Any restrictions on LFP?

On two occasions now, I've noticed pedicabs on the LFP that have had some type of electric motor attached to them.  The flintstone mobiles are bad enough without having to worry about powered vehicles on the LFP.  Are there restrictions on what people can use on the LFP or can any vaguely bike-like thing be ridden on the path regardless of how it's powered?

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Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on May 24, 2011 at 3:36am

I've seen bikes with electric motors and of course segways (on a guided tour) on the path before so I assume its allowed.  I love blowing past those dorks.

 

Either way, its time to get the off the path after 9 AM or so until October.

Permalink Reply by Mark on May 24, 2011 at 4:05am
A week ago, I had to deal with an oncoming pedicab at the LSD bridge path over the river that was pulling a trailer with two more bench seats!  A total of 3 bench seats.  WTF??
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 24, 2011 at 4:11am
There will come a time in the next couple of years when the majority of bikes out there will have electric motors. Those of us still pedaling will be in the minority.  We might as well get used to this now.  I know it's not going to be easy for me either.
Permalink Reply by Adam "Cezar" Jenkins on May 24, 2011 at 5:38am

Meh. A bike is a bike, even with an assist.

Don't let yourself get too righteous or too smug over it.

Permalink Reply by S on May 24, 2011 at 6:29am
Does it still count as a bike if it's a pedicab with one or two trailers for more bench seats? The path is iffy enough in summer with the current users, it'd be a nightmare if there's a large influx of what are essentially electric scooters start zipping around on it at fairly high speeds.

Adam "Cezar" Jenkins said:

Meh. A bike is a bike, even with an assist.

Don't let yourself get too righteous or too smug over it.

Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on May 24, 2011 at 6:54am

I'm freaked out enough by recumbents with fairings, which can go shockingly fast with a tailwind and are nearly invisible. If giant motorized pedicabs start whizzing around I'm swearing off the lakefront entirely.

I looked around a bit and didn't see any published rules about this, wonder if ATA knows anything about it.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 24, 2011 at 8:50am

A bike is a bike...

 

NOT

 

Where is the line drawn between a bicycle with a small motor and a motorcycle?  Motorcycles evolved from bikes in the first place 100 or so  years ago and the same argument "a bike is a bike" was used back then.  Do we use the internal-combustion engine as the cut-off and electric somehow "less powerful" than IC?

 

Sure, the first IC-motorcycles/bicycles were slow and heavy and human-powered bikes were much faster and nimble than them.  That changed over time.  

 

Electric-motorized bicycles are going to be just as fast as mopeds and full-sized motorcycles (many already are) and the power of these tiny E-hub motors that are now available is incredible with only the battery being the  limiting factor of how fast/far they can go.  Battery tech is increasing by leaps and bounds.  Even today a small hub motor that is no larger than a dyno-hub or brake hub can power a bicycle at 40+MPH no problem.   Where do we draw the line?


I don't think "a bike is a bike" and fear that vehicles capable of highway speeds will soon be on the LFP or other human-powered vehicle paths.  They probably already are.

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on May 24, 2011 at 8:53am

Technically, motorized vehicles are not allowed on the Lakefront Trail (except for official vehicles, maintenance, police, etc.), so this would include motorized pedicabs and Segways. We've asked the Park District somewhat recently if this policy still in in affect and they have let us know that it is.

If you see regular motorized vehicle use of the Trail such as by a tour company, you can let us know by emailing lakefront@activetrans.org, and we'll talk to that company (as long as you can give us identifying information for the company).

You could also call 311, but I'm not sure how they would handle that. We have talked to a Segway company before about their use of the Trail and received a positive response.

 

- Lee Crandell, Active Trans (www.activetrans.org/lakefront)

Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on May 24, 2011 at 9:29am

Electric-motorized bicycles are going to be just as fast as mopeds and full-sized motorcycles (many already are) and the power of these tiny E-hub motors that are now available is incredible with only the battery being the  limiting factor of how fast/far they can go.

 

Under federal law, electric bicycles can't surpass a top speed of 20 mph; once they do, they're motor vehicles. I suppose the law could be changed easily enough, but until Big Electric Bicycle starts making some campaign contributions you aren't going to see mass produced electric bicycles that go any faster than I do (thank God).

Which actually introduces a worrying element here: Who in the hell is jerry rigging these contraptions you see around town going faster than that? I'm dubious enough of electric bicycles made by someone theoretically answerable to lawsuits. The notion of someone rolling around on a pedicab hooked up to a motor some guy who may or may not know what he's doing cooked up in his garage is kind of frightening.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 24, 2011 at 9:43am
The motors are available online -even amazon. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to hook up a motor controller and a set of batteries to them -it's not exactly hard as the technology is there.  No harder than building a super sound system...
Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on May 24, 2011 at 9:53am

 

"Top speed is 60 MPH.... We can not use it to its full potential, for risks of another broken chain. We have been through 5 chains, and 2 derailleurs."

 

LOL, rolling death trap.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 24, 2011 at 11:21am

Two 1000w hub motors (one on the front and back wheel) would walk away from that abortion.  A couple of 1500w units would break 60 easily.

 

Lance on the go-go-juice is not much more than 300w for comparison sake and a 750w hub motor can push an upright bike at 25mph.  Some of the newer hub motors can do 2000w each.  Imagine a 3-wheeled pedicab bearing down LFP with 3 of those babies!  6000w=8 horsepower!  Or maybe just a 2-wheeler with 2 2000w motors.  That's almost 5.5hp.  A go-cart with that kind of power can go 90mph.

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