My ebike made it on Discovery Channel !

[greasypants]

Any fellow Canadians out there happen to watch Daily Planet tonight. If you did you may have caught a short clip of Jay taking about my bike. I uploaded a video to their site a few days ago (at the request of my 8 year old daughter) and to my surprise they gave it a whole minute of airtime .

If you didn't see it here is the clip, the part about my bike starts around 1:15

http://planetyou.discoverychannel.ca/mediadetail/3902631-Planet-You---January-31,-2011

One more plug for electric bikes.

 

[rebelpilot]

Let us know if the authorities come calling.

 

[Lock]

One more plug for electric bikes.

Do ya think it'll relieve any fears that ebikes are hazardous?

 

[neptronix]

Yeah congrats on getting on the telly.. but imho this is bad publicity for eBikes..
The world needs to continue to think they are slow and legal O_O

 

[Lock]

Hehe... I'm reminded of an old joke...
Two bulls on a hill surveying a herd of cows below. Young bull says "Lets run down and screw a couple"... and the old bull says "No son, lets walk down and screw the lot..."

 

[Evoforce]

I disagree neptron. We need to start conditioning them to what performance e-bikes can offer in order to have any chance to have the laws changed for the better. Time for the U.S. to embrace this as transportation. Head in the sand letting others get picked off one by one will only lead to oppression. Any day, our number could be up and we need the support of the group, rather than a cut and run attitude of "I'm glad it's you and not me!" I'm not inferring that is (your) attitude but for many people it is. The day is here and we need to start standing tall. We are a diverse group and we can't agree on everything but we are going to have to start soon before the other shoe falls. Most people just don't want to take the time with their already busy scheduals to help make policy. We all mostly continue to let non e-bikers make policy for us. Anyway... good job on promoting e-bikes. I would like to see everyone have at least one!

 

[TheKraftyRhino]

Whatever Give is a few years and you will have to put plates on them and have insurance and a valid drivers license to even use one. The whole reason I use my E-Bike is because I can't afford nore am I allowed to drive. Just a matter of time before people start loving the E-bike and local and state governments start looking for ways to bleed our pockets to have one.
As an example in a small town near me a Friend had an e-bike the only one in his town. A one man Voice. His town passed a law banning the use of any device from 1 to 4 wheels that is more then human powered from useing the public sidewalks. Fair enough if there wasn't a local Code that banned the use of any non licensed assisted vehicle from the public roads. 3 tickets latter he decided his loan voice was not enough to fight the unjust laws and gave up. He now has to walk the 7 miles from his home to work. See he is like me. He is disabled but not totally he works @ WalMart and has to walk to walk there with his 1 wooden leg.

 

[neptronix]

well, evoforce, we can't come to an agreement on this one. The USA is hell bent on safety at any cost, if you haven't noticed.

I also would love if this became a common form of transport, too.

But America will go one of two ways if high speed eBikers start being noticed:

1. classify them as motorcycles/scooters.. and you get to pay insurance/registration/etc.. then you can't ride them on bike trails, paths, etc.
2. ban them outright.. then you can't ride them anywhere.

All it takes is a few scares here for America to knee-jerk and make regulations on anything, instantly sapping the fun out of eBikes.

So more high speed eBike publicity is BAD. I am sure the situation in Canada is the same. Fear mongering law makers don't need to pick up on the idea that some guys are going 50mph on bicycles with batteries that are like napalm bombs waiting to happen.

 

[TheKraftyRhino]

@ neptronix said much better then how I did but that was about what I was getting @. I'm just a bit more rough on the edges lol

 

[MadRhino]

I refused a neighbour, who is a journalist, to take pictures of my bike. I explained that I don't want to draw attention, and he understood why. My build is stealth enough, and I avoid riding in town without pedaling. I appreciate the advantages of the police seeing me like the other cyclists. My ride would be considered a motorcycle, with all the trouble associated, if they knew.

 

[Evoforce]

Again, I say that is the easy way out. Rather than working hard for protecting your rights to freedom and free choice, let's just hope they don't notice me at all. And when they do point the gun at me, hopefully there is only one in the chamber when they spin the barrel. Please....Let's not let any more people have e-bikes because we already have ours and someone might mess that up for us....Self centered is what we have become. It can all happen to someone else but just don't let it happen to me. Divided we shall fall...Taking us out one at a time. When it is your turn to be made the felon, it will be too late to have the right to vote against making anything criminal.

 

[gtadmin]

... I appreciate the advantages of the police seeing me like the other cyclists ...

Sorry in advance, but I don't think that's possible if that's you in your avatar

 

[Evoforce]

So....I'd venture to say that most of us are law breakers riding our e-bikes. Don't we all think we should all take a stand and proclaim something like: "They'll have to pry my cold dead crotch off my seat before i'd give up my e-bike..." :lol: More power to ya greasypants!

