surveyor6

In spite of its moto looks, the Beachman 64 is definitely an e-bike.
The motor is limited to 500w max and top speed is limited to 20 mph.
There is no pedal assist at all. Throttle only.
It will not be available in the States until 2023 anyway.
More confounding info at the links.

https://newatlas.com/urban-transport/beachman-64-ebike/

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/t...an-64-e-bike#/

[img]https://c1.iggcdn.com/indiegogo-media-prod-cld/image/upload/c_limit,w_695/v1631629101/bhs6p92gl4lrqeoyjces.jpg[/img]

2old

Looks like a bike made to be deregulated, and the type of vehicle e-haters point to in order to discredit the manufacturers who following the rules.

surveyor6

I think a programmable controller could make it capable of over 40 mph.
They admit on their indiegogo site that it has a 2000w hub motor requlated to 500w.
Unlike some high powered e-bikes, there is no ability to switch from street legal power to off-road power in stock trim.

skookum

If it is throttle only, no pedal assist, its not considered an ebike anyway,it will be an electric scooter and require insurance and registration. Might as well have the full 2000 watts available,
which seems a bit wimpy to propel a 100kg machine.
Canada recently changed its ebike regulations to keep people from importing ebikes with a nominal 500 watt output than can be be tweaked to have more power. Apparently it is much harder to import an ebike now, but I don 't know anybody who has tried.

Robert C

I can understand why some people like them. They are fun looking. That said, it isn't what I want for riding. If it helps break "car culture" then I am for it, even if I would spend my money elsewhere.

rossiny

True, but I doubt will break our "car society".
They will just be toys where you use power and energy not your own. Just like 4 wheelers, snow mobiles, jet ski, electric skate boards, etc etc.

skookum

Slight derail but I don't think you could import this into Canada as an ebike, but it appears you can produce it and sell it here.Of course it depends on the province too, but as far as I know they all follow the 500 watt, 32 kph, pedal assist rules.


They would look at this bike and say "Its untethered speed is much greater than 32 kph, so its not an ebike".


If you buy one and ride it around even at less than 32kph you are going to attract the attention of law enforcement because it looks like a motorcycle.Its not a stealth bike.

https://www.pcb.ca/post/everything-y...ke-into-canada

skookum

Car society is not going to break down. Its just going to shift from petroleum powered to elecrically powered.
In cities, ebikes if properly regulated and if proper infrastructure is provided, could make a big difference as it gives people an intermediate option between walking and driving for short distances
and small errands.
In Canada it is limited because who is going to cycle when it is -20C and the roads are slippery? Ebikes aren't going to change that.

surveyor6

I don’t think car culture dies with green energy. The companies that make hot ridding parts like Edelbrock, Crower, Magnaflow, etc are already designing power adders for your electric cars like controllers, higher efficiency wiring and connector packages, etc.

veganbikes

I spoke with someone from Ninebot recently and they make their own little scooter thing and they slapped pedals on it to call it an "e-bike" absolute equine fecal matter but it was a fun little scooter for someone in the city. If only they could just all accept that when you put a throttle on it is a moped, stop calling them e-bikes and fewer problems. I have no problem with their existence, if it removes a car once and a while even for a short bit let's do it just don't treat them as bikes have a moped class and leave it at that.

2old

CA (and many other states) have a Class system. "e" bikes that fall within the guidelines, which include 750w models with throttles governed to 20 mph, are defined as bicycles. That's good enough for me. Call them Tom, Dick or Harry for all I care, but by state law they're bicycles period.

skookum

I don't have a problem with throttles as long as the maximum speed is still limited. A throttle is quite useful in city riding.
The problem is how to differentiate an e ebike from an e motorcycle, for regulatory purposes.

2old

AFAIK, some countries regulate with dynamometers, and the penalties can be severe for offenses. The US is far from adopting anything like this. I rode around town with a 35 mph system and never got more than a casual look from the constabulary (but pedaled along and didn't flaunt the speed).

skookum

How does that work, do they impound your bike and take it in for testing?

As long as your ride looks like a bike and not a motorcycle, and you don't act like an entiled jerk, you're probably going to be okay.

2old

I think they have portable dynamometers that measure torque (whatever) at the rear wheel. Saw a picture once depicting this "test".

Calsun

Even 10 years ago electric scooters were common in China. I was surprised inititally by how quiet the scooters were until I realized that they were battery powered. With battery power they could be stored indoors whether at home or at the office. The major cities have special roadways for scooters and bicyclists so the riders were far safer than in US cities.

Small ICE produce far more pollution for their size than larger ones used in cars and trucks. Gas lawnmowers generate as much smog as cars out the tailpipe. So replacing small gas motors with electric ones is a bigger deal than it might seem.

FREEBIRD1

I see all kinds of "electric rideables" nowdays on trails, in the city etc. Electric skateboards, electric unicycles(EUC's), one wheels, kick scooters, bicycles that look like mopeds, hover boards, Segway's. you name it. I think it's going to be very hard to classify e-bikes as with all of these PEV's (personal electric vehicles ) out there. Me and my wife ride trikes sometimes, and almost every other one of these we see, are e- powered.

cat0020

Bicycles e-bikes have pedals, cranks & chain that propel the bicycle forward.
If a vehicle cannot be propelled forward by rotating the cranks via pedals, it's not a bicycle nor e-bike.
It's rather misleading to call something as below an e-bike, it's more accurate to call it a e-moped:

2old

If they claim that monstrosity is an e bike, I hope they get sued for false advertising.

FREEBIRD1

According to the ad, it can be peddled separate from the motor power. I'm curious, back in the day, if any members owned a Whizzer, and what was required on it?

2old

I didn't see those pedals, and question who can pedal a 220 pound "bike". Fortunately they'll get challenged if they try to pass off a 72V bike as having less than the Class max of 750w. Never owned a Whizzer, but AIR, the pedals were just to start the motor, then throttle along. Perhaps you could pedal too, but never saw anyone doing it.

Robert C

When I lived in China, in addition to my bicycle, I had one of those little electric scooters. By local law it was a bicycle, getting around a lot of legal issues. In the US, I think it would be too slow. I have looked at the electric motor scooters here in the US and about the only one, of any respectable quality, here in the US is the Vespa. However, it is quite expensive.

I recently got a new eBike, to replace my homemade one. I like it a lot, other than the poor range. Having it puts me out of the market for a couple of years, but I still keep my eye on the market because it interests me.

matton

Why it is even considered an e-bike, if there's no pedals in it?

​​​​It's a motorcycle or scooter, I'd say.

skookum

It does have pedals, but the pedal system is independent of the electric motor, it is not pedal assist. It weighs 100kg, so it won't be easy to pedal.
I'm not sure if it would qualify as an ebike under Ontario laws ( Its manufactured in Toronto), The 2000 watt motor restricted to 500 watts might be problematic.
The whole thing makes no sense to me.

surveyor6

In post no 18, you can make out a pedal system in the pic. Just to make it legal as an e-bike. Nobody plans to pedal a 220 lb e-bike. Trying to pedal a 40 lb fat bicycle with a 7 speed cog set was a big enough challenge for me.
The makers of the Beachman 64 should just remove the speed and power limiters and sell it as an e-moto IMHO.