Electronic bikes - thoughts from anyone using them

dinneenp

Hi,
Am considering getting an electronic bike for commuting to work. 12km, 2 inclines on the route.
Just looking for opinions from anyone who uses one to commute please? I haven't tried one out yet but will soon.
Cheers,
Pa

CramCycle

I don't use one but a guy in work has tried them out and thinks they are epic and I constantly bump in to a guy doing at least 15km each way and he is happy out, tips along without a sweat, comfortably.

I am all for the non electric way but if your not going to do it that way, e-bikes look like a great way to go.

Fann Linn

CramCycle wrote: »

I don't use one but a guy in work has tried them out and thinks they are epic and I constantly bump in to a guy doing at least 15km each way and he is happy out, tips along without a sweat, comfortably.

I am all for the non electric way but if your not going to do it that way, e-bikes look like a great way to go.

Can ye get E bikes on the BTW?

CramCycle

Fann Linn wrote: »

Can ye get E bikes on the BTW?

Yes, although most of the decent ones are well in excess of 1000euro.

1bryan

I can see these becoming an issue, the more and more of them that appear. The speeds some people zip along in the cycle lane can be dangerous enough to 'conventional' cyclists, most of whom are cycling far slower.

I'm watching this space with interest to see what happens.

homer911

I have an ebike for my 10k commute - no recent experience of cycling before getting it and knew I wouldn't manage on a regular commuting bike. Am using it daily, even in the cold/wet. Love it. I spent over €2k on mine so it wasn't cheap but well worth it for the health benefits and (for me) a faster overall commute. The only annoying thing for me is that the power assist cuts out at 25-27kph - a 30kph threshold would be better but that's the EU for you..

schemingbohemia

1bryan wrote: »

I can see these becoming an issue, the more and more of them that appear. The speeds some people zip along in the cycle lane can be dangerous enough to 'conventional' cyclists, most of whom are cycling far slower.

I'm watching this space with interest to see what happens.

I sometimes use my wife's e-bike, the A2B Ferber
http://www.wearea2b.com/index.php/us/e-bike-collection/US-ferber
I'm often overtaken by conventional cyclists, I do overtake some people particularly at traffic lights but generally I'm tipping along not trying to set any Strava records.
The max assist speed is 25kph so it's not exactly rocket-speed. We find the A2B good, we've a 15km cycle and it works well for that. You need to remove the battery when you lock up as replacing them is seriously expensive, buying a second charger would be good so you can charge in work too if you're concerned about range, you should be ok with a 12km journey but with the hills you might use up a good bit going in.
They're well worth getting for some people.

Phil.x

I'd like to try one, especially on the home leg of my 16km each way commute.
The good looking mountain bike type are very expensive...motorbike expensive!

dinneenp

homer911 wrote: »

I have an ebike for my 10k commute - no recent experience of cycling before getting it and knew I wouldn't manage on a regular commuting bike. Am using it daily, even in the cold/wet. Love it. I spent over €2k on mine so it wasn't cheap but well worth it for the health benefits and (for me) a faster overall commute. The only annoying thing for me is that the power assist cuts out at 25-27kph - a 30kph threshold would be better but that's the EU for you..

Hi,
What e-bike do you have please?

Cheers,
Pa.

Lumen

I average only about 25kph when cycling my hilly commute (~450m climbing over 32km) and spend about 40% of the time climbing at an average of about 19kph. If that climbing average rose to 25kph I'd reduce my overall commute time by 10%. That's a saving of about 7.5 minutes over an hour and a quarter, assuming my descending speed wasn't any slower.

That's not enough time saving to bother with an e-bike.

On the other hand I'd use less energy and might do the journey more often.

Alanstrainor

I could definitely see myself getting an e-bike at some point, I know a few people who use them and they love them. They can make a commute a doddle, and they often don't need to wear any different clothing to what they'll wear in the office (weather being a big factor here though).

