Worth going abroad to buy an ebike?

[Broadbeans]

Evening, volt-voyageurs! I've now had a little spin on a Milan 2. Great fun, and totally silent running!

Also, I've noticed that a couple of e-bike manufacturers specify 200w motors for the UK market, and 250w for the EU. Is is worth, say, buying a bike in Belgium for the sake of the extra 50 watts?

:-} Johnny

 

[fishingpaul]

I think some use the same motor but change the specifications to appear legal in that country,i have heard of some simply changing the sticker on the motor.

 

[flecc]

As Paul says Johnny, much of the time there's no difference. These are nominal figures anyway, a notional amount of power used on average over time to satisfy legislators needs to make rules.

The actual peak powers are very different, and vary from under 300 watts to around 700 watts, regardless of whether listed as 200 or 250 watts.
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[Broadbeans]

Ta, Paul and Flecc! I'm finding out more all the time! Should have thought about the peak output!

I've always been quite envious of the early days of motoring, when chaps tinkered with cars that were little more than carriages with stationary engines fitted, and a trip out was quite an event. In a way, I suppose that electrobikers are just passing that stage now: in fifty years time folk will most likely be whizzing about all over the shop on nifty hydro-bikes that need a top-up every year or so, and they'll look back fondly at the plug-seeking pioneers who worried about their batteries getting them to their destination!
Johnny

 

[flecc]

Very true Johnny, I've often compared the e-bike industry of recent years to the motor industry of the 1920s, no settled design pattern or agreement on how things are done and not being sold in too professional a way in many cases.

The future downside is that once designs settle to the best possible way, it will be as boring as the small hatchback market became in recent years.
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[Broadbeans]

That's right, Flecc! I'm SO bored with cars. They're all the same, and unworkable-on! There's no real pride in motoring nowadays, I feel, and folk don't give their car a second thought when they jump in and zip off down the road. I much prefer my old motorbikes, with all their twiddly bits. The bloke at the MOT garage just can't understand why I persevere with them (he rides a sportsbike). He can't even kickstart the BSA! Ah, well, maybe I'm just a nostalgic codger.... Johnny