Saturday, July 29, 2017
Electric Bicycles on Trails
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| Image: Wikipedia |
FABB has not taken a formal position on electric bikes (see previous FABB blog posts that mention electric bicycles). We've discussed their use and opinions vary about whether they should be permitted on trails in the county.
I personally know several people who use electric bikes for different reasons. One experienced cyclist commutes long distances and his bike allows him to more easily get around without using a car. Another person is an avid cyclist who developed a health condition that affected his ability to ride. Now he is able to continue riding with his electric bike.
As far as I know, electric bicycles are not prohibited on the W&OD Trail. There is no mention of them in the Trail Guidelines.
According to Virginia code, 46.2-100 an electric bike is defined accordingly:
"Electric power-assisted bicycle" means a vehicle that travels on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground and is equipped with (i) pedals that allow propulsion by human power and (ii) an electric motor with an input of no more than 1,000 watts that reduces the pedal effort required of the rider.
Electric power-assisted bicycles are treated the same as regular bicycles in the current VA code, 46.2-904.1,000 watts is a lot of power. In Europe the standard for electric bicycles states that the motor cannot exceed 250 watts and the motor cuts off if the bike is going 25km/hr (15.5 mi/hr) if the cyclist stops pedaling. a 1,000 watt bicycle could easily reach speeds of 30+ mph.
My concern with electric bikes is excessive speed, especially when used by an inexperienced cyclist. I personally think we should be using the European standard and that electric bikes should not be allowed to travel above a certain speed (15mph?) on our local trails. What do you think?
Labels: electric bicycles, W and OD Trail
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Electric Bike Expo in Tysons Oct. 7-9
If you've ever wanted to learn more about the wide range of electric bikes on the market, the Electric Bike Expo is coming to Tysons this coming weekend, Oct. 6-8. From the Electric Bike Expo site of the event:
Imagine taking the hills out of your ride and adding fun to your excursions, whether commuting to work or school, or making quick runs to the store!
Test Ride More Than 100 Different Models Come test ride more than 100 different models of the latest electric assist bikes from brands such as Blix, BMW, Electra, Focus, Gazelle, IZIP, Kalkhoff, Specialized, Stromer, Tempo (Expo Charity Sponsor), Trek (Expo Track Sponsor), Wallerang, and Yuba, with the latest electric drive systems from Bosch (Expo Presenting Sponsor), Shimano, and more.
Labels: electric bicycles, Tysons
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Electric unicycle
We recently posted about a NYT article on the popularity of electric bikes. Bike Portland just featured an article on the Self-Balancing Unicycle: "The SBU is an electric-assisted unicycle with "advanced angle sensing electronics and software" that allows it to balance and "pedal" for you." It's like a single-wheeled Segway. It was featured recently on the TV show Mythbusters.Labels: electric bicycles, unicycle
Monday, February 1, 2010
Future of electric bikes
A Sunday NY Times article, An Electric Boost for Bicyclists, is an overview of the growth of electric bikes, not only in China as we've noted previously, but in Europe and the U.S. Trek has even started producing an electric-assist bike, the Ride+. What role will electric bikes play in the future of Fairfax?For those of us who use bicycles for transportation on a daily basis, electric bikes don't seem necessary. They require many more resources than a conventional bicycle. Batteries contain various toxic materials and must be recycled properly after use. Electricity needed for recharging is usually derived from fossil fuels. With their higher speeds, there will be inevitable conflicts with bicyclists riding conventional bikes. Should electric bikes even be allowed in bike lanes or shared use paths?
Despite the many negatives, there is a role for electric bicycles, especially in a place like Tysons Corner. Tysons and the surrounding area is not flat, and that terrain will limit the number of people willing to get around by bike. Electric bikes could get many more people out of their cars, most of which contain a single person driving to work. Parking would require much less space as well.
It's easy to envision people living in the surrounding neighborhoods of Pimmit Hills, McLean, Vienna and beyond having the option of hopping on an electric bike for the short trip into Tysons. As much as some of us dislike the notion, it's time to start thinking about the role of electric bikes in the future as their popularity grows.
Labels: china, electric bicycles, ride+
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
E-bikes in China
It's sad that bicycling has fallen so far in China. When I was there in the late 80's, the peak of bicycle sales in China, bicycles were everywhere. Large bike lanes dominated most streets in Beijing and there were very few cars. Now the reverse is true.While the use of conventional bicycles in China is decreasing, electric bikes have been taking off for the past couple of years. According to "E-bikes keep China's bicycle culture alive" in today's Post, 20 million electric bikes (e-bikes) will be sold in China this year. China is still the leading producer of bicycles in the world, producing approximately 60 million a year, many of which are exported.
The realities of too many people driving too many cars is starting to sink in:
"My family bought our first car in the 1990s, but we sold our car last year," said Bai Liping, 45, a saleswoman in an insurance company and an e-bike rider. "Having a car is not that convenient, compared with an e-bike."
They are also learning about the other problems associated with the switch from active transportation to cars:There may be one unintended side effect of the explosion of e-bikes and fewer people going to work through pedal power: According to the Health Ministry, 22 percent of Chinese adults are overweight and 7.1 percent are obese. In the cities, those numbers rise to 30 percent overweight and 12 percent obese. The statistics mark a dramatic rise from the 1990s, the ministry said.
"People are lazier than before," said Jin Shan, director of the sports culture research center at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences. "Before, no matter how far it was, the bike was your only choice. Changing from bikes to cars and e-vehicles is one reason Chinese people are getting fatter."
"People are lazier than before," said Jin Shan, director of the sports culture research center at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences. "Before, no matter how far it was, the bike was your only choice. Changing from bikes to cars and e-vehicles is one reason Chinese people are getting fatter."
Labels: china, electric bicycles
