Northeast - what are those things??????

the 'bikes' the food delivery guys all ride now - they're like big ugly mountain bikes, but with huge hubs and an electric motor of some kind behind the seat tube.

It's rather infuriating to be huffing and puffing along only to be passed at speed by some dude smoking a cigarette and not even pedaling. Even more so when they're going against traffic or on the sidewalk.

They're electric bikes

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/ebike/2257/32231/

They're electric bikes

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/ebike/2257/32231/

I googled "are electric bikes legal in new york city" and haven't come up with a very current or very clear answer. So are electric bikes legal in NYC?

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that electric assist bikes are not NYC street legal.

Two weeks ago coming back from Nyack, I was taking it easy up the Manhattan Bridge when suddenly a delivery dude with a cigarette hanging off his lips flew by. For a split second I imagined him to be some kind of super delivery guy with raw talent and massive power. Then I came to my senses. I blame dehydration.

Found it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws

New York

Electric motor assisted bicycles have been banned in the State of New York and are not permitted for on-road use.[57] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#cite_note-56)[58] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#cite_note-57) It appears the only known allowance of an electric bicycle is if it is an electric powered moped, at this time. There is a proposed bill to allow ebikes. As of May 2009, Bill A2393("Defines the term electric assisted bicycle") has been passed in the NY State Assembly[59] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#cite_note-58) and its corresponding Bill S4014, sponsored by Senator Thomas Morahan, is before the NY State Senate.[60] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#cite_note-59)


So, uh, when the NYS Senate decides to actually work, this bill will eventually be put on the floor for a vote. Until then, those delivery dudes are outlaws!

They're electric bikes

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bikes/ebike/2257/32231/

I can't believe delivery guys are paying $2250 for bikes. Are they homemade?

I can't believe delivery guys are paying $2250 for bikes. Are they homemade?

I live in Brooklyn's Chinatown and have seen fliers posted for electric assist bikes for a couple of hundred along with no name craptacular folding bikes.

In a semi-related note, yesterday while doing laps at Prospect Park I saw an off duty delivery guy in baggy jeans, a dirty tshirt, and a backwards baseball cap testing out his new ride in what looked like construction boots. It was a pretty nice aluminum blue/white Trek with 9 or 10spd brifters and carbon fiber fork. How do you say "stolen" in spanish? :notamused:

I can't believe delivery guys are paying $2250 for bikes. Are they homemade?

I haven't seen them, but Toys'R'Us had a special sale on an electric bike for about $300. I've been reading a thread over at the electric bike forum here about this bike, so I've seen the reaction by some that it's a piece of junk. And I'm sure from their viewpoint it is. I have an '88 Camry that still gets great mileage and I have two Huffy Prospect bikes that just rock my boat. Yes, I get bearing noises from the crankshaft, but I can put on 20 to 40 miles a day and it serves my purpose. Sooooo, if the e-bike were legal, I'd get it and use it to replace my Camry for the one main use I currently have for it.

Two weeks ago coming back from Nyack, I was taking it easy up the Manhattan Bridge when suddenly a delivery dude with a cigarette hanging off his lips flew by. For a split second I imagined him to be some kind of super delivery guy with raw talent and massive power. Then I came to my senses. I blame dehydration.

LOL exactly.....I was gobsmacked.... till I realized they weren't pedaling, and they were cruising up an incline!:lol:

I've seen commuters using motorized bikes on the Greenway and some sort of do-it-yourself motorized bikes over by McCarren Park.

One time I showed a guy down the 165th street access point to the Greenway and you should've seen him try to get that thing down the stairs! They might be good on some uphills but you wouldn't want to take one on the north path of the GWB.

Indeed; I bet they'd be a pain in those little rail slots on the RFK stairs as well....

