Foxy, on the illegal I would leave the house to the country park (800 mtrs of road), enter the park for about 2 miles then onto the canal towpath, two or three miles of canal then, into the green lanes to the city and the inner city country parks, all done silently wafting along, I could not do that on one of my gas bikes, there would be hell to pay.
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What about pedalling Spitty?
Head down, arse up and just go for it… 
They should make this mandatory for every e bike. They should also remove the L plates status from mopeds. Its all ok until you have an accident and can’t trace the rider or there’s no insurance
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Did that as a lad Foxy, went miles and miles exploring, now its just about absorbing the surroundings without physical effort. with the legal one, even on medium assistance, you don’t realise just how much assistance you are getting, when away in the hills (and they are hills) there are a lot of lone lycra lads, I have to hold back because its not good overtaking them on the inclines, the legs and the cardio are still working a bit but, tailing the riders just highlights the help.
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It’s about definition, the legal Ebikes only assist when actual peddling is happening to a maximum speed of 15.5 mph which, is achievable on any conventional pushbike so, I don’t see what extra legislation would do, and as a pedestrian, it wouldn’t make any significant difference if hit by either
The illegal bikes achieve whatever speeds, and appeal to riders for reasons not considered by the legal crowd so, tying them down to a structured process would be difficult, its a catch 22 situation.
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The illegal ones are significantly heavier and faster and would do great damage in the event of a collision.
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I just knew this would crop up Mart, and I can see your reasoning behind your objection, but aren’t you turning your bike into ‘motorised transport’ even if it’s only assist.
Doesn’t that defeat the object of riding a bike for the benefits, the workout and the resulting fitness? It would be like lifting weights and using a winch for assistance…? Why not use lighter weights, or don’t cycle as far or as fast? If it’s sightseeing you want, just look out of the window of the car/bus/train or ride a moped. You have the benefit of pedalling if you want to. I used to borrow my Dad’s friend NSU Quickly when he came to visit, and I was only 13…But great fun…
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Foxy, do you remember the “Norman Nippy” 
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Picture it, its 30°c outside, the sun is beating down, get your vest and shorts on and take the illegal Ebike round the park, the cooling breeze caressing the bare flesh, not a drop of sweat on the brow, this need not be a fantasy Foxy 
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Not only do you like Trump…jeez… but you are gullible enough to buy the Reform guff.
Farage and Reform are the biggest con around. Reform Wales’s ex-leader has been jailed for being in the pay of Putin. Not quite one of the cambridge circle of spies for Russia but doing his bit for mother Russia. How is that helping the UK?
It’s interesting how Putin has got so many populists around the world in his pocket. He funded Marie le Pen. He has close ties with Meloni in Italy. He clearly has strong influence over Trump. It seems so very likely that Putin has been paying Farage - just look at Farage’s parroting of the Putin line about the Ukraine invasion. That is a Putin script that Farage is reading out. This is a Putin policy - promote populist parties to cause economic chaos across the west. Looking at Trump’s economic (and the rest) chaos - its working.
Then look at the mess the various Reform led councils are making. They are not the answer to the problems of the UK. And given that Brexit made the UK poorer, so will anything Farage does.
Owt is better than n’owt foxy. If it means more people would be able to travel further than they might otherwise have, without clogging up roads, using their cars, or waiting around for public transport, then that’s a bonus.
With respect, my friend, I think it might be you that’s kinda missing the point of e-bikes.
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Yes
No. The object is to get out and about when not as fit as once was. I put my time in on non-motorised bikes. It was my biggest pastime once, so must have put many miles of rough terrain behind me. My legs were about as carved in muscle as your own. However, fitness wasn’t the main point of cycling but more a by-product. I enjoyed the open air, being away from traffic, sometimes the challenge of riding up a steep and rugged hill.
When that strength faded somewhat, I got the e-bike. Then I was still able to get out and enjoy riding. I care more about the enjoyment than the fitness. It could be said I didn’t stay fit because I started riding an e-bike but I don’t believe that to be true. Fitness fades for all of us in time no matter how fit we consider ourselves to be …or how hard we try to stop that happening. Nothing wrong that I can see with extending the cycling enjoyment by getting an e-bike.
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But you can’t tell the difference so all with a battery should be licensed particularly as people can make them illegal
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This would all be fine if the majority weren’t driving into pets pedestrians and kiddies in an entitled way. It’s funny but I meet some of the nicest people off the bikes then wonder how they behave en piste
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I agree. I like the "rule’ in some Asian countries where, in an accident, the bigger vehicle is always at fault unless it can prove otherwise (Like the vehicle that rear ends another is always at fault unless…)
When I was a member of Bicycle NSW, the membership included third party insurance but insurance is not mandatory however woe betide someone who runs into a Rolls Royce.
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I have built enough, I can tell the difference at 100 yards, to peddle or not to peddle, that is the question
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Nonetheless no providence, is it?
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Sorry Foxy, just about to sign on the dotted line on a new EV for missus Spitty.
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It’d be a wonderful thing if every road in the uk had a mesh fence above it and a metal floor. Then we could have a whale of a time driving bumper cars all over the shop.
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