The Electric Bicycle Club of Britain

Does it exist? Shall we set one up? Any interest? Is a forum enough?

 

The manufacturers/retailers have BEBA. What about consumers?

 

Views, opinions, thoughts ?

 

My first thought is that it could allow for club runs with like minded people i.e. Not amongst the Lycra's and their superior knowledge of what cycling should be !

BEBA

Was not just set up in mind for the manufacture or the retailer but more importantly for the consumer, What we are trying to do is educate the consumer and advise them on good, quality reliable electric bikes, on how they work and what benefit they have. The reason for retailers displaying the BEBA logo in there shop will inspire confidence for the end user and reassure them they are not buying a cheap import that will let the customer down with no after sales service or spare parts. It’s all about protecting the interest of everybody with in this flourishing market.

BEBA

Was not just set up in mind for the manufacture or the retailer but more importantly for the consumer, What we are trying to do is educate the consumer and advise them on good, quality reliable electric bikes, on how they work and what benefit they have. The reason for retailers displaying the BEBA logo in there shop will inspire confidence for the end user and reassure them they are not buying a cheap import that will let the customer down with no after sales service or spare parts. It’s all about protecting the interest of everybody with in this flourishing market.

 

Aiden,

 

Thanks for this, good clarification and it's a good thing for the industry and consumers. Does BEBA have any club runs organised ?

The first event we have scheduled for the year is going to be at Tour De Presteigne, and also have a few other events scheduled for later on in the year. but are yet to be confirmed

I thought that BEBA was more of a trade body anyway, setup to allow the ebike manufacturers and retailers to align themselves with each other to raise standards and promote awareness. This is all good for the industry and consumers alike. The Tour de Presteigne in my view, is a fun weekend for manufacturers and retailers to showcase their machines and for people to meet. A bit like the outdoors show at the NEC, or Crufts or something similar.

 

I am just wondering if there is any interest in setting up a club for other regular get togethers of ecyclists. I might feel a bit daft turning up to my local bike club on an electric bike risking the scorn of normal cyclists. Even though my effort, energy expenditure and enjoyment on a club run would probably match that of a conditioned lycra clad, I doubt if I would be able to keep the pace anyway.

 

Whereas amongst fellow electric cyclists I would not feel out of place going for a ride on a sunny Saturday or Sunday.

 

I dunno, maybe we are all too greatly dispersed to make it worthwhile.

Hi Tim

 

If there was enough interest I am sure we could make a private membership to BEBA available to organise such events.

 

All the best

 

David

The best thing to do would to be to approach ctc or British Cycling. These bodies are independant, and offer the major benefits you would need to run such a club. Public liability insurance for a start, and coaching to ride leaders etc to a national standard. If you want to form an organised club and have rides, you need to be legally covered. 3 issues need covering, road safety, first aid and route planning. It may sound silly but any insurer will require risk assesments to be carried out. Even down to small, grass roots clubs, they are all insured and have trained ride leaders.

 

British Cycling do a course that covers all 3, and its an eye opener I tell you! I did my course with a very closed view, assuming I was more than qualified to lead leisure rides. How wrong I was! I can honsetly say that the training they provide is top level, and it has changed the way I ride on the road! Highly reccomended.

 

An e-bike specific club would be a great thing I think, but it needs to be independantly run, insured, and recognised.

I think there is room for a Ebike club seperate but with links to BEBA. I'm sure the folk who run BEBA don't want to get tied up with the niff naff and trivia involved with being in a club.

 

It would be good to include a disabled section as I feel Ebikes have a lot to offer to those of us with "missing" or "not working" bits:D

 

Stumpi

What a great suggestion! For disabled people, I think it would be great to show them all the benefits of the electric bike and still give them a lot more independence

What a great suggestion! For disabled people, I think it would be great to show them all the benefits of the electric bike and still give them a lot more independence

 

Would be a good idea but as BEBA is supporting the removal of the use of a throttle, a lot of disabled people who can not pedal would not be able to use an Ebike if the legislation is changed

Throttle

 

Hi Dan

 

BEBA would of course prefer throttles to be kept on electric bikes. Our problem is that there is a move to ban electric vehicles with throttles from cycle paths and believe that would cause the industry big problems. We will have at least a year to make the changes to electric bike throttles.

 

So in the mean time we are asking for a new class of electric bike to be considered. With a throttle, more powerful motor and higher top speed, these bikes would be far more useful to someone with a mobility issue.

