Originally Posted by
Joe Bikerider
You say “electric assist is fine”. But that’s not the reality. Most ebikes I see are just electric mopeds. And they are not being ridden by old couples trying to get out more. They are simply motorcycles. You keep your fantasy alive if you like but the reality is that people like me will eventually drive these people off the trails.
I think that's what causes most of the arguments here.
In most of the world, electric bicycles can only provide assistance (generally up to about 15mph), electric mopeds require a moped license to use, and electric bicycles which don't require pedal action and/or have an unrestricted speed are illegal to use on the roads or any public spaces. Basically what the US called "class 1", we don't have a class 2/3 equivalent.
It seems that in the US, even class 3 is limited to 28mph and in some states a bike can't have a throttle and go over 20mph.
So presumably most of these e-mopeds are gray market imports which aren't actually legal to use in the US, unless people are overestimating the speed that bikes are passing them. Admittedly when you're on a MUP then 20mph is pretty fast anyway.