eBikes. Are they bikes? Do they belong in the bike lane?

What's the deal with the lady flying past me at 20mph? Does that thing belong in the bike lane or the street? It's like an electric moped.

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Permalink Reply by dav on June 6, 2016 at 4:53am

Thank you for posting this. It seems a good, educated point-of-view.   My take away was speed. eBike users use them for speed, primarily, and not so much to assist them getting up a hill or going greater distances.

"They highlight that 20% of e-bike crashes send the cyclist into intensive care. Only 6% of crashes on normal bikes end up in intensive." I wonder if this has to do with the fact that a higher proportion of E bike riders are elderly and or obese and or otherwise more susceptible to injury.

I took this to believe that ebike riders travel at higher speeds consistently for greater distances.

Us pedal pushers can hit 20mph and keep it up for a block or two vs an ebike that needs little effort for the same. 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 6, 2016 at 7:43am

The majority of people riding regular bikes couldn't ride 20 mph, or at least couldn't sustain that speed for more than a very short distance.

The impact of a 20 mph crash on the body is much more severe than the impact of a 10 mph crash, regardless of one's age or physical condition prior to the crash.

Permalink Reply by Yolo Perdiem on June 9, 2016 at 6:24am

This is car vs. peds but the hockey stick applies whenever a squishy bag of mostly water meets immovable object.

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on June 6, 2016 at 5:42am

A good article.  It seems that the more advanced cycling countries are arriving at some sound conclusions.  Allowing ebikes, as least as presently constituted, on bikeways is not good, either from a safety or a congestion perspective.   

Permalink Reply by V W on June 6, 2016 at 6:01am
As presently constituted there are plenty of E bikes that are pedal assist and don't reach 20mph, there's an E trike that goes about 11 or 12 and plenty of E bikes that top out at around 16. Plenty of E bikes are no bigger than a standard bike. I don't get how they are inherently less safe or cause more congestion. If you kick all non standard bikes off bike paths you're lumping in a lot of non problematic bikes with the E scooters and gas powered lawnmower engine ones that are problematic.
Permalink Reply by dav on June 6, 2016 at 6:56am
I wouldn't doubt it if I get passed by every day, or pass every day, ebikes. I guess it's the kind of thing that you only notice when they stand out due to speed.
Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on June 6, 2016 at 7:56am

Those that top out at 15.6 mph (25 kmph) are, I would guess, made to EU standards, which also limit the motor power to 250W.

20mph is allowed in China, so I would expect lots of ebikes capable of that to be available in the US already or soon.

Permalink Reply by Lee Roy on June 6, 2016 at 4:06am

Gas Bikes and Ebikes are governed by the same law.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=096-0125

Anybody got a link to the Bike Lane Laws and who can ride in them?

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on June 6, 2016 at 6:03am

Under section 9-4-010 of the Chicago Municipal Ordinances, “Bicycle” means every device propelled solely by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels and including any device generally recognized as a bicycle though equipped with two front or two rear wheels.

Under the same ordinance, “Vehicle” means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a street or highway, except motorized wheelchairs, devices moved solely by human power, devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks and snowmobiles, as defined in the Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act of Illinois.

Under those definitions, and rightfully so, ebikes are vehicles, not bicycles.  

Under 9-40-060(a), "The driver of a vehicle shall not drive, unless entering or exiting a legal parking space, or stand, or park the vehicle upon any on-street path or lane designated by official signs or markings for the use of bicycles, or otherwise drive or place the vehicle in such a manner as to impede bicycle traffic on such path or lane."

As I read the pertinent ordinances, ebikes are not allowed in bike lanes in Chicago.  I suppose an argument could be made that so-called "pedelec" vehicles could enter into the bike lanes if the electric motor was completely turned off.  Fine by me.

Permalink Reply by V W on June 6, 2016 at 6:09am
Interesting, I didn't know that E bikes technically can't be on the bike lanes without the assist being off. This seems more like an oversight than the intent of the council, it'll be interesting if they tackle this issue to make it more explicit, either in favor or against.
Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on June 6, 2016 at 5:50am

Was the "lady flying past" on an eBike? Did you confirm that was the case? There are a lot of women who can easily ride that fast. I think the question I have is if she was riding in a high traffic area? 

eBikes like the Faraday we reviewed are quite heavy and you have to pedal to take advantage of the power. They aren't crazy fast. I do think it'd be helpful for eBikes to include a bike computer to help keep the cyclist aware of the speed they are going. 

Permalink Reply by dav on June 6, 2016 at 6:08am
Thanks. I'm not such a sexist asshole that if a woman passed me I'd immediately assume she was on an eBike. Yes. It was an eBike.

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