15mph.....kind of defeats the purpose of having an Ebike, IMHO. Over on endless-sphere, they are looking at 70Kph and over. Just for openers.
going more than 15mph
- Thread starter Eddie F
- Start date
There's some confusion here, I think. Electric assist bicycles are that, bicycles with electric assistance. They can go in bike lanes and towpaths and all the places a standard bicycle can go. They are not restricted in speed, just in powered speed.
If you want to go faster, there is plenty of stuff on offer but it comes under the same rules as any other powered vehicle, ie road tax, insurance and helmet are necessary, plus parking restrictions apply.
Logically, so it should, since if you are going to go 30mph or more, the type of power, electric, petrol or nuclear for that matter is irrelevant.
The e-bike gives you freedom to wear or not wear a helmet, park where you like and take all the short cuts an ordinary bike can.
If you want to go faster a small capacity petrol motor cycle will do that much better than any present electric machine plus the recharge time - getting 10 litres in the tank - is only a few moments and the charging points - petrol stations - are everywhere.
Do I want to see vehicles capable of 70kph on towpaths, in bicycle lanes and on pavements? No, I don't.
Some of that may be bragging. Or it may be the difference between a peak velocity downhill and a sustainable speed on the level.
The US rules are generally 750 W and 20 mph compared to our 250 W and 15 mph.
70 kph, however, not that difficult. I have done it on an electric bike. I even did it in a 30 mph zone. And it was within the law. All you need is a downhill slope.
Nick
If anyone quotes the peak velocity downhill as the top speed of of their machine, then all bicycles, powered or not would have a similar top speed.
It would be about the 80mph I believe you can attain on a long Alpine downhill road.
But any maker who quotes such a top speed would be a maker you would be mad to buy from - if they lie about a bike's capabilities, imagine how they'd lie about its construction and reliability.
Not quite. Most top lycras in the Tour de France on the long alpine downhills reach above 55 mph, and the best recorded are just passing 60 mph.
Recumbents can do better, the very low recumbent trikes in particular which can reach 75 mph.
The world record for an unassisted two wheeled bike pedalled on the flat stands at just over 83 mph. Held by Sam Whittingham riding a fully faired very low Varna recumbent bike in the regular Battle Mountain event in the USA.
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I found online an extract of "Blik op de Weg" (Eye on the Road, a Dutch version of "police, camera, action") where some dude was going at about 60+ km/h on the bike path, only to earn himself a stop from the cops and possibly a traffic violation ticket.. I've heard some Dutch people claim there is a speed limit on bike paths there (about 30km/h) , and lycras are often stopped and fined!
Why slow yourself down with a glacier, the world speed skydiving record is 317.9 mph, I'm sure we could do better with the extra weight. Maybe that could be a new event for Presteigne, Speed Ebike Skydiving.Not sure about alpine roads, but alpine glaciers are good for about 90kph
Cycling in the UK is a bit weird law-wise, there is an actual charge of 'cycling furiously' which always makes me giggle. You don't have to be speeding to be charged with 'cycling furiously' by the way, I once knew of a roadie who got slapped with a fine and he was only doing about 20mph in a 30 . I think that it comes down to if you are being an idiot on your bike more than speed. That said, it is dangerous enough averaging 21mph through town, I wouldn't want to go any faster.
. I think that it comes down to if you are being an idiot on your bike more than speed. That said, it is dangerous enough averaging 21mph through town, I wouldn't want to go any faster.I like your way of thinking.........but imagine the risk assesment.Why slow yourself down with a glacier, the world speed skydiving record is 317.9 mph, I'm sure we could do better with the extra weight. Maybe that could be a new event for Presteigne, Speed Ebike Skydiving.
30mph is a bit much but probably acceptable on country roads especially if traffic is overtaking you at 50mph. through towns i think 25mph is a comfortable top speed, 20 average. this is push bike terratory. on bike paths i always go much slower. when i pass someone i drop to 8mph and say hello as i pass.
Nope. No bragging. These guys are mainly Canadian and have the ammeters to prove their speeds. I am all for staying within the law, but 15MPH top speed is useless. Absolutely useless. It disappears with wind resistance, a headwind, soft tyres, and hills, poor roads. In order to hit 15MPH on most roads, you need to have 22MPH capacity to begin with.
Do you want to see cars capable of 200MPH driving through your housing estate?
CAPABILITY and ACTUAL SPEED are two totally different things.
The bike being able to go fast does not mean it is actually driven at high speeds- the torque and speed can be used up, for example, going up a hill.
A bike with a top speed of 15MPH will not climb hills, unless the hub/drive is geared ridiculously for torque, which is rare.
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A motor geared for a top speed of 15mph will provide more assistance on hills than a motor geared for 22mph, a faster top speed is not directly related to hill climbing ability.
How does an ammeter measure speed accurately?
Not necessarily. You need to understand that there is more than one way the top speed can be limited.
One way is to match the Kv of the motor to the battery voltage, so that it naturally reaches a speed of just over 15 mph with no load. On the flat it will then do 15 mph, and as the slope increases the speed will fall. The relationship between slope and speed depends on the motor characteristics and the all up weight.
Another way is for the controller to actively limit the motor rpm. Then the relationship between hill climbing and top speed is severed.
If you are saying that the speed limit should be relaxed in order to allow better hill climbing, then that is not a correct technical argument. There may be arguments for changing the speed limit but that's not one of them. It won't do the movement any good to present incorrect arguments to the authorities.
Nick
It's as Mussels and Tiberius say. For example,take two former eZee models usng the identical electrical kit throughout.
The eZee Quando with the hub motor in a 20" wheel geared to achieve just over the legal limit is an excellent climber which can pull my 11 stones up 1 in 8 easily without pedalling and even restart on that without pedal assistance. That's due to it's coincidence of maximum torque and maximum power being at about 9 mph.
The eZee Torq 1 with the identical motor in a 28" wheel so geared for 22 mph top assist is completely useless on hills on motor only, due to that higher gearing. It's reluctant to climb 1 in 17 and fails to achieve 1 in 14. That's due to it's coincidence of maximum torque and maximum power being at about 13 mph, far more power being needed to climb at this speed.
Stick the same motor in a 16" wheel with maximum assist speed being 12 mph and it will climb almost anything.
It's not higher gearing that's needed for climbing, it's quite the opposite. To get climbing at higher speeds, more power (wattage) is needed. A 1000 watt rated e-bike restricted to about 15 mph will climb most hills at almost that, under power only.
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