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Richard Peace

eBike News: NYC Bridge Cycle Lanes, Cannondale, MAXX, Esel, OYO eBikes & Lots More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

Bike Lanes for NYC Bridges
Cannondale’s New Comfort-Oriented Adventure Neo Range
MAXX Introduces Range Powered by Shimano’s EP8
Esel’s Wooden eBikes
Oyo’s Hydraulic Drivetrain
Pollution Sensing, Indicating and Self-driving eScooters!
Meet the Lilium eJet
eCargo Updates from Bristol, UK and the Netherlands
Utah Gears Up for the Big Gear Show

Headline News

Car Lanes to Become Bike Lanes on Two Major NY Bridges

Brooklyn Bridge – the proposed replacement of a motor vehicle lane replaced with a segregated bike lane

The New York Times reports that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to add bike lanes on two of the city’s most iconic bridges, the Brooklyn and Queensboro Bridges ‘to encourage cycling as the city recovers from the pandemic’.

NYT says ‘The new cycling plan for the two East River crossings — called “Bridges for the People” — was unveiled as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s final State of the City speech on Thursday. The bike lanes are the latest victory for cyclists and transportation advocates who have increasingly pushed Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat in his second term, to chip away at the entrenched car culture that has dominated the city’s more than 6,000 miles of streets.’

The current crossing of Brooklyn Bridge by cyclists has long been seen as a notorious obstacle course by cyclists.
[Read more…] about eBike News: NYC Bridge Cycle Lanes, Cannondale, MAXX, Esel, OYO eBikes & Lots More! [VIDEOS]

eScooter Laws and Regulations In The USA

Don’t worry if you are confused about the laws surrounded electric scooters – it seems much of North America is too, including lawmakers themselves. Even the naming is confusing – just to be clear when this article refers to electric scooters we mean what are also known as kickscooters and not the small step-thru motorbike type objects that can also be referred to as scooters.

Electric scooters have taken the US by storm, having gone from rarity to reality over the last few years, especially public share rentals run by the likes of Bird, Lime and Spin. But these are rentals specifically authorized, usually by particular city authorities, that only authorize the deployment and use of that particular company’s electric scooters.

Rules and regs around use of your own electric scooter need local research to make sure you comply with the law

But what about if you fancy the convenience of owning and using your own electric scooter where you live or work? Unfortunately, the state of electric scooter law is only just beginning to emerge in the United States and varies from state to state and even city to city. But before we take a look at different regulations on electric scooters across the US and Canada and look at the most commonly asked questions about them lets get an overview of federal legislation.

Federal Consumer Law – Safety Standards

Actually there isn’t any Federal Law specifically on electric scooters – The Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972 was amended by Congress in 2001 so there is now a national definition of e-bikes in the US as they are classed as ‘a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of fewer than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20 mph (i.e., a low-speed electric bicycle).’

The above doesn’t tell you where the e-bike can be used, it only gives a legal definition of it. Since then People for Bikes has done brilliant work lobbying for the three-class law now adopted by 28 states across the US which does tell e-bike riders where they can ride along and states have also legislated on a host of other issues for e-bikes like whether helmet use and insurance are also mandatory – clearly many of the legal issues relating to e-bike use also relate to electric scooters.
[Read more…] about eScooter Laws and Regulations In The USA

Tips for Riding Electric Bikes in Snow and Ice

Do you garage your e-bike as temperatures plummet and as snow and ice appear? Maybe you think its’s dangerous or even not possible to ride in the worst of winter conditions but as we demonstrate below, e-bikes can be the perfect tool for riding in snow and ice. In fact, once you get the hang of it, you might find yourself grabbing the e-bike and heading out for magical, snowy winter rides…

Riding in snow can be an awe-inspiring experience (copyright Richard Peace)

What Kind of eBike?

It really does depend on what kind of winter weather you get. I’ve ridden an electric powered Brompton with a front hub motor and skinny road tires on through snow, and this has all the worst attributes for an e-bike you would want to ride in snowy or icy conditions, though it does go to show what is possible. Wheel and tire (or “tyre” in the UK) size and design are particularly important when e-biking in snow. E-bikes for riding in snow and ice should ideally (but not necessarily) have:

Larger wheels to make for a larger contact patch, providing more grip
Larger volume tires with aggressive tread – again widening the contact patch with the tread providing extra grip too.
In particularly icy conditions or on very compacted snow, studded tires provide the ultimate in grip and if you live in a real winter climate with snow and ice for many weeks or months of the year studded ice tires might prove give you the confidence to venture out in just about any conditions.

