Cycling in Sydney Australia
changes to E bike rules
Pedelec, a European term applies to a motor assist which comes automatically and only when you pedal
There will be a limited throttle under the new rules to get you away from the lights which will allow you to twist and go up 6 kph. but that's it. As someone who rides an E bike as my main transport in a hilly area, I regard the removal of the simple foolproof throttle as a backward step.
The thottle allows the most ecomical use of the battery, very important when bike ranges are not that great. But generally, the relationship between bike and rider should be as simple as possible, and as much in control of the ride as possible, too. Any fear that the bikes with throttles might be used as hoon machines, as mini motorcycles, are removed by the assist limit of 25 kph, one would think.
I know few cyclists here ride these bikes , but those that do, any opinion? E bikes will be big here when utility cycling takes off, I predict, following European and Asian trends, I guess further that the majority of bikes used as transport will be power assisted within five years.
A quote in USAToday gives some idea of what's ahead. "The E bike is the forerunner of the electrification of all personal transport." Our course if you ride mainly to go fast or work out, this is not relevant to you. Adding an E assist to your bike makes as much sense as adding electric motors at Fitness First, no sense at all!
But just getting about, not working out, will become a major part of cycling and then the E bike, in the sit up configuration, will the bike of choice.
mike Rubbo http://situp-cycle.com
Tags: E, bikes, changes, gegulations, in, sit, the, throttle, up
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Maurice Wells on -
Hi Nick,
they have not come in yet. This original post is a good example of yet another 'new laws are imminent' article about e-bikes. The most recent one was in the Sydney Morning Herald in March 2011: http://glowwormbicycles.com.au/blog/2011/03/27/electric-bicycles-sy....
So we are in the same position we always have been - that no one knows when a new law is imminent because it hasn't happened yet. However, the good news is that there is no reason to wait around for this law to make a decision on getting an e-bike. Almost all good brands of e-bikes can be modified to conform with the EU laws (which Australia might be copying) so if the laws change, you're in a no-regrets position, just get your supplier to change the settings. Additionally new laws will mean slower e-bikes so you'll likely be better off keeping it how it is.
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Permalink Reply by herzog on -
Saw a bloke stack on one of these things yesterday, at the big intersection at Bondi Junction where Syd Einfeld Drive meets Old Sth Head Road.
He was attempting to jump the red light coming out of Bondi Junction, but tried to hit the anchors when he belatedly realised cars from another direction had a green arrow. (Crazy intersection to run red at the best of times)
It looked like the throttle had stuck on, because he was desperately trying to pull up but the bike kept pushing him forward. He then got thrown off in the middle of the intersection.
Older bloke too, probably 50 or so.
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Permalink Reply by Neil Alexander on -
Older bloke too, probably 50 or so.
Steady on, Herzog, you young whippersnapper. We're not all ready to be pensioned off, you know.
I only feel like I am over 50 when trying to climb Awaba St without an e-bike. The rest of the time, I can believe I am still in my 30s. Well, late 30s, anyway. But I was unbelievably fit at 39! I'll bore you with the story one day.
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Permalink Reply by Chris on -
I think that e bikes have a great future but even the new regulations seem ridiculous. The e bikes are limited to 0.25 kw yet even the cheapest car is allowed 50 kw and there are very limited rules on brakes and steering for them. You can evenget a car with 1000 kw if you want which is ridiculous when the max speed limit is 110.
Fortunately there is the Internet so you can get any type of e bike you want.
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Permalink Reply by herzog on
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Fortunately there is the Internet so you can get any type of e bike you want.
And get booked for being unregistered and possibly unlicensed if you take it on a public road.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Heydon on -
Seriously, has anyone ever been booked ever for a non-complying e-bike?
Didn't think so.
I'd be surprised if even those idiots getting about on the petrol driven annoyances have ever been pulled up.
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Permalink Reply by herzog on
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I've seen one of the two-stroke brigade at the side of the road "assisting police with their enquiries" on Oxford St.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Heydon on
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Good to hear.
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Permalink Reply by Andy Stretton on -
This entire debate gets really interesting when we start to analyze Horsepower per Kilogram. My friend / traveling companion and me recently completed a 900 Km working tour from Central Victoria to Mildura to Swan Hill and back home. Our rigs, comprising of a Yuba Mundo (32 Kg's), Cargo (40 Kg's), 'Watt-Bot's' (23 Kg's) and Rider (70 Kg's), total weight (165 Kg's), took advantage of a 300 Watt (.402 Horsepower) Electric Motor on the Watt-Bot for pedal assist. On one occasion, we travelled from Ouyen to just shy of Mildura (90 Km's) in a day with the Watt-Bot's chugging away behind us. We were buggered when we got there but simply would not have made it without the electric assistance. At best, carrying this weight, the most speed we can get is 25 Km/h on flat ground, hardly dangerous.
On the way, we were passed by beasts like this one in the photo below, 500 Horsepower lugging some 62,000 Kg's. This photo, which is part of a video, doesn't show the danger we faced, although you can tell that I had no choice but to start pulling off the road as it passed. What you can't see in the photo (only in the video) is the car coming in the opposite direction, obscured in the photo by the truck, both traveling at 100 Km/h.These monsters are allowed on the road, using .008 Horsepower per Kilogram of weight, versus our .002 Horsepower per Kg, factors that are simply not taken into account with the new 'e-bike rules'.
If we had to use the legal sized motor on our rigs, they would have been totally ineffective, but there is also no need to go oversize. And when we consider the environmental benefits, Diesel / Electric Trains make far more sense than trucks.......
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Permalink Reply by phil taylor on -
I recently spoke to someone at my local police station, who informed me that they have given up pulling these guys over with the petrol motor assist because when they get to court the cyclist always gets off because no one is able to provide proper evidence of what the power output of the motor actually is at the rear wheel.
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Permalink Reply by Andy Stretton on
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I've been watching this recent e-bike discussion from afar Phil, and it is interesting to note how little focus there has been on 'energy efficiency'. 'Speed' and 'vehicle classification' appear to dominate the ether, both on this forum and within the bureaucracy, with little or no (until latter forum threads) interest in gearing and efficiency.
I'll stick to using my 300 watt motor, geared appropriately of course, as I did recently, to push 165 Kg's over 1,004 'Tasmanian Kilometers' (yes they are different) including numerous 15 - 18% inclines.
If the Police or any other 'authority' wish to challenge my alleged 'illegality', I'll be more than happy to see them in court...
The time for talking is over..............
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