Joeblake wrote:stolennomenclature wrote:Joeblake
As to you electing to use your motorbike if you need to travel more quickly, you might like to consdier that not everyone has a motorbike. Some people don't want one, or perhaps can't afford one, or don't have a license, or want to ride without creating as much polution.
What's to consider? I'm not suggesting other people ride motorcycles, and never have. I was simply saying I ride an electrike unless I am in a hurry, then I ride a motorcycle. ....
I was not trying to suggest that you were advocating everyone using a motorcycle. My point is what are people who don't have motorcycles supposed to do when they are in a hurry? If ebikes had more powerful motors and could travel at higher speed, people could perhaps also use them when they are in a hurry, without needing to use a motorcycle or something similar as a backup. My basic point is why put such low limits on the power of ebikes and severely restrict their usefulness, necessitating use of more powerful vehicles for certain types of trips. The more powerful an ebike is, the more useful and versatile it is. Logically ebikes should be allowed to use the largest possible motors giving the best possible performance, comensurate with the capabilities of the machine.
It is abundantly clear that very fit cyclists can easily exceed the somewhat arbitrary proposed limit of 25 kph set by the RTA for electric bicycles. If its considered safe for a human propelled bicycle to go at, say for example, 40 kph, then why should an electric bike not be allowed to do so also? If it is unsafe for an electric bike to travel at 40kph, then surely by definition it is also unsafe for a human powered bike to go at that same speed? I actually think a good argument could be made for the fact that it is actually safer to travel at that speed on motor propulsion alone than by pedaling, since the human powered bike is likely to be a drop bar racer, with the riders head bowed low for low wind resistance, while the ebike rider is more likely to be upright using flat bars, and with all their concentration on the road ahead. The ebike is also more likely to be heavier and with fatter tires, perhaps also with disc brakes, all the kinds of features that ordinary cyclist who want to travel fast try to avoid in order to keep their bikes light and sporty.
It seems clear to me that the reason why conventional un-motored bicycles are allowed to be unregistered and the riders not licensed is that the low weight and low performance of these vehicle is considered to render them such a low risk to other road users and pedestrians that they do not need to be heavily regulated. Providing a motor powered bicycle keeps within the limits of a normal human powered bicycle envelope, I see no reason why it needs to be considered differently to a human powered bicycle. I fail to see what difference the control mechanism (throttle, pedelec, etc) makes to the performance of an ebike such that it would force it to be considered as a different type of vehicle. And it also seems to me that a bicycle with a 500 watt motor would still perform within the parameters of a normal human powered vehicles, as it is clear that fit human beings can exceed 500 watts of power when pedaling for a short period of time. In this case the shortness of the time period that a human can maintain 500watts of power is irrelevant, since it would still make the bicycle unsafe during that time. The RTA to my knowledge has never suggested that bicycle riders must not pedal their bikes too vigorously or else they would break the law.
I am not advocating 3 kilowatt motors nor would I want to see people hurtling down the road at 80 kph on a flimsy bicycle. But surely 500 watts is still well within the realms of common sense. This would not turn the average bike into a drag racer, but it would help it go up steep hills at a reasonable speed, and overcome strong headwinds. I note that many people in Governments around the world seem to agree. Canada has a 500 watt limit, and the US a 750 watt one. I think the limit should be at the very least 350 watts, but preferably 500 watts.