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20 mph speed assistance limit for E-bikes?

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  • December 7, 2022 at 10:23 am #32363
    mattw

    Interesting little 10 minute vid arguing for the assistance cutout speed to be raised.

    Very well presented on a bike ride around London.

    For me it does not convince, since the case is based around wanting faster journeys when the main delayer is stop-start not speed, to ‘avoid blocking cycle lanes’ for faster people on normal bikes are actually routinely slower at about 10mph average, and so on.

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  • December 15, 2022 at 5:54 am #1008881
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    duncanap

    I live in Switzerland, and

    I live in Switzerland, and here there are two types of e-bikes. The first type is limited to 25 kph, and looks just like a normal bike, the second “speed pedelec” is limited to 45 kph, had a small number plate and rear view mirror.

    I was using a speed pedelec to commute 27 km each way into Geneva daily, by car this was a 25-55 min journey as traffic could be grim. By e-bike it was bang on 32 mins every time thanks to good segregated cycle lanes most of the way. I did sometimes get the feeling of being a durney rider as some of the speedier real cyclists would slip stream me. 

    December 15, 2022 at 5:53 am #1008883
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    duncanap

    I should mention, you pay

    I should mention, you pay about CHF60 (about GBP50) per year for your number plate/registration. All Swiss residents have to carry personal liability insurance which covers stuff like bike accidents, and e-bikes if legal would be covered. This is normally part of your house insurance and costs about GBP50 for the whole family. 

    In city traffic, it is rare to be overtaken at 45 kph, but it can feel pretty fast. You do see e-bike crashes (normally middle aged men statistically) where people have clearly over estimated their ability/braking power/grip. But generally it works pretty well with normal bikes, and traffic. The general standard of driving here is much more considerate towards cyclists with very few bad actors on both sides.

    December 14, 2022 at 1:42 pm #1008879
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    Oldfatgit

    I must be doing something
    I must be doing something wrong as I’ve never not needed to change once I’ve got to work.
    I’ve a Bosch motor and it assists by boosting my effort … so if I get to work hot and sweaty does that mean I’m just a fat old git whose working too hard … ???

    December 14, 2022 at 1:35 pm #1008877
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    wtjs

    So the time it takes me on

    So the time it takes me on the bike is already close enough that it’s not a significant factor in deciding whether to ride or drive

    And it’s not going to happen anyway. The top speeds will be limited to illegal bikes.

    December 14, 2022 at 1:11 pm #1008875
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    AlsoSomniloquism

    Ah, but she has a counter to

    Ah, but she has a counter to that argument. Her e-bike whilst usually considerably heavier then a “normal” bike, is not as big or heavy as a car and they mix with pedestrians and other vulnerable groups…..

    December 14, 2022 at 12:10 pm #1008873
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    Secret_squirrel

    I don’t see the case to be

    I don’t see the case to be honest.  And marginal gains from the speed are far outweighed by the additional risks to pedestrians and other vulnerable groups that e-bikes mix with. 
     

    December 14, 2022 at 10:52 am #1008871
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    hawkinspeter
    Rezis wrote:
    My top tube bag might be empty… 

    Is that a euphemism?

    December 14, 2022 at 9:46 am #1008869
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    Rezis

    My top tube bag might be

    My top tube bag might be empty… 

    December 13, 2022 at 2:36 pm #1008867
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    TheBillder

    I would support this, and it
    I would support this, and it should be easy: if there’s no centre line, default the speed limit to 30 mph. It won’t stop the hooligans but might influence others.

    There are roads in the Highlands and Islands (you know, the places that you can’t get online delivery to) where there are some empty single track roads with very long sight lines and 30 (+ the speed drivers add as a garnish to any limit) would seem quite slow. So not a perfect idea, I admit.

    December 13, 2022 at 2:18 pm #1008865
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    Rendel Harris
    Backladder wrote:
    I’m sorry but that’s far too much like how things should be to be even remotely true 🙁

    yes It’s not something I’ve experienced elsewhere, I admit, and it certainly doesn’t pertain in any of the other supermarkets around here where I either walk or I cycle with my wife and one of us stands outside to watch the bikes while the other one goes in!

    December 13, 2022 at 2:14 pm #1008863
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    Backladder

    I’m sorry but that’s far too

    I’m sorry but that’s far too much like how things should be to be even remotely true 🙁

    December 13, 2022 at 1:00 pm #1008861
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    chrisonabike

    I don’t know but suspect it’s

    I don’t know but suspect it’s about compromises.  Urban environments are more congested in terms of vehicles, vulnerable road users, number of interactions, often the space involved (and other “obstacles” diverting / obscuring each) and overall time spent there (vehicles simply can’t move as fast there due to traffic lights / other vehicles).  Countryside distances may be greater – increasing temptation.  Lots more countryside to police…

    So there’s recognition that simply sticking up a sign isn’t going to be terribly effective.

    December 13, 2022 at 12:58 pm #1008859
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    ktache

    Now that’s good guarding!

    Now that’s good guarding!

    December 13, 2022 at 12:52 pm #1008857
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    chrisonabike

    Oh – so that’s private

    Oh – so that’s private enterprise?  I assumed that what with cuts, Brexit Covid Russian war that was all we could afford to bolster police numbers.

    Now you mention it though, maybe having some dummy cars / appropriately posed cardboard road police at prominent locations might help?  After all if just a pair of eyes will change behaviour…

    https://cdn.road.cc/wp-content/uploads/roadcc/mithack.png

    December 13, 2022 at 12:41 pm #1008855
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    jh2727
    chrisonatrike wrote:
    Making the default 20mph in urban areas would be good!

    I’ve never understood the distinction for urban areas.  Why is the national speed limit on unlit, narrow roads with no cycle lanes or pavements twice that of roads which are well lit, generally quite wide, always with pavements and sometimes with dedicated cycle infrastructure? Why should country roads be any less safe than urban roads?

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