The RFK bridge only exists in my universe during the NYC Century :p

:lol:

I had to cross it (I wanna say triboro, btw) with a friend a few weeks back to get her home cause I didn't think she'd find her way back to the bridge over to Harlem. fun fun fun (I rode back down through the park to the queensboro to get home again)

Were you the only two people on the bridge? Does anyone in the world actually use it, by choice?

believe it or not, we saw three young guys in spandex kit with nice road bikes coming over to Queens and a couple more people with hybrid type bikes....wondering if the latter were cycling on Randall's Island? The Lance types had come from Manhattan (we chatted with them).

Were you the only two people on the bridge? Does anyone in the world actually use it, by choice?


I did, pretty often, when I lived in Astoria. If I was going to ride up to Nyack, for example, I'd cross the Triboro, ride across Randall's/Ward's Island, then over to Manhattan, and go crosstown and uptown to the GWB.

In a semi-related note, yesterday while doing laps at Prospect Park I saw an off duty delivery guy in baggy jeans, a dirty tshirt, and a backwards baseball cap testing out his new ride in what looked like construction boots. It was a pretty nice aluminum blue/white Trek with 9 or 10spd brifters and carbon fiber fork. How do you say "stolen" in spanish? :notamused:

Right, 'cause a guy who looks like he might speak Spanish, wasn't dressed in what you consider appropriate clothing, and was riding a nice bike must have stolen it.

the 'bikes' the food delivery guys all ride now - they're like big ugly mountain bikes, but with huge hubs and an electric motor of some kind behind the seat tube.

It's rather infuriating to be huffing and puffing along only to be passed at speed by some dude smoking a cigarette and not even pedaling. Even more so when they're going against traffic or on the sidewalk.

With nothing but friendly banter intended I say this:

HTFU

:D

Now the bikes I've found interesting are the ones delivery people have color coordinated with colored bike tape and matching mud protectors.

Right, 'cause a guy who looks like he might speak Spanish, wasn't dressed in what you consider appropriate clothing, and was riding a nice bike must have stolen it.

Assumptions are assumptions and I apologize if my observations were too...uh...presumptuous.

I didn't come to the conclusion without reason though. I've grown up and worked in NYC nearly my entire life and know what delivery guys look like. The chances that the guy was a roadie taking a leisurely ride in casual clothes and yellow/orange construction boots on a nice race bike were slim to none. Also, I should be clear: I'm not accusing the rider himself to be a thief, just that he was most likely riding on a stolen bike.

But I guess there's the old saying, judge not lest ye be judged.

Now the bikes I've found interesting are the ones delivery people have color coordinated with colored bike tape and matching mud protectors.

word

Lenny's bagels have a lovely assortment parked outside the place - they get very creative with teh tape....the B&W zebra stripe theme is particularly eye-catching;)

Also, I should be clear: I'm not accusing the rider himself to be a thief, just that he was most likely riding on a stolen bike.

OK, he may have bought a hot bike.

`Course, the economy being what it is, somebody trying to deal with a much reduced income may have Craiglisted their Mastercarded ride.

Kevin

the 'bikes' the food delivery guys all ride now - they're like big ugly mountain bikes, but with huge hubs and an electric motor of some kind behind the seat tube.

It's rather infuriating to be huffing and puffing along only to be passed at speed by some dude smoking a cigarette and not even pedaling. Even more so when they're going against traffic or on the sidewalk.

I don't understand your apparent hostility. I know the bikes to which you're referring, and I think they look like a great "urban" model: fenders, big tires, comfortable saddles. From what I recall, many of the samples read, "eBikeny.com" on their motors. I've checked on-line, and it looks like the popular model goes for about $2,000.00.

Looks like this model ($2,200.00):

http://nycewheels.com/ezee-forza-electric-bike.html

Is it me or do at least half the posters in NE have an intense angry chip?

bye!

I read the side of one, to-day: "www.nyc-ebike.com." It looks like this one: http://www.buybuystore.com/shopexd.asp?id=98 ($1,350.00). Apparently, the thing weighs 55 lbs., but, I suppose, that's less important if one is using the motor (which, it appears, can have you moving as fast as 18 m.p.h.).