4 ms·
> [...]$600 premium for electrification. But most people like mid-drives (torque-sense pedal assist), so it's more like $800[...] I don't know about the US, bu
by avar 7y ago
> [...]$600 premium for electrification. But most people like mid-drives (torque-sense pedal assist), so it's more like $800[...]
I don't know about the US, but in the EU that "like" is a must-have, your bicycle isn't street-legal as a bicycle unless it's a pedal assist (pedelec). The cheap option of pressing a button to get power makes the bicycle an electric motorcycle or scooter, needing a license, helmet etc.
So part of why they're expensive in the EU & other markets is regulatory, a drive train that can smoothly mix motor and pedal input without being clunky is more expensive to make than an electric scooter.
- nbanks 7y agoI wonder how if this European study holds true in North America. The US and Canada have a regulation for maximum speed/power, but pedelec is optional. In Canada it's pretty easy to build faster/more powerful e-bikes that break the laws without getting caught, though I'm sure off the shelf bicycles do adhere to the regulations. I ride a conventional racing bike myself, but I like e-bikes because having more cyclists and faster cyclists is a good incentive for making more bike paths.
- fulafel 7y agoThe basic EU street legal setup is a cheaper magnetic sensor that just sees if the pedals are rotating and toggles the motor on/off. Torque sensor gets you continuously variable motor power, depending on how hard you pedal. https://www.juicedbikes.com/pages/torque-vs-cadence-sensors https://www.juicedbikes.com/pages/torque-vs-cadence-sensors