Please comment on any safety advantages or disadvantages you feel that e-bikes have over conventional bikes and also any concerns you have about cycling.
Many thanks for your help
Jack
Many thanks for your help
Jack
Safety advantages or disadvantages of e-bikes over conventional bikes?
- Thread starter Jack.Eagle
- Start date
On safety, e-bikes are safer than standard bikes for various reasons:
1) A to B magazine have often remarked that the greater climb speed of e-bikes brings safety. A normal bike and rider struggling up a hill at say 5 mph might be passed by many faster moving vehicles, but the e-bike doing 9 or 10 mph up there will be passed far less often, so less opportunity for collisions.
2) That lower speed differential between e-bikes and other traffic brings other safety benefits, the bike causing less hold up frustration to motor vehicle drivers, and less likelyhood of them taking risks to pass under dangerous circumstances.
3) Where the unassisted cyclist is often head down and under stress battling up a hill or against a headwind, the e-biker with the assistance is more likely to be relaxed and able to pay greater attention to road conditions, signs and other road users.
4) On longer journeys, the e-biker suffers less from the tiredness that can bring inattention.
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1) A to B magazine have often remarked that the greater climb speed of e-bikes brings safety. A normal bike and rider struggling up a hill at say 5 mph might be passed by many faster moving vehicles, but the e-bike doing 9 or 10 mph up there will be passed far less often, so less opportunity for collisions.
2) That lower speed differential between e-bikes and other traffic brings other safety benefits, the bike causing less hold up frustration to motor vehicle drivers, and less likelyhood of them taking risks to pass under dangerous circumstances.
3) Where the unassisted cyclist is often head down and under stress battling up a hill or against a headwind, the e-biker with the assistance is more likely to be relaxed and able to pay greater attention to road conditions, signs and other road users.
4) On longer journeys, the e-biker suffers less from the tiredness that can bring inattention.
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On concerns about cycling safety, mainly it's the appalling state of road maintenance.
Although I'm in a London borough, traffic doesn't worry me much since I can assert and dominate the road space I need as easily as a 4 x 4, it's just confidence. The absolute essential to that being effective though is a good rear view mirror so that I have all round vision. Blind people wouldn't be safe cycling, and neither is a person without a mirror so 50% blind.
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Although I'm in a London borough, traffic doesn't worry me much since I can assert and dominate the road space I need as easily as a 4 x 4, it's just confidence. The absolute essential to that being effective though is a good rear view mirror so that I have all round vision. Blind people wouldn't be safe cycling, and neither is a person without a mirror so 50% blind.
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But..What about people with poor eyesight, that can´t really see what´s on the mirror and get distracted trying to make out if there´s anything looming in it? Is it really useful for these people?
for me
the ability to accelerate away at junctions and traffic lights to get out of the way of other traffic...
and the up hill assistance which stops you weaving up the road in agony !!
the ability to accelerate away at junctions and traffic lights to get out of the way of other traffic...
and the up hill assistance which stops you weaving up the road in agony !!
Yes I have a rear view mirror like this one
To be honest I think all cars should be banned from the road as there are so many careless drivers out there, its quite shocking.
I try to stay as visible as possible with a reflective waistcoat, red and white helmet and lights etc, and I cant wait for winter so that I can use my tyre glow lights
To be honest I think all cars should be banned from the road as there are so many careless drivers out there, its quite shocking.
I try to stay as visible as possible with a reflective waistcoat, red and white helmet and lights etc, and I cant wait for winter so that I can use my tyre glow lights
If their eyesight is too bad to see in a mirror, it's too bad for them to be on the road at all, it's as simple as that Poppy.
Bicycles are overtaken more times than almost any other vehicle, so they more than any other vehicles need a mirror to cope with that danger from the rear. Not using one is unfair to other road users who have no idea if you are aware of their approach, which the slight turn of the head confirms if you have a mirror.
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I am not in total agreement with you Tony. Well, maybe i wasn´t precise with what i meant by poor eyesight. In my case I´ve got Nistagmus. My problem is focusing on small things quickly. But I´ll follow your advice and look for a suitable mirror. Hope I won´t need one suitable for lorries...!
