TONIGHT 9pm: - E-Bikes: The Battle for Our Streets - Panorama

[Hoppy33]

[snip]

So essentially all you need to do to become 'legal' is have pedals, configure controller to 4mph max throttle assist, restrict top assistance speed to 15.5mph and have a hub that was 'rated' by the 'factory' stating it's 250W...?

Nuts..

That’s a very handy summary, confirmed here by those who know. Thanks!

Just for clarity, I also believe that it’s perfectly legal to have a throttle delivering max power above 4mph, provided the pedals are turning. After all, in this respect a throttle is no different to using the PAS buttons, or pushing harder on a torque sensor for that matter. I hope that’s true!

In which case, my own e-bike therefore complies with UK law. It’s a RadRunner-Plus with hub-motor, EU/UK spec with a 250w compliance sticker from the manufacturer. I have also fitted an EggRider that can be configured in any number of either legal or illegal ways, including what is called ‘Rad mode’ which mimics the rather well-considered power characteristics of the standard Rad bike, including throttle cut-off at 4mph but with full throttle available above that speed while the pedals are turning. I have power capped at 19A (912w) so I am not short of hill-climbing torque but speed is also limited to the legal max of 15.5mph. That’s more than enough for the footpaths and cycleways I share with other bikes, pedestrians and prams and dogs.

In practice, this is a very good set-up for me, and I suspect many others. I have all the power and speed I need, plus a throttle that is, in effect, pretty much available full-time. It is very easy to use the throttle for a safe and elegant launch (and it’s perfect for slow-speed manoeuvring) and then to be underway and on the pedals before the 4mph cut-off.

BTW, it is not possible to make any changes to the EggRider ‘on the fly’ (in order to comply with the law if you’re stopped). That can only be done by hooking up to the BlueTooth app and diving in to the menus.

 

[matthewslack]

I finally got round to actually watching the program, and I wasn't overly offended by it.

I don't find it difficult to understand why people get upset by the four issues that stand out as being behind virtually all the negativity:

At the risk of reopening the flood gates, people do not understand that 250W does not mean 250W in the way they expect;

People are not accepting of the 25km/h assistance speed limits being abused, or being so easy to bypass;

People cannot stand the dangerous and disrespectful minority of riders, and are happy to tar us all with the same brush;

People easily perceive a throttle controlled EAPC as an electric motorbike;

and when all of the above is combined like the footage shown, they are outraged.

I can understand why, and I can only try to use my own riding as a counter argument. We can all do our bit.

 

[Woosh]

I was annoyed by the program suggestion that illegal bikes can be bought on cycle to work scheme. It's not.

 

[AndyBike]

When a gas engineer saw my cats, he said "I didn't know it was legal to keep panthers". Had to reassure him they were just domestic cats. Half Siamese but for some reason jet black. I don't know what the other half was. I miss them a lot. I'd upload photos but I can't bear to look at them, even though they died a few years ago. I'd end up thinking about them again.

Our scabby tabby. Weight = Slightly over 1 stone

 

[nigelbb]

I was annoyed by the program suggestion that illegal bikes can be bought on cycle to work scheme. It's not.

I am sure that there must be people buying a legal bike through the cycle to work scheme then turning it into an illegal bike by hacking the software to increase the top assistance speed. It's apparently very easy to do on some pedelecs.

 

[lenny]

LG’s air purifying cat bed is one of the weirdest gadgets from CES

LG’s air purifying cat bed is one of the weirdest gadgets from CES

Need an air purifier that doubles as a cat bed? Us neither, but LG has unveiled one anyway at this year's CES.

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