Even narrow road width tires with some tread on can provide good grip on pretty fresh snow, as here (copyright Richard Peace)

Of course, electric road bikes and other frame designs with narrow fork drop-outs simply won’t accommodate much wider tires and so the heavier the snow and ice the more they are at a disadvantage. That said I’ve ventured out many times in winter with patchy or thin snow and ice on the ground on my e-powered Brompton fitted with regular Schwalbe Marathon commuting tires. Indeed many road and e-road bike riders find that changing from ‘skinny’, faster summer tires to winter tires with just a bit more width and tread can make all the difference when there is just a moderate amount of snow and ice about.
[Read more…] about Tips for Riding Electric Bikes in Snow and Ice

eBike News; Juiced, Peugeot, 50 Cycles New eBikes Plus Snow Cycling eBike History & Much More! [VIDEOS}

In this Week’s News:

Juiced Scorpion Blurs the Line between Bike and eBike
New Peugeot City Crossover Model
50 Cycles Brose-powered 2021 Range
LEAOS Rocket Powers into the Urban Lightweight Category
New Stylish Bike Bags from Chrome
Portland’s Biketown eBike Share Steps up a Gear
Successful Snow Cycling in Finland
Vintage eBikes from the UK
Idaho Stop Coming to New York State?
All the Latest eBike Biz

New eBikes & eBike Systems

Juiced Scorpion – Bicycle, Moped or eBike?

The Juiced Scorpion has plenty of motorbike features though the basic model is a class 3 e-bike in the US, legally speaking

The Juiced Scorpion was launched at the end of last year and though it looks like a moped-cum-motorcycle it is, legally speaking, a US class 2 and 3 e-bike with throttle assist to 20mph and pedelec style assist to 28mph. It is even marketed under the slogan Where Moped Meets eBike.
[Read more…] about eBike News; Juiced, Peugeot, 50 Cycles New eBikes Plus Snow Cycling eBike History & Much More! [VIDEOS}

eBike News: Bianchi’s New Range, Möve and BH Lightweight Launches, eScooters Forge Ahead & Lots More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

Bianchi’s New Sophisticated e-Omnia Range
Lightweight Launches from Germany’s Möve and Spain’s BH
Smart Bluetooth Tech Moves
Skid Detection and Smart Parking for eScooters Plus the UK Debate Hots Up
All the Latest eBike Biz News

New eBikes & eBike Systems

Bianchi e-Omnia – One Name, three Families and Some Eyecatching Prices

Bianchi’s e-Omnia offers the same futuristic frame styling across a range of city, touring and mtb electric models

Once known primarily as an Italian brand with a long road racing heritage in recent years Bianchi has moved rapidly into e-bikes. They have now announced e-Omnia, the generic name for their three new lines of e-bike:

The e-Omnia C-type has a step-thru frame for city use

The C-Type is Bianchi’s take on the electric city bike with prices starting at €3320. There is a choice of 500 or 625Wh batteries. Choose from Shimano’s 1×10 Deore derailleur or their 5-speed hub gears and a host of carrying options.
[Read more…] about eBike News: Bianchi’s New Range, Möve and BH Lightweight Launches, eScooters Forge Ahead & Lots More! [VIDEOS]

eBike News: PWR Dual Drive, Cairn, Dutch ID, Secure Parking and Lots More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

PWR Two Wheel Drive eBike
Cairn’s New Adventure eBike
Slick New Models for Spring from Dutch ID and LeMond
Swytch New Pedal Sensor
SENA Smart mtb Helmets
Clever Bike Storage Solutions from France and Belgium
Aptera – the Light Electric Vehicle of the Future?
Endura Aim to Go Carbon Negative by 2024
All the Latest eBike Biz News

New eBikes & eBike Systems

New PWR Bike Dual Traction Model

PWR Bike’s Dually features dual 500W motors

New brand PWR Bike has just announced the Dually. PWR say their first e-bike is ‘unique’ as it uses dual 500W hub drive motors for ‘All-Wheel Drive performance with the benefits of Traction Control. The drive system automatically diverts power to the tire with more grip to greatly increase traction and control on loose and steep terrain. It also has a grip throttle so riders can give themselves a boost when needed.’

It has a 696Wh battery and weighs 66 lbs / 30kg with a load capacity (including rider) of 275 lbs / 125kg.

ARCC Moulton TSR Electric Review 2021

Last Updated: Jan 11, 2021
Review and photos: Richard Peace
Tested By: Richard Peace

Summary Review: ARCC Moulton TSR Electric

ARCC have been making the ARCC e²-pod Intelligent Power system for a number of years now. We have tried several versions of this lightweight and high-tech system before and liked it very much – but this time it is fitted to an absolute classic of bike design, the Moulton, which is also designed and manufactured in the UK. Both have a reputation for being lightweight and very well-made so we were keen to see how the two outstanding designs would work together.

