Some of you "go faster" lads ought to time yourselves over a 10 mile course, including some urban miles, at your maximum deregulated speed, and then again at between 10 and 12 mph. I suspect that you might be astonished at how little time is actually saved. A friend of mine has been telling me about being passed by a couple of Lycra bikers, arse high and head low as he was riding gently from Felixstowe to a local town about 12 miles away. When he got there he went into a pub for a drink where these same rapid lads had not yet finished putting down their half pints. Neither had they finished sweating!
deregulated
- Thread starter tgame
- Start date
Agreed...
yes, i'm with you TGame, it's a few minutes difference at best, i was 'pootling behind' a fit pedallista to Brightlingsea (about 10 miles) a while back he was still waiting for his egg sandwich at the cafe when i got there,
but if you have been following the 'controller' thread, this is a different issue, the bike actually wants to slow down as soon as it hits the pedelec sensor limit, bit of a stop-go, stop-go annoyance at about 15mph.
so what pub do you use in Felixstowe ?
beeps
yes, i'm with you TGame, it's a few minutes difference at best, i was 'pootling behind' a fit pedallista to Brightlingsea (about 10 miles) a while back he was still waiting for his egg sandwich at the cafe when i got there,
but if you have been following the 'controller' thread, this is a different issue, the bike actually wants to slow down as soon as it hits the pedelec sensor limit, bit of a stop-go, stop-go annoyance at about 15mph.
so what pub do you use in Felixstowe ?
beeps
Quite true Tony.
The difference on a comparative test between my legally based Q bike and the 24 mph T bike is 10% of time over a slightly hilly almost 10 miles, 33 minutes to 30 minutes.
In territory with steeper climbs, the difference is even smaller.
The downhills are a great leveller, both flying down at the same rate.
.
The difference on a comparative test between my legally based Q bike and the 24 mph T bike is 10% of time over a slightly hilly almost 10 miles, 33 minutes to 30 minutes.
In territory with steeper climbs, the difference is even smaller.
The downhills are a great leveller, both flying down at the same rate.
.
As ever you have the chapter and verse, Flecc! What a fount of information you are.
But I didn't mean to take the mickey out of the people wanting to unrestrict their bikes. My message was not well thought out I'm afraid. I can understand the annoyance of having some thick government official causing one's bike to suddenly cut out when one doesn't want it to do so. The electrically assisted bicycle regulations have been a real example of Jacks in Office stupidity as far as I can see. The intended gist of my message was meant to be a suggestion that in fact 15 mph is quite enough for purposes of transport. I do really believe that although I do realise that a lot of people cycle for different reasons some of which involve going hell for leather.
But I didn't mean to take the mickey out of the people wanting to unrestrict their bikes. My message was not well thought out I'm afraid. I can understand the annoyance of having some thick government official causing one's bike to suddenly cut out when one doesn't want it to do so. The electrically assisted bicycle regulations have been a real example of Jacks in Office stupidity as far as I can see. The intended gist of my message was meant to be a suggestion that in fact 15 mph is quite enough for purposes of transport. I do really believe that although I do realise that a lot of people cycle for different reasons some of which involve going hell for leather.
Yes well worth it
My trip to work measures at 10.24 miles each way. Time taken on a normal Torq at best 45 minutes (excluding time for waiting at lights). An unrestricted Torq will do it at best 37 minutes but realistically 40 minutes. 50 minutes door to door. A saving of 10 minutes a day. (Coming back at night time it would be even quicker). I don't know about you but I think that 50 non-sweaty minutes saved a week is well worth it. For me on a normal bicycle it would take a lot longer than an hour door to door so an electric bike is the biggest saving regardless of whether it is restricted or not.
PS I actually prefer to remain legal and keep to restricted speeds - for me it is a lot less stressful than worrying about the consequences of being caught out.
My trip to work measures at 10.24 miles each way. Time taken on a normal Torq at best 45 minutes (excluding time for waiting at lights). An unrestricted Torq will do it at best 37 minutes but realistically 40 minutes. 50 minutes door to door. A saving of 10 minutes a day. (Coming back at night time it would be even quicker). I don't know about you but I think that 50 non-sweaty minutes saved a week is well worth it. For me on a normal bicycle it would take a lot longer than an hour door to door so an electric bike is the biggest saving regardless of whether it is restricted or not.
