4 ms·

I can relate. Nice article. We had that same debate and ended up moving to the countryside. Surprisingly, it worked out well. + real forests. With today’s e-bik

by ensocode 11mo ago

I can relate. Nice article. We had that same debate and ended up moving to the countryside. Surprisingly, it worked out well. + real forests. With today’s e-bikes, even hills or longer distances aren’t really a blocker for kids anymore. In the end, it feels like the bigger factor is how you organize daily life, not whether you’re in a city or in a rural area.

jimbob45 11mo ago
Whitewashing motorcycles as e-bikes scares me more than anything else for the next generation.
- CalRobert 11mo ago
  Limited to 25 kph they seem fine (if only just, and a helmet is a good idea at that speed) but violations and disabled limiters are common
- goodcanadian 11mo ago
  Legal e-bikes are fine. The ones you are complaining about are probably illegal, not that there is any real enforcement.
  - mlrtime 11mo ago
    Serious Q: What is the fundamental difference between a legal and illegal e-bike. This largely is differentiated by the location but I don't know what illegal e-bike means.
    - awjlogan 11mo ago
      Maximum power output and maximum (assisted) speed are generally legislated. In the UK, an e-bike is up to 250 W and 25 kph. More than that, it would classify as a motorbike and you'd need a license (not particularly onerous). The bike itself is often built differently to accommodate the different power profile. As a pedal cyclist, I feel that's a reasonably sensible limit as much faster than that you should be more experienced as a cyclist to control the bike and anticipate the conditions.
    - beAbU 11mo ago
      In addition to the other answer you got. E-bikes are pedal assist, so illegal ones usually have throttles in addition to more powerful motors. This depends on the region though.
      - avhon1 11mo ago
        In the United States, throttle-only ebikes that go up to 20 miles per hour (Class 2 ebikes) are legal pretty much everywhere. They're required to have functional pedals, but no pedal assist function is required.
    - strix_varius 11mo ago
      E-Bikes are sold & regulated in "classes" (at least where I live in the US). A class 1 e-bike is pedal-assist and stops assisting beyond 20mph (mine, for instance, tapers off starting probably around 15 mph). A class 2 is the above, plus a throttle. A class 3 is anything that assists over 20mph. The "basically motorcycle" set exists here.
      - shkkmo 11mo ago
        Your class 3 definition is inaccurate. Class 3 is limited to 28mph and cannot have a throttle, only pedal assist. Anything that doesn't fall in one of those classes is a motorcycle that is not street legal and can only be rudden of private property (unless you can convince your DMV to give you registration as a motor vehicle.) This can vary somewhat from state to state, but most states have adopted or are moving to adopt these classes.
netdevphoenix 11mo ago
>With today’s e-bikes, even hills or longer distances aren’t really a blocker for kids anymore Unlike public transport, with an e-bike, the chances of getting a puncture or a malfunctioning battery increase with usage. Plus, there is also the very common bike theft and road accidents if you live in a country where bikes need to go on the road (like the UK)
- Toutouxc 11mo ago
  It doesn’t take much time to fix a puncture with a tiny kit the size of a matchbox. There are also tubeless tires with liquid sealant. An e-bike with a dead battery becomes a heavy bike. Theft and accidents, okay, but the first sentence is just fearmongering.
  - netdevphoenix 11mo ago
    > It doesn’t take much time to fix a puncture with a tiny kit the size of a matchbox. That's a dependency. Now you need to remember to have that kit with you. This is like solving the short battery life in phones with a portable battery charger. You still have to remember to charge the charger beforehand and bring it with you. Small kits are easy to lose sight of that by the time you need them so you don't know where they are. Tubeless tires are sadly not compatible with most bikes. I am not trying to be downer, this is just my experience (losing the kit and finding out that the bike I bought is not compatible with tubeless tires). I do agree though that bikes are definitely the way to go. But I wouldn't rely on them too much, especially on the electric components. Humans have a tendency to aim for convenience above all and being stranded in the middle of nowhere with dead phone and a bike with a dead battery in winter is not fun
    - acdha 11mo ago
      > That's a dependency. Now you need to remember to have that kit with you. You put it on the bike and don’t worry about it. This is less onerous than remembering your bus pass or cars keys.
    - HeinzStuckeIt 11mo ago

jimbob45 11mo ago

Whitewashing motorcycles as e-bikes scares me more than anything else for the next generation.

