Changes Afoot

[shemozzle999]

Hi David,

Just wonder what your take is on fitting the manufacturers nameplate.

 

[EddiePJ]

Sounds like sensible business planning to me. Particularly if anything ever goes tits up, and I truly hope that it doesn't for either company.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

That is good to know. I have purchased a Blue Label Charger nuvinci belt drive. Not light weight but very well built and comfortable. Nuvinci works very well with the extra power of the motor/leg combo and the aim is to minimise maintenance with the belt drive. The only thing I am unsure of is the balloon tyres - not sure what they do for efficiency.

Hi Harry,

Thanks for the business!

Re the balloon tyres, there seems to be a movement especially in the trail bike world to use much wider and bigger tyres, they give a more comfortable ride and the rolling resistance is only slightly increased.

I test rode the new Charger GT 45 last week, it was very comfortable and stable. RM Install Schwalbe Moto X 62-584!

All the best

David

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi David,

Just wonder what your take is on fitting the manufacturers nameplate.

Hi Shemozzle,

Re the manufacturers plate, as far as I am concerned, they must be fitted to all bikes sold as of 6th April 2015. It should contain the name of the importer or manufacturer... Amps Electric Bikes UK, the voltage of the battery, max continuous rated power... 250W, max speed with assistance... 15.5mph.

I think thats all, but I can refer to my notes if needed.

Best regards

David

 

[Wisper Bikes]

I was looking at a Freego Wisper the other day, when I noticed that it had a small black rear motor, the same as a Q100H. It was marked AKM and a number, which I guess is Aikema.

http://www.aikema.com.cn/En_ArticleShow.asp?ArticleID=292

That's the first time I've seen one on an OEM bike. Anybody tried one?

Hi Dave or should I say, Eagle Eye!!

Yep thats the motor, small and with the new sine wave controller very, very quite, but packs a big punch and is a great hill climber. We are running it through a brand new torque sensor, which is amongst the best I have tried. When coupled to our new 575Wh battery the range is astonishing. The sine wave controller and torque sensor really "eeks" out those Watt hours.

Can't wait to get them onto the market, they've been two years coming!

All the best

David

 

[flecc]

Re the manufacturers plate, as far as I am concerned, they must be fitted to all bikes sold as of 6th April 2015.

Inevitably there will be some "illegal" sales, that of all existing stock at dealers and distributors. I'd expect that to continue for a very long time before all are cleared maybe more than a year.

Once again our civil service have been neglectful, EU measures have a period of grace to allow for such clearances. The six months grace given by the type approval legislation 2002/24/EC for example, and the DfTs amendments to the UK EAPC law should have included a time allowance for existing stock clearances.
.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

I agree it's a mess Tony,

And we still don't have a definitive instruction on whether or not throttles to 25k/h are legal in the UK or indeed if they ever have been! I am bringing in the new Wispers with throttle to 4mph just in case. However I am also bringing in extra controllers that will allow throttles to 15.5mph if people should want the facility.

Our civil servants really don't make it easy!

Al the best

David

 

[flecc]

I am bringing in the new Wispers with throttle to 4mph just in case.

That's wise in the circumstances David. The DfT say they will regard full throttle e-bikes as legal if they conform in all other respects, just so long as they have been type approved as required by EU regulation 168/2013.

It apparently hasn't dawned on them that this introduces a legal conflict. 168/2013 excludes bureacracy free pedelecs from being subject to that motor vehicles law, yet they are claiming that conforming to this law that does not apply makes an e-bike legal as an exempted pedelec.

Some convoluted thought processes there!
.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

We are talking to the DfT through the MCIA and BA at the moment, they have said they will give us a definite instruction re throttles "soon".

As you say, at the moment they are asking us to conform to a TA that does not exist! I would guess that throttles will be OK until 1st Jan 2016 when EN15194 comes in. At that time hopefully there will be a class we can work to.

A question was asked by of the Under Secretary of State for Transport a few weeks ago, it was her opinion that any ebike with a throttle should be type approved as an LS1 to be legal.

Confused? Absolutely...

Best regards

David

 

[OXYDrive]

On the plane for Shanghai now David, if we see you there we will get you a pint

All the best
Andrew

 

[Deleted member 4366]

On the plane for Shanghai now David, if we see you there we will get you a pint

All the best
Andrew

And I should have been with you except for the Lufthansa bar stewards double booking my seat.

 

[OXYDrive]

Holly ... Dave I will wait for you at Pudong airport.

all the best

Andrew