E-bikes are a lot of fun !!

[morph999]

I went to my mom's house today, 4.5 miles away. I got there in like 25 min. It was real fast. I bought a 5303 hub motor last monday with 24 - 72v start immediate controller from http://ebikes.ca. I can't wait to get that. I haven't bought the bike for it yet. I guess I'll be looking for one that has 10mm fork dropouts. Anyway, just wanted to say that I'm still enjoying my bike even though my range is a little limited. With my new bike, I'll be able to put whatever voltage on that I want so I can go with range rather than speed if I choose. The days that I want to go fast, I can put 72v on and the days that I want to go 20 miles, I can put 24v of high capacity batteries so I'll have the best of both worlds.

My mom even rode my bike and she liked it too. And 6-lane roads are great for ebikes because the drivers have so many lanes to ride in they don't worry about you. I took up a whole lane practically.

 

[Lessss]

Do you have torque arms?
Be aware that even though it is a bicycle frame if you rig it to exceed certain speeds you can be fined for driving a MOTOR VEHICLE without a license and registration!
20mph 32km/hr is the legal limit for electric bicycles.

 

[morph999]

I have a torque arm on it. It only goes 27 mph max speed so I normally am cruising around 20 - 23 mph. It looks just like a normal 18 speed so I think that is why cops ignore me.

If the legal limit for bicycles is 20 mph, then what is the legal limit for mopeds? You don't need a license in my state for a moped.

 

[Patriot]

Here in WA state, it's the same. 20mph without a license. Accorcing to that, I should've gotten multiple tickets by now. I easily go well over 20mph on my road bike on a regular basis. Mopeds need to be licensed as well, and you need a drivers license. However, you don't need a motorcycle license if it is under 50cc, a regular license will do.

However, for ebikes, if you get over 20mph, the cops don't really care much until you hit the city where there's alot of traffic. If you're riding in traffic at 35mph on an ebike, you may very well get pulled over.

My ebike goes well over 30mph, and the cops around here don't care too much. I live in the country. Heck, they don't even seem to care about the kids driving ATV's all over the place.

In your case, if you are in the country, I wouldn't worry too much. Just don't ride like a maniac. Sometimes it's good to pedal along if you can, just to give the impression that it's a bike. If you're in the city, you can usually get away with over 20mph ( a little over 20mph), just don't be stupid about it.

 

[morph999]

I'm in the city. Yeah but there is something I don't understand. I know of mopeds that go 40 mph here in my city because I've looked at them and rode them but yet, they don't need license to ride it but e-bikes do? That makes no sense because a moped is heavier and more dangerous than an e-bike. How come mopeds can go 40mph without license but not e-bikes?

I'm happy at 20 mph. That's fast enough to get where I'm going but I'm going to turn up the throttle in spots where I feel that there are no cops.

Police: "we got an 18-speed going 22 mph....I'm going to need back up"

lol

 

[gogo]

Police: "we got an 18-speed going 22 mph....I'm going to need back up"

lol

Police: "Believed to be amped and dangerous. Seen volting from the scene of the crime"

 

[John in CR]

I went to my mom's house today, 4.5 miles away. I got there in like 25 min. It was real fast.

If 10.8mph average is fun for you, then an X5 may kill you with excitement.

John

 

[dogman dan]

Lotsa variation in local cops. Florida has places whrere they are nazis for ebikes and scooters. Here in NM a moped needs a drivers licence, but not a motorcycle licence and insurance. Speed is limited to 25 mph. In some states there are addidional vehicle requirements for mopeds , turn signals, brake lights, headlights, etc. Just check your local state law online, and the city laws too.

In my state, ebikes sorta don't exist, so I am a definitely a moped. So technically I should stay off bike paths. No way, I'm riding the bike path! I just try to be courteos to the bike path users. Just pedal like hell when you see cops. In much of the usa, cops will ignore anybody who isn't flunking the attitude test. If you cut corners, run stop signs, ride the wrong way, go 35 in a 25 zone, etc, they will stop you.

 

[morph999]

In my state, Indiana, you don't need a license for a moped. Correct if I'm wrong but aren't mopeds allowed to go 40mph? They just aren't allowed on highways. I've seen some mopeds around here.

 

[Almasi]

I passed a few cops at 50KM/H in my Longueuil(next to Montreal) and in Montreal downtown, they were not even looking at me...but I was pedaling just in case they would say something

Robin

 

[morph999]

I just checked the laws in my state. I can legally go up to 25 mph on my e-bike.

 

[dogman dan]

kinda silly when you can pedal to 35 mph easily on a good road bike with a 52 front chainring isn't it. Of course, the road better have a 35 mph speed limit! Fortunately, they sorta forgot to enact any speed laws for the bike trail here. , but I do slow some to pass people. Fortunately for me, cops here don't stop you if you run a red light right in front of them. So they ingore anything not bleeding or on fire. A city of 100,000 and we get 4 cops that enforce traffic per shift. The rest are busy heading to the latest child abuse murder by the meth parents. Driving the speed limit here will get you run the heck right off the road.

 

[Patriot]

^^^ That's one of the reasons I say I can get away with going a little faster here in WA on my ebike. We have tons of cyclists around here, and they readily go well over 20mph. So, for me to cruise around 20mph or more and pedal along with the motor, is not a real eye opener.

 

[fifthmass]

In Massachusetts electric bikes are completely unregulated as long as they comply with the federal definition (20 mph max & 750 watts). They are considered motorized scooters otherwise. The definition of a moped in Massachusetts includes a gasoline engine.

The most popular commuter bike path in the Boston area (Minuteman Rail Trail) has a defacto permitted speed of 25 mph. The signs on the trail caution walkers and joggers that bikes on the trail can go 15-25 mph. Seems like 25 mph is acceptable based on that. The trail (when lightly used) is like an interstate highway for me. Lots of fun on an Ebike.

Regards,
Bill