1bryan wrote: »

I can see these becoming an issue, the more and more of them that appear. The speeds some people zip along in the cycle lane can be dangerous enough to 'conventional' cyclists, most of whom are cycling far slower.

I'm watching this space with interest to see what happens.

There are regulations on the speed of e-bikes. You're seeing people on unregulated bikes. I often see them too, even passing me doing 40km/h on my commute home.

CramCycle

Alanstrainor wrote: »

There are regulations on the speed of e-bikes. You're seeing people on unregulated bikes. I often see them too, even passing me doing 40km/h on my commute home.

The guy I meet regularly is tipping 30kmph going up hill in Bray. Maybe it is him, but i am skeptical.

His is a cube, for the OP

1bryan

schemingbohemia wrote: »

The max assist speed is 25kph so it's not exactly rocket-speed.

so, as someone who has never used an e-bike can you explain this to me. Is it the case that, above 25kph, the battery cuts out? Or is it that you're on your own after that? So any power above 25kph is generated by you?

If the latter, then you could still get up some fast speeds if your contribution only really kicks in above 25kph.

Would be curious to try one out but couldn't ever see myself getting one.

CramCycle

Halfords let you test out one of theirs if you call in, it's not great in comparison to other brands but gives you a good idea of the push you can get.

manonboard

I have one. I bought it 2 years ago. Barely gets any use.
Ill be selling it soon after coming to this realization.

It really all depends on fit for purpose V your lifestyle.

Some pros i've found:

• Easily cycle within the distance without much effort if prefered.
• Some areas become accessible because of it. I, not unfit, but not quite fit, can cycle up the hell fire club route on it. It takes the 'im' and leaves the 'possible'.
• It's quite fast. It's easily used as transport.
• For going to work (where you can also recharge the battery), its great, as it leaves you quite none sweaty depending on the mode you use.
• Acceleration is quite substantial. One rotation of the pedals, and your flying ahead of all the others, so starting from traffic lights i found is alot safer as it gives me more control over where i am in relation to others.

Some bad points:

• The distance is less than i had hoped for. Some of this is definitely battery degradation, and other part is the tech i have is about 5-6 years old.
• It's heavy unless you are spending alot of money. I dont find it feasible to cycle without the battery having power.
• The fear of leaving a nice bike parked somewhere is open to abuse. Scumbags love wrecking good stuff that is different.
• Having to recharge it between uses can be a bit of a pain!

If you have a repeating pattern, like commuting and can charge. Its very cool.
Or if you want to cycle in beautiful areas that are difficult, but have a car to bring the bike there. Its great too.
It requires planning, which is a bit of a loss to biking.

ps: If people want a go of it for testing their desire of a ebike. There is an underground car park in my apartment block in tallaght, easy to bring my bike down if you want try an ebike. location @ Tallaght, Square area.

Lemming

1bryan wrote: »

so, as someone who has never used an e-bike can you explain this to me. Is it the case that, above 25kph, the battery cuts out? Or is it that you're on your own after that? So any power above 25kph is generated by you?

If the latter, then you could still get up some fast speeds if your contribution only really kicks in above 25kph.

Would be curious to try one out but couldn't ever see myself getting one.

The magic phrase when it comes to E-bikes is "pedal assist". That means that the bike battery/motor gives you a boost as you pedal until you reach the assist cut-off speed point and above that speed it's all on you. So if you have got a really steep hill in front of you for example, you still have to pedal but you'll be assisted. If you're on a nice flat stretch of road, you'll be propelled forward as you pedal towards the cut-off speed at a faster rate than you might otherwise achieve on your own.

el tel

If e-bike racing was to become a thing, would it fall under the governance of UCI or FIM?

ted1

Electric bike not electronic bike

Lumen

1bryan wrote: »

so, as someone who has never used an e-bike can you explain this to me. Is it the case that, above 25kph, the battery cuts out? Or is it that you're on your own after that? So any power above 25kph is generated by you?

If the latter, then you could still get up some fast speeds if your contribution only really kicks in above 25kph.

