Why do 2020 Giant Commuter eBikes have higher pedal assist speed limits??

[GrandPaBrogan]

I got a junk mail from one of our local bike outlets advertising Giant Commuter bikes as "An all-access pass to speed no matter what your fitness level!"

Here in NZ, our pedal assist speed limit is 32 kph so I was taken aback to see that these Giant commuter bikes are legally rated at 45 kph! I assumed that they must be Class2 eBikes but I couldn't find any mention of it. I don't see any headlights, tail lights, turn signals, or throttle so they must still be Class1. I don't usually look at bikes in this category so I never noticed this until today.

And these are 2020 Giant models going out on sale to make way for the 2021 models... so it's been like this for a year. I looked at the other commuter bike brands and they're still rated 32 kph, so it's not because the "commuter" category has a special concession.
What's going on?
Did someone change the rules but didn't give the EEB department the memo?

 

[Gary]

Is it just a copy and paste of the US bike sites blurbs?
I ask as 45kmh is right around the legal E bike pedal assist limit of 28mph as used in the US.
I'm not entirely sure of the details of their law. I gather it is for road use bikes though.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

Is it just a copy and paste of the US bike sites blurbs?
I ask as 45kmh is right around the legal E bike pedal assist limit of 28mph as used in the US.
I'm not entirely sure of the details of their law. I gather it is for road use bikes though.

I had a look at the USA rules and apparently 45kph (28mph) eBikes but still without a throttle is classified as Class3 and are intended for urban road only, as you suspected. They are not allowed in shared paths, trails, and off-road tracks and must have a speedometer. Their Class1 EEBs and Commuters are the same as ours which are assist restricted at 32kph (20mph).

So I guess we must be allowed to sell Class3 eBikes intended for the US market here in NZ too. I was under the wrong impression that everything without a throttle here had to be assist restricted to 32kph. I checked again and some Giant commuter bikes are 32kph... so that would be Class1 commuters that CAN be taken into shared paths.

I found Trek commuter bikes here that are also rated to 45kph... so Class3.

The thing is, I don’t think NZ currently enforces any of these USA rules... and most cyclists aren’t even aware that there’s a difference between the two classes of eBikes because they look identical.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

To make things even more confusing (for me anyway) is that Class2 bikes - DO have a throttle but are still restricted to the lower assist speed limit of 20 mph.

 

[Gary]

There are tons of folk over here buzzing about the roads n pavements on E scooters, Eunicycles and Eskateboards that are entirely illegal to use in any public space. Nevermind the road. No one seems to GAF

 

[1oldfart]

I am in Canada. Often websites have inaccurate info. Here 32kmh is the max almost everywhere
and it is similar in the US. Like you mentioned there are many different classes and each comes with
rules and limitations. For example i think to ride a bike a kid must wear an helmet.
An adult does not need to wear any helmet.
When i am on my Ebike i must wear my helmet.
If my max speed was over 32kmh i would need insurance and could not use
most mountain trails. I could not use cycling path.
I bought an Ebike, the shop website was writing a lower max speed but it was just a poor copy and paste
from a website in europe.
I can go to a canadian french website and see different #s or words than on the english version.
Same for pictures.

 

[Voluptua]

The UK Scott website has started to include some of the higher-speed models, too. The UK limit for e-bikes is 25kmh. But the give-away is the bracket on the back for the number plate which would be needed for use on the road.

Scott "speed" model

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

.

There are tons of folk over here buzzing about the roads n pavements on E scooters, Eunicycles and Eskateboards that are entirely illegal to use in any public space. Nevermind the road. No one seems to GAF

Yeah that's so true. In view of all those other eVehicles/eToys out there already playing havoc, eBike classification is almost pointless. Especially when there's no visual difference between a Class1,2 and 3 eBike and restrictions are so inconsistent from country to country. Actually, all those things you mentioned (bikes included) don't even need to be motorised to endanger pedestrians and other road users at large. But eBikes appear to be an easier target for legislation.

A funny thing about so called public safety (and workplace safety for that matter)... I do support it 100% - but I've also seen serious accidents happen regardless, because stupidity or neglect don't read safety signs. I was talking to a frustrated farmer who was prevented from digging a trench (for placing and burying a drainage pipe) in his property because it was several inches deeper that whatever limit there happens to be. He waited for days for a safety inspector to come over and put stickers or some sort of thing. It had the appearance but in reality had nothing to do with his safety at all. Just a tick in a box on a piece of paper. Makes me wonder if most of these legislations are just a screen to protect the manufacturer/retailer/employer/city council from liability... not to mention just another 'out' for insurance companies. My son-in-law used to be a builder... don't even get him started on the stupidity and futility surrounding some regulations (not all) about scaffolding.

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

The UK Scott website has started to include some of the higher-speed models, too. The UK limit for e-bikes is 25kmh. But the give-away is the bracket on the back for the number plate which would be needed for use on the road.

Scott "speed" model

Apart form the number plate bracket you mentioned, another giveaway is a larger chainring. The usual smallest cassette cog is 11T and when paired with a chainring no larger than a 36T or 38T commonly used in eMTBs, that won't equate to maintaining higher speeds even if the assist limit is derestricted. And even then, the motor output is usually detuned for longer battery life within more gruelling off-road terrain applications.

These Class3 high speed commuters appear to have large chainrings, from just the pics I'm guessing 44T or more. That's the real giveaway that it's rider can sustain higher speeds with ease. I suspect that the motor torque output would've been set to match that taller gearing too.

 

[Mattnzl]

"Here in NZ, our pedal assist speed limit is 32 kph " Heya - actually I don't think this is true. We only have a power limit (300w) in NZ.
The 32kph thing is just what manufactures have used for other countries so they just leave them the same when selling in NZ.

 

[BrentD]

"Here in NZ, our pedal assist speed limit is 32 kph " Heya - actually I don't think this is true. We only have a power limit (300w) in NZ.
The 32kph thing is just what manufactures have used for other countries so they just leave them the same when selling in NZ.

You are correct. The only speed limit in NZ is the posted speed limit on the particular road you are riding on.