John Phoenix

The style of E-bike I got was in kit form. I mounted it to a $89.00 Men's 26 inch Next Mountain bike. It has a 36 volt 500-750 watt motor. The legal limit in the United States is 700 watts and a 20 MPH speed limit which this bike does so all's good. Kit cost $526.00, 3, 12 volt sealed lead acid batteries included wired in series. Not bad for a lil over $600.00.

I was surprised at the kick this thing has. It's acceleration is smooth and gets up to 20 MPH quickly. I used to pedal about 11 to 12 MPH regularly. 20 MPH without pedaling is very fast on a bike. I didn't think 20 MPH would be good enough at first until I took my first e-bike ride. In the city or suburbs I found you really didn't have time to get up past 20 MPH because at every block you had to watch for traffic and sometimes stop at a stop sign or light. Sure once your bitten with the speed and freedom you want to go faster, but this is good for now.

The motor is waterproof and water tested. The rims are double walled and use solid 12 gauge spokes. The only drawback is SLA batteries might last only a year and are 26.8 lbs. I am saving up for better lighter batteries.

The other thing I love about this bike is not a bike feature at all. It's the Freedom, and not just of the road and the speed, it's the freedom from Government Bureaucracy. No drivers license needed, no registration, no insurance. And Freedom from Oil and Gas. I own a car that I have not driven in 5 years. My wife drives it. I believe the Government of this country is so corrupt and in bed with the national and multinational corporations, it lets them make policy not We The People. Until this changes I will rebel against this tyranny. The Feds get nothing from me. Thus I stopped submitting to their rules. I do not break the Law but I don't volunteer to give them and their cronies an inch. Thus I protested by not buying into their horse hockey. If they regulate something and abuse it ( like the oil an auto industry) I find a way around it. The E-bike represents total freedom from corrupt government regulation for me. I'm sticking it to The Man.

E-bikes are not 100% Green. The companies who make the parts still use oil products and pollute the environment. However as a consumer I can do my part to help not spread these petroleum drug pushers garbage. The e-bike is the lesser of the two evils. I encourage everyone to own one.

Oh yeah, and riding them is Fun Fun!

Sangesf

Where do you live?

morph999 

I have a car. I think the reason why I bought my e-bike was because of fond memories on my big brother's honda motorbike and I wanted soemthing that is street legal and can be ridden in the city to get that feeling. I don't think I would advocate using a e-bike on the road as much these days because of all the people driving and using cell phones. It's just gotten scary. I use my bike on the sidewalks much more now than I did about 2 years ago. If you have bike paths or lots of sidewalks near or live in a low traffic area, e-bikes are great.

And if you live in a big city, this is something new. bicycleparkingnetwork.net . You can phone in or use that website and reserve a bike locker so your bike doesn't get stolen. I have some of these in my city but I still haven't used it. You punch in a password that they give you and your locker opens. And it's free !!

John Phoenix

I live in Metairie, Louisiana U.S.A. It's a city that borders on the New Orleans line. Downtown and the French Quarter is 18 miles away. I don't mind but why ask where I live? What's on your mind bud? You thinking I'm a little harsh on the Gov? That's just how I see things.

paverman4u

I'll add another benefit to the list -

Saving on parking (particularly if you're in a metropolitan area).

I'm in Washington, DC and the parking in my part of town is $16/day, if I drive. So when I bike, I save a combined $20/day on gas + parking. Since I try to ride in about 4 days per week that makes for over $300/month savings.

Add to that weight loss. Yes even on an ebike you can get your exercise. I was 260 when I got my bike over the summer. I'm now 235, and working on a goal of 210. To be fair some of the weight loss is from diet as well, but diet + ebike = 25 lbs in several months.

Granted, I paid 3 grand for a nice bike (BIg Dummy) + electric drive system, but it's worth it even factoring in the probablity that the battery will eventually need to be replaced which then will of course add something to the cost.

In the spirit of moving away from foreign oil, I'm also on the list to get a Chevy Volt shortly, but will continue to ride my ebike to work to take advantage of the $16/day savings on parking.

pietzo

We did some research that everyone might find interesting. Check it out.

Some quick findings:

- about 18 times more energy efficient than a SUV
- about 13 times more energy efficient than a sedan
- about 6 times more energy efficient than rail transit and, of about equal impact to the environment as a conventional bicycle.

