Dangers of E Bikes

[Voltaire]

The Future is E bikes, better for environment, healthy and so on.

Or are they?

Some stats in from Holland are not convincing me to buy one.

[QUOTE]More cycling fatalities than deaths in cars

Disturbing news this morning: more people died on a bike than in a car in the Netherlands in 2017. A total of 206 people died on bicycles and 201 in cars. This is the first time that ever happened. The figure for cycling deaths is also the highest in 11 years. The fatality increase is completely male. The number of killed men went from 125 in 2016 to 148 in 2017. For women the total decreased a little, from 64 in 2016 to 58 in 2017. And yet, when you look at deaths per cycled kilometres, then cycling is becoming safer, not more dangerous.[QUOTE]

https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2...eaths-in-cars/

[Blackbird]

The Future is E bikes, better for environment, healthy and so on.

Or are they?

Some stats in from Holland are not convincing me to buy one.

Stats always require some degree of interpretation and anyone who rides a motorcycle (excepting Cassina) may be at lower significant risk compared with other demographics who use them.

I rode a Scott pedal assist demo model a couple of months ago for the first time and was seriously impressed. Having reached 70 with dodgy knees, I ride my 25 year old mountain bike on the road to keep fit and keep the knees in reasonably good nick. Living in Coromandel, there are only a few routes I can ride which don't have SERIOUS hills and it can get quite boring. An electric bike would open up whole new vistas for me. Not ready to splurge around 5 grand quite yet but maybe a couple of years will see one in the shed.

A mate of mine commutes from West Auckland to Auckland Uni every day mainly by cycleway instead of driving in and he loves it. "Fitness for purpose" and all that..........

[Berries]

Some stats in from Holland are not convincing me to buy one.

I bet they have way more drownings in canals over there as well.

You can't compare cycling in NZ with cycling in Holland.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I am very seriously considering converting my commuter to e-power. Most of the electric bikes I have seen have had pretty shitty cycle parts so I will do the mid drive conversion on a decently specced bike. current thinking is a Bafang mid drive with a 48V battery. Hopefully it will crack 50kph on the flat.... MORE POWER!

[oldrider]

[QUOTE=Voltaire;1131095774]The Future is E bikes, better for environment, healthy and so on.

Or are they?

Some stats in from Holland are not convincing me to buy one.

[QUOTE]More cycling fatalities than deaths in cars

Disturbing news this morning: more people died on a bike than in a car in the Netherlands in 2017. A total of 206 people died on bicycles and 201 in cars. This is the first time that ever happened. The figure for cycling deaths is also the highest in 11 years. The fatality increase is completely male. The number of killed men went from 125 in 2016 to 148 in 2017. For women the total decreased a little, from 64 in 2016 to 58 in 2017. And yet, when you look at deaths per cycled kilometres, then cycling is becoming safer, not more dangerous.

https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2...eaths-in-cars/

More people living and riding than riding and dying - best focus on what it is you want rather than what you don't want - what you think about usually happens!

[FJRider]

Here in NZ the Motor Vehicle accident death rate is increasing each year. Even with safer roads and safer vehicles ... and even with the improved driver licensing system.

Is the problem really with the bikes ... or the riders ... ??? The increase only with the male population ... suggests the riders are the cause of the increase.

[Grumph]

Here in NZ the Motor Vehicle accident death rate is increasing each year. Even with safer roads and safer vehicles ... and even with the improved driver licensing system.

Is the problem really with the bikes ... or the riders ... ??? The increase only with the male population ... suggests the riders are the cause of the increase.

I'd suspect that those stats from Holland reflect a situational problem. We all know of the born - again biker accident problem here. I'm thinking that E bikes represent a danger to working men whose partners tell them "it's time to get some exercise by going to work on a bike again"
Having the budget - and her permission - they see E bikes as the solution.

Like the born - again's, they are often at a loss in traffic situations. Therefore at high risk...

I might be wrong, but those thinking of a change to E bikes should be wary IMO.

[neels]

I'd suspect that those stats from Holland reflect a situational problem. We all know of the born - again biker accident problem here. I'm thinking that E bikes represent a danger to working men whose partners tell them "it's time to get some exercise by going to work on a bike again"
Having the budget - and her permission - they see E bikes as the solution.

