E-bike snobbery

[Martynt74]

until you mix with cars and your going 25% slower than they are on a narrow road

It kinda makes no sense to have ebikes that are slower than a normal bike.,

on a commute you'd hjave to be an idiot to ever use an ebike, it's quicker on an analog bike and you can match speed with inner city traffic

So what are they for? how are they going to get more cars off the road and encourage use of something that's inferior. The only good use for ebikes is going up a hill

They're not limited to 15.5mph though. It's not like the brakes kick in. They just don't allow assistance over that which makes perfect sense.

Ultimately they're still just bikes and are designed as such. Most bikes i'd say would typically travel around 15mph and so having them faster makes it reckless on bike lanes etc. If you want something faster then as @SexyGreyFox says. You go for a moped which is designed to be properly driven on roads

 

[RetiredGreyFox]

They're not limited to 15.5mph though. It's not like the brakes kick in.

Earlier this year my wife's mate came round with her husband.
We started to talk about eBikes and he asked if my bike would go faster than 15.5mph because his didn't.
I asked what if you go downhill but he claimed it stayed at 15.5mph.
About a month later my wife dropped something off at their house so I asked for a quick go on his bike, I've forgot the make/model but it was a mid drive and he was correct, it was stuck on 15.5mph.
A couple of months later I helped him convert an MTB.
It's the only one I've ever come across that wouldn't go past 15.5mph.

 

[Martynt74]

Earlier this year my wife's mate came round with her husband.
We started to talk about eBikes and he asked if my bike would go faster than 15.5mph because his didn't.
I asked what if you go downhill but he claimed it stayed at 15.5mph.
About a month later my wife dropped something off at their house so I asked for a quick go on his bike, I've forgot the make/model but it was a mid drive and he was correct, it was stuck on 15.5mph.
A couple of months later I helped him convert an MTB.
It's the only one I've ever come across that wouldn't go past 15.5mph.

Oh wow, that's crazy. I've only ridden my wifes Bafang powered one, and then an Orbea road bike at a demo day but that just eased off the assist. I assumed they were all like that

 

[RetiredGreyFox]

Oh wow, that's crazy. I've only ridden my wifes Bafang powered one, and then an Orbea road bike at a demo day but that just eased off the assist. I assumed they were all like that

So did I and I've been into this stuff for 14 years.
Perhaps there was something on the computer that could have turned it off.

 

[Martynt74]

Yeah sounds like it. Just been trying to google it and nothing seems to suggest that's normal! Not even sure how it could be implemented without the motor being connected to the brakes to slow the bike down which would be mental

 

[Sinbad2000]

Yeah sounds like it. Just been trying to google it and nothing seems to suggest that's normal! Not even sure how it could be implemented without the motor being connected to the brakes to slow the bike down which would be mental

Unless it starts charging the battery on the downhills? That would be unexpected, but useful

 

[McGray]

Yeah sounds like it. Just been trying to google it and nothing seems to suggest that's normal! Not even sure how it could be implemented without the motor being connected to the brakes to slow the bike down which would be mental

Those e-bikes you can rent do this.

They max out at 25km/h (I think) even downhill.

 

[arknor]

They're not limited to 15.5mph though. It's not like the brakes kick in. They just don't allow assistance over that which makes perfect sense.

Ultimately they're still just bikes and are designed as such. Most bikes i'd say would typically travel around 15mph and so having them faster makes it reckless on bike lanes etc. If you want something faster then as @SexyGreyFox says. You go for a moped which is designed to be properly driven on roads

I'm guessing you never tried riding one in 20mph traffic, yea you can go paster than 15.5mph but when the motor cuts out.... you find your self about +3 gears where you should be, I doubt there's anyone whos not just bouncing off the assist around 16mph
an ebikes going to lose every time vs a normal bike on a fairly flat straight road

your saying bikes aren't designed to be driven on roads now?

