking hard!

And most of the courier and food delivery bikes in Sydney are already derestricted anyway.

Gordon

p.s. they've be whining about bikes and registration here for decades. Silly fuckers don't get that more bikes means less cars which is better for them. Humans are stupid.

 

[Rosemount]

I thought we were talkin Mountain Bikes ?
What`s with all this Sydney rush hour stuff ? Do you wear lycra too ? lol .