 

[neptronix]

Again, I say that is the easy way out. Rather than working hard for protecting your rights to freedom and free choice, let's just hope they don't notice me at all..

If you think it's smart to advertise to the media that we're breaking the law, i hope you enjoy spending your days in court trying to fight the knee-jerk safety first response that comes from even more restrictive laws. You sound like you enjoy a good fight, why don't you start rallying for our rights now?

Me, i am not going to show my bike off. Like MadRhino said, if you have a high powered bike, tell them it does 20mph and nothing more. No need to gloat. Nor is it necessary to promote high powered motorized bicycles to the public. 20mph works fine for commuting which is what we want to see more of.

Don't ruin this. It's still the wild west with this eBike stuff here in the USA. I like it this way and i'm sure you do too.

 

[MadRhino]

... I appreciate the advantages of the police seeing me like the other cyclists ...

Sorry in advance, but I don't think that's possible if that's you in your avatar

She's only there to divert the attention off of the bike.

The idea came from the atomobile show, where I saw this sexy girl standing aside a fancy car. I forgot about the car. :wink:

 

[Evoforce]

Actually, I have put time into trying to help make policy. But not enough! I have the same lame excuses as everyone else. I also don't try to draw too much unwanted attention but is that any way to really take care of a problem. Pretend and hope? It is just not (important enough) yet for most of us to do anything about it by sacrificing our precious time. Complaining but no action. I can be held guilty for that too. We just need to hire a strong lobbying force and let someone else do the work. :wink: Ya know, like NRA!

 

[gtadmin]

...The idea came from the atomobile show, where I saw this sexy girl standing aside a fancy car. I forgot about the car. :wink:

Can relate to that!

If you guys keep "advertising" how powerful your bikes are, you'll either end up with licensing & rego, or have lower limits applied ( like our stupid 200W and 26kmh law). By all means have high powered bikes for off road, but on road you should either be powerful but fit in, or go legal and be as wild (design wise) as you like. Or, get organised ....

However, this is my opinion and you know how much that's worth (what you paid for it :wink: )

Cheers,
GT

 

[Lessss]

Nothing in the vid said he was driving unregistered or unlicensed. It h=just said he built a e-motorcycle on a bicycle frame.

 

[dogman dan]

These arguments are part of why I do my daily commute on a bike that has a top speed of around 20 mph. That makes me have a chance at arguing that I can ride it on a long bike trail that makes my commute a lot safer. I rode it much faster for 2 years, but I always had to slow down when I passed all the walkers.
finally I just decided to tone it down before they started complaining about me. At 20 mph I can enjoy the ride a bit more too, since I can look around some instead of focusing on trying to spot the next broken bottle in the road. I don't have as much problem with cars, because I'm not suprising them with 35 mph.

I just don't want to be the jackass that gets the cops down on ebikes locally. I have experience, in 1977 I was the jackass that got the cops down on mopeds locally. What can I say? I was 19 then...

In other towns, other countries, there are some really stupid laws. In a place like that, stealth is the only approach. But I get a honking good laugh when I read of guys that think they can be stealthy at 30 mph. The way to be stealthy is 400 watts, not 2000.

In the USA, they are not going to classify 2000 watt ebikes as motorcycles. They HAVE classified them as motorcycles. So if you have one, you are riding an illegal, unlicenced , motorcycle. Period. When I put mine on CNN the vid I posted talked about this bike being a racer, built for a race on a track. Nothing illegal about off road, or track use of such bikes.

So post your vids of the bike riding in the dirt, eh?

In the vid, you SEE him riding on the street. Obviously faster than a legal ebike.

 

[MadRhino]

Standing for your right, is only good for what is your right.

No matter how hard you fight to change the law, they'll never give us the right to build 4000w power on a bicycle. I knew from the start that my bikes will never be legal, I need that power to ride the mountain, and only hope that it will not be noticed in town.

Then, there is a fight to be made for general acceptance of Ebikes, and making them accessible. Show them how safe it is, how good it is for energy saving and the quality of life in our cities. This will help, but certainly not telling them how fast we can ride.

 

[RTLSHIP]

dude, a top speed of 20 mph usually translates into a cruising speed of 16 or 17.
I think alot of vendors would not sell much if they could not sell more power.
Why don't we make cars that go 75 top speed?
My cruising speed is about 20 when riding on 36 volts. with 48 v 23mph.
In my view, top speed is important for understanding power. It's not safe or practical, especially at night.
Many state laws require a registration if you can go more than 20 mph. A DL is likely required, too.
I'm non compliant on the registration, but do wear helmet, use lights and try to ride smart.
If I get pulled over going faster than 20, a ticket is possible.

