On balance, I still am not a fan of e-bikes (previously known as ‘I just don’t get E bikes’)

[d8mok]

Delivery riders/ drivers are a law unto themselves, majority of E-bikes cost more than road bikes.

I’d disagree. Certainly where I am i see very little £10k plus e-bikes. Maybe £3-5k. However I see loads of 10k road bikes everywhere on a weekend in huge groups.

Majority of e-bikes I see locally are home made or under £2k.

Yes road cyclists have their issues but very few put themselves outside of the law and in danger as we know the consequences.

My experience of ebike riders are they are new to the sport or don’t have as much saddle time weekly so have less skills to cope.
Serious riders whether it be road/mtb or gravel have many hours pedalling which bring a natural skill to handle the pace they ride at.

E-bikes just wallop along with little sense of what’s happening or could happen.

I realise this winds e-bikers up a little but it’s true.

 

[amoto65]

Remember just because you say its true doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

 

[2manyoranges]

Cambridge 9am tuesday.

Unregulated e-bike food delivery guy. Female student.
Bike comes round corner at high speed, hits female and knocks her over, bad impact on the ground.
Rider gets himself together and hightails off at high speed.
All caught on camera at nearby office building.
Security staff refuse to access footage by senior staff who saw collision, on 'data protection grounds'.

Now, of course it could have been a pedal cyclist. But these unregulated e-bike cyclists have started off knowing they are breaking the law and their overall behaviour has then become as if there is no traffic law....

 

[d8mok]

In my view , if you are caught with an unrestricted ebike you should be prosecuted for the same batch of offences as riding/ driving without a license /insurance/ RFL/ MOT / etc.

Bike should be confiscated and points added to DL. In reality it’s not happening yet but it will hopefully as some point.


Would likely make many think twice but unlikely for the delivery riders.

Maybe if they didn’t have a driving license and relied upon cycling as a form as sole transport they would be fitter , and able to ride a normal bike thus creating a win win.

 

[Imlach]

Cambridge 9am tuesday.

Unregulated e-bike food delivery guy. Female student.
Bike comes round corner at high speed, hits female and knocks her over, bad impact on the ground.
Rider gets himself together and hightails off at high speed.
All caught on camera at nearby office building.
Security staff refuse to access footage by senior staff who saw collision, on 'data protection grounds'.

Now, of course it could have been a pedal cyclist. But these unregulated e-bike cyclists have started off knowing they are breaking the law and their overall behaviour has then become as if there is no traffic law....

The food delivery folks from all these sharing economy apps do my nut in. They're reckless even without e-bikes, but give people with so little regard for road etiquette and laws access to e-bikes which can reach the speeds of mopeds and you've got a recipe for disaster.

I see a lot of e-bikes here but they're mostly commuter type ones that are aimed at older demographics. Unfortunately they led to a sharp increase in accidents because pensioners can't handle ebikes and they constantly crash.

 

[amoto65]

What a sweeping generalization ( pensioners can't handle a 15 mph E- bike) I presume you think they can't drive /walk/swim etc properly as well.

 

[d8mok]

Likely heading off topic ….. but it’s no secret that as you age , your physical and mental reactions become slower. I’m not saying thateveryone is useless once they hit 65 but it’s a fact that age comes to everyone.

Car drivers should be retested at 65 and then every 3 years or something. Same applies for any object that can cause harm to others which they operate.

 

[amoto65]

So bikes as well then?

 

[d8mok]

So bikes as well then?

Motorbikes or anything else which required an initial test.

Cycling didn’t need a test so quite hard to re-test.

Plus I feel any pensioners who ride at a speed that cause significant injury are likely riders that have been riding a whole bunch of years and have an above average skill set for their age.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Coffin dodgers do need re testing for m/c or car, I'm referring to the myopic 10mph on the motorway brigade.