Electricity bicycles

Jaffa_cake

Hi everyone,

I am looking at buying an electricity bicycle for going to work and back with for the March to October period.
I work 7 miles from home, and it's all flat.

The bikes I have been looking at come in 2 types, and teh only difference is the capacity of the battery.
Either 10Ah which will do a distance of 20 miles, or the 20Ah which will do a distance of 40 miles,

They chug along at some thing like 25 mph.
They have pedals also, but for 99.9% I will be on battery.

We have bike sheds, and I asked my manager if he would mind if I parked it there, he said that would be fine, no problem at all.

From empty to full charge takes just 6 hours, and costs about 3 pence to charge.

Has any one else bought one, or are thinking of buying one?

J.C.

ev70

Hi,

If these bikes truly do 25mph then they need to have a vehicle registration, and you need a drivers license and insurance to use one including a motorcycle helmet. I expect they are motor assisted up to 15mph where upon the motor will cut out and you have to continue pedalling.

The only road legal models that are now sold in the UK and Europe are only pedal assist. This means that you have to put in some effort, so this means around 50% from you and 50% from the motor. So if you do not try pedalling then they will just stop. Note that most manufacturers give the distance the bike can do on a single charge under ideal conditions and with you assisting by pedalling as well.

Having built up may of these bikes one thing I can tell you is that they are very heavy. This is because the frame has to be built heavier than a normal bike as it has to carry the person plus a heavy motor and battery. So this must be put into consideration if you have to carry it for storage. Also when you do get a puncture on the wheel with the motor they are very hard to do and some bike shops do refuse to do them.

You say the the distance each way is 7 miles each way on the flat. This is not a great distance to cover and if you use a lighter bike you may be amazed at the distance you can do with out feeling it.

My advice would be to go to a local bike shop and ask questions. This way they can match you to the right bike.

Jaffa_cake

ev70 wrote: »

Hi,

If these bikes truly do 25mph then they need to have a vehicle registration, and you need a drivers license and insurance to use one including a motorcycle helmet. I expect they are motor assisted up to 15mph where upon the motor will cut out and you have to continue pedalling.

By drivers licence, do you mean I need a car driving licence?
I think you mean bike licence, or CBT.
I think most people who use the roads these days, have either a car drivers licence, or a bike riders licence, or both even, so no need any more.
Are you sure they need insurance?
They can also be limited to 15 mph.

ev70 wrote: »

The only road legal models that are now sold in the UK and Europe are only pedal assist. This means that you have to put in some effort, so this means around 50% from you and 50% from the motor. So if you do not try pedalling then they will just stop. Note that most manufacturers give the distance the bike can do on a single charge under ideal conditions and with you assisting by pedalling as well.

No, the one I was looking at did not need to be pedaled.
Just twist and go.
They do have faster one's but I think 25 mph is fast enough.
The others do 35 mph.

ev70 wrote: »

Having built up may of these bikes one thing I can tell you is that they are very heavy. This is because the frame has to be built heavier than a normal bike as it has to carry the person plus a heavy motor and battery. So this must be put into consideration if you have to carry it for storage. Also when you do get a puncture on the wheel with the motor they are very hard to do and some bike shops do refuse to do them.

Can you tell me the name of any bikes you have built up please?
Where they the old bikes, or quite new styles?
Can you tell me where the heavy motor is, the ones I looked at all had "in-hub" motors, so this didn't affect any weight to the frame.

ev70 wrote: »

You say the the distance each way is 7 miles each way on the flat. This is not a great distance to cover and if you use a lighter bike you may be amazed at the distance you can do with out feeling it.

I suppose 7 miles isn't too much, but I would like to get to work looking rather "fit for work" than if I had just peddled all the way, and looking like a damp sweaty mess.

ev70 wrote: »

My advice would be to go to a local bike shop and ask questions. This way they can match you to the right bike.

Thank you for you advice and suggestions.

custardy

7 flat miles is an easily doable distance using pedal power

System

Jaffa_cake wrote: »

No, the one I was looking at did not need to be pedaled.
Just twist and go.
They do have faster one's but I think 25 mph is fast enough.
The others do 35 mph.

Ther regulations are here
http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/regulations/eapc-regulations

What you appear to be describing would be classed as a moped or similar and the relevant regulations with respect to safety gear, licence and insurance would apply

From https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules

Any electric bike that doesn’t meet the EAPC rules needs to be registered and taxed. You’ll need a driving licence to ride one and you must wear a crash helmet.

Norman_Castle

The bikes I have been looking at come in 2 types, and teh only difference is the capacity of the battery.

Do you have a link to them?

Cornucopia

Either that, or the OP is looking at info for maybe USA, where the regulations are different.

Some of the issues are basic physics - like the weight of the bikes, but most of it is about regulation (top speed, pedal assist, power to weight, insurance/licence requirements).

Personally, I'd like to see some concessions to encourage the development of light electric vehicles, but the Government does not seem to be interested.

System

I don't see that it is in the remit of the government. The big stopper for LIGHT electric vehicles is the weight of the batteries to achieve a decent range. Governments can't invent new technologies to meet a need.

Or are you talking about large subsidies to companies to develop new technology? As the requirement for lighter batteries spans a large are of equipment I would think that the companies thatdeal with this are already running full steam ahead to attempt to deliver this to get a market lead on their competitors.

spacey2012

If you have a car licence a 50 cc moped is a better choice.
Failing that a good road racer bike under 12 k weight would be as easy as assisting the heavy electic bike and get you in to fitness

Cornucopia

!!!!!! wrote: »

I don't see that it is in the remit of the government. The big stopper for LIGHT electric vehicles is the weight of the batteries to achieve a decent range. Governments can't invent new technologies to meet a need.

Or are you talking about large subsidies to companies to develop new technology? As the requirement for lighter batteries spans a large are of equipment I would think that the companies thatdeal with this are already running full steam ahead to attempt to deliver this to get a market lead on their competitors.

I've seen the electric bikes and other light vehicles that they have in Italy and the US, and they are vastly superior to ours - mainly in terms of speed and power-weight ratio. The only explanation is Government regulation.

I believe it's still the case that a Segway is illegal to use on the road or on the pavement in the UK, for example.

spacey2012

The Explanation is Oil and money.
EU directives are to protect big business, they have castrated Electric Bikes so they are not a viable alternative to Oil burning products.
Can you envisage millions giving up Cars and riding electric bikes.
The Rich would be bankrupt.
So as soon as the threat emerged off went the bulls bollox.