 

[gtadmin]

... It h=just said he built a e-motorcycle on a bicycle frame.

motorcycle implies needs to be registered (at least where I come from) whereas bicycle implies doesn't (and isn't)

These arguments are part of why I do my daily commute on a bike that has a top speed of around 20 mph. That makes me have a chance at arguing that I can ride it on a long bike trail that makes my commute a lot safer. I rode it much faster for 2 years, but I always had to slow down when I passed all the walkers.
finally I just decided to tone it down before they started complaining about me. At 20 mph I can enjoy the ride a bit more too, since I can look around some instead of focusing on trying to spot the next broken bottle in the road. I don't have as much problem with cars, because I'm not suprising them with 35 mph.

I just don't want to be the jackass that gets the cops down on ebikes locally. I have experience, in 1977 I was the jackass that got the cops down on mopeds locally. What can I say? I was 19 then...

In other towns, other countries, there are some really stupid laws. In a place like that, stealth is the only approach. But I get a honking good laugh when I read of guys that think they can be stealthy at 30 mph. The way to be stealthy is 400 watts, not 2000.

In the USA, they are not going to classify 2000 watt ebikes as motorcycles. They HAVE classified them as motorcycles. So if you have one, you are riding an illegal, unlicenced , motorcycle. Period. When I put mine on CNN the vid I posted talked about this bike being a racer, built for a race on a track. Nothing illegal about off road, or track use of such bikes.

So post your vids of the bike riding in the dirt, eh?

In the vid, you SEE him riding on the street. Obviously faster than a legal ebike.

The voice of reason (and experience)

Standing for your right, is only good for what is your right.

No matter how hard you fight to change the law, they'll never give us the right to build 4000w power on a bicycle. I knew from the start that my bikes will never be legal, I need that power to ride the mountain, and only hope that it will not be noticed in town.

Then, there is a fight to be made for general acceptance of Ebikes, and making them accessible. Show them how safe it is, how good it is for energy saving and the quality of life in our cities. This will help, but certainly not telling them how fast we can ride.

Agreed, but you can have two bikes, one off-road, one on. They're not that expensive

dude, a top speed of 20 mph usually translates into a cruising speed of 16 or 17.
I think alot of vendors would not sell much if they could not sell more power.
Why don't we make cars that go 75 top speed?
My cruising speed is about 20 when riding on 36 volts. with 48 v 23mph.
In my view, top speed is important for understanding power. It's not safe or practical, especially at night.
Many state laws require a registration if you can go more than 20 mph. A DL is likely required, too.
I'm non compliant on the registration, but do wear helmet, use lights and try to ride smart.
If I get pulled over going faster than 20, a ticket is possible.

Why does cruising speed have to be less than top speed ? Especially as you only need 400W to go 20mph. And if you're a member of ES, you didn't buy an off-the-shelf from a dealer!

Now where's that shit stirring icon again?

 

[MadRhino]

Agreed, but you can have two bikes, one off-road, one on. They're not that expensive

I do, but still, I have to ride the beast in town to access the mountain. I'm just carefull then, not to speed too much and keep pedaling.

When I'm not going to ride the mountain trails, I prefer to use my man-powered extra lightweight tri-cross racer, with which I don't feel guilty riding faster than most E-bikes. :wink:

 

[dogman dan]

Yeah, I don't get it either. I ride 80% of the ride at 20 mph. Only for about 1.5 miles do I slow down to about 16 mph up a 6% grade. Btw, the fast winding motor capable of 27 mph climbs that grade at 14-15 mph.

Did I say my commuter was low powered and lame? NO. Just that it's top speed is about 20 mph. This allows my 1000 watts to climb nice, but keeps my bad right hand more under controll, so I don't blow it out in the streets. It's easier to hold the throttle full on for 15 miles than 3/4. The slow winding keeps me more predictable to motorists. Since they can't possibly know what your actual wattage is, I'm not discussing that. Just speed.

Go ahead and amp up guys, just use a slower winding than the one intended for 36v and 700 watts. You'll climb that mountain better that way anyway. At least go to the hot rodders winding of choice, 8x8. Mine is 6x10 at 48v btw. Big watts and slower windings keeps you less noticeable. For sure, on a quick test of my race bike on the street the other day, 50 mph I was definitely getting some looks.

I'm not saying anybody is a jackass for riding above the US legal limit of 20 mph. But I am saying if you're riding a 35 mph commuter, you are riding an illegal motorcycle. It doesn't have to be ridden 35 mph, unless you have my right hand.

 

[grindz145]

Most people aren't even aware of the laws, and theres no better way to change public opinion than by exposing them to ebikes in this way. Ebike laws are unenforceable in many cases anyway. All the more reason to ride with the other people on the road in mind. It gives us all a little leverage

Awesome video.