Normal bikes can keep up with traffic ebikes can't. it's dangerous.
omg but its dangerous to get that extra 5mph bercause they are soo much heavier right.. motors like 4kg and batteries about the same, it's like saying fat people shouldn;t be allowed on bikes over 10mph because it's dangerous if they hit someone



it's all coming across as bitter motorists, ima start driving in the centre of every road from now on im 6"2 with heavy build so no one is getting out there car to say anything unless they want a ko.
if enough other ebike riders do the same, people might realise they are rolling road blocks
seems it is the way, respect is earned and all that, it must be taken

 

[scoopex]

I think that's pretty much the only answer really. They're an excellent invention and have come on massively over the last 10 years.

My E-Bike is just perfect for my needs as it gets me to and from areas where I live and work as a Community development worker.

 

[China Man]

So why did you buy an e-bike? Was your rationale that you wanted a workout whilst you commuted and you decided buying a heavy full suspension e-bike was the right choice?

I feel like a prerequisite to owning an e-bike is to tell everyone “nah, it’s just as hard if not harder than a regular bike”.

If e-bikes don’t add an element of ease for the user then what is the point?!

I can't say for others but for me I like some form of outdoor activities but without too much stress. My young boy have a normal bike and I like to chase him around on my ebike, still need some of my legs but no sweat. I use my spin bike 4x a week to sweat in the comfort of my studio.

I think e-bikes are amazing.

I'm 60 years, very unfit and 15-20kg overweight. Without an e-bike I wouldn't be able to ride for very long off-road and I can't really ride uphill at all without assistance.

With an ebike, my wife and I have had some fantastic long off-road bike rides in the Dolomites (50k), Cumbria, Croatia and Spain. In Spain this year, after 20 min of cycling up hill, our super-fit son decided that he'd made a bad call in getting a regular bike, so rode back down to the town to swap it for an e-bike. Without the e-baike, he would not have made the tiring but extremely enjoyable 6 hour family ride that we did together, most of which which off-road. Still had a reasonable amount of juice left when we got back, despite the bike having to drag my 100kg arse uphill for long periods.

Well done you for keeping active! any little bit help and it grant you the freedom of choosing more challenge routes which otherwise you would have to avoid. It also allows you to go further in distance too without worrying about not getting back

until you mix with cars and your going 25% slower than they are on a narrow road

It kinda makes no sense to have ebikes that are slower than a normal bike.,

on a commute you'd hjave to be an idiot to ever use an ebike, it's quicker on an analog bike and you can match speed with inner city traffic

So what are they for? how are they going to get more cars off the road and encourage use of something that's inferior. The only good use for ebikes is going up a hill

I made review videos on different model of road legal Ebikes, folding bike, folding bike with fat tyres, road bike etc. My personal opinion on these ebikes is that 15mph is about right for a Ebike but the power should be allowed higher so it can get up to 15mph faster but not going faster, non of the bike I tested (Budget) have regeneration and they will not slow down if going down hill. This brings me to the other reason I think 15mph should be the speed limit and not just power assist up to then pedal beyond. These bikes are heavy and if impact at full speed it will do a lot of damage, no one talks about stopping distance and brake power. 2 out of the 4 bikes I tested did not have the brakes set up correctly, the piston and disc is good but it was not tensioned correctly and will not stop the bike. Even when it is set up correctly my folding bike with fat tyres will not stop anywhere as good as my normal bike.

I love my ebike with fat tyre, at first I just think it is bad ass looking but after a few months of using it and then compared it with my Ebike road bike with thin tyres there is just no comparison. The roads are so bad in London that the fat tyres just make sense, no more shocks up my spine every cracks and pot holes.

Non of my bikes have throttles but I would love to have one, current law make it not profitable to includes in budget bike as it has to be limited to throttle starts but cuts out at 8mph? Correct me if I am wrong as I never really tested a road legal Ebike with throttle. I don't need one as most of the bike will have power kicks in after a quarter turn of the pedal, when I ride in the woods that 1/4 turn will be hard when muddy with trees roots and I wish I have on then.

