youngoldbloke

I can see your throttle hand getting some more exercise, but for some the temptation must be to use the pedals less and the throttle more. But if you need it why not?

- so an electric moped?

I used toeclips, straps and nail on cleats from around 1960 until the clip-in ('clip-less') system was generally available in the early 90's. Look Keo 3 bolt cleats in the summer and SPD 2 bolt in the winter. Systems of attaching shoes to pedals have been around since the earliest days of cycling. No big deal.

I know - we've been here before haven't we? I know - it's not going to happen. I'm simply putting forward an alternative view from a cyclist. I can't have what I want right now - I'm not going to buy an electric motor bike, with all that entails. I'm not going to buy an ugly 25+ kg electric moped. I wouldn't be riding an ebike if the road version wasn't available. I wouldn't be riding an e-road bike if I was still in good health.

An assisted speed of 20 mph would be completely realistic for lightweight e-road bikes, as used by myself and other club and sport riders who now need electrically assisted bikes. Remember such bikes still require pedalling for assistance from the motor, and it is anyway quite possible to ride such bikes above the current cut-off speed of 15.5 mph if one has the leg strength, much as non assisted road bikes are ridden. I ride an e-road bike because I have developed vascular disease which affects my leg strength. I have been riding road bikes for over 60 years and wish to be able to continue riding with club groups at their normal speeds. relatively easily. I get the impression that many objecting to the idea of an assisted speed of over 15-5 mph rarely attain even that figure, and above that heady speed only with the help of gravity! I understand the figure of 15.5 mph/25 kph was chosen as appropriate for utility bikes when such ebikes were first introduced. Things have moved on.

If you wish to ride at 20mph - on any bicycle, assisted or otherwise - stay on the road. You have an absolute right to do so.

Thanks - actually a little too big for our needs, and getting on for £80K! Diesel Berlingo - less than £25000, and well over 350 miles on one tank of fuel. Guess which I will probably be buying.

I thought I was aware of most of the vehicles available. Enlighten me. If something like an electric Berlingo became available I might be interested. I don't make 350 mile journeys every week, but need a spacious vehicle easily capable of such long trips. Of course since lockdown I've hardly driven anywhere - 20 miles a week maybe maximum

I often make 350 mile journeys, 6-7 hours driving. I have yet to see an electric vehicle with the capacity and range we need - able to carry a fully assembled wheelchair and numerous boxes. I can't see how motorway services will ever be able to cater for the many thousands of vehicles that will need recharging every day on long journeys if each charge takes 30 mins even.

I did say 'In an ideal world' - my ideal world. My personal, selfish opinion. I don't expect the law to be changed. The last ineptly worded petition got nowhere and I expect this one to follow the same route. If it weren't for health issues I wouldn't be riding an e-bike. I would be riding an unassisted road-bike as I had done for 60 years or so. I'm not a utility cyclist. It's always been recreational, club, sports cycling for me. I'm not an e-bike evangelist, heavy utility e-bikes hold very little appeal for me. If lighter e-road bikes hadn't been introduced my cycling days would be over. That's where I'm coming from. I don't intend to stay on the merry go round this time, just chip in with my point of view occasionally.

In an ideal world, 20mph assistance cut-off level for e-ROAD bikes. retain 15.5mph assistance cut-off level for 'utility' e-bikes. Remember it's assistance cut-off level being discussed not maximum speed or average speed. Any e-bike can be propelled at speeds well above the assistance cut-off speed if you have the required fitness and leg power. Most riders of e-road bikes will already spend much of their time above that cut-off speed anyway.

I'll bet those red-light jumpers don't have reflectors on their pedals either!

I reckon it's a Raleigh Strada Elite

Change the wheel colour (but not white!) and logos and it would be OK.

They weren't really designing anything were they. Just styling. The hybrid might have been a decent bike.

If the 'ebike' is technically a moped, (or motor vehicle) then surely the rider should not be called a cyclist?

Well, I have never said we aren't. Some of the earlier posts seemed to imply wrongly that the assistance cut-off level was a speed limit, but I have been clear throughout that this was not the case. See my posts, 79, 93, 179,, 183, 192, 196 and in my 'last' contribution 229, I state: 'Final point - a higher cut-off level would not necessarily result in going faster - that is entirely up to the rider and their leg muscles. The cut-off is not a speed limit'

I wasn't going to take any more part in this 'discussion', but I must make a final comment. Please READ my posts. Throughout I have made a point of referring to an assistance CUT-OFF limit'. My post you quote is making exactly the same points as yours above.

Accepted! It is certainly relevant to me. Final point - a higher cut-off level would not necessarily result in going faster - that is entirely up to the rider and their leg muscles. The cut-off is not a speed limit. Why is this so hard to understand? Bye for now

I am - as I said, to help me maintain 18-20 mph, so an assistance cut-off limit of around 18 to 20 mph would suit me fine. edit for clarity: for me this wouldn't be faster, just easier (and less painful)

Thank you. I don't want to go faster, I would just welcome a little more assistance to help maintain a reasonable speed when conditions are appropriate. Whether you consider 18 - 20 mph reasonable is another matter, but that level is easily (and safely) attained by most club riders at some time during group rides. I hope that clarifies matters.

- I fail to see how this might have any bearing on the cut-off speed for assistance on e-bikes. I believe there was a time when motor vehicles were required to be preceded by a man carrying a red flag. Perhaps this should be reintroduced for e-bikers - particularly the older, heavier and less experienced, on heavier bikes, as earlier posters have suggested they may pose safety issues for themselves and other road users.

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I know that - I should have said 'it wasn't until the 1940s that we had massed start road racing in the UK'. You could of course argue that in recent years GB track and road riders have been more successful and better known by the general public than they ever have been.

I'm not suggesting you should - just trying to reply to the earlier post referring to 'older heavier riders'