Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

RTA changes could be boost for electric bikes
KELSEY MUNRO URBAN AFFAIRS
April 27, 2010

ELECTRIC bikes could be the answer to traffic congestion, the obesity crisis and our carbon footprint. But over-regulation and a cycling culture that looks down on battery-assisted bikes as "cheating" have slowed their take-up in Australia, enthusiasts say.

However, changes proposed by the RTA could allow more powerful models on our roads.

The bikes do not need to be registered as long as their maximum power is 200 watts or less. But some models can have throttle control and resemble mopeds, with users being booked for riding them without registration.

''The beauty of this is people who are way past riding a bike can suddenly ride again. It integrates casual exercise into people's daily lives,'' says Mike Rubbo, 71, a filmmaker and e-bike enthusiast who runs the blog situp-cycle.com. ''It's the ideal urban transport vehicle.''

Overseas, e-bikes with up to 1000-watt motors are permitted in some jurisdictions. European e-bikes are typically 250 watts. In response to a growing push to allow e-bikes without registration to be used in Australia, the RTA has submitted a report to the federal government proposing changes to regulations.

"Times have changed and bikes have changed so they need to bring the law into line with Europe, which is what they're proposing," said Paul van Bellen, co-owner of Gazelle Bicycles Australia, a "bikes for transport" shop in Matraville.

Lord Tony Berkeley, a Labour peer who is secretary of Britain's all-party parliamentary cycling group, said while visiting Sydney last week that European studies had established a link between lower levels of obesity and a higher take-up of cycling. People of all ages can ride, he said. "I'm sure the lycra brigade love it, too, but my objective is to get from A to B wearing a suit, and make it an everyday form of transport.''

wombatK wrote:FWIW, I'd have no problem with a larger 350 or 500W power-assist, provided it had the automatic cut-out when not pedalling and some minimum requirements on braking capability.

sogood wrote:

wombatK wrote:FWIW, I'd have no problem with a larger 350 or 500W power-assist, provided it had the automatic cut-out when not pedalling and some minimum requirements on braking capability.

At 500W, you won't need to pedal, but just spin.

That's a half decent sprinting power... Sustained!

sogood wrote:

wombatK wrote:FWIW, I'd have no problem with a larger 350 or 500W power-assist, provided it had the automatic cut-out when not pedalling and some minimum requirements on braking capability.

At 500W, you won't need to pedal, but just spin.

That's a half decent sprinting power... Sustained!

The preferred definition for discussion is:
A pedal cycle [vehicle designed to be propelled through a mechanism solely by human
power] to which is attached one or more auxiliary propulsion motors having a combined
maximum continuous rated power not exceeding 250 watts, of which the output is
progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25
km/h, or sooner, if the cyclist stops pedalling.
This would replace the current definition:
A pedal cycle to which is attached one or more auxiliary propulsion motors having a combined maximum power output not exceeding 200 watts.

wombatK wrote:After re-reading the paper, I'll withdraw my "happy with 350 or 500 W comment". The paper's appendix presents a pretty convincing argument about the sensible power rating v's safety risks trade-off. The 250W motor only rider could do 30.00 kph on flat, rider+motor 32.5. The latter is faster than 85% of riders measured in a survey of 1162 cyclists on Melbourne cycleways. The paper reasonably suggests the performance needs to be capped so that the power assisted riders performance is not outside the boundaries of most unassisted riders.

sogood wrote:Front wheel drive bikes? Watch out for under-steer!

ghettro wrote:e-bike riders don't really bother me at all. How much do they weigh out of curiosity? Are they liftable?

It's the whipper snipper motor Kmart bikes I really hate, I think everyone does including pedestrians. So often you see them on clapped out kmart MTB's, not to mention they are noisy. Get some leg muscles or get a proper motorbike !

sogood wrote:

wombatK wrote:After re-reading the paper, I'll withdraw my "happy with 350 or 500 W comment". The paper's appendix presents a pretty convincing argument about the sensible power rating v's safety risks trade-off. The 250W motor only rider could do 30.00 kph on flat, rider+motor 32.5. The latter is faster than 85% of riders measured in a survey of 1162 cyclists on Melbourne cycleways. The paper reasonably suggests the performance needs to be capped so that the power assisted riders performance is not outside the boundaries of most unassisted riders.

I would agree that's a good reference point, or the speed differential would be excessive, leading to additional conflicts and incidents.

WonkyWheels wrote:Take a step back and think about the double standard here.

Hint: cars + cyclist on the road