tensaimon
1 µW
- Joined
- May 12, 2019
- Messages
- 2
Hi,
I'm brand new (to this forum, not to life) and I've signed up to ask a specific question:
I'm very interested in e-assist bikes as a solution to a number of social problems (traffic congestion, global warming, financial difficulties), so I want to start both riding them (I currently ride unassisted) and promoting them (via activism, social media etc). However I live in Japan, which brings 2 problems:
1)
Although there are many very good e-assist bicycles around, they are very "shopping bicycle" - I'd like something a little more capable of longer distances and luggage carrying - so, an aftermarket kit seems like the best solution (I have a bike friday Haul-a-day I want to add an assist to, and I'm toying with the idea of a drop-handlebar BF for longer lighter missions and travelling)
2)
however, in addition to the requirement that e-assist bikes should not move without pedalling, Japan's current e-assist laws are a little odd: the electric assist can be full-power until 10km, then taper down to zero by 24kmh (see the graph on http://criticalcycling.com/2016/10/...6xLzmomshEAwt02v5ovGZtC3EP3jNGgCIo65m5Vg1G5dA.
English wikipedia also describes this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#Japan
This means after-market kits from outside Japan aren't technically street-legal (and I haven't seen any domestic after-market kits). I could go stealth-mode (for example just setting the speed cutoff to 25kmh) as I am unlikely to be stopped, but from a point of view of promoting e-bikes I'd much rather be fully legal.
So I've been researching good kits to use with my HAD and it seems to come down to bafang or tongshen, with the tongshen looking more like what I want (a more natural riding experience due to the tension sensor - I'm happy to be pedaling).
So, my question: can anyone tell me if it's likely to be possible to program the tongshen (or the bafang for that matter) to conform to Japan's requirements?
(I've also contacted tongshen and BF about this, but I'm interested in the DIY spirit of this forum!)
Thanks for any help, much appreciated!
I'm brand new (to this forum, not to life) and I've signed up to ask a specific question:
I'm very interested in e-assist bikes as a solution to a number of social problems (traffic congestion, global warming, financial difficulties), so I want to start both riding them (I currently ride unassisted) and promoting them (via activism, social media etc). However I live in Japan, which brings 2 problems:
1)
Although there are many very good e-assist bicycles around, they are very "shopping bicycle" - I'd like something a little more capable of longer distances and luggage carrying - so, an aftermarket kit seems like the best solution (I have a bike friday Haul-a-day I want to add an assist to, and I'm toying with the idea of a drop-handlebar BF for longer lighter missions and travelling)
2)
however, in addition to the requirement that e-assist bikes should not move without pedalling, Japan's current e-assist laws are a little odd: the electric assist can be full-power until 10km, then taper down to zero by 24kmh (see the graph on http://criticalcycling.com/2016/10/...6xLzmomshEAwt02v5ovGZtC3EP3jNGgCIo65m5Vg1G5dA.
English wikipedia also describes this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws#Japan
This means after-market kits from outside Japan aren't technically street-legal (and I haven't seen any domestic after-market kits). I could go stealth-mode (for example just setting the speed cutoff to 25kmh) as I am unlikely to be stopped, but from a point of view of promoting e-bikes I'd much rather be fully legal.
So I've been researching good kits to use with my HAD and it seems to come down to bafang or tongshen, with the tongshen looking more like what I want (a more natural riding experience due to the tension sensor - I'm happy to be pedaling).
So, my question: can anyone tell me if it's likely to be possible to program the tongshen (or the bafang for that matter) to conform to Japan's requirements?
(I've also contacted tongshen and BF about this, but I'm interested in the DIY spirit of this forum!)
Thanks for any help, much appreciated!