E-bikes could get faster, more powerful and not require pedaling, in a move announced today by UKGOV. Cycling organizations are opposed to the plans.

  • MSugarhill@feddit.de
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    6 months ago

    Here we have these 25kph IAmAbikeAndNotAMotorcylce Frankensteins on the bike lane and I freaking hate it. They go illegaly on the pedestrian, look at their phones while driving, block the narrow bike lanes. They should be supposed to have a drivers license and go on the street. Most if not all of them are food couriers. They should be treated as such.

    Sorry for the rant, and funny enough I live in the EU (in Austria)

    • st33lb0ne@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Same issues with them in the Netherlands. Fatbikes and the people who typically ride them are the worst. Fatbikes dont belong on the bike lane.

      • Dasus@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Fatbikes dont belong on the bike lane.

        Why not?

        I have an ebike that doesn’t require pedalling and goes up to 35km/h on full power and full battery. No fat tyres, you’ll be happy to know. (Although I still don’t understand why the width of tyre bothers you.)

        I’ve driven a taxi for years, driving kids to school, doing this in the third gen. My father used to have “gentleman of the road” on the back of his car.

        I use the same principles when in traffic.

        My bike is awesome and the reason I don’t need to own a car myself.

        Better bicycling infrastructure would be cool, and I support something that would come between be between pedestrians and cars as a a lane. I mean, bike lanes already exist, but a more dedicated “light vehicles” lane or smth that you can’t walk (or cycle slowly) on.

          • Dasus@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            Because I like bicycling, and a vespa won’t fit into my apartment. (Can’t leave shit unattended in the bike cellar in my building.)

            My bike doesn’t require pedalling, but because it’s an option, I usually do it and then feel good about it, which leads to a positive feedback loop.

            A cold morning? I don’t need to use electricity, just pedal and warm up. Get a bit hot, don’t want to arrive at job while sweating? -> Glide on electricity and take in the cool breeze.

            • st33lb0ne@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              You`re kidding yourself . A bike without peddaling is called a moped, scooter or motor.

              Your vehicle doesnt compare at all to a normal bycicle.

              Honestly people riding fatbikes are just avoiding having to wear a helmet and want the next best thing

              • FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.ioOPM
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                6 months ago

                Ebikes with a throttle are still ebikes, in the US the are specifically listed as class 2 ebikes. I get what you’re saying but ebike definitions get a little blurred depending on where you’re talking about.

                • st33lb0ne@lemmy.world
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                  6 months ago

                  In the US you (hardly) have any bicycle infastructure and ride on the same road as cars.

                  In the Netherlands bikes and vulnerable traffic ride on seperate lanes. Introducing bikes that go 50 km/h there driven by 10 years creates a problem. This issue simply doesnt exist in the US, hence the different classification and laws

                  Also: Many fatbikes here are illegal and/or tweaked. People simply dont care and ride around uninsured and unsafe at 50 km/h while using their phone.

                  • Dasus@lemmy.world
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                    6 months ago

                    50km/s

                    50km/s is 3600km/h.

                    Mach 2,9. Man, those ebikes are fucking flying. I get why’d you’d be worried, that’s dangerous

              • Dasus@lemmy.world
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                6 months ago

                No, you’re kidding yourself, thinking you know what I’m speaking of.

                A lot of people have to ask me whether my bike is electric or not. I’ve owned a moped, a scooter and a light motorbike (125cc). (so dope, I looked up the model and that’s the exact bike I had, on sale. Not a similar one, the SAME exact bike, it has custom colours. I owned it about 20 years ago.)

                Now this is roughly the first image from Google with “bicycle”.

                Here is what I ride now. Now please — and be honest — tell me which one of the first four images is that most like?

                Did a guy riding a fatbike steal your girlfriend or something?

                • st33lb0ne@lemmy.world
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                  6 months ago

                  Where are you from dude? NL based or elsewhere?

                  Asking because you clearly live in a different world then I do And also completely deaf to all my previous arguements about issues we`re having here. . in the Netherlands.

                  But hey … im glad you`re happy with your ride.

                  • Dasus@lemmy.world
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                    6 months ago

                    It’s impolite to expect me to answer your questions when I asked you a question first.

                    Which one of the four images does my current ride most resemble? Please, do tell, as you were just telling me how you know what I drive better than I do.

                    I’ve been in the Netherlands as well. Yes, theres a whole lot more bikes, but the rules, the infra and the laws are more less the same as here. I’ve not had problems with anyone because of the size of the tyres their vehicle has. So explaining your weird generalisation would probably help people understand…

        • st33lb0ne@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          Im from the Netherlands, we have great bike infrastructure. But fatbike cyclists in particular are horrible drivers, endanger everyone else and dont follow any traffic rules.

          Im sure you are a smart and responsible person but the fact is 99% of fatbike cyclist here are assholes

          Also: We have 10 year olds driving on tweaked fatbikes going 50 km/h . Not legal but a national problem. Explain to me how its safe for a 10 year old to drive such a vehicle

          Secondly a normal bike is a fraction of the weight of a fatbike. And the fatbike is moving twice the speed. If a collision does happen the normal cyclist is very much more at danger then with any normal bike.

          The annual death amongst cyclist has skyrocketed here in the Netherlands. Ebikes and fatbikes are certainly a big factor in this.

          • Dasus@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            Are you sure you’re not generalising a bit?

            Because I’m sort of sure assholes can ride slim tyres as well… I’ve seen many.

            I’m just not getting the causation of fat tyres = asshole driver.

            Also, mine aren’t fat tyres. Not that it matters. Normal bike but a hub motor in the rear and a battery in the frame.