Love it or Hate it, it is here to stay and yet again law is playing catch up with technology. I am happy that there is current laws to define what is a electrically assisted pedal cycles’ (EAPCs) but I think like any laws it needs to be enforced, same as normal bike not following high way code and not stopping at red lights on the road.

 

[arknor]

. These bikes are heavy and if impact at full speed it will do a lot of damag

utter nonsense.. they are about 7kg heavier than a normal bike... usually they come with much more traction and good brakes too... so the stopping distance is less than someone riding a lemon.

what next, people who weigh 90kg but aren;t over weight or well built should be restricted to 10mph? because they are heavy and could hurt someone?

Imagine flint stone cars, someone adds a motor but it's slower than just walking it... that's basically ebikes.


Where at the point technology wise now where they could just be geofenced to slower speeds where peds are likely to be sharing the same path.
If they want less people using cars they need to make other methods of transport more competitive.
I guess the real reason they dont want to is because the escooter and ebike rental companies will be lobbying the government to keep the status quo



How about set up a bike registration scheme, say 20quid a year, you have to print out a number plate and can only use roads and national cycle network routes..

Can't be that hard... you can register a drone... stick a number on it... why not do something similar with bikes...

they could add courses for people who want to go beyond 20mph, like there's drone courses that reduce some of the restrictions on heavier models.
LBS could do the courses... same as some local drone shops sell the a2 cofc course for like 100 quid


oh sorrry that#d be too much common sense

 

[UTmaniac]

Ive not long booked a "premium" hire mountain ebike for our next visit to Longleat Center Parcs in late March, having hired a hybrid ebike there in September, to ride the lovely hills and lanes I used to before long covid on my road bike.

 

[China Man]

utter nonsense.. they are about 7kg heavier than a normal bike... usually they come with much more traction and good brakes too... so the stopping distance is less than someone riding a lemon.

what next, people who weigh 90kg but aren;t over weight or well built should be restricted to 10mph? because they are heavy and could hurt someone?

Imagine flint stone cars, someone adds a motor but it's slower than just walking it... that's basically ebikes.


Where at the point technology wise now where they could just be geofenced to slower speeds where peds are likely to be sharing the same path.

If theywant less people using cars they need to make other methods of transport more competitive.

I guess the real reason they dont want to is because the escooter and ebike rental companies will be lobbying the government to keep the status quo

I disagree

My folding ebike with fat tyre is a lot heavier than normal bike, normal mountain bike is 15kg, my ebike with fat tyre is 28kg. That is 13kg difference!
https://i.~ibb.co~/Tm8j6H0/Opera-Snapshot-2025-01-01-125820-www-decathlon-co-uk.pngdecathlon https://i.~ibb.co~/v3D2G3Y/Opera-Snapshot-2025-01-01-125452-www-youtube-com.pngmine

In real life usage:
An heavy person will not/can't go on a normal bike and ride fast, this is just not going to happen.
An heavy person will/can go on a ebike and ride up to 15mph or more if going down hill.

I am 95kg + 28kg bike = that is 123kg without any luggage, there is a cargo space for more. Chances are that if I am on a normal bike I would not be at 15mph all the time, if I am on a eBike I will be doing a lot of 15mph including both on road and bike lane which shared with walking persons.

Imagine if someone walk in front of me and got hit with 123kg at 15mph... on a normal bike that can happen but me going down hill may be?

 

[scoopex]

I disagree

My folding ebike with fat tyre is a lot heavier than normal bike, normal mountain bike is 15kg, my ebike with fat tyre is 28kg. That is 13kg difference!
https://i.~ibb.co~/Tm8j6H0/Opera-Snapshot-2025-01-01-125820-www-decathlon-co-uk.pngdecathlon https://i.~ibb.co~/v3D2G3Y/Opera-Snapshot-2025-01-01-125452-www-youtube-com.pngmine

In real life usage:
An heavy person will not/can't go on a normal bike and ride fast, this is just not going to happen.
An heavy person will/can go on a ebike and ride up to 15mph or more if going down hill.