Safety Advantage:
I think the biggest safety advantage is the road speed of an ebike. A faster hill climbing speed means traffic build up (at tight points) is less. I have also found drivers seem less aggrieved with higher speed bikes - happy to stay behind untill it's clear to pass. Ebikes generally have a higher speed than a conventional bike. This is most evident in hilly terrain. I often find myself overtaking ordinary bicycles (I'm not super fit) and leaving them far far behind.
Safety Disadvantage:
Weight - ebikes can be very awkward when pushing and moving about (especially ebikes fitted with SLA batteries).
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I think the biggest safety advantage is the road speed of an ebike. A faster hill climbing speed means traffic build up (at tight points) is less. I have also found drivers seem less aggrieved with higher speed bikes - happy to stay behind untill it's clear to pass. Ebikes generally have a higher speed than a conventional bike. This is most evident in hilly terrain. I often find myself overtaking ordinary bicycles (I'm not super fit) and leaving them far far behind.
Safety Disadvantage:
Weight - ebikes can be very awkward when pushing and moving about (especially ebikes fitted with SLA batteries).
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As fast as a bus!
With an electric bike I can now accelerate from a standing start nearly as fast as a bus driver can and, more importantly, in built up areas with frequent bus stops, I can travel in the bus lane at the same speed as a bus. This makes me feel much safer as previously I was forever being "cut up" by buses accelerating to pass me and then immediately cutting in to stop at a bus stop trapping me between the bus and the pavement!
With an electric bike I can now accelerate from a standing start nearly as fast as a bus driver can and, more importantly, in built up areas with frequent bus stops, I can travel in the bus lane at the same speed as a bus. This makes me feel much safer as previously I was forever being "cut up" by buses accelerating to pass me and then immediately cutting in to stop at a bus stop trapping me between the bus and the pavement!
I certainly agree with the fact it is easier to assert a road position. I have to swing out to overtake taxis and busses in cycle lanes - the higher speed of an ebike allows me to do it with much more confidence and attention.
I also find it much easier to get across ( sorry - I mean around) roundabouts - that extra acceleration clears me quickly out of the way of traffic. I still hate drivers coming up behind and wanting to turn left and forgetting about cycles and cycle lanes!
I guess there is a slightly higher risk to pedestrians on off road tracks if they dawdle in getting out the way or move across into your line of movement ( some seem born to collide!) - a good bell is an absolute necessity.
Ocasionally I worry about my safety n fallin off, but the good things about ebikes is that you can wear stronger clothes which tear less. As you get less hot you can avoid light clothing.
My son hurt himself and grazed himself badly on knees and arms two weeks ago by falling off his pushbike. Because I can wear thicker clothes, I reckon my injuries and scrapes would have been signifcantly less.
I also find it much easier to get across ( sorry - I mean around) roundabouts - that extra acceleration clears me quickly out of the way of traffic. I still hate drivers coming up behind and wanting to turn left and forgetting about cycles and cycle lanes!
I guess there is a slightly higher risk to pedestrians on off road tracks if they dawdle in getting out the way or move across into your line of movement ( some seem born to collide!) - a good bell is an absolute necessity.
Ocasionally I worry about my safety n fallin off, but the good things about ebikes is that you can wear stronger clothes which tear less. As you get less hot you can avoid light clothing.
My son hurt himself and grazed himself badly on knees and arms two weeks ago by falling off his pushbike. Because I can wear thicker clothes, I reckon my injuries and scrapes would have been signifcantly less.
in reality non.
However......
Pro:
-Acceleration from a dead stop is good
-Sheer weight and bulk of my ebike is good in windy weather
Con:
-Sheer weight and bulk of my ebike makes it very hard to maneaouver when pushing it. Juts getting in and out of my shed is a strain. Had to carry it up stairs once, nearly broke my back!
However......