Would be curious to try one out but couldn't ever see myself getting one.

As I understand it, all assistance cuts out at 25kph.

I would prefer an extra 250W everywhere than 500W up to 25kph and then nothing, but that's the law.

Commuting at an average of 40kph would make my motorbike completely redundant.

dinneenp

I saw someone testing on in car park outside Halford's and that's what gave me the idea.

For me I 'might' cycle to work more if it's less effort; in the morning I find it hard to motivate myself to cycle when the car is an easier option. And then have to shower, change etc. I'm going to try out one in Halford's this weekend to get an idea of how helpful they are.

I'd be looking at the Gov scheme so would be limited to €1,000 unless I can buy one that's more expensive & pay the difference myself (probably can't do that).

Thanks for the offer Manonboard but I'm living in Galway.

CramCycle

dinneenp wrote: »

I'd be looking at the Gov scheme so would be limited to €1,000 unless I can buy one that's more expensive & pay the difference myself (probably can't do that).

You can definitely do that unless your employer says no.

homer911

dinneenp wrote: »

Hi,
What e-bike do you have please?

Cheers,
Pa.

A 2016 LaPierre Overvolt Shaper http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lapierre-overvolt-shaper-e-bike-2016/rp-prod139824
There has been some refinements with more recent models including integrated lights - this uses the mid-mounted Bosch motor system.
I got mine from Cycle Superstore in Tallaght

2018 Model: http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/gamme/2018/e-bikes/lifestyle-e-bike/overvolt-shaper-400-0
Lapierre 2018 ebikes: http://www.lapierre-bikes.co.uk/gamme/2018/e-bikes

Joe1919

1bryan wrote: »

so, as someone who has never used an e-bike can you explain this to me. Is it the case that, above 25kph, the battery cuts out? Or is it that you're on your own after that? So any power above 25kph is generated by you?

If the latter, then you could still get up some fast speeds if your contribution only really kicks in above 25kph.

Would be curious to try one out but couldn't ever see myself getting one.

See attached image. In max power mode (3 in my case), the power starts to taper off at 23-24 km/hr. This can sometimes lead to a jerky ride. At power mode 2 & 1, its a lot smoother as there is a more gradual taper off of power. As far as I can see, your pedal contribution always counts in terms of reducing battery use and therefore extending the range but there are times when it doesn't appear to make any difference. Your pedaling makes more difference (and can be felt) at the lower power settings and can significantly extend the range. (Bafang rear hub motor)

Joe1919

dinneenp wrote: »

I'm going to try out one in Halford's this weekend to get an idea of how helpful they are.

If you do purchase, be sure to avail of the six weeks free service and get them to check and tighten any loose spokes.

cycle4fun

1bryan wrote: »

I can see these becoming an issue, the more and more of them that appear. The speeds some people zip along in the cycle lane can be dangerous enough to 'conventional' cyclists, most of whom are cycling far slower.

I'm watching this space with interest to see what happens.

True, I nearly got knocked down by a yuppie with one in D4 a few weeks ago.

recedite

Lumen wrote: »

As I understand it, all assistance cuts out at 25kph.

I would prefer an extra 250W everywhere than 500W up to 25kph and then nothing, but that's the law.

That's the EU requirement for a "pedelec" which is all you can get here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws

Pedelec wrote:

"Cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kW, of which the output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25km/h (15.5mph) or if the cyclist stops pedaling.

You would get up to 32 km/hr on a USA model e-bike.
Or if you modified the chip in a pedelec you'd get a higher speed, which would of course be illegal and not condoned at all.

Gwildor

I have a Carrera Crossfire E from Halfords. Absolutely love it! Though I wish I'd waited for the newer Crossfuse as it has the Bosch mid-drive system. I use mine for a 40km commute along the Waterford greenway and can't fault it. I'd recommend anyone try out a pedelec.

ted1

recedite wrote: »

Lumen wrote: »

As I understand it, all assistance cuts out at 25kph.