I am 95kg + 28kg bike = that is 123kg without any luggage, there is a cargo space for more. Chances are that if I am on a normal bike I would not be at 15mph all the time, if I am on a eBike I will be doing a lot of 15mph including both on road and bike lane which shared with walking persons.

Imagine if someone walk in front of me and got hit with 123kg at 15mph... on a normal bike that can happen but me going down hill may be?

As a heavy person who struggled with a normal bike my ebike is perfect. No more struggling up hills.

Shengmilo S600 2000W Dual Motor Electric Bike

Shengmilo S600 2000W Dual Motor Electric Bike 【pre-sales】

www.shengmilo-bikes.com

 

[arknor]

An heavy person will not/can't go on a normal bike and ride fast, this is just not going to happen.

dood I'm 6"2 and weight 95kg... I'm not fat or muscley

you saying I can't pedal 24mph on a normal bike?

15mph is a slow average speed for a normal bike over a few hours ride.. people do it all the time on here and they aren't super fit athletes. that's counting all the bits where you have to slow down and speed back up again too.
the average speed for the whole duration of the ride.

most people who ride bikes a few times a week can do around 20-24mph fairly easily

normal mountain bike is 15kg, my ebike with fat tyre is 28kg. That is 13kg difference!

ebike motor is about 5kg, battery is about 4kg

I'm not sure how many normal mtb these days are realy 15kg, do you even get normal mountain bikes anymore? or do you mean hard tails?

IDK how your ebike weighs so much when its soo small. mines like 25kg and a proper massive enduro EMTB that would dwarf your bike.
yours is pure steel or what?


but TBH bikes like yours probably shouldn't be going faster than 16mph anyway, it won't have the stopping power of an EMTB.

my brakes are so sharp the bike tries to throw me forward, more and more bikes are coming with ABS too.

how about ebikes with ABS get the 20mph

 

[China Man]

dood I'm 6"2 and weight 95kg... I'm not fat or muscley

you saying I can't pedal 24mph on a normal bike?

15mph is a slow average speed for a normal bike over a few hours ride.. people do it all the time on here and they aren't super fit athletes. that's counting all the bits where you have to slow down and speed back up again too.
the average speed for the whole duration of the ride.

most people who ride bikes a few times a week can do around 20-24mph fairly easily

You are very similar physique to me? I don't do race and I find it hard to cycle up to 20mph constantly on flat with the ebike after power assist cut out at 15mph

Surly no one will ride a 28kg bike at 24mph for a few hours? a lighter road bike with correct gear may be?

 

[Shadowness]

most people who ride bikes a few times a week can do around 20-24mph fairly easily

Really?! If you mean a ‘normal’ bike, then 20mph is a pretty decent pace for most people. Of course that depends on the distance and elevation.

24mph would be a VERY fast pace. That’s pretty much our chain gang pace in our club. (Total average)

 

[arknor]

eally?! If you mean a ‘normal’ bike, then 20mph is a pretty decent pace for most people. Of course that depends on the distance and elevation.

24mph would be a VERY fast pace. That’s pretty much our chain gang pace in our club. (Total average)

I meant normal bike, it's the speeds I used to do on my old cyclocross/gravel bike.

When I was more into cycling, on here looking at peoples strava times pretty much everyone's total ride average speed was over 16mph.


most people can surely hold 20+mph for a few miles on a flat straight?

 

[RetiredGreyFox]

As a heavy person who struggled with a normal bike my ebike is perfect. No more struggling up hills.

Shengmilo S600 2000W Dual Motor Electric Bike

Shengmilo S600 2000W Dual Motor Electric Bike 【pre-sales】

www.shengmilo-bikes.com

Let's hope you don't get it confiscated.

 

[Shadowness]

I meant normal bike, it's the speeds I used to do on my old cyclocross/gravel bike.

When I was more into cycling, on here looking at peoples strava times pretty much everyone's total ride average speed was over 16mph.


most people can surely hold 20+mph for a few miles on a flat straight?

Yeh, but a 100k ride around the Cotswolds or another hilly terrain at 20mph average is a different matter altogether.