Like the born - again's, they are often at a loss in traffic situations. Therefore at high risk...

I might be wrong, but those thinking of a change to E bikes should be wary IMO.

I think you could be correct.

I've had a number of near misses with low flying e-bikes, and see quite a few more.

While they're probably legally justified in using cycle lanes, when your getting along at 40-50kph you're putting yourself in danger of other road users not expecting it, I have enough trouble at 25-30 on the pushbike with the 'look, think, pull out, shit where did he come from' brain process of car drivers.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I think you could be correct.

I've had a number of near misses with low flying e-bikes, and see quite a few more.

While they're probably legally justified in using cycle lanes, when your getting along at 40-50kph you're putting yourself in danger of other road users not expecting it, I have enough trouble at 25-30 on the pushbike with the 'look, think, pull out, shit where did he come from' brain process of car drivers.

I was a hardcore cycle commuter for 15 years and it is fucking carnage out there.

[FJRider]

While they're probably legally justified in using cycle lanes, when your getting along at 40-50kph you're putting yourself in danger of other road users not expecting it, I have enough trouble at 25-30 on the pushbike with the 'look, think, pull out, shit where did he come from' brain process of car drivers.

Maybe another "Can of worms" has been opened ...

Anybody in officialdom (or recently departed from same) care to comment on E-bike status/legality on the roads of NZ ... ???

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/r...-moped-riders/

Information for moped riders
A moped is a two-wheeled motor vehicle with an engine capacity of no more than 50cc or which has an alternative power source (for example, electricity). Its maximum speed capability is no more than 50km/h. This definition also includes three-wheeled vehicles registered as mopeds before 10 May 2011.

You are licensed to ride a moped if you have either a motorcycle (Class 6) licence or a car (Class 1) licence. When riding a moped on a Class 1 or Class 6 learner licence, you must display an L plate. If you’re on a learner or restricted licence, you must not ride the moped between 10pm and 5am.

Safety rules for moped riders
A moped is a motor vehicle. Therefore, you must not ride it on the footpath or a cycle path. The exception is where a road controlling authority has authorised the use of a footpath by a moped or motorcycle rider for the purpose of delivering newspapers, mail or other printed material to letterboxes.
You must wear an approved motorcycle safety helmet when riding a moped.

[R650R]

Still too expensive unless you do your own conversion job. I enjoy the exercise of pedalling.
Legally they are a powered bike so think they need a motorcycle spec helmet legally, a blind eye seems to be turned to it by the plod....
You can’t take them in mountain bike parks as all the super fit alpha males are scared of their Strava times being worthless on uphill legs.... And they think they will damage trails.....

The accident stats will be due to unfit people crashing whose bodies aren’t up to crashing and who don’t know how to crash safely if you get my drift....

The technology will only get better tho and cheaper and soon manual pedalling will be looked at like an old hand crank washing machine...

[FJRider]

The Future is E bikes, better for environment, healthy and so on.

Or are they?

Some stats in from Holland are not convincing me to buy one.

A point to ponder on ... does the environment need this ... ??

https://electricbikereview.com/forum...ery-year.2486/

[Grumph]

I was a hardcore cycle commuter for 15 years and it is fucking carnage out there.

So what would you estimate as the life expectancy of a male - say 30-40 - who hasn't ridden a pushbike in traffic since he left school ?

I've got mates who have been dedicated cycle commuters and who tell me that finding alternative routes away from traffic is one of the first things to learn.
No one teaches you these things. Maybe someone should....

[Voltaire]

A point to ponder on ... does the environment need this ... ??

https://electricbikereview.com/forum...ery-year.2486/

As far as I know in NZ 'recycling " of lead/acid, lead/gel batteries mean they go in a container off to China or Korea.

One of the other 'great' things of modern life is the plastic water bottle, healthy water for healthy lifestyle...

[pete376403]

Will e-bikers be required to wear proper safety gear or is a few tenths of a millimetre of lycra considered adequate? We have to wear proper approved helmets where a cycle helmet is more akin to a thin flexible polypropylene shell and a bit of polystyrene padding. And then there is the ACC cost - are e-bikers going to get hit with an additional surcharge? Will they pay anything at all?