There aren’t that many lightweight drive systems around so the ARCC e²-pod Intelligent Power system, adding around 4kg (including battery) to whatever design of bike it is installed on, is great to have as an option if lightweight is high up on your list of e-bike boxes to tick . Nor are there many road / touring bikes that feature suspension as the Moulton does. Put these two together and you have an e-bike that does what very few others can do.

Our bottom line ARCC Moulton TSR Electric review: ARCC have managed to blend superb quality with great practicality and long term sustainability with the Moulton TSR Electric.
[Read more…] about ARCC Moulton TSR Electric Review 2021

eBike News: UK Bike Shops ‘Essential’, CLIP BIKE Friction, Pullit! Mini Trailer and Much More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

UK Bike Shops Deemed Essential in New Lockdown
CLIP BIKE Friction Drive Relaunched
Pullit! The folding trailing that packs down onto your bike
Powerful DIY Carbon Full Sus eMTB Build
Belt vs Chain Efficiency
Cycle Lane Update
Bafang Launch Direct to Dealer Service

Headline News

UK Bike Shops Deemed Essential Again As Country Enters Second Lockdown

On Wednesday 6th of January most of the UK entered a second lockdown, with only listed shops and services allowed to say open. Cycling Industy News reports that ‘Listed among the transport services permitted to stay open bike shops will again be allowed to operate in full, offering sales and workshop services, though it is advisable to have a policy in place limiting the number of customers in store at once.’
[Read more…] about eBike News: UK Bike Shops ‘Essential’, CLIP BIKE Friction, Pullit! Mini Trailer and Much More! [VIDEOS]

eBike News: Hi spec Italian Trekking Super Magnum, German Velocar, Indian Connected eBikes & Much More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

Olympia’s Super Magnum Trekking eBike Announced
Ducati Models Arriving in the US
Germany’s Duo Moke Velocar to Become a Reality?
India’s Tronx Connected eBike Looks to Break into Europe
Halford’s Free eBikes Competition
Updated Avenue Verte Guidebook
Citi Bikes Lawsuit
All the Latest eBike Biz News

New eBikes and eBike Systems

Super Magnum – Olympia’s E-trekking Bike

Major Italian bike and e-bike brand Olympia have just announced the new Super Magnum e-trekking model. If features the new torque sensor-equipped Ananda M81 mid-drive. Olympia say ‘This motor, supported by a 630 Wh battery, stands out for its compact size and very low noise….The engine is capable of developing 100 Nm of torque.’

Other features include hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano Alivio 9-speed transmission, adjustable handlebar stem, wide profile Schwalbe Super Moto tires, front suspension fork and suspension seat post.

The bike retails at 2569 euros.

Olympia appeared in many e-bike news sites in spring 2020 when it launched a series of e-bikes with huge 900Wh in frame batteries.

eBikeNews: Tern Speed Model, Norco eFat, Light Eovolt Folders & Much More! [VIDEOS]

In this week’s news:

New Tern Speed Pedelec for the US Market Only
Power Through Winter with Norco’s New eFat Bikes
Eovolt Expands Folding Range
Limited Edition eBikes from Tony Ellsworth and French Heritage
eCargo Bikes Delivering Food Over Christmas
EU Sustainable Battery Law Mooted

New eBikes and eBike Systems

Tern Go High Speed With New HSD S11

Tern’s new HSD S11 is its first high speed e-bike

Tern have announced their first Class 3 e-bike and it’s coming to the U.S. market first. The HSD range are mini-cargo bikes and the HSD S11 features the Bosch Performance Line Sport motor, which allows the bike to reach assisted speeds of up to 28 mph. The Performance Line Sport boasts 65 Nm of maximum torque and boosts the rider’s pedal input as much as 300 percent to create a smooth – it is a moderated version of the most powerful Bosch speed pedelec motor, the Performance Line Speed. The HSD S11 has an MSRP of $4,199 (U.S. dollars) and will arrive at U.S. dealerships in January 2021.

Richard Peace

Product Reviewer, Content Writer

Favorite Style of E-Bike

Favorite E-Bikes Reviewed

Current Bikes You Ride/Own

eBike News: NYC Bridge Cycle Lanes, Cannondale, MAXX, Esel, OYO eBikes & Lots More! [VIDEOS]

Headline News

Car Lanes to Become Bike Lanes on Two Major NY Bridges

eScooter Laws and Regulations In The USA

Federal Consumer Law – Safety Standards