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Old 09-10-16 | 06:53 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by BigAura
If you wanna call this a bicycle and don't mind sharing bicycle-paths and bicycle-trails with them fine. Personally I find ALL motorized-bicycles as unfit for these very limited resources that were always intended for human-powered-vehicles only.



--- US Legal -- eAssist Bicycle
You're trying to make your point with a $10,000 bike that applies to .00001% of the population. You still didn't answer what it is about ebikes that bothers you. Do fatbikes bother you also? They're big and heavy. How about fast cyclists, should they also be banned?
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Old 09-10-16 | 07:16 AM
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Originally Posted by tigat
When I mentioned the episode to a buddy who commutes on the same trail, he laughed. "You mean the kid with the electric bike? He hangs out in the park waiting for a roadie to come by, toasts them, and then loops back and does it again."
That's a hoot! You've given me an idea about how to have some fun when I retire.

Re: the legality argument - Does it really matter that the speed is the result of non-human power as long as the rider is prudent about safety around others. E-assist has a real place in our world as it enables many with physical restrictions to participate. We have many ELFs around here and so there are many negative views about whether they should be allowed on MUPs or even bike lanes. I say "why not" when they are operated in a way that does not create a hazard. When you leave it to the authorities to police what offends you, you will learn quickly about how you offend others.

Last edited by Moe Zhoost; 09-10-16 at 07:28 AM.
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Old 09-10-16 | 08:46 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by gregf83
You're trying to make your point with a $10,000 bike that applies to .00001% of the population. You still didn't answer what it is about ebikes that bothers you. Do fatbikes bother you also? They're big and heavy. How about fast cyclists, should they also be banned?
MOTORS, MOTORS, MOTORS! Nothing bothers me except MOTORS. They belong on the road with the other motor-vehicles. Calling them legal as bicycles is ridiculous, IMO.

A few weeks ago I saw two teenage boys on matching eAssist motorbikes on the MUP. They looked similar to this:


Last edited by BigAura; 09-10-16 at 08:50 AM.
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Old 09-10-16 | 09:02 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by BigAura
MOTORS, MOTORS, MOTORS! Nothing bothers me except MOTORS. They belong on the road with the other motor-vehicles. Calling them legal as bicycles is ridiculous, IMO.
Fair enough I suppose, that's where most of them are ridden, on roads with the rest of bikes.

Still don't understand the dislike for motors. Do they frighten you? Does it hurt your ego when someone passes you?

The reason e-bikes are classed the same as bicycles is primarily for safety. They have small motors which aren't capable of putting out more power than a regular cyclist. Overall weight of an e-bike and rider is in line with bicycles and they aren't capable of more than 20mph without additional power from pedaling. If you get a moped or scooter that's capable of higher speeds without pedaling they are treated differently in most jurisdictions.
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Old 09-10-16 | 11:38 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by gregf83
Fair enough I suppose, that's where most of them are ridden, on roads with the rest of bikes.

Still don't understand the dislike for motors. Do they frighten you? Does it hurt your ego when someone passes you?

The reason e-bikes are classed the same as bicycles is primarily for safety. They have small motors which aren't capable of putting out more power than a regular cyclist. Overall weight of an e-bike and rider is in line with bicycles and they aren't capable of more than 20mph without additional power from pedaling. If you get a moped or scooter that's capable of higher speeds without pedaling they are treated differently in most jurisdictions.
No to fear.

I've seen what ATV's have done to the backcountry that was once the domaine of foot-powered-humans. I see the incursion of motorbikes on rail-trails as a similar blasphemy. The earth is covered with roads designed for motorized vehicles, eBikes need to stay there and accept the fact that they are motor-powered-bikes not human-powered-bicycles.

Last edited by BigAura; 09-10-16 at 11:55 AM.
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Old 09-10-16 | 11:51 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by BigAura
I've seen what ATV's have done to the backcountry that was once the domaine of foot-powered-humans. I see the incursion of motorbikes on rail-trails as a similar blasphemy. The earth is covered with roads designed for motorized vehicles, eBikes need to stay there and accept the fact that they are motor-powered-bikes not human-powered-bicycles.
I think Clydes on bikes are heavier and do more damage than a lightweight rider on an ebike. Maybe we should keep them off the paths too?

A 600+lb ATV with 50hp is understandably going to do more damage than a 50lb bike that has roughly double the power of a human.
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Old 09-10-16 | 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by gregf83
I think Clydes on bikes are heavier and do more damage than a lightweight rider on an ebike. Maybe we should keep them off the paths too?


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