I would prefer an extra 250W everywhere than 500W up to 25kph and then nothing, but that's the law.

That's the EU requirement for a "pedelec" which is all you can get here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws

Pedelec wrote:

"Cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kW, of which the output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25km/h (15.5mph) or if the cyclist stops pedaling.

You would get up to 32 km/hr on a USA model e-bike.
Or if you modified the chip in a pedelec you'd get a higher speed, which would of course be illegal and not condoned at all.

They do sell pedelecs that go up to 45kmh we thought any modding.

Have a look at greenaer.ie

CyclingWalrus

For what its worth I'd consider myself fairly fit but could never motivate myself to get on the bike first thing in the morning as in the first 1 km I had a steep incline straight away. I got a Cube electric bike and I have no excuses now. I've put on 1800 km since June and my commute is 24km each way. Without the pedal assist I know I wouldn't have motivated myself to do even one day week. Also mountain bike / hybrid style was a lot more comfortable and safe for travelling through Dublin City (pot holes / tracks etc)
Get one and I believe you will never look back.
P.S. you'll find you will only use the pedal assist on hills, as on the flat you will probably be using your own steam (over 25kph)

magicbastarder

ted1 wrote: »

Electric bike not electronic bike

at the risk of derailing the thread, why?
according to the definitions in this article, electronic is a better term in some circumstances:

http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-electrical-and-electronics

CramCycle

/discussion

Etc

magicbastarder wrote: »

at the risk of derailing the thread, why?
according to the definitions in this article, electronic is a better term in some circumstances:

http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-electrical-and-electronics

The bikes are powered by electricity however in many cases the motor is controlled electronically, the "brain" of the bike detects cadence and effort and regulates the amount of power needed to maintain speed / momentum without major a increase in power by the rider. Different bikes have different levels of sophistication in that regard.

CramCycle

To save us going down a rabbit hole here, the OP is asking about pedal assist or e-bikes, lets focus on recommendations, positives, negatives and experiences.

Personally if I was more genetically predisposed to being healthy and well, I would pick an e-bike for commuting. It looks easier, fun, relaxing and you still get the exercise buzz.

Regrettably I don't so regular bike for my own sake, and a big thanks to the e-bikes on my route, as they provide great pace makers.

Apologies for dragging the thread off topic.

Icyseanfitz

i can see them becoming massive in the mtb scene. Having a E DH bike that can get you the top 20 times vs the 5 youd get if you had to push up will be a game changer.

ted1

Deleted

MOD VOICE: Leave the Electric/electronic discussion to elsewhere, they are e-bikes, whatever the e means to you is your interpretation.

schemingbohemia

1bryan wrote: »

so, as someone who has never used an e-bike can you explain this to me. Is it the case that, above 25kph, the battery cuts out? Or is it that you're on your own after that? So any power above 25kph is generated by you?

If the latter, then you could still get up some fast speeds if your contribution only really kicks in above 25kph.

Would be curious to try one out but couldn't ever see myself getting one.

You always have to pedal, it won't kick in unless you pedal. It's like when you were learning to cycle (or me at least) and your parent would have their hand on your back with a little boost.

As someone else pointed out it's particularly useful at traffic lights as you take off quicker than cars for that vital first few metres, makes it safer.

It just makes cycling easier, arrive into work without needing a shower.

The downsides are the weight of the bike and range anxiety which is linked to the first as they're so heavy to cycle when the battery has died.

Duckjob

Have one as well as my regular road bike, and I love it.

As I've mentioned on another thread the real advantage of an ebike for me isnt to get you places faster than a regular bike, it's the utility to get you places with much less hassle.

You may be able to get somewhere just as quick (or even quicker depending on your fitness level) on your regular bike, but whereas in that case you're likely to be needing a cooldown / shower / change of clothes, with an ebike you can generally arrive in your regular clothes with not a drop of sweat if you want to.

