Treehugger.com is taking a survey. Should electric bikes be able to go wherever bicycles can go?
Here’s the controversy. Because electric bicycles can go so much faster than regular bikes, and take up more space, pedestrians on paths are concerned that they can be more easily run over. Many locales in Canada, for example, are agitating to have ebikes banned from pedestrian/bike paths.
Let your voice be heard. Take the survey at Treehugger.
Guelph, Ontario — The Guelph Police wish to remind its cizens that the criminal code definition of motor vehicle is “a motor vehicle that is drawn, propelled or driven by any means other than muscular power, but does not include railway equipment.” Operating any vehicle under this definition while your ability is impaired by alcohol or drugs may lead to a criminal charge. This includes an ebike.
For the second time in two days, a man was charged with Driving While Disqualified while operating an e-Bike.
On Wednesday June 10th, 2009 at 7:10pm, he was stopped while operating a motor assisted bicycle southbound on Gordon Street from Wellington Street. Investigation revealed that he was prohibited from operating a motor vehicle anywhere in Canada following a conviction for the Criminal Code offense of Impaired Driving that has been in effect since 2003.
These waterproof lights can be used with virtually any ebike setup. Unlike other systems, which require either an auxilliary 6V or 12V battery or a separate DC-DC converter, these units connect directly to the main ebike pack. Highlights include:
- Efficient and Bright The lights provide significant illumination and visibility with minimal power draw.
- Variable input voltage All of these lights are designed with an integrated DC-DC converter so that they can be plugged into any ebike battery pack, from 24V setups up to 72V or higher.
- Robust Construction The light housing is a single block of epoxy, rather than thin shells of die-cast plastic.
- Waterproof These lights are fully submersible. Prolonged water exposure means…nothig to fear.
- Made in Canada These lights are both designed and manufactured by us here in Vancouver, Canada.
Mounting
The moulded LED lights are designed so that they can be readily secured to the bike tubing with a pair of zip ties. The front light sits on top of the handlebar. The rear light is secured either to the seat post or rear rack.
Wiring the Power
These bike lights need to tap into your electric bicycle battery pack for power. A small amount of custom wiring is required to hook the light into the system. Instructions for a variety of methods will come with the lights.
Wiring Switches
The regular front and rear lights do not have a built in on/off control button, so you will want to wire up a switch in series with the power going to these lights, or terminate the leads with a connector that is easy to plug in and unplug. Again, this would be customized wiring.
Power from the Wheel
If you have a direct drive hub motor (Crystalyte, Nine Continent, Wilderness Energy etc.) the hub motor itself can act as a generator and power the lights up so that you aren’t riding in the dark.
OHM Cycles, a bike company based in Vancouver, Canada, announced on February 28, 2009 its next generation of hybrid electric-assist bicycles for 2009.
Four power packs are now available, each one designed to offer optimum power and range for every rider. According to OHM Cycles President Michael DeVisser, “The OHM Urban and Sport hybrid bicycles are a comprehensive solution for eco-friendly mobility.”.
The OHM hybrid e-bikes, which combine BionX drive technology with a Molicel Rechargeable Li-ion cell battery pack, are the first electric bicycles purpose-built for the North American market.
OHM Cycles can be ridden as a conventional bicycle ,or with pedal assist from the intelligent drive system. They have a center-mounted power pack which provides better balance and weight distribution and maintains a standard wheelbase. Because of its ightweight components and a customized power system, OHM “will send you racing up hills and around the city, with ease.”
For 2009, new features have been added:
Find out if your bike and equipment meets local laws and regulations to avoid fines.
Countries like the United States, Canada and Australia all have different laws and regulations for the use of electric bikes. Within each state and province there can be even more variations making the it incredibly confusing. Check with your local authorities about conflicting laws and regulations. Electric bicycles have rules that require the use of proper safety gear such as helmets.
In many places electric bikes are not allowed to be ridden on the road as part of traffic. Check into this before you receive a fine. To ride on the road could obstruct traffic and cause an accident. It’s never worth it to break the rules where you live. If you are not able to ride your electric bike with traffic then you will have to seek out an alternative route since many bikes are also not allowed on sidewalks.
According to some places the laws are based on the amount of power that the bike puts out. If the engine runs at 200 watts or more then the bike may not be allowed on the road unless it is registered as a vehicle. This varies from state to state so don’t assume that it’s the same. You need to know for sure because driving without registration is a serious offense. Sometimes the law is based on speed limit or engine size. For example, if your electric bike reaches certain speeds you may be required to have it registered.
Many locations work in quite the opposite way. Many places will only allow electric bikes on sidewalks and biking paths. This can limit where you can use them so keep this in mind when considering the switch to an electric bike. If you can’t use the road then it may be more inconvenient that anything.
It’s important to note that an electric bike is nothing like a scooter or a motorbike. It does not have that kind of engine power or capacity. It is nothing more than a bicycle that has been equipped with electricity to power it. If you decide to make use of an electric bike, always be informed of the laws where you live. It’s not worth the risk or the trouble to go about uninformed. Electric bikes are still a confusing topic so ask officials for all legal information before you ride.