Full disclosure, we are an ebike vendor and this is a link to our corporate website. The research is objective but you can decide or yourself.
https://www.pietzo.com/electric-bicycle-research/

-Peter

Fairmont

He's probably just asking out of curiosity.

You're not the only one disgusted with our government. I've been disgusted with them since I started voting twenty-five years ago.

Sangesf

I asked because he made a blanket statement about ebike laws that was "inaccurate"
For Louisiana...
It's 1 1/2 Hp = approx 1000w
And max speed of twenty-FIVE.
License is required.
Helmet is required.

Sangesf

I've seen too many people that have gotten in trouble because they thought the law was one thing, and found out after arrest or court that they were under the wrong impression.

John Phoenix

I didn't make a blanket statement. I made a statement based on my research. Your info above conflicts with the info I found on the Louisiana DMV website and the info from the Baton Rouge Government ( state Capitol) website. Please post for me a link to your information.

You may be referring to this page, ( https://dpsweb.dps.louisiana.gov/omv1...3?OpenDocument )

which says, " MOTORIZED BICYCLE - R.S. 32:1(41) defines as a pedal bicycle which may be propelled by human power or helper motor, or by both, with a motor rated no more than one and one-half brake horsepower, a cylinder capacity not exceeding fifty cubic centimeters, an automatic transmission, and which produces a maximum design speed of no more than twenty-five miles per hour on a flat surface."

My e-bike does not come anywhere close to these requirements. If you claim it does then you would have to include children's battery operated toy scooters and electric wheelchairs. These are ridden in bike form close to the curb just like an e-bike. Thus I believe this does not apply.

I believe this was written for Mopeds and scooters that are gas operated. It mentions "cylinder capacity" and "automatic transmission" - neither of which my e-bike has. Notice the words "Electric" " Watts" and "E-Bikes" or "Electric Bikes" are not mentioned, contrary to many other state's laws that defines "Electric Bikes" specifically. This law was not written to cover E-Bikes. There is no other E-Bike law for Louisiana that I can find.

But please note at the bottom it states: " NOTE: MOTORIZED BICYCLES SUCH AS POCKET BIKES AND SCOOTERS THAT DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS POLICY SHALL NOT BE REGISTERED."

Thus if considered a Bicycle I follow the La. Laws for bikes found here: https://brgov.com/dept/planning/bike/lalaw.htm

and the Federal E-bike Law as found here: https://e-bikekit.com/community/e-bike-law.html -

Note Section D. This law does not supersede a state's law for "low powered electric bicycles". It will apply to me because Louisiana does not have such a law.

Helmets are Not required for any motorcycle in Louisiana if you have 20 thousands dollars of insurance but that's another matter.

Sangesf

That fed law has to do with SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.
That has NOTHING to do with state's laws regarding licensing requirements on their own roads.
Pocket bikes and kids mini bikes are only allowed on private property.
Mobility scooters and the like are under a different law.
If you notice they didn't include the word "gas" either.
That's the point, they make laws general enough to be decided one way or the other.
Actually CALL your local police, county police and state DMV and ASK about electric bikes. You may find their answers conflicting and interesting at the same time.

Sangesf

You can also look up the local town's ordinances in your area on municode.com.
Here in Florida they don't need a license.
In NJ, where I just moved from, you need a license.
I'm guessing you lost your license and that's why you want to go electric.
I'm just saying, air on the side of caution.
Do you really want to possibly get pulled over, written summons and have to spend money on a lawyer and possibly lose your license even longer?
Obviously, do what you want, just don't go into it blind.

himespau 

I'd be surprised if anywhere made you get a license for them unless they were either going to make you get a license for your bike or somehow say they're different than bicycles.

GTR2EBIKE

I lost my license as well(speeding tickets) that's how I got started and i'm still going strong. I was never bothered or so much looked at more than once by a police officer. Where ever I ride I average 28-31mph.

John Phoenix

I looked for laws for Jefferson Parish on municode.com and did not find anything other than the same info I already posted. According to dmvanswers.com that tells you if you need a license and registration to operate an Electric moped or scooter, the answer is No. Check the chart here: https://dmvanswers.com/questions/2086...ooter-or-moped. It is surprising in many states you do have to have a license. They do not make a clear distinction between an electric bike and an electric scooter.

I didn't lose my license. I gracefully allowed the darn commie crap to expire and said good riddens to the trash. There is nothing stopping me from getting another license any time I choose.