Ferris

Recently bought a Cube eMTB as detailed in this thread:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057787362

I got a lot of good advice, particularly about battery size. I ended up with a 500wh battery rather than the 400wh based on the advice I got and I am glad that I did.

Due to the limiter (an indicated 27kmh in my bike) it’s not much faster than the road bike but the commute is far more consistent, hills, fatigue, weather etc. is less of a factor. Thus you are more likely to get up on a sh1tty morning and get on the bike rather than wimping out in the car. In addition the hardtail mtb is MUCH more stable on the road and in traffic than a road bike, as well as being far more comfortable.

Some caveats apply, my bike is over 20kg and is very upright, you have to push really hard to get over 30kmh for any duration. Also, ebikes wear drivetrain components a lot more quickly so prepare to buy chains, sprockets and group sets more frequently. I cannot remember the ebike, maybe in cycle superstore, which had a hub gear, this seems more attractive to me in retrospect for reliability.

I am delighted with the change, I can commute more regularly, get some exercise, save a shed load of time not being in traffic and save on tolls and petrol. Recommended!

kennethsmyth

Just thought i'd throw in my two cents worth as usually i over examine when buying !

Few things, legal electric bikes in ireland are pedelecs and you have to pedal to receive additional power, they are limited to 25kmph and then cut out assistance. Anything over this is a speed pedelec and not road legal. Due to the nature of the electric bicycle you get up to speed quicker and off the lights quicker but you won't essentially travel faster than a fit person on a bike, i usually cruise at 30kmph on the flat 5km above the cut off. This means that you are not any more of a danger than a fit cyclist so long as you pay attention.

I use a bosch performance line center drive and as i live in a very hilly area this gives the best performance for that type of cycling.

Hub drives can suit the commuter but front hubs would not be the best on a hill as no weight under it.

There are 4 types of bosch drive and the 2 newer ones are much more suited to commuter cycling due to no resistance, they are still center drives but use normal chain rings whereas the performance line and cx motors are geared internally and give a little resistance when cycling unassisted.

1. Active line (40NM torque) but no resistance when peddling unassisted (new 2018)
2. Active line plus (50Nm torque) same as above but with more copper windings on motor hence better torque
3. Performance line (63NM) brilliant uphill and works offroad great - good for upmarket commuter or mtb.
4. CX line - (75NM) - best for serious offroad mtb

I have a cube hpa race nyon 29er for the last 2 years with both mtb tyres and big apples for the road, have had it up ticknock and also plenty on the road.

I mention bosch a lot because if you are looking for a system thats solid and proven its hard to go wrong - batteries are standard and its one of the few systems that give a full system (head unit, motor, battery) all by the one company and it can also be hooked up to diagnostics at your suppliers shop if something is not right. All bosch dealers also have to go on a bosch course to be allowed sell and maintain their bikes.

I've found that short of being able to afford a stormer the 29er cube has been infallable and wouldn't go back to killing myself up hills. Also its great fun.

If i can give one piece of advise - bigger wheels roll faster! yea!

schemingbohemia

Just with regard to the "road legal" aspect. My understanding is that speed pedelecs are legal but must be registered, taxed and insured, driving licence etc it essentially is treated as a motorbike, so legal but all the compliance downsides of a car/motorbike with a lot less power.

kennethsmyth

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Just with regard to the "road legal" aspect. My understanding is that speed pedelecs are legal but must be registered, taxed and insured, driving licence etc it essentially is treated as a motorbike, so legal but all the compliance downsides of a car/motorbike with a lot less power.

Hi scheming, you are correct they are legal "if" you could register them.
Someone in the uk has tried and possibly caused issues for other users of speed pedelecs on the road as presently police/gardai seem to ignore them but this person has brought it to the forefront as they wished to register and get insurance etc.

It would be very difficult at present to register them as you point out its technically under the motorbike section.


but the police

Lemming

Icyseanfitz wrote: »

i can see them becoming massive in the mtb scene. Having a E DH bike that can get you the top 20 times vs the 5 youd get if you had to push up will be a game changer.

