I think one can make a reasonable argument that there are really two
classes of electric bicycles:
1) Electric assist which requires pedaling input in order to activate
and continue the use of the electric assist motor. The intent being that
the motor is primarily used to assist in climbing inclines and hills.
2) Full time electric which requires no action other than using a thumb
or twist throttle to start the motor and require no pedaling input where
there may be a bicycle drive train but the pedals are for all intents
and purposes only for holding one's feet off the ground.
I think you can reasonably argue that the second class should be
confined to streets versus trails.
As manufacturers make more powerful, faster, non pedaling input required
versions I think it reasonable that they ought to be restricted to streets.
I would argue that purely pedal with electric assist have a place on
trails so long as they cannot exceed some reasonable speed that does not
exceed the normal bicycle traffic speed on the path.
Brian Mink
Monona
ivar moi via Bikies <mailto:bikies@lists.danenet.org>
July 8, 2016 at 10:24 AM
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Chuck Strawser via Bikies <mailto:bikies@lists.danenet.org>
July 8, 2016 at 10:14 AM
Brian Mink said: "I've noticed that most west coast cities that allow
electric bikes do have rules that include behaving in regard to
maximum speed, passing, remaining non aggressive and the like. Should
Madison have such rules and post them? Probably."
Madison already has rules, and does post them. They are on all the
wayfinding signs along bike paths all around town, and among those
rules is this one:
"Faster {path] users yield to slower users"
Which gets to the crux of the issue - how someone operates their
vehicle is often as important (or more important) to the safety of
others than exactly what kind of vehicle it is.
Chuck Strawser
Pedestrian & Bicycle Transportation Planner
Commuter Solutions
UW-Madison Transportation Services
Please note that my email address has changed. My new email is
charles.straw...@wisc.edu<mailto:charles.straw...@wisc.edu>
Visit our University Bicycle Resource Center at Helen C White:
http://transportation.wisc.edu/transportation/bike_annex.aspx
How are we doing? Take our customer satisfaction survey at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CommSol_CSSurvey
From: Bikies [mailto:bikies-boun...@lists.danenet.org] On Behalf Of
Brian Mink via Bikies
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2016 9:59 AM
To: rpaol...@execpc.com
Cc: Scott Morris Rose; Bikies
Subject: Re: [Bikies] NYTimes/Gretchen Reynolds: The Surprising Health
Benefits of an Electric Bike
I happen to know folks who due to one arthritic malady or less than
optimal joint replacement surgery have opted for electric assist bikes
or wheels with hub motors.
I also have taken note of many more cyclists of larger habitus using
electric assist bikes. Then there are a whole bunch or cargo/kid
hauler electric assist bikes on trails around town.
I think they are a good thing. Most of us able bodied, hard core
enthusiasts will put off or scorn the thought of using electric
assist. Let's assume that most folks who use electric assist do so
based on some need that we probably don't know about. Many work places
don't have showers. Electric assist one could image, can keep one
below the gushing sweat threshold on the morning commute.
I've noticed that most west coast cities that allow electric bikes do
have rules that include behaving in regard to maximum speed, passing,
remaining non aggressive and the like. Should Madison have such rules
and post them? Probably.
Bottom line is: even the heartiest of urban cyclists might age into
the need for an electric assist bicycle at some point and then we'll
look back on our years of scorn and finally come to the conclusion
that we were not being understanding, nice or fair.
Brian Mink
Monona
via Bikies<mailto:bikies@lists.danenet.org>
July 8, 2016 at 9:45 AM
If that what it takes to get these sedentary brutes onto a bike, then let
them ride their electric bikes on roads and not on bike paths.
....
Admittedly, my n is pretty small, but I resent these lazy assholes being
on the bike paths. And it's bogus to say these are for sedentary folks.
> By far, the most people who use them will be former bicyclists.
I personally could not see myself wanting one. (Years ago I tried one when
someone from MGE was demo-ing one at some event and I wasn't impressed.)
But I also don't get all the hostility about them. I don't see how
discourteous/unsafe passing is any more or less obnoxious by someone on an
electric-assist bike than it is by someone on a traditional bike who
thinks he's doing Tour de France. A moron on an electric-assist bike is
not inherently worse or more dangerous than a moron in Spandex<tm>.
As for the opinion that most people using them will be former bicyclists,
so what? If it helps keep on a bike someone who has diminished physical
capability, what's wrong with that?
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Brian Mink <mailto:bcm...@gmail.com>
July 8, 2016 at 9:58 AM
I happen to know folks who due to one arthritic malady or less than
optimal joint replacement surgery have opted for electric assist bikes
or wheels with hub motors.
I also have taken note of many more cyclists of larger habitus using
electric assist bikes. Then there are a whole bunch or cargo/kid
hauler electric assist bikes on trails around town.
I think they are a good thing. Most of us able bodied, hard core
enthusiasts will put off or scorn the thought of using electric
assist. Let's assume that most folks who use electric assist do so
based on some need that we probably don't know about. Many work places
don't have showers. Electric assist one could image, can keep one
below the gushing sweat threshold on the morning commute.
I've noticed that most west coast cities that allow electric bikes do
have rules that include behaving in regard to maximum speed, passing,
remaining non aggressive and the like. Should Madison have such rules
and post them? Probably.
Bottom line is: even the heartiest of urban cyclists might age into
the need for an electric assist bicycle at some point and then we'll
look back on our years of scorn and finally come to the conclusion
that we were not being understanding, nice or fair.
Brian Mink
Monona
via Bikies <mailto:bikies@lists.danenet.org>
July 8, 2016 at 9:45 AM
If that what it takes to get these sedentary brutes onto a bike, then let
them ride their electric bikes on roads and not on bike paths.
....
Admittedly, my n is pretty small, but I resent these lazy assholes being
on the bike paths. And it's bogus to say these are for sedentary folks.
> By far, the most people who use them will be former bicyclists.
I personally could not see myself wanting one. (Years ago I tried one when
someone from MGE was demo-ing one at some event and I wasn't impressed.)
But I also don't get all the hostility about them. I don't see how
discourteous/unsafe passing is any more or less obnoxious by someone on an
electric-assist bike than it is by someone on a traditional bike who
thinks he's doing Tour de France. A moron on an electric-assist bike is
not inherently worse or more dangerous than a moron in Spandex<tm>.
As for the opinion that most people using them will be former bicyclists,
so what? If it helps keep on a bike someone who has diminished physical
capability, what's wrong with that?
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