PS I actually prefer to remain legal and keep to restricted speeds - for me it is a lot less stressful than worrying about the consequences of being caught out.
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Bt the way whenever this topic has cropped up before it tends to divide along the lines of leisure cyclists favouring going slowly (taking in the sites etc) and commuters wanting to minimise time spent commuting. Quite obvious really if you look at it like that - if something is unpleasant (and I commute in all weathers) you want it to be over as quickly as possible. It can be quite pleasant in the summer but in general I don't want to be commuting more than 50 minutes each way.
I must admit that in my commuting days the minutes felt more important, the travel in some ways feeling like an extension of work, time off really only beginning when travel ended.
Where the speed probably wouldn't make much useful difference is in journeys of under 5 miles, like my supermarket trip where it doesn't matter what bike I'm using. The journey is too short to bother with the differences.
P.S. Just seen your second post Hal, and my post is confirming what you've said about the difference.
.
Where the speed probably wouldn't make much useful difference is in journeys of under 5 miles, like my supermarket trip where it doesn't matter what bike I'm using. The journey is too short to bother with the differences.
P.S. Just seen your second post Hal, and my post is confirming what you've said about the difference.
.
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I come at this from a very different angle in that I care little for for time saved (after all that just means less time enjoying the bike!) and everything for how if feels at the time - you guessed it, I don't commute, living, as I do, eight yards from work.
When looked at from that perspective, the difference between 15 mph and 22 mph is the difference between getting from A to B and travelling. It puts me in mind of that old Dire Straits song with the line, 'looking for all the world like an urban toreador, with wheels on, on her feet'.
And the pint tastes all the better for it when I get there! Not least 'cause I'm exhausted having cycled on a flat battery for the last few miles, but that's a different thread.
Cheers,
Django
When looked at from that perspective, the difference between 15 mph and 22 mph is the difference between getting from A to B and travelling. It puts me in mind of that old Dire Straits song with the line, 'looking for all the world like an urban toreador, with wheels on, on her feet'.
And the pint tastes all the better for it when I get there! Not least 'cause I'm exhausted having cycled on a flat battery for the last few miles, but that's a different thread.
Cheers,
Django
Just had an irresistible urge to listen to Skateaway, I've no idea where it might have come from .
My cycling philosophy is similar to Django's and I'm rarely in a hurry. The restrictor does occasionally come off my Torq, buts that's only when I come to a hill that would otherwise be excessively hard work.
.My cycling philosophy is similar to Django's and I'm rarely in a hurry. The restrictor does occasionally come off my Torq, buts that's only when I come to a hill that would otherwise be excessively hard work.
I can well see this is useful if the commuting trip is unwelcome. But I can't help feeling that if that is so it would be even better to have something going faster still. For instance perhaps the optimum speed for a daily journey of ten miles or so might be between 30 and 40 mph. If properly designed a small ICB moped would easily be capable of this, and could also I suspect be very nearly as "green" as the ebike. Would this be a better option? Is an bike, apart perhaps from pleasant runs on sunny days, a good choice for commuting? I think that in general a car certainly is not.
Hi Guys
I understand where Tony is coming from. However, I enjoy my biking more on a sunnny spring or summer day on a weekend! To be honest, the quicker I can get to work and get home from work in the week, the better!
Most of my rides is by path and at the end of the day does not require tax, air poluting petrol, a licence or insurance. I ride safely and do not harm anyone unlike the cars and bikes on the road.
I just like to get the journey over with on a work day as the weather elements can be not nice :0)
So what is the problem with a little de-restriction?
Regards
Mandy
There certainly are "green" IC mopeds available but unfortunately most on the roads are those noisy polluting cheap Chinese two strokes. Perhaps the ultimate in green 2 wheeled transport is for those who can afford it the Vectrix, a full sized battery powered scooter easily capable of maintaining that 30-40 mph.
