How on earth does he get away with this?

[Deleted member 4366]

Right but isn't that 15.5mph with motor assistance only, I thought peddling together with the motor after cutoff and freewheeling (as long as no motor assistance above,) was also legal upto 20, based on some of the earlier stuff I read.

That's correct if I understand you right. You can go as fast as you want, but power must cut off at 15.5 mph.

 

[flecc]

WHAT EXACTLY do you think the Ped in Moped stands for? obviously peddles! and motorized by electric or ICE, it's still a motorized peddled vehicle, that if goes over 20 and is over 250w nom isn't a UK pedelec, but an E Moped. Why is this so hard for people to understand?

The reason there's confusion is due to the DfT (Department for Transport) in the UK. We had fast scooters like the Vespas and Lambrettas, but then they introduced a class of scooter limited to 30 mph and called them mopeds. That was wrong of course, they had no pedals, but it led to many of the public thinking of all scooters as mopeds, not realising the significance of the "ped" in moped.

Nevertheless, it would be really good if they could just figure this whole legal issue out, and draft a set of laws that we can all reference, and based on them, license the bike/Us, or NOT as the law required us.

There is one widely accepted standard of e-bike law and it applies in the UK, the European Union, most other European countries like Norway and Switzerland, Australia, Japan and now even China.

That of course is 250 watts assist power limit and 25 kph (15.6 mph) assist speed limit. New Zealand steps out of line permitting 300 watts, pointless because no-one makes them, but they insist on being different from Australia.

As you know the USA is one of the exceptions since State law applies where it exists, otherwide the federal law. I'm posting the main provisions of the various State laws below:

These 8 states permit 1000 watts: California, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington DC.

These 2 states permit 25 mph assist: Louisiana, Pennsylvania.

These 2 states permit 30 mph assist: Connecticut, Idaho.

N.B. None of these higher speed and 1000 watt states coincide. Perverse indeed.

These 2 states have totally banned e-bikes and refuse to register them as well: Illinois, New York State.

These 8 states require a moped licence or some form of drivers licence: Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee.

These 3 states require e-bike registration: Michigan, North Dakota, Pennsylvania.

These 3 states require helmet wearing: Tennessee, Washington, Massachusetts for under 16s on any bicycle

North Dakota requires insurance, plus vehicle inspection before going on the road.

Nevada requires full lights and mirror fitted.

Virginia requires compliance with motor vehicle laws when on road.
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[Charliefox]

True, but not understanding what a pedelec is for is their problem. Your last line say it all, they want a law to enable them to dodge the law! That's never going to happen!



But that is not a typical cycling speed Neil, it's only arisen since the British largely abandoned cycling decades ago, leaving it to the lycras. As a result we have those Britons who are still dedicated cyclists on road bikes and similar who approach cycling in a rather sporting manner, riding at around 20mph. Politicians and law makers see these as capable cyclists who have no need of assistance.

The mass of our population only cycled at around 12 mph or less in the days when much of Britain still cycled. Go into mainland Europe and you see the same moderate speeds, below 15 mph and often far below as in the Netherlands. It's this utility cycling that the politicians want to see return in the UK, cycling for shopping, school, work, library and other social purposes, just like that in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.
.

Bravo, a well considered reply! The bit about the cycle to work, shopping etc bloke or blokess is spot on. When I bought my first Ebike in 2000, a long time ago in Ebike history, it was to get to work without sweating and return home after a long shift up to the 450' hill home.The amazingly heavy lead acid battery Powerbyke had a good range for the time and was affordable, unlike those new fangled Lithium powered jobs! I already had a knackered knee by then and this bike did the job.It rarely went over 15mph as the gearing was too low. But it suited me fine.It was so heavy that loading it with obscene amounts of shopping made no odds to speed or stability. I still use it for town shopping as it is unlikely ever to be stolen! Unlike my faster 350 watt Bafang rear hub motored Giant MTB. Which is just right for forestry tracks and trails.Both bikes have a good range as the only time they go really fast is freewheeling down hills. Any improvement in battery technology in the future would excite me for either extended range or lighter ebikes but not faster bikes.All those lovely 7Staines trails in the Borders are not fast. They just feel that way! It is the uphill grunt that lets me keep up with the young guys. On the way down that extra 10 kg really shows. I had to upgrade the front disc!!