Hi there

[Βob67]

Hi all,

My name is Bob and just registered the forum

I haven't yet bought my 1st ebike but I'm very close to making the step.
I'm looking to get an ebike for commuting without sweating. Avaris 2.3 Electric Assist Hybrid Road eBike is my top selection at this point. I'll appreciate comments from users of this ebike.

What is annoying for me about ebikes is the ridiculously low speed limit of 15.5mph. When I do my 10 miles commute with my road bike my average speed is around 18mph and in the flat sections, I ride at around 20mph. I have also seen on the road guys with TT bikes and aero bars who should be going at 25+ mph
I'm wondering why it is safe for me to go 20mph with my pedal bike but not with an ebike.

The rising cost of fuel and the environmental concerns will push more to use an ebike for commuting but the low speed limit acts as a deterrent
The US ebike speed limits of 20-25 mph look very reasonable to me.

 

[Woosh]

What is annoying for me about ebikes is the ridiculously low speed limit of 15.5mph. When I do my 10 miles commute with my road bike my average speed is around 18mph and in the flat sections, I ride at around 20mph. I have also seen on the road guys with TT bikes and aero bars should be going at 25+ mph

you can ride your e-bike as fast as you like but the electrics must cut out the motor when your speed exceeds 15.5mph, your bike moves then under your own power, for example going downhill with the help of gravity.
What you can't legally do is to derestrict your bike, ie turn your e-bike into an electric motorbike. This is because to benefit from some advantages of normal push bikes like to ride without helmet, insurance and number plate which motorbike riders must have, the cost to you is you accept a few limitations.
In general, your commute time is a little shorter with an e-bike because you climb hills faster while keeping you old good speed on the downhill sections. You also arrive without sweat.

 

[Βob67]

you can ride your e-bike as fast as you like but the electrics must cut out the motor when your speed exceeds 15.5mph, your bike moves then under your own power, for example going downhill with the help of gravity.

yes this is obvious, but I'm wondering why the law is so restrictive concerning the electrically assisted speed.
Playing devil's advocate we can claim that this is for ebike riders' safety but in the same terms it should be for pedal bike rider's safety to restrict speed to the same limit or even restrict car's speed limit by electronic means

 

[flecc]

What is annoying for me about ebikes is the ridiculously low speed limit of 15.5mph. When I do my 10 miles commute with my road bike my average speed is around 18mph and in the flat sections, I ride at around 20mph. I have also seen on the road guys with TT bikes and aero bars should be going at 25+ mph
I'm wondering why it is safe for me to go 20mph with my pedal bike but not with an ebike.

Hi Bob, welcome to the forum. To explain in answer to your query:

Cycling speeds in Britain, like yours, are unusually high for recent historical reasons which I won't go into at present. In addition, cycling and assisted cycling isn't anywhere near as commonplace as it is in many other countries. For example, 70% of the Dutch population cycle regularly and their 17 millions buy over 300,000 e-bikes each year. Far less then a tenth of Britons cycle regularly and our 68 millions buy only around 50,000 e-bikes each year

Our power assisted cycling law follows common practice in the countries where cycling is far more widespread and done at much lower speeds, and it's become a world standard applying in the whole of the EU, the EEC countries, Turkey, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand and many smaller countries. It is the USA, where e-biking is more of a fun pursuit than transport, that is the odd one out, particularly since their Federal law is often overruled by local state laws which are often more restrictive.

We are stuck with what we have I'm afraid, and the DfT are not going to budge on it for complex legal reasons.

In fact you can have higher speeds legally by buying an S class high speed pedelec. They have up to 500 watts permitted, most commonly 350 watts, and are allowed to assist at up to 45 kph (28 mph). They are legal in Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Denmark, but have to have registration with a mini number plate, compulsory third party insurance and a helmet worn.

The snag in the UK is that they are treated as a moped so have to have a full size rear number plate, MOTs at three years on and a moped driving licence is necessary. Without a suitable full driving licence, a provisional licence, L plates and a CBT will be necessary.

If you'd like me to clarify any of the points I've made, please just ask.
.

 

[sjpt]

I'm wondering why it is safe for me to go 20mph with my pedal bike but not with an ebike.

The law is written to try to allow for all (potential) ebike users and for the general public, not just for you. While it might be safe for you to ride assisted at 20mph there are many other riders (especially older riders) who would be at quite a lot more risk to themselves and others at higher speeds. Of course 15.5mph is an arbitrary limit, but I think it is about the sensible level for counting as a bicycle and avoiding the restrictions that apply to all other motorized transport.

What would be good if s-pedelecs were more easily accessible, particularly for commuting. The restrictions that apply to them (as for mopeds: registration, helmets, insurance, plates, keep of cycle paths etc) are sensible, but as they are such a minority market it is very difficult to get one with proper type approval to allow registration, and then to get the appropriate insurance to ride it. This means that at least for now those difficulties ensure they remain a minority market; a vicious circle