Electric bikes

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37397

Dropped the wife off up the Fens Monday night, drove down Truro Drive going to Seaton with the Hairy faced Thompson Twins and I’m front of the queue to turn to turn left…lights change everyone is leaving town so there’s nothing behind me till the lights change and the main traffic catches up but in my rear view there’s a chav on one of these electric bikes catching me up at 40….. doing wheelies and a car tears up the inside obviously intent on ‘chanting’ with the ski masked rider who turns down Seaton Lane…..how come these chunky things are on the road, no helmet required, no lights, no insurance it’s a joke….till the day comes when their luck runs out and the photo is in the Mail eulogising this student of Shakespeare and Ballet complete with angel faced photo of a cherub.

accrington fan · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:22 pm **Posts:** 19683

think they have been around for years in other forms but their speed was slower than a normal push bike. its the word electric i fear thats caused the government to act slowly on legislation to either stop them of force them to follow motorbike laws as they are faster than some. its just the same with those e scooters that can mow pedestrians down in areas they are trying them out legally in.

TFP · **Joined:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 7:25 pm **Posts:** 152

The law limits them to 15mph. If they've been modified they can / should be confiscated by the police. It's an enforcement issue sadly - probably down to lack of resources.

derwent · **Joined:** Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:59 pm **Posts:** 12362

My wife and I each have one and they are geared to max 15 mph, although in normal mode (ie the same as a normal bike) they can be pedalled to faster than that, especially downhill. It was either get one or forget cycling. I try to normal cycle on it as much as I can but uphill it is a necessity. They fold away and can be carried in a reasonably sized boot. We take them on holiday when touring in our motorhome and use them on recognised cycle trails. We don't usually use them on the open road cos that has become too dangerous for cycling in my opinion, especially with the potholes to negotiate!!!!
Local to us is Clumber Park which has a maze of cycle and walking trails so we use that.
It's good fun and gets you out in the fresh air but like every other mode of transport being sensible is the key.
It's an old man thing :laugh:

accrington fan · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:22 pm **Posts:** 19683

TFP wrote:

The law limits them to 15mph. If they've been modified they can / should be confiscated by the police. It's an enforcement issue sadly - probably down to lack of resources.

one good thing though if they are like other things that can be modified to go faster is that they,ll go bang quicker and they might not have the cash to replace them. have always ignored cars that have been modified by people who think they know far more than the manufacturers.

TFP · **Joined:** Thu Nov 20, 2014 7:25 pm **Posts:** 152

derwent wrote:

My wife and I each have one and they are geared to max 15 mph, although in normal mode (ie the same as a normal bike) they can be pedalled to faster than that, especially downhill. It was either get one or forget cycling. I try to normal cycle on it as much as I can but uphill it is a necessity. They fold away and can be carried in a reasonably sized boot. We take them on holiday when touring in our motorhome and use them on recognised cycle trails. We don't usually use them on the open road cos that has become too dangerous for cycling in my opinion, especially with the potholes to negotiate!!!!
Local to us is Clumber Park which has a maze of cycle and walking trails so we use that.
It's good fun and gets you out in the fresh air but like every other mode of transport being sensible is the key.
It's an old man thing :laugh:

I'm seriously tempted to help get round the Cornish hills tbh...

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37397

These ‘bikes’ are bigger and chunkier and could be mistaken for a light scrambler bike.
No problem with ordinary bikes with legal batteries, I have four, if used correctly, but this was suicidal.

derwent · **Joined:** Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:59 pm **Posts:** 12362

TFP wrote:

derwent wrote:

My wife and I each have one and they are geared to max 15 mph, although in normal mode (ie the same as a normal bike) they can be pedalled to faster than that, especially downhill. It was either get one or forget cycling. I try to normal cycle on it as much as I can but uphill it is a necessity. They fold away and can be carried in a reasonably sized boot. We take them on holiday when touring in our motorhome and use them on recognised cycle trails. We don't usually use them on the open road cos that has become too dangerous for cycling in my opinion, especially with the potholes to negotiate!!!!
Local to us is Clumber Park which has a maze of cycle and walking trails so we use that.
It's good fun and gets you out in the fresh air but like every other mode of transport being sensible is the key.
It's an old man thing :laugh:

[/quot

I'm seriously tempted to help get round the Cornish hills tbh...

Ideal for that purpose.

Electric bikes

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