Yeah, but that is already illegal in 90% of the places, which makes it an issue not really related to the concept of an e-bike.

I have been living in Europe for quite a while now, and e-bikes here are limited to about 15mph, e-scooters can go up to 12mph. While you can buy modding kits just fine, I haven’t seen a single modded bike in regular traffic in the last 9 years.

There are higher powered devices that can legally go faster, but that means you need a helmet and a license plate.

Let’s not claim that e-bikes and cargo e-bikes do not make a huge difference in cities and rural areas (for completely different reasons). It’s legislation and enforcement of the existing laws that suck, not the idea of a vehicle that can assist its driver.

Almost everywhere, ebikes (pedal assist) have speed limiters. What are effectively mopeds are what people complain about. Imo the real issue is there is insufficient infrastructure for them to blend into car traffic safely. When there are 80km/h stroads with SUVs and pickup trucks, they feel unsafe and choose to ride on sidewalks and bike paths. Additionally, they’re more noticeable when we’re fighting for the scraps of narrow, unsafe bike infrastructure.

My general stance though is that if you get hit by one of those, it is incomparible to getting hit by even a small car going at a slow speed. So, there are bigger problems to solve and directing hate towards them would be better directed at fixing car-centric infrastructure. We don’t need more pedestrians, people on bikes, and people on ebikes fighting. Let’s fix the infrastructure first because they’re another person who understands what needs to be improved.

Let’s separate out illegal modded ebikes from legal pedal assist ones that, around here, top out at 20 mph.

e-Bikes are crazy nowadays. Their original concept of “you get a little motor in your pedals to help you climb hills” has been killed by an arms race of “hey, our motors are the strongest! Our bikes are the fastest!”

My parents recently bought new ebikes with the “best” specs and they’re awful. You basically can’t touch the pedals without being catapulted forward, even at the lowest setting. And they drive them set to the highest speed all the time because more speed === better ???

I get that when you’re driving to work or something you want to be fast, but they’re only using those bikes for leisure… so like who cares whether the bike goes 25 km/h or 15 km/h? God forbid your morbidly obese ass gets some actual exercise

Which is why the eBike I bought recently is a 2010 Raleigh Pedelec. The supporting motor is super gentle (people in 2010 would have been freaked out by today’s ebikes) and it doesn’t really go over 20-25 km/h. It belonged to a 80 year old woman originally. That’s exactly the kinda vibe I’m going for haha

I don’t know what an e-bike is, but here in Cleveland we have an issue of dirt bikes that can go fast, but are loud. Gang members travel 80 people in a flock, and drive real slow. They block the whole street, going both directions.

Cops have given up even trying to enforce any laws with them. These aren’t people with drivers liscenses. These are 15 year olds. But if a cop tries to pursue, they scatter, and shoot guns on the streets.

Cops have realized it’s more dangerous than not to even attempt to arrest them.

They don’t stick to the bike lanes. They drive into oncoming traffic at 10mph, but if you do anything against them, there’s a swarm of kids with guns all targeting you.

It’s a real problem. So, yes, fuck cars, but also fuck these dirt bikes which are loud, and can go up to 80mph on a dime, all being driven illegally by unliscensed teens with automatic machine guns. It’s a collective of problems actually. Gang violence, gun control, unliscensed drivers, street driving violations. The list goes on.

Guess it does make sense to shift to the traffic lanes if you are going faster, motor or no motor.