E-categories already exist for some events here in the UK, but you are not going to see E-bikes mixed in with non E-bikes in a given race. Plus you wont do any better pointed downhill on an e-bike than on a "normal" bike. Not withstanding the fact that e-bikes are heavy; if you're needing to throw a full-suspension e-bike about a lot over the course of a few minutes you're going to be knackered doing it (and contrary to popular belief; downhill racing requires a level of fitness that most people don't realise is required because ... "downhill, no pedalling, how hard can it be?" ... )

Massive and/or a game-changer for mtb racing they will not become.

1bryan

Lemming wrote: »

E-categories already exist for some events here in the UK, but you are not going to see E-bikes mixed in with non E-bikes in a given race.

well, there's the Tour de France

Icyseanfitz

Lemming wrote: »

E-categories already exist for some events here in the UK, but you are not going to see E-bikes mixed in with non E-bikes in a given race. Plus you wont do any better pointed downhill on an e-bike than on a "normal" bike. Not withstanding the fact that e-bikes are heavy; if you're needing to throw a full-suspension e-bike about a lot over the course of a few minutes you're going to be knackered doing it (and contrary to popular belief; downhill racing requires a level of fitness that most people don't realise is required because ... "downhill, no pedalling, how hard can it be?" ... )

Massive and/or a game-changer for mtb racing they will not become.

ive no illusions of the fitness required for DH, used to do it myself. What they will be amazing for is the ability to have a pretty much self contained uplift device. For instance my own local DH track, take about 20-30 minutes of pushing to get to the top for 4 minutes of riding. so over say 4 hours you'd have 8 rides to hone your skills. Then take an ebike that can get you to the top in 10 minutes, you'd be at least doubling your time going down the track, and increasing your skill that much more.

Ebikes will get lighter and more capable over time, just look at trail/enduro bikes these days, not far off the ability of full on DH bikes.

Will they be used in racing, who knows but yeah as you said if they are it will be in their own category and not mixed with regular bikes.

schemingbohemia

kennethsmyth wrote: »

Hi scheming, you are correct they are legal "if" you could register them.
Someone in the uk has tried and possibly caused issues for other users of speed pedelecs on the road as presently police/gardai seem to ignore them but this person has brought it to the forefront as they wished to register and get insurance etc.

It would be very difficult at present to register them as you point out its technically under the motorbike section.


but the police

I think that was actually more to do with a particular issue in Northern Ireland for all electric bikes.

Yes found this
https://cyclingindustry.news/halfords-suspends-electric-bike-sales-in-northern-ireland/

kennethsmyth

schemingbohemia wrote: »

I think that was actually more to do with a particular issue in Northern Ireland for all electric bikes.

Yes found this
https://cyclingindustry.news/halfords-suspends-electric-bike-sales-in-northern-ireland/

Yep that's an additional issue in the north due to no legislation passed because there's no assembly at present. It means that any electric bicycle is not legal on the road at present as the north did not apply eu law sometime back whereas the mainland uk did.

The uk one that I mentioned relates to someone actually tried very stubbornly to fully register a speed pedelec to legally ride it on the road but I've no recollection of the outcome other than some speed pedelec users where annoyed for bringing attention on them.

kennethsmyth

Getting back to OP on whether electric bikes are useful/fun/worthwhile etc.

They are the business!, love it and i go cycling down in full wet gear and still enjoy myself

Canis Lupus

I love mine. It has made my motorbike for commuting essentially redundant to the point I'm now thinking of selling it however my kit isn't road legal (has a a larger than permitted motor and no cutoff) so I can't really say what the legal versions with the 25kph cut offs are like.

They can be very pricey if you want a good, known brand bike. The cheaper they get the shonkier the bike. They're also heavy and obviously have limited ranges so if you're planning on a big ride and your end up with no battery you'll be working hard to cycle home. You are also adding complexity to a bike. More things to break and go wrong and depending on what you get may not be user serviceable.