Sangesf

Call the local police and county sherriff about adding an electric motor to your bicycle and see what they say.
Report back as to what they tell you.

Fairmont

Better still would be to ignore the troll above. The guy has a really bad attitude, especially for someone new to this bulletin board.

elihu23

Many places do indeed make distinctions between regular bicycles and electric ones. However, the enforcement, at least in NYC, is minimal, which is probably best. Now in smaller towns and municipalities where there is less to occupy one's neighbors and the authorities things may be different.

pietzo

This is an issue that has come up for our business too. We have a few customers like yourself that purchased our electric bikes because they lost their license but still needed transportation.

One of these customers asked his lawyer and was told that an electric bike is regulated in Mass but he also asked a police officer and was told that he would be fine riding one. All of these laws are pretty confusing and seem a bit dated. If you lost your license you should make sure that you wont have a problem riding an ebike. you don't want to end up in jail.

-Peter

Sangesf

Thank you Pietzo.

The issue stems from the days in the 70's when people would lose their licenses for DUI.
Then people found out that most states at the time didn't regulate mopeds for license requirements.
So what did they do? Rode mopeds everywhere.
Then the states realized that people where doing that to get away with "driving" without a license. (some of these mopeds were able to do 40+) and then what happened? Many of those people would drink and ride their mopeds, so the states put a limit on mopeds for needing a license.
I would say (in my opinion {and my experience locally**) that 100% of the people riding gas powered bicycles (mopeds) do not have a license, not can afford the cost of an electric bicycle.
Depending on the state, they can and sometimes do require a license.
Just realize that District Attorney's will take the letter of the law and use it against you.
In the above poster's state (Mass) ANY powered vehicle of any TYPE (gas or electric) requires a lic.

In the OP's state, it's the same. Doesn't matter if it says electric or gas. (it doesn't).
It just mentions the maximum allowed power requirements, before it turns into a different class of vehicle (motorcycle).

All the OP has to do is get his license renewed.
(Saying that having a drivers license is akin to "commie krap" makes no sense.

himespau 

Sour grapes about not having it?

Odd that your reading of the law is so different from OP's who thinks it's not a powered vehicle. Not saying that either of you are right or wrong, but it'd be nice if laws were more clear (like all the cops that don't know bike law).

Sangesf

I don't care one way or the other.
I just don't want to see people get in trouble.
All the OP has to do is talk to the local/county cops and ask them.
They would be the ones who would say one thing or another.
And yes, most of the time the cops have no clue what the actual law is, however you can get a rough idea as to what they think.
Would help in some form or another.
Also, you can always go to the sherriff's dept and ask them... If they give you a response that is favorable, have them write it down on letterhead and keep that with you.
Now mind you that every local town can have their own laws.

Before I go on any lengthy trip, I make it a point to look up every town's and every county's bicycle laws, to make sure I won't have any problems. (Lengthy trip = ~100 miles, the max distance on my bike)

Sangesf

Sometimes the law makers purposely make a law vague, so they can try to accommodate, as many "ideas" as possible, given the time period when they're written.

John Phoenix

Commie krap = too much government regulation. A drivers license is not what it used to be. Now they want to force you to put all kinds of info on it I do not believe is anyone's business. All it should say is you passed the driving test and can operate said motor car. That's it. When government tries to regulate every area of your life, that's not Freedom, that's communism.

I spoke to some cops today. I asked if I could chain my e-bike to the walkway railing leading into the Jefferson Parish Police sub station that is connected to a large strip mall with lots of department stores ( about 5 feet away from the door) . One cop told me my bike was fine up to 3 horsepower. I told them my motor was only rated to between 500 and 750 watts.. much lower than 3 HP. 3 of them were very interested to learn about the e-bike and was very impressed that a direct drive hub motor could do 20 mph. They told me I could chain my bike there anytime I wanted to. I felt it was pretty secure while shopping. These were a group that consisted of old and young Jefferson Parish Policemen. None of them could think of any reason why I would need a drivers license.

How do you do a 100 mile trip? You always pedal?

Sangesf

No pedaling at all.
Dual motors and dual batteries.
Over $2000 invested in Electric Chopper Bicycle.
OCC Schwinn Stingray Chopper
36v 250w motors and 2-36v 20ah LiFePo4 batteries.
Cycle Analyst(s) to limit amperage to under 10a and to limit speed to 20mph. (The legal limit in Florida.)