 

We have to pick our battles!

 

All the best

 

David

One of the joys of being on a bicycle is the ability not to have to wear a helmet if one does not want to.

 

If a new throttle class of bicycle becomes like a motorcycle class with compulsory helmet wearing it will be less enjoyable unless someone invents a BSI standard (road legal) motorcycle helmet that is like a bicycle helmet, ie lightweight, does not restrict vision, does not look odd when riding a bicycle (although all cyclists look daft in helmets anyway IMO).

One of the joys of being on a bicycle is the ability not to have to wear a helmet if one does not want to.

 

If a new throttle class of bicycle becomes like a motorcycle class with compulsory helmet wearing it will be less enjoyable unless someone invents a BSI standard (road legal) motorcycle helmet that is like a bicycle helmet, ie lightweight, does not restrict vision, does not look odd when riding a bicycle (although all cyclists look daft in helmets anyway IMO).

 

With you there Tim.

 

There is a new class of helmet under consideration for the new class of bike it is very similar to a cycle helmet but more robust.

 

The thought of riding a pedelec with a full MC crash helmet is dreadful.

 

All the best

 

David

Hi Dan

 

BEBA would of course prefer throttles to be kept on electric bikes. Our problem is that there is a move to ban electric vehicles with throttles from cycle paths and believe that would cause the industry big problems.

 

If an electric bike is classified as a non motorised vehicle it can not be banned from cycle paths....end of story

 

We will have at least a year to make the changes to electric bike throttles.

 

So in the mean time we are asking for a new class of electric bike to be considered. With a throttle, more powerful motor and higher top speed, these bikes would be far more useful to someone with a mobility issue.

 

you loose the use of a throttle now and it will damage the sales of electric bikes. Any organisation that purports to represent the electric bike industry should never support a legislation change that will damage the industry. If you think this, or any other government, will bring in a new class of electric bike in the foreseeable future you are living in cloud cuckoo land.

 

We have to pick our battles!

 

This is your battle. I think the vast majority of electric bike dealers, and members of this forum would agree with me that losing the ability to use an electric bike in power only mode will reduce the sales of bikes.

Throttle

 

Apparently the consideration is that if the bike has a throttle it is not a bicycle and therefore cannot be used on a cycle path.

 

Please do not misunderstand, we at BEBA want to keep the throttle but in doing so we believe we would could create more problems than we solve.

 

Interestingly in Holland and Germany two countries that have never had the luxury of having a throttle on electric bikes far out sell the UK. Consequently we don't believe it will actually have an adverse effect on sales, we at BEBA would like to keep the throttle only because we are used to having it.

 

It has been suggested that using a throttle on a pedelec confuses the issue and potential owners don't understand the bike is built to add energy to that which is being exerted by the rider.

 

If you feel so strongly Dan and would like to help the industry why not join BEBA, you would be most welcome. Especially if you don't agree with what we are doing.

 

Best regards

 

David

 

Interestingly in Holland and Germany two countries that have never had the luxury of having a throttle on electric bikes far out sell the UK. Consequently we don't believe it will actually have an adverse effect on sales, we at BEBA would like to keep the throttle only because we are used to having it.

 

 

 

David

 

But surely that is a cultural thing? In the UK I agree with Dan and believe it would affect sales....unless you can work around and avoid the term 'throttle' and come up with a mechanism to give variable assistance while pedaling instead...

That is exactly what we will end up with, the throttle will not be lost. It will work independently up to 6kph and then only whilst the pedals are turning up to 25kph. The truth is that 99% of people that ride electric bikes pedal!

 

All the best

 

David

I don't understand the thinking behind the politicians in this country in believing that the people of Europe have homogenised thinking (I'm sure I've said this somewhere before). Why do they insist in saying that just because something happens in Europe that it applies across all of Europe. The UK has a different outlook and culture (and language BTW) to the rest of Europe and things that happen 'over there' do not always apply over here. Just because we are geographically close does not make us close in our thinking and ways of life!

 

And unfortunately these ideas seem to percolate into the general UK population so that vast swathes of the general public believe it !

 

This seems to have percolated into the minds of UK ebike retailers also (sorry David, not singling you out, or maybe I am ).

 

The truth is that 99% of people that ride electric bikes pedal!

