Battery Vehicle Society

Electrically-assisted cycles are usually classified as either pedelecs or e-bikes. Under European Union regulations adopted in the UK in June 2003, only power-assisted cycles meeting the pedelec classification are considered to be pedal cycles. The maximum power allowed in the European Union for (pedelec) electric bicycles is 250 W, with a maximum assisted speed of 25 km/h.[38]. To meet the pedelec specification the electric motor must be activated by the rider's pedalling effort and the power must cut out completely whenever the rider stops pedalling. Control of the motor by pedalling is often the key difference between a pedelec and e-bike.

In some ways it's a very sensible rule. Quite a lot of people will grab full throttle in a panic, but they will stop pedalling.

You don't have to apply any force to the pedals, just keep them turning.

Very few laws are ever made retrospective, so your bike should be quite safe.

Government EV policy algorithm wrote:UNTIL (not_one_drop_of_oil_left_in_ground_anywhere) OR (everyone_chokes_to_death) OR (everything_is_under_20ft_of_water)

{
IF (bribes_from_electric_companies) > (oil_industry_kickbacks)
{
DO :laws_in_favour_of_electric_vehicles:
}
ELSE {
DO :laws_against_electric_vehicles:
DO :giveaways_to_petroleum_industry:
DO :wars_for_petroleum_industry:
DO :swingeing_mobility_taxes_on_ordinary_people(NOTpetroleum_industry):
}
}

badnewswade wrote:

In some ways it's a very sensible rule. Quite a lot of people will grab full throttle in a panic, but they will stop pedalling.

It's insane. There is simply no safety case to be made for banning e-bikes. They don't even go as fast as pedal bikes.

You don't have to apply any force to the pedals, just keep them turning.

But isn't the whole point of an electric bike that you don't have to pedal, pedal, pedal the whole damn time? It isn't physically possible to pedal a moped-type e-bike the whole time, it's designed to be sat on and powered by throttle. Just to make the point, this is what they want to ban:

http://www.sbsb.co.uk/electricbikespage ... bikes.html

No road tax, no pollution, no insurance, no MOT, no hassle, young people can use 'em... you can see why they have a problem with it can't you?

Very few laws are ever made retrospective, so your bike should be quite safe.

No, they'll just wait for these fantastic machines to die out, with the result that even more people will buy petrol mopeds, as full-sized electric ones aren't much better than e-bikes and cost a hell of a lot more. Thus keeping another generation chained to the pumps, ensuring air quality continues to decline and even more people are annoyed by the relentless farting of the horrid little chavmobiles!

I can't believe these EU / New Labour creeps. They'll ban a 15mph electric moped on "safety" grounds, but give the Hummer an import licence? What's that sound? Why, it's the magical sound of a briefcase full of cash opening!

Maybe we should just get together with the electric companies and ask NewLabour how much it costs in bribe money to have them pass a law for re-legalising e-bikes, and then raise the cash. The gimmick is that we're as upfront as possible about it, instead of farting around talking about "lobbying" and other *please do not swear*, so as to raise awareness of just how it is that corporations get to write our laws for us with NO democracy at all.

I mean, it's only a million quid to get made a lord... we could get all kinds of pro-electric vehicle laws passed that way! :twisted:

Government EV policy algorithm wrote:UNTIL (not_one_drop_of_oil_left_in_ground_anywhere) OR (everyone_chokes_to_death) OR (everything_is_under_20ft_of_water)

{
IF (bribes_from_electric_companies) > (oil_industry_kickbacks)
{
DO :laws_in_favour_of_electric_vehicles:
}
ELSE {
DO :laws_against_electric_vehicles:
DO :giveaways_to_petroleum_industry:
DO :wars_for_petroleum_industry:
DO :swingeing_mobility_taxes_on_ordinary_people(NOTpetroleum_industry):
}
}

cedric.lynch wrote:
You could dribble some gooey STP Oil Treatment in the freewheel or wind a few turns of string between the freewheel and the hub. Then if you put your feet up on the frame, the handlebars or other safe place once you are moving, the pedals will keep turning and operating the pedal sensor.

PHEV wrote:How about a second motor to turn the pedals for you?