Subsidies for ebikes

Utter Consternation

Utter Consternation wrote: »

Where are you cycling?





Not true, they're brilliant for anyone with long commutes, any underlying conditions or dodgy knees or hips.

Or those who live in hilly areas or even those who don't want to arrive at work sweating, not every workplace has or can have a shower.

I fully support any measure that helps reduce CO2 and leads to a more healthy population.

Macy0161

the.red.baron wrote: »

No adult below the age of 50 should be touching these anyway


The 25 limit makes them a waste of time for anyone with any sort of fitness

Whilst in the context of this forum, I wouldn't be high up in the fitness stakes, I'd consider myself a lot fitter than most of the population, and I'm under 50.

I seriously considered one, and still have one on the agenda should my work location/ circumstances change. I'd prefer a higher limit, but the 25km/hr would give me a consistent commute time, regardless of prevailing headwind home, and basically all up hill home too. It would allow me to either commute the entire way from home, or increase the distance of my current park and ride bike commutes.

If I didn't have work and family commitments that put me under time pressure, there probably wouldn't be a need for an ebike (if the headwind just meant harder work/ later home with no consequences). But that's not my reality at the moment.

JMcL

Macy0161 wrote: »

Whilst in the context of this forum, I wouldn't be high up in the fitness stakes, I'd consider myself a lot fitter than most of the population, and I'm under 50.

Same for me albeit I'm just on the other side of 50

Macy0161 wrote: »

I seriously considered one, and still have one on the agenda should my work location/ circumstances change. I'd prefer a higher limit, but the 25km/hr would give me a consistent commute time, regardless of prevailing headwind home, and basically all up hill home too. It would allow me to either commute the entire way from home, or increase the distance of my current park and ride bike commutes.

I've a 14km odd each-way commute which while not that long is quite exposed if there's wind and/or rain. It also does almost a 90 degree change in heading to make sure you'll catch some at some point. While I've HTFUed somewhat over the last while, there's still enough days when there's both wind and rain that makes me go to the car. An e-bike would probably claw me back some of those days.

My other use case is that my house is at the bottom of a steep hill with the shops at the top. There's the choice of about 150m @12% or the longer way round at 8-10%, on cold knees (which are not great at the best of times), and usually with some bell-end revving their engine behind you. I think they're fantastic and anything that gets somebody off of the mobile 3 piece suite can only be a good thing

jjpep

I'm under 50, fit and use an ebike. Can get to work without need of a shower or change if clothes. Can dress for the weather and not worry about over heating. For me cycling is an a to b thing, not a sport.

And as for the infrastructure being good enough anywhere in Ireland? Absolutely and utterly no.

NeedMoreGears

Personally I think e-bikes are a great idea. If they get people out of cars, I'm all for it. We currently offer significant subsidies for e-cars so why not for bikes. Age or road condition are irrelevancies in this regard. Most people are not as fit as those who hang around the boards cycling forum so if they need a bit of assistance on a bike, so what? Yeah our infrastructure is not where we'd like to be, but I wouldn't be waiting for an improvement there before encouraging people I onto e-bikes.


...and they're great to draft on a windy day along the coast!

Pigeon Reaper

I use one at the weekends and in the evening after I've done my commute/training rides on a normal bike. They're great for going to the shops, picking up heavy items in panniers, cycling to other sports and generally replaces car use. I even tow my dog in a trailer since she's too old to walk far anymore. I happily throw the weekly shopping into the panniers and dog trailer saving me time as I'm not stuck trying to get into car parks.

I think every cyclist should support any initiative that aims to get more people cycling the reason being the more cyclists there are on the road the greater the demand for adequate and safe cycling infrastructure will be.

boardbeer

loyatemu wrote: »

They've become very popular in the Netherlands, in general I think they know what they're doing there when it comes to active travel.

Not so sure: the mild ebikes were ok - I overtook them, mostly, but having the 45kph (number plated) ones close passing you on a narrow track was quite unsettling. But all in all, better than the close passes by cars that we enjoy here.

loyatemu

boardbeer wrote: »

Not so sure: the mild ebikes were ok - I overtook them, mostly, but having the 45kph (number plated) ones close passing you on a narrow track was quite unsettling. But all in all, better than the close passes by cars that we enjoy here.

you can ride a low cc moped in the cycle lanes there too, but it's a recent development and controversial AFAIK. I'd agree that cycle lanes should be restricted to <25 km/h eBikes and scooters (and obviously pedal cycles at whatever speed )

tomasrojo

loyatemu wrote: »

you can ride a low cc moped in the cycle lanes there too, but it's a recent development and controversial AFAIK. I'd agree that cycle lanes should be restricted to <25 km/h eBikes and scooters (and obviously pedal cycles at whatever speed )

Lower-powered mopeds were using cycle lanes in the Netherlands twenty years ago, maybe longer ago.

As far as I can see, that's still the case mostly, but in Amsterdam they have to get off the cycle lanes now:

The new regulation will require all blue-plate mopeds to use the main roadway in around 80% of the area inside the A10 ring road. Riders will also have to wear a helmet.

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2019/04/amsterdams-ban-on-scooters-on-cycle-paths-comes-into-force/