CalRobert 11mo ago
Limited to 25 kph they seem fine (if only just, and a helmet is a good idea at that speed) but violations and disabled limiters are common
goodcanadian 11mo ago
Legal e-bikes are fine. The ones you are complaining about are probably illegal, not that there is any real enforcement.
- mlrtime 11mo ago
  Serious Q: What is the fundamental difference between a legal and illegal e-bike. This largely is differentiated by the location but I don't know what illegal e-bike means.
  - awjlogan 11mo ago
    Maximum power output and maximum (assisted) speed are generally legislated. In the UK, an e-bike is up to 250 W and 25 kph. More than that, it would classify as a motorbike and you'd need a license (not particularly onerous). The bike itself is often built differently to accommodate the different power profile. As a pedal cyclist, I feel that's a reasonably sensible limit as much faster than that you should be more experienced as a cyclist to control the bike and anticipate the conditions.
  - beAbU 11mo ago
    In addition to the other answer you got. E-bikes are pedal assist, so illegal ones usually have throttles in addition to more powerful motors. This depends on the region though.
    - avhon1 11mo ago
      In the United States, throttle-only ebikes that go up to 20 miles per hour (Class 2 ebikes) are legal pretty much everywhere. They're required to have functional pedals, but no pedal assist function is required.
  - strix_varius 11mo ago
    E-Bikes are sold & regulated in "classes" (at least where I live in the US). A class 1 e-bike is pedal-assist and stops assisting beyond 20mph (mine, for instance, tapers off starting probably around 15 mph). A class 2 is the above, plus a throttle. A class 3 is anything that assists over 20mph. The "basically motorcycle" set exists here.
    - shkkmo 11mo ago
      Your class 3 definition is inaccurate. Class 3 is limited to 28mph and cannot have a throttle, only pedal assist. Anything that doesn't fall in one of those classes is a motorcycle that is not street legal and can only be rudden of private property (unless you can convince your DMV to give you registration as a motor vehicle.) This can vary somewhat from state to state, but most states have adopted or are moving to adopt these classes.

netdevphoenix 11mo ago

>With today’s e-bikes, even hills or longer distances aren’t really a blocker for kids anymore Unlike public transport, with an e-bike, the chances of getting a puncture or a malfunctioning battery increase with usage. Plus, there is also the very common bike theft and road accidents if you live in a country where bikes need to go on the road (like the UK)

Toutouxc 11mo ago
It doesn’t take much time to fix a puncture with a tiny kit the size of a matchbox. There are also tubeless tires with liquid sealant. An e-bike with a dead battery becomes a heavy bike. Theft and accidents, okay, but the first sentence is just fearmongering.
- netdevphoenix 11mo ago
  > It doesn’t take much time to fix a puncture with a tiny kit the size of a matchbox. That's a dependency. Now you need to remember to have that kit with you. This is like solving the short battery life in phones with a portable battery charger. You still have to remember to charge the charger beforehand and bring it with you. Small kits are easy to lose sight of that by the time you need them so you don't know where they are. Tubeless tires are sadly not compatible with most bikes. I am not trying to be downer, this is just my experience (losing the kit and finding out that the bike I bought is not compatible with tubeless tires). I do agree though that bikes are definitely the way to go. But I wouldn't rely on them too much, especially on the electric components. Humans have a tendency to aim for convenience above all and being stranded in the middle of nowhere with dead phone and a bike with a dead battery in winter is not fun
  - acdha 11mo ago
    > That's a dependency. Now you need to remember to have that kit with you. You put it on the bike and don’t worry about it. This is less onerous than remembering your bus pass or cars keys.
  - HeinzStuckeIt 11mo ago