Electric Bikes - Must Read: Some Definitions of Electrically Assisted Bicycles

Has anyone wondered what the Europeans are up to?

They did bring us everything from Volkwagens to haggis (Friday was Robbie Burns Day), and much more.

It appears that their definitions are much more precise. They don't call them e-bikes, they call them pedalecs. (http://www.extraenergy.org/main.php?language=en&category=information&subcateg=54)

"Pedelecs up to 25 km/h (16 mph) and a motor no more than 250 Watts rated output are considered bicyles. Type approval is not required. Applicable November 9, 2003 in all EU Member States.


The EU-Directive 2002/24/EC concerning the Type approval for two and three wheeled vehicles has been released by the European Parliament and the Council on March 18, 2002.

In Article1 (h) “cylces with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0.25 kW, of which the output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25 km/h, or sooner, if the cyclist stops pedaling” are excluded from type approval.

Pedelecs which exceed the technical specifications must have a type approval and are classified as “mopeds”, and must consequently abide by all additional laws, i.e. motorcycle helmet, adequate brakes, mirrors etc.

The EU Directive 2002/24/EC comes into effect on
May 9, 2003 and will replace the current Directive
92/61/EEC.

Until May 9, 2003 the current national regulations concerning the status of pedelecs will remain unchanged.
After May 9, 2003, the EU Member States have the choice of either keeping their current regulations for another 6 months or changing over to the EU-directive.

By November 9, 2003 all Members of the EU are required to integrate this Directive into their national legislation and abolish their previous regulations.

Example:
In Great Britan pedelecs with a top speed of 15 mph (22.5 km/h) and 200 Watt motor are classified as bicycles. Pedelecs with a higher top speed or a stronger motor require a type approval.

No later than November 9, 2003, Great Britan must conform to the EU-directive: Pedelecs may have a 250 watt motor and be able to reach a top speed of 16 mph, and still be classified as a bicycle."

That is a very interesting name. Pedalecs.

stockell dude- your big on accuracy, how could you have missed this?
The euros have 3 standards, the ebike, where its a bike and you can pedal, the pedelac, where you have to pedal to get motor help and the electric scooter where you can't pedal.

there right with one thing tho, your not confused about each definition.

peace

stockell dude- your big on accuracy, how could you have missed this?
The euros have 3 standards, the ebike, where its a bike and you can pedal, the pedelac, where you have to pedal to get motor help and the electric scooter where you can't pedal.

LOL!!! Busted. Ah we all make mistakes I guess. ;)

Although now the pedalec now sounds completely useless.

LOL!!! Busted. Ah we all make mistakes I guess. ;)

Although now the pedalec now sounds completely useless.

Some pedelecs, like Stokemonkey, are actually *incredible* systems. While i've actually removed the e-bike system from my new bike setup, if i'm ever interested in re-electrifying, it would be with one of these, or a Heinzmann (not a pedelec)

I've presented my information on the Scooter style systems, including the Veloteq, and people know my opinion, based not on speculation, but on solid information. Sometimes it simply annoys me to see a product representative making such a skewed arguement for their product on a forum intended for public discussion.

At the same time though, by regulation it is an e-bike, and i'm starting to find that more acceptable each day. If more people are straying away from automobiles, and finding alternative transportation, then I don't think that I can care what they're riding anymore: its better than another single occupant SUV rolling around. In this I suppose, its better that these rides remain legal, if people are going to be encouraged through them.

There is hope for you yet Abneycat....When you get old and grey like me...you will like them even more....LOL

There is hope for you yet Abneycat....When you get old and grey like me...you will like them even more....LOL

Honestly, I got sick of how heavy and annoying having a lightweight lithium e-bike system was. I'm tired of recharging batteries, plugging in and out, packing around the energy cell, so on, the worst part was the noticeable drag caused by the motor rather than a normal hub. Having un-electrified my bike, I only miss it during uphill-from-downtown days. If I were to get one again, it would be one that didn't interfere with pedaling *at all*, like the forementioned Stokemonkey.

But thats just me. My girlfriend gets great use out of hers, and it encourages her to get out and ride instead of not wanting to come with me somewhere because its too hard for her. In that regard, anything I could get her out riding on would be great.

I bought a pedalec at the bike show. At first I didn't like it, but later after biking around town for a while I've got used to the power assistance level.

Wots an E Bike

Is that what you call a bike powered by electric...

Seems though if you stick to the rules of law a fit guy would be far better off with a none powered bike... Of course that also depends whose law. I am sure if I overtook a police cruiser at 80kph they would soon let me know....and No my ebike does not do 80kph even downhill... the the front chainwheel isnt big enough and my hub starts showing negative watts on the meter long before that

We are talking relatively small amounts of power, as "traditional" cyclists will know from their none powered Bikes you can increase speed by making things lighter, choice of tires, riding position, gears. I think even the shape of helmet?...

If a policeman wants to check if my (hopefully "E Bike") goes quicker than the prescribed limit. I hope he weighs 250lbs lets me take the edge off freshly charged batteries first.... and lets me lower the tyre pressures a little.... then it should be OK... or maybe I could just quickly reset my cycle-analyst

I agree with one writer sometimes its annoying to have to plug the thing in all the time, the effort to have to recharge the batteries means if I go out for a relatively short run I take my (cheap) mountain bike without a motor.... However it doesnt matter which bike is used I try to put the same amount of effort into the ride....the electric one just cuts the journey time or encourages me to go further.

E bikes conversions are rather expensive. but maybe not as much as a racing pro or "spotter" would pay for purely pedal power..I converted a cheap new $200+ Raleigh Matterhorn with totally it cost over $1500 ... I have covered about 4500kms on it in 11months... with the extra weight I am on to my second set of tyres and a new rear wheel... still cheaper I imagine than those racing guys (even with the conversion) I wave at as I pass ... Of course I am putting just as much exercise into the job as I can and return home cream crackered... smiling that I didnt pay $5,000 plus for the pleasure.

I am a sort of ex motorcyclist...in that still have a very small Honda SHi back in the UK which is capable of 70mph though I class that too slow in UK to keep up with the real flow of traffic. To compare the electric bike with their counterparts.. bicycles ...what would I say.

It's heavy you cant throw it round like a mountain bike, legally no way you can compare it to a racer which is faster by far with a fit rider (nod nod wink wink)....maybe it fits alongside a tourer... but the battery would run out before a tour’r has done a days riding... Yep it's a strange beast...no wonder it's taking a while to "Catch On"

Eric

Hope no offence is taken that I wandered off topic a little