Where? Across the UK, the globe, China, the states, Europe? Where are the stats and who has provided them. In the states, in true electric guzzling fashion, they all seem to be hellbent on going 30mph on DIY MTB kits on throttle only !! Or is that just my belief based on endless sphere and youtube vids ?

 

I think that the root cause of the ebike conundrum is that the public is starting to cotton onto them, the bureaucrats and Eurocrats are left behind with legislation as usual and then they rush to implement draconian rules without any proper understanding or proper studies into ebike useage in the UK and elsewhere and no comparisons between countries has been made to take into account country scenarios. So we end up with a homogonised solution in legislation, by which time we have all moved on in our way of thinking about the use of ebikes and technology has moved on, providing different opportunities and different useages, and then the Eurocrats catch up with poor legislation, so the cycle (no pun intended) continues.

Edited March 18, 201016 yr by eTim

The truth is that 99% of people that ride electric bikes pedal!

 

All the best

 

David

 

my god, you actualy belive that. You may sell great bikes, but I think you need to talk to a wider group of electric bike dealers and users to get a picture of how many people pedal their bike....of course 100% of people who buy pedal assist only do...but you want us to belive that 99% of the people who buy a bike with a power option pedal it ?

That is exactly what we will end up with, the throttle will not be lost. It will work independently up to 6kph and then only whilst the pedals are turning up to 25kph. The truth is that 99% of people that ride electric bikes pedal!

 

All the best

 

David

 

I think a lot of people on this forum like to pedal,but most of the bikes i have seen locally were crawling along with no attempts to pedal at all,personally i pedal almost all the time but enjoy the option to use the throttle if i need a short rest, and also to control the amount of power i want to add to my pedalling.

I think a lot of people on this forum like to pedal,but most of the bikes i have seen locally were crawling along with no attempts to pedal at all,personally i pedal almost all the time but enjoy the option to use the throttle if i need a short rest, and also to control the amount of power i want to add to my pedalling.

 

You'd still be able to use a throttle to control the amount of assistance you get, that wouldn't be affected by the proposed changes.

 

You'd even be able to rest and let the motor do all the work, just so long as you continue turning the pedals. There's nothing in the proposals about a minimum level of rider input (as there in in Japanese law), so riding under throttle while you pedal air would be allowed.

 

Like all good compromises having a system that requires pantomime pedaling to keep the motor running isn't something that anyone really wants, but it does help make the distinction between electrically assisted pedal cycles and motorcycles almost logical.

So in the mean time we are asking for a new class of electric bike to be considered. With a throttle, more powerful motor and higher top speed, these bikes would be far more useful to someone with a mobility issue.

 

Would these be referred to as "Pedal Assisted Electric Cycles" to go with the "Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles" we're already riding?

Ebike manufacturers don't have the power to buck the system other than via the proper channels. they are the ones who are going to get their shipments seized by Customs / Trading Standards or whoever if they don't comply to the rules whatever they are (as opposed to hobby builders where there is a big grey area as to what is allowed).

 

One difference between the UK and Europe is "bending the rules" is far less tolerated here when it comes to regulations, someone always tips off the authorities in the end.. Of course the end customers won't dob them in (and lose a useful feature) but their competitors will. Just look at the arguments between the rival e-bike dealers / companies on this forum. Do you think that if they have the opportunity to make an "anonymous complaint" to a regulator they won't use it, to cause pain to a commercial rival? It will only get more cut-throat as the market for ebikes expands..

 

I very rarely use my Wisper on "power only", its usually a combination of pedalling and throttle.

Edited March 18, 201016 yr by Alex728

my god, you actualy belive that. You may sell great bikes, but I think you need to talk to a wider group of electric bike dealers and users to get a picture of how many people pedal their bike....of course 100% of people who buy pedal assist only do...but you want us to belive that 99% of the people who buy a bike with a power option pedal it ?

 

Absolutely Dan!

 

I have spent a lot of time researching all over Europe and yes I am positive, ok maybe not 99% which is a figure of speech, but definitely over 90%. I failed however to consider China which of course is a different matter, in my experience only about 50/60% pedal there. However the majority of electric bikes used in China are not built for pedalling. If the Chinese had the kind of electric bikes sold in the rest of the world I am certain they too would be in the 90's.

 

All the best

 

David

Would these be referred to as "Pedal Assisted Electric Cycles" to go with the "Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles" we're already riding?

 

Hi Patrick

 

These would be Electric Bikes rather than Pedelecs or EPACs.

 

All the best

 

David