Pro:
-Acceleration from a dead stop is good
-Sheer weight and bulk of my ebike is good in windy weather
Con:
-Sheer weight and bulk of my ebike makes it very hard to maneaouver when pushing it. Juts getting in and out of my shed is a strain. Had to carry it up stairs once, nearly broke my back!
summary
To summaries so far:
-safety advantages dues to greater speed and acceleration, pulling off at junction and overtaking vehicles
-greater safety on hill climbs
-great alertness of rider due to less effort required to power the bike
disadvantages included
-greater weight
-condition of the road was highlighted as a concern
-visibility and need for rear view mirror was also another one
many thanks for your views and I look forward to hearing more
cheers
Jack
To summaries so far:
-safety advantages dues to greater speed and acceleration, pulling off at junction and overtaking vehicles
-greater safety on hill climbs
-great alertness of rider due to less effort required to power the bike
disadvantages included
-greater weight
-condition of the road was highlighted as a concern
-visibility and need for rear view mirror was also another one
many thanks for your views and I look forward to hearing more
cheers
Jack
I don't agree that ebikes are safer than conventional bikes. Safety on a bike of either type is 100% down to the skill and confidence of the rider and their ability and willingness to act appropriately within prevailing conditions.
On my Kalkhoff Pro-Connect I am certainly faster than some cycling commuters, but significantly slower than a lot of the fitness cyclists I see on on road bikes, even up hills. But I wouldn't say speed equals safety anyway.
While I would agree that some car drivers make it hard for cyclists - many are quite courteous and patient. In reality, I think that many cyclists lack the necessary skills to ride as safely as possible and that this is exacerbated by the desire not to lose momentum when riding a bike - even an e-bike (I know this feeling from personal experience but it makes you unsafe if you don't control it).
On my Kalkhoff Pro-Connect I am certainly faster than some cycling commuters, but significantly slower than a lot of the fitness cyclists I see on on road bikes, even up hills. But I wouldn't say speed equals safety anyway.
While I would agree that some car drivers make it hard for cyclists - many are quite courteous and patient. In reality, I think that many cyclists lack the necessary skills to ride as safely as possible and that this is exacerbated by the desire not to lose momentum when riding a bike - even an e-bike (I know this feeling from personal experience but it makes you unsafe if you don't control it).
This leaves out one crucial factor though. Riding an ordinary bike is often tough going, especially against strong headwinds and uphill, and it's not uncommon to see a rider head down, sweating and struggling, even weaving at times. Not only is that less safe, the effort can lead to lapses of concentration.
The comparative ease of riding an e-bike makes it safer in those circumstances, and that's especially the case with a bike like the Quando. Plenty of power, no gears and rarely any need to pedal, all that's left to do is sit back nice and upright, concentrating on other road users and the mirror to see what's coming up behind. That sort of attention to the road is completely impossible on a normal bike, especially in adverse conditions.
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i think an ebike allows you to fit in with the traffic more. the speed advantage allows you to keep up more with traffic and act like drivers expect. all this means that you don't feel like a second class road user. lots of cyclists get frustrated with drivers and visa-versa. i think the ebike could make peace between drivers and cyclists.
e-bikers don't jump red lights because they don't need to. they can make up the distance the of the red light jumper by using battery power. ebikers are not constantly trying to conserve momentum like cyclists do. they are not afraid to use the brakes if the situation warents it.
ebikes are twice as safe as pushbikes imho
e-bikers don't jump red lights because they don't need to. they can make up the distance the of the red light jumper by using battery power. ebikers are not constantly trying to conserve momentum like cyclists do. they are not afraid to use the brakes if the situation warents it.
ebikes are twice as safe as pushbikes imho
on a completely different note - I was cycling along on my technium privilege the other night when some yobs tried to step out on the road and take it from me. Because I was on my ebike I was able to accelerate away from them and get out of danger, something I couldn't have done as easily otherwise. But who knows if they would have tried to take that from me? somehow, I think they would have.
I agree with all that has been aid about the extra speed, mirrors etc, but by far the best safety feature on any bike is the rider - confidence, knowledge, awareness, etc. I would advise ANYBODY to do a cycling course - I did one recently and it was really worth doing and I learnt a lot.
I agree with all that has been aid about the extra speed, mirrors etc, but by far the best safety feature on any bike is the rider - confidence, knowledge, awareness, etc. I would advise ANYBODY to do a cycling course - I did one recently and it was really worth doing and I learnt a lot.
I think that the heavy weight of electric bikes is an added safety advantage because you are less likely to topple over a pot hole in the road because of the extra weight.
Also with large gusts of wind the bicycle is much more stable than lightweight bikes.
Julian Langer
Also with large gusts of wind the bicycle is much more stable than lightweight bikes.
Julian Langer