Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
replyWe can focus on clamping down of "faux pedal ebikes" when the time comes, but for now it looks like we'll be throwing out everything to just to stop teenagers on surrons.
How much riding does it take to hold 25mph? 12 months of solid riding? (This is being generous, many people will never hold this speed)
replyHow much riding does it take to twist your arm 30 degrees?
You don’t see a difference?
Why would people have a hard time doing 25mph on a pedal assist bike that isn't limited to less than that?
replyThey're talking about riding a regular bike at 25mph. Most people can't sustain that.
replyWhy does it matter how much riding it takes?
replyThe point in distinguishing the different classes is about where the bike should fit into the ecosystem. Should it ride on the shoulder, interacting with pedestrians and slower bikes, or should it ride on the road, interacting with cars and motorcycles.
It doesn’t matter how much riding it takes, it matters how fast and controlled it is moving compared to the other traffic in that class.
The answer is cyclist gatekeeping? Or did I misunderstand your point?
replyIts easy, the accelerations are completely different and very hard to gauge. Also you have the elderly going speeds that does not mach their reactions, while also being unaware of how fast they are going. If you try biking with them it become very obvious how many dangerous situations they cause compared to true e-bike and normal bikes.
replyPedal assist feels like amplifying your natural power. The boost it gives is perfectly matched with your own movements so it feels more like you are just super fit. And there is far less chance you can just slip and apply too much power unlike throttle controlled.
replyIt's because absolutely everyone understands the proportional nature of "press pedals to go" while nobody without special training understands "turn wrist to go", especially not the crucial details of "untwist wrist to stop" and "by the way don't yank open the throttle while attempting a sharp turn".
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