Are e-bikes the way forward in London?

Not sure why they are saying way forward for London i can see them being the way forward for all Cities and big towns.

I never knew how fast they accelerate does anyone here have one?

Electric bikes are relatively new to London's commuters, but they are becoming more and more popular with cyclists.

The Mayor of London is encouraging people to abandon cars and take to the roads with e-bikes instead.

Volt, who manufacture electric bikes, says about 50,000 of them are being sold every year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-43838620/are-e-bikes-the-way-forward-in-london

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Like e cars....where and how will they produce enough electricity to charge them? At the moment they can't. ...

I don't think an ebike will take too much electricity not like a ecar.


Conclusion - https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/blog/post/electric-bike-running-costs/

So to sum up a few things, you can expect to run an electric bike for very little in comparison to other modes of transport. The main costs are-

Battery replacement: £100-£500 (Every 2-8 years depending on battery)

Charging cost: 5-10pence per charge

Servicing: £25 – £45 per year (average cycle shop service charges)

A little should be left in the kitty over a number of years for replacement parts, tyres, brake pads etc but these costs are not substantial enough to worry about.

Electric bikes are becoming more and more popular to the commuter market, looking for an alternative mode of transport. Besides some people can get to work quicker on an electric bike once they have dipped through the traffic, not had to find a space to park, taken cycle lanes / short cuts etc. It can make your morning more enjoyable!

Of course some people are not using their eBike for commuting or to replace their current mode of transport, they are just looking for the thrill factor of riding one!

Martin Brown (www.e-bikeshop.co.uk)

Why not read the Electric Bike Maintenance Guide?

Also worth checking out the Electric Bike Buyers Guide?

Clint said:

Like e cars....where and how will they produce enough electricity to charge them? At the moment they can't. ...

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I think we would have enough as long as there charged at night, a bike also has the advantage that it could have an easily removable battery so you could swap a rented battery thats charged with your current one instead of having to have a charging point, obviously they would have to become more common for such a scheme to take off and manufacturers would have to standardise the batteries.

Apparently we already have capacity for charging many millions of e cars as long as they are charged at quiet times for the grid. Pricing could ensure that. So ebikes would be no problem at all.

Bikes! Finally something on which I am an expert on this forum, since I am Dutch .

An e-bike is useful in the city if:
- You are old or otherwise physically unfit
- You are lazy

Else you can just use a normal bike. In the city you cycle such short distances and there are so many times you have to stop (red lights, traffic, etc) it's almost ridiculous to use if you are in good health.

How about fitting a dynamo / alternator. They'd recharge whenever freewheeling or going downhill. Meh, wouldn't be seen dead on one so don't care either way.

Gunge said:

Meh, wouldn't be seen dead on one so don't care either way.

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I wouldn't mind a go one one -

If you lived fairly close to work you could plug it in to an extension lead and reel it out as you go. I bet myqul has already got one...

I bet myqul has already got one...

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Do they make an electric recumbent

Most e-bikes have a removable battery and you take it indoors and charge it overnight like you would a phone.
I have an electric mountain bike. Mainly because I'm lazy. Also means I can cycle up big offroadOhills without blowing me guts out with my eyes on stalks!
As for round town, it's ace! Most town cycling is stop, accelerate, stop, accelerate, stop etcetcetc and it's knackering. Being able to just push the full assist and launch from the lights is great fun!

Clint said:

If you lived fairly close to work you could plug it in to an extension lead and reel it out as you go. I bet myqul has already got one...

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If you lived fairly close to work you could walk....[emoji39]

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Gerryjo said:

If you lived fairly close to work you could walk....[emoji39]

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I can walk to our works in 15 minutes but stuff that, I can get there in 3 minutes in the car. Hell, if I worked next door I'd still take the car. That's how much of a lazy ****ard I am.

Wouter said:

Bikes! Finally something on which I am an expert on this forum, since I am Dutch .

An e-bike is useful in the city if:
- You are old or otherwise physically unfit
- You are lazy

Else you can just use a normal bike.

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Unless of course, you need to get where you're going without turning up dripping with sweat or you are likely to encounter something that is in short supply in The Netherlands - hills.

I commute either end of a train journey by bike every day and gave serious thought to getting an e-bike to save money by skipping the train part and just riding to work, but there are two huge problems.
The first (and least important) is security. These things are a huge target for thieves and in these days of lithium ion disk cutters and cheap Chinese bolt croppers, there is literally nothing that you can do to stop them short of secure parking at both ends - which largely rules out popping to the supermarket on the way home.
The second is power. UK law restricts you to 250 watts and speed is restricted electronically to 25 kmph (roughly 15.5 mph) with motor assist - and that simply isn't fast enough to be practical for distance commuting - along a canal towpath, I average about 22mph.
On the continent, there are things known as S Pedelecs that have more power and are able to do 45kph (roughly 25mph) but they are not legal in the UK without full moped registration, use of a motorbike certified crash helmet etc.
Of course, people can and do use high powered ebikes on the road but there have been several accidents where the rider has been taken to court and cleaned out due to riding an illegal bike.

I'd love one. I used to cycle a LOT in my younger years (about 6-7 miles a day, 5 days a week, minimum). These days though my knees are totally shot (I have to wear a knee brace to walk for any length of time. Put it this way, I can get about a 1/4 way around the supermarket before my right knee starts repeatedly buckling out from under me... My wife calls it the ministry of silly walks... lol) so something like that would give me more freedom. However, when I last looked they were anything but cheap...

Chippy_Tea said:

Do they make an electric recumbent

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That'd definately put the wind up a few people as i zipped past them, judging by the looks I get already

Ken L said:

...
The second is power. UK law restricts you to 250 watts and speed is restricted electronically to 25 kmph (roughly 15.5 mph) with motor assist - and that simply isn't fast enough to be practical for distance commuting - along a canal towpath, I average about 22mph.
...

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But these are power assisted, so if you can pedal up to 22mph that isn't breaking any rules, surely? Appreciate that the commute distance may make this impractical though.

I sometimes bike (non-electric) to work and it is uphill for most of the 3.5 miles. Going home is easier. I probably wouldn't do it if it was uphill going home.

The 15mph limit is when riding under electric power. I think most people just pedal while on the flat so you're not limited to 15mph then. Nor downhill. You just use the motor when you're going up hill, so 15mph is fine.
Quickest I've ever been on a bicycle is 53mph, downhill of course and with a following strong wind.

Cars average less than 15 mph in town so the maximum speed is no restriction. It would pay businesses to install solar panels and give their employees free charging points. As for the exertion, the EU offered businesses money to install showers at work.
I cycle about 15 miles to work with a big climb on the way back. The return journey takes 2 hours and since it would take me more than an hour by car, there and back, I take that as an hour of my time to do two hours exercise. My only restriction is the winter months when cars cycling in the dark dangerous and an e-bike would be a bonus with its more powerful lights.

Get one, they are so much fun, make you giggle inanely every ride. Ideal fir commuting, switch off the motor if you want to get fit! Switch to turbo mode if you're late and don't want to arrive all sweaty....