Perhaps they had taken a more scenic route to get there? Or had ridden past the pub to their destination and had only stopped at the pub on their return?
I've looked at my commute timings and these are the results:
15-16 mile journey depending on route
Non-assisted bike: 14.1mph average, 65 minutes journey. 4 gallons of sweat.
Electric 24V (equivalent to regulated torq): 16.1 mph average, 56 minutes. 1 gallon sweat as I'm still helping quite a bit.
Electric 36V (torq equivalent): 18.5 mph average, 49 minutes. No sweat.
So it's only an extra 7 minutes but that's nearly 15 minutes each day and about a gallon of sweat saved.
I've seen the Vectrix and it looks very nice - but the PRICE!!!
Let's design the ideal commuter bike for 10 or so miles.
Let's keep the pedals but modify them remembering that they will very seldom be used. Perhaps one can be allowed - from the handlebars - to move through 180degrees and lock to thus forming a footrest.
Tiny motor of course, probably 20cc or so. Butane driven from a small removable tank which is recharged (filled) each night from a big master cylinder. Drive under the main frame I think (I'm Agattu minded)! Gears - mmm - would they actually be needed. Just an ordinary wheel would be so much stronger to take the strong drive. Is it too much to hope that it might be water cooled? After all desktop PCs are nowadays. At any rate as quiet as it's possible to make it. Then of course somehow or other to persuade the traffic mandarins that this is NOT a standard motorbike and needs tax and insurance at very different rates.
That must be what it was of course. I thought there was something odd in my pal's account. I'll explain it to him next time I see him. He's an irascible type and I'll let you know his response. Should be interesting!Perhaps they had taken a more scenic route to get there? Or had ridden past the pub to their destination and had only stopped at the pub on their return?
I would have to answer that question with a resounding yes, the electric bike for me is the best mode of transport to get into a congested city centre. I have tried a scooter and that can be discounted straight away, fuel, insurance and tax are one thing but what did it for me was the maintenance (tyres, servicing). I can see an electric scooter would have some merit but the disadvantages outweigh the advantages (and as we know we are nowhere near it with battery technology).
The main killer is that it wouldn't save me that much time in rush hour. I think 18-20 mph is the optimum speed to keep up with the traffic and it is the shear weight of traffic that becomes the limiting factor for my journey. I am certainly keeping pace with most two wheelers in town as their bulk slows them down (unless they want to be reckless - overtaking against oncoming traffic is common).
AND I am keeping fit so for me, given the alternatives (buses and tubes), it is the best of the lot. The only thing I wrestle with is the safety and I agonise about this a lot - I don't want to leave the family fatherless.
As for the idea of creating a new class of vehicle I think it would be brilliant but it already mostly exists in electric bikes - those that can go up to 20mph (with pedals) but are and probably always will be illegal.
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The keeping fit factor, which I entirly overlooked, may well be the most important factor of all I suspect. I'm hoping to get myself at least fitter than I currently am, but if I were forced into a daily journey regardless I've no doubt I'd get fit a great deal faster!
Having read your blog I know you are doing a fair few miles a day and that will only increase when the weather gets better. It is a slow business getting fit anyway but I have found it amazing after nearly 2 years. I went from 75Kg to 68Kg (just before christmas). My times getting to and from work are approaching those of a de-restricted Torq but using much less power so I must be doing something right.The keeping fit factor, which I entirly overlooked, may well be the most important factor of all I suspect. I'm hoping to get myself at least fitter than I currently am, but if I were forced into a daily journey regardless I've no doubt I'd get fit a great deal faster!
You're a real inspiration, Harry. If getting a bit more limber also means I lose a bit of weight it will be a great boon. My size is something of a genetic thing as I really don't eat excessively. All my family (11 on my mother's side and 12 on my father's) and my brother and sisters were just the same. You must look back on your last two years with a lot of satisfaction.
There isn't any, Mandy. I was writing with my tongue in my cheek and forgot that that doesn't always get across in messages.
Your point about tax and insurance is very apt. Let's hope the MoT gets things right if indeed they are intending to change the ebike regs.
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