Cycling in Sydney Australia
Improved Power and Choice for Riders of Electric Bicycles
The following media release from the Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport is great news for riders of electric bicycles (full media release).
“Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King, announced changes to the national vehicle safety standards that allow for greater consumer choice—while at the same time maintaining safety....Ms King said that changes to the standard mean the allowable power output has now increased from 200 to 250 watts giving a higher level or performance, while maintaining safety by restricting powered speed to 25 km/h. Riders are required to pedal to access the power or to reach greater speeds than 25 km/h.”
This is a welcome change which brings us into line with International standards and allows Australian bike riders to enjoy a much wider selection of electric bicycles.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Paul on -
The change also means new construction standards for batteries, cables and connections as well as other requirements such as braking performance and the strength of frames.
“In addition, existing designs of machines will continue to be allowed.”
So, E-Bikes with a throttle that allow unassisted propulsion continue to be allowed??
I think the new standard does make sense. I have nothing against e-bikes, but I do get a bit irked when I see people using them as the option to avoid paying registration for a moped. The existing rules do clearly state that the primary propulsion of the bicycle must be the rider, but this does not seem to stop e-bike conversions that effectively make a bicycle into an electric moped. I think if people want to do that, then they need to comply with the relevant ADR and have them registered.
I also wonder, will the new rules be effective at killing off all the 2-stroke conversions? All of the 2-stroke bikes I have seen have a throttle and work independantly of the rider (hence not pedal assist).
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Permalink Reply by Ben on -
I believe 2-stroke conversions are currently illegal, and will continue to be. (Unless you actually converted your bicycle to a street legal motorbike. )
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Permalink Reply by Paul on
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According to the RTA/RMS, they are not illegal:
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/unregisteredvehicles/scooter...
Motor assisted pedal cycles with electric or petrol engines are exempt from registration, provided the maximum engine output power does not exceed 200 watts. These vehicles must have been designed as a bicycle - that is, to be propelled by human power, with the motor attached as a supplementary aid only. Riders must follow the same road rules as for pedal cycles without motors, including wearing a helmet.
In my view, the above statement is contradictory. If the motor is a supplmentary aid only, then it logically follows that the bike should not be able to be propelled by the motor alone. However, the key determining factor in the above statement seems to be that the original vehicle must have been designed as a bicycle. So, it seems you can bolt anything you want to a bicycle frame, as long as it does not exceed 200W and you are ok.
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Permalink Reply by Mark on -
My main concern with these new rules is that it may effectively outlaw many current models of electric bikes and kits as most of them have access to an accelerator without pedaling. I'm sure the response would be that all these systems are already basically illegal due to the "auxillary power" statement in the current rules, however many will find that their current bikes don't meet this new standard without modification.
The only advantage of these new rules (basically taken directly from European and Japanese standards) is that Australia can now import many higher priced models without modification. The extra 50 watts is meaningless as current systems are difficult or impossible accurately rate for power at the wheel (quite different to the electrical power used by the system).
Regarding the engine, it is really about the power, not how it is produced, if they can buid a 2 stroke motor limited to 250watts (difficult to limit these motors) with a pedal first system, it would be legal.
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Permalink Reply by robflyte on -
please read.
“In addition, existing designs of machines will continue to be allowed.”
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Permalink Reply by Mark on
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Currently illegal is not easy to define there is a definate grey area. Those obvious mopeds from a couple of years ago, with the useless pedals, required a court case to outlaw them.
With the new rules it would be easy for a police person to test to see if a bike had the pedal first requirement which until now has not been a defined requirement. Bikes don't have a compliance plate with a date to indicate manufacture before or after a rule change.
Really I just don't want the plod pulling me over on one of those Pyrmont Bridge fun days and pinging me for riding an unregistered vehicle (no doubt a more serious fine than no helmet) just because they firmed up some rule definations and made my bikes retrospectively illegal. I see alot of electric bikes out there everyday and I think many could have this problem.
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