Search results

  1. O

    New to all this! About to get an e-bike and insurance

    The legality is based on the nebulous term "Continuous rated power", which is not the maximum power, this can and will be higher, sometimes significantly. It is also simply what the maker decides to rate it at, not a technically defined characteristic, so "very" open ended. So, even legal bikes...
  2. O

    Which motor will get me up hills easily?

    The way "power" impacts on hill climbing is the speed you get up them, the work in climbing is achieved by the "torque" developed at the rear wheel. It does typically follow that the more power available tends to also come with higher torque, but as said in respect to climbing it is torque that...
  3. O

    Changes to selling e-bikes, conversion kits and batteries on eBay.co.uk - No more private (personal) sales.

    We don't store cans of petrol within the habitated part of our homes, unless we have some cognative issue, nor do we store large quanties of mains gas in our homes, in ways directly comparible with storing the quantity of energy our ebikes or scooter batteries do. Nor is much else with that...
  4. O

    Wisper Wisper Bike rack cracked

    I would fit a triangular gusset on each external side, much like but larger than the existing pannier bottom clip ones. These I would cut from aluminium sheet (like this example) fixing them with pop rivets. I would exploit the full 120mm width of the example sheet, the larger basically here the...
  5. O

    E-bike seizures surge as police take 'death traps' off the streets

    A less "generous" take on this might be make it wooly to keep the legal industry, both defending and prosecuting, nice and bouyant? IMO the legislation is very open ended, serving no real controlling purpose, as if that was the creator's intention/ brief.
  6. O

    NSFW / disturbing content : man dies when E-bike battery explodes in a lift

    Hardly a glowing defence against the assertion that batteries present safety issues? I am not overly convinced if he had not attempted to get it out of a building that requires a lift, there would not have been some serious implication, just leaving in his flat
  7. O

    E-bikes to be banned by employers after dozens of battery fires TfL, NHS trusts and other organisations

    In fairness that's not historically true. Over my lifetime [over 80 years] I have seen a lot of development in reducing car deaths, both in technical advancements and in statutory actions. including mandating the inclusion of some of the former. I do feel there is going to be some similar...
  8. O

    a question on walk mode

    Thank you "flecc", yes I had understood your post and it was that which seeded my exploring if the Kalkhoff warning statement was just a legal motivated one, rather than how I had assumed up till reading, a more technical reason. Following reading your statement, the penny rather drops that all...
  9. O

    a question on walk mode

    In our Kalkhoff manual [circa 2016/17 vintage] reference is made to this feature under their term "Push assist". In the warning clause about its use are words stating it is not designed for use with a person mounted on the bike. Is this just some legal get around or is it likely to have some...
  10. O

    Peek into the future, or not?

    Automatic e-bike control trial Made interesting reading, and into territory where I sense there will be some views, and possible concerns where, one day, it may lead.
  11. O

    DFT consultation on increase of 250W limit to 500W

    Agreed, but here the discussion is in revisiting the legislation re pedelec powering, specifically from 250 Watts to 500Watts, and IMO that "power" should be a definitive characteristic that is measurable not a nebulous value a maker marks on their product. As is, all law enforcers can act on is...
  12. O

    DFT consultation on increase of 250W limit to 500W

    As a Chartered engineer, one pretty well qualified in this very subject, I know that "torque" is not "power", plus I know that Watts is a measure of "power" and the motor of whatever type can't output more power than is inputted to it. Thus, it is fundamental that if input peak power is...
  13. O

    DFT consultation on increase of 250W limit to 500W

    Whilst at addressing power, they ought to drop rated maximum continuous power and get something definitive to nail what the maximum legal power is, IMO back to basics for Watts, maximum input volts x maximum input amps. The wording rated allows the maker to write in any figure they want, and...
  14. O

    UPP Batteries Warning

    "Recalls" though are always more likely to be initiated by responsible venders/makers than the others, surely?
  15. O

    500w E Bike ins

    I am not overly convinced the "legality" or not makes the rider immune to any civil claim for personal injury from third parties, by far the biggest "life changing impact" to which we are exposed. I am though pretty sure the technical minutia of any bike used that we have managed to insure for...
  16. O

    500w E Bike ins

    Post purchasing those bikes is there any realistic chance of getting public liability insurance? Assuming that is what the OP is asking and being worried about not having that injury to others liability protection.
  17. O

    surprise info on trike.. need help

    EDIT: Disregard my posting, a later post indicates it is a direct drive so altering the gear ratio via the chain cogs is not here an option. You don't necessarily need to increase the "power", but the torque at the driving wheel(s). Its torque that does the "work", its power how fast the "work"...
  18. O

    Is steel still good

    Sadly that reads in the UK for just about anything, long gone is the era "we" mended, or even took and interest in the repair of most things, that generation is passing; clearly a generalisation, but IMO reflects how I see things. Even my children who grew up in a house where I attempted to fix...
  19. O

    Is steel still good

    Yes, it is a super material for general use bike frames, and particularly front forks; better IMO than many basic suspension forks. My Brompton and my older Giant road bike, some 30 plus years old have it. Just not fashionable, and heavy if used in the bulky for bulky sake styling presently so...
  20. O

    Same Motor, Different Power Rating

    "Rating!, I have no trouble understanding what rating means, I though am unaware what the specification details, the motors here are rated against. Can we know all these parameters and conditions, please?