If you have a bike already I'd suggest looking into a conversion kit if aesthetics aren't too important to you. You can get front or rear hub motor kits or mid drive (best type imo).

Plastik

So what's the standing with these illegal eBikes. There's quite a few of them out there. Users on here, not to single out the last poster, freely admit owning and using them on the road. Is there a penalty if caught? What is it? There's nothing to stop me buying a moped at the weekend, ignoring that I require insurance and tax, putting on a helmet, and simply using it for the work commute. These eBikes are operating in a very dark grey legal area TBH. Do mechanically propelled vehicles that can travel above a certain speed require tax & insurance according to the Road Traffic Act? Do these bikes meet that definition? If so it's interesting to see people use, and be delighted about using them on the road, something I'm sure most wouldn't do with a moped.

Was musing all of the above on pedal powered commute in this morning, after I had been passed by an eBike while doing 30kph up a gradual incline as if I was going backwards. He must have been doing 45kph at least. I think it was the same Haibike that I have seen a few times. TBH I thought it was dangerous and had no business in the cycle lanes. It would easily keep up with, if not be faster than a lot of mopeds.

There's a difference between doing 45-50kph on occasion in cycle lanes, and travelling everywhere at a constant 45-50kph in them, in my opinion.

1bryan

Plastik wrote: »

So what's the standing with these illegal eBikes. There's quite a few of them out there. Users on here, not to single out the last poster, freely admit owning and using them on the road. Is there a penalty if caught? What is it? There's nothing to stop me buying a moped at the weekend, ignoring that I require insurance and tax, putting on a helmet, and simply using it for the work commute. These eBikes are operating in a very dark grey legal area TBH. Do mechanically propelled vehicles that can travel about a certain speed require tax & insurance according to the Road Traffic Act? Do these bikes meet that definition? If so it's interesting to see people use, and be delighted about using them on the road, something I'm sure most wouldn't do with a moped.

Was musing all of the above on pedal powered commute in this morning, after I had been passed by an eBike while doing 30kph up a gradual incline as if I was going backwards. He must have been doing 45kph at least. I think it was the same Haibike that I have seen a few times. TBH I thought it was dangerous and had no business in the cycle lanes. It would easily keep up with, if not be faster than a lot of mopeds.

There's a difference between doing 45-50kph on occasion in cycle lanes, and travelling everywhere at a constant 45-50kph in them, in my opinion.

apologies in advance for posting a link to a Sun article (and feel free not to click and support that sham of a publication), but here's a story about a modified bike being seized by the gardai.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/1281371/gardai-seize-petrol-engine-mountain-bike-from-diy-enthusiast-after-bolting-down-irish-motorway/

At the moment it's probably not that big of an issue so they're not wasting too much effort looking out for it. As it becomes a bigger deal I can see that changing. The bike in the article was a little on the obvious side. I've seen a couple like this about the place myself, as I'm sure have we all.

Lemming

1bryan wrote: »

apologies in advance for posting a link to a Sun article (and feel free not to click and support that sham of a publication), but here's a story about a modified bike being seized by the gardai.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/1281371/gardai-seize-petrol-engine-mountain-bike-from-diy-enthusiast-after-bolting-down-irish-motorway/

At the moment it's probably not that big of an issue so they're not wasting too much effort looking out for it. As it becomes a bigger deal I can see that changing. The bike in the article was a little on the obvious side. I've seen a couple like this about the place myself, as I'm sure have we all.

JEBUS :eek:

No front brake what-so-ever, and only a ****ty cantilever rim brake on the rear. It utterly blows my mind that people slap sh1te like that onto a bike frame and then don't think about being able to stop given they want to travel faster. I'm expecting to see 203mm disc rotors and hydraulic, twin-piston calipers, but evrey time I see one of these bicycle-shaped objects it's a pair of sh1tty old-school rim calipers - so not even V brakes - that wouldn't stop sh1t.

Darwinism at work ...