Is it a Pedelec or an e-bike?

[anotherkiwi]

Electrically assisted vehicle = VAE in French.

My question (through all of these discussions we have had since I joined in June) is: Is a an electrically assisted bicycle the best choice for a person who is (so) infirm or disabled as not to be able to turn pedals without needing to apply very much force? Not only the ability to turn pedals without applying much force but stopping and starting in all situations and being able to keep ones balance without causing a risk to ones self but especially to other people.

It is definitely not the best choice of vehicle in areas with hills in my opinion. It might work OK in Holland and Belgium and other flat areas with high quality cycle routes (thinking of Nantes where I was for Christmas or S. Sebastian where I was yesterday). If the rider is not a threat to them self or those around them.

 

[flecc]

Electrically assisted vehicle = VAE in French.

My question (through all of these discussions we have had since I joined in June) is: Is a an electrically assisted bicycle the best choice for a person who is (so) infirm or disabled as not to be able to turn pedals without needing to apply very much force? Not only the ability to turn pedals without applying much force but stopping and starting in all situations and being able to keep ones balance without causing a risk to ones self but especially to other people.

It is definitely not the best choice of vehicle in areas with hills in my opinion. It might work OK in Holland and Belgium and other flat areas with high quality cycle routes (thinking of Nantes where I was for Christmas or S. Sebastian where I was yesterday). If the rider is not a threat to them self or those around them.

Also EAPC in the UK, EPAC in the EU.

I agree with what you say about fitness to ride and have made the same points myself previously.

Fundamentally the law permits some electric assistance for a cyclist, which means they have to be capable of being a cyclist in the first instance. If they can't ride a bike in a reasonable range of circumstances, they shouldn't be buying an electric assist bicycle.

Being bicycles, pedelecs are not suitable as mobility vehicles, but I've no objection to there being suitable assisted two wheelers permitted under mobility legislation. But they'd be moped like in many ways.
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[oldtom]

Fundamentally the law permits some electric assistance for a cyclist, which means they have to be capable of being a cyclist in the first instance. If they can't ride a bike in a reasonable range of circumstances, they shouldn't be buying an electric assist bicycle.

Recently, I remarked about the ethos of EAPCs and your comments here pretty much describe my understanding of assistance for cyclists. There is also a moral dimension involved but that's another issue.

Tom

 

[trex]

can someone enlighten me on this, is the old 200W (UK spec), full throttle permitted, e-bike can no longer be legally made?

 

[flecc]

can someone enlighten me on this, is the old 200W (UK spec), full throttle permitted, e-bike can no longer be legally made?

This can no longer be legally used if a bike made and sold after 1st January 2016. The 6th April 2015 change was an amendment to the old EAPC regulations and not a supplement, having the effect of banning independent throttles in the interests of compliance with EU wide type approval law 168/2013.

The old law didn't permit throttles of course, it merely omitted any control method and we'd been riding in breach of both UK and EU law for the last 12 years, this now put right in the amendment.
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[trex]

I thought that may be the case but could not be sure.
Not a big loss to many of us but somehow it feels like our freedom has been reduced by EU bureaucracy.
Thank you for the concise explanation.

 

[Wicky]

So I presume this little rugrat is a criminal...

 

[flecc]

So I presume this little rugrat is a criminal...

He may not be, bless him. I'm not sure of the regulations for e-powered toy vehicles, probably the same as those for pavement mobility chairs. It seemed similarly slow and makes the same whine as the toy e-cars that many kids have.
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