tds101 

Via Engadet:

https://www.engadget.com/amp/2018/04...es-city-roads/

SHBR

There is only one barely functioning e-bike rental company left here in Shanghai.

Maintenance is a major issue, even if the charging requirements can be solved, the rest of the bike tends to fall apart rather quickly, compared to a traditional bike.

General Geoff

From my understanding, throttle-equipped e-bikes fall under the same rules of registration and licensing in NY as mopeds. What is stopping people from registering their e-bikes and plating them just like a moped?

tds101 

People don't want to be forced to "license" an ebike. That adds quite a bit of cost, as insuring it would be required by law. Throttle ebikes would still be unable to be ridden, as the mayor wants pedalec only ebikes made legal.

Ebike rental is just part of the equation,...I just want to be able to ride an ebike without fear of having it confiscated, and not worrying about a loss of my driver's license. Getting into troble riding an ebike, currently, can totally screw up your driving record.

Patriot1

Trust NYC will find a way to register and then tax Ebikes...wait wait no they would never ever do that.

reppans

Might fall under mandatory helmet laws and parking restriction/regulation/tickets?

tds101 

Nope,...it will be the same as any bike riding adult. Parking,...Nope,....parking restrictions,...Nope,...regulations,...Nope,...tickets,...Nope,..,.it will be the same as any other BICYCLE. It's a frigging BICYCLE, and is going to be governed accordingly.

badomni

I wonder what laws NY has on electric scooters or electric kick bikes??

Doc_Wui

NYC's leadership was dead set against ebikes a few weeks ago. Then Uber spent a reported 100Million to buy an ebike sharing business, comes into town and asks, "frigging ebikes are illegal here?". The politicians sure can move fast when there's money involved.

tds101 

I had an electric scooter, and for the most part it's illegal. Police tend to look the other way, as long as you don't ride on sidewalks. I did get a warning, but that was about it.

And I do agree, the politicians see all the revenue generated by the ebike and electric scooter business in other states, and now they want a piece of the pie. I'm kool with that, as it benefits all of us in the end.

KraneXL

As long as it doesn't move unless you're pedaling it I have no objections to it be labeled as such.

tds101 

Pedelec,...self explanatory,... ;-)

KraneXL

Can I send you my research papers? Now would that be one "L" or two?

tds101 

Are your papers NYC specific? And I'm still trying to get the "L" question,...even if autocorrect keeps correcting "pedelec" as "pedalec" for some annoying reason,...

drowling23

Ebikes are a good illustration of how regulation ruins everything. A couple of years ago, mopeds were unregulated in Russia. 13-14 year olds rode mopeds and nobody minded. Of course someone had to create a precedent and now you apparently need a license for a moped or a non-250W/25kph ebike.

tds101 

In NYC they presently confiscate the bike, then give you a ticket.

tds101 

It's comin':
Mayor de Blasio Announces New Framework to Clarify Legality of Pedal-Assist Bicycles | City of New York

KraneXL

Explain. Why is this an issue for NY?

tds101 

Look it up,...

BiciMan

Michigan's new e-bike legislation basically says that. It does identify the 3 classes of e-bikes, but the main operative language mostly reads "it's a bicycle": Michigan Legislature - Home/.../2017-2018/publicact/pdf/2017-PA-0139.pdf

tds101 

If NYC could only be so accommodating,...we get shafted by the mayor.

KraneXL

TS 101? Isn't that your job?

tds101 

No, it's your job. Especially since you got the nic incorrect,... Besides, shouldn't it be a part of your research for a documentary?

angerdan

www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/publicact/pdf/2017-PA-0139.pdf

The device falls within 1 of the following categories:

1. “class 1 electric bicycle” means an electric bicycle that is equipped with an electric motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that disengages or ceases to function when the electric bicycle reaches a speed of 20 miles per hour.
2. “class 2 electric bicycle” means an electric bicycle that is equipped with a motor that propels the electric bicycle to a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour, whether the rider is pedaling or not, and that disengages or ceases to function when the brakes are applied.
3. “class 3 electric bicycle” means an electric bicycle that is equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that disengages or ceases to function when the electric bicycle reaches a speed of 28 miles per hour.

So:

1. Pedelec
2. ...eBike
3. S-eBike

Doc_Wui

Back around May 1, after all this love professed by NYC for ebikers, I read a post in another forum where an ebiker had to get off the Hudson River Parkway and ride his little 15 mph ebike in street traffic with horns blaring at him. Reason? His bike had a throttle and he spotted a ebike checkpoint ahead on the bike path. He didn't want his second ebike bike confiscated after having his first one taken a few weeks earlier in another check point.