Research Project: Where is the British e-Bike boom?

[annedonnelly]

There are quite a few round here. I often see them on the bike stands outside the supermarket and one day last summer on a guided walk in Whitley Bay I saw more e-bikes on the NCN1 than standard bikes.

There's one guy I'm sure simply uses his to go from one end of the street - where he lives - to the other - where there's a local shop. I have never seen him actually pedalling; he just treats it like a moped.

 

[t_savez]

One question asks 'Employment status' , following question asks 'mode of commuting'. People who have answered "Retired" to the initial question have no opt out from the second question. People who have retired may well do more travelling than those in employment.
I had a short trial run on an ebike at a demonstration day, but don't know anyone who owns one and have never seen one in my locality.
We have become such an idle car dependent population in the UK that it isy that many non cyclists will buy an electro assist, although they may encourage older cyclists to keep pedalling for longer.
If we want to encourage cycling, improved infrastructure will do more than electro assist to achieve that aim.

Helo Snorri, I should have worded that question better as I am still interested in how retirees travel, changes have been made, thanks. That is true, but apart from the electric car, no other forms of sustainable transport appear to compete in some form with the speed and distance covered of a private car. The government wants to bans the sale of all diesel and petrol vehicles after 2040, so it will be interesting what mode will be dominant, if not cars.

Last sentence, I think that is true from the research on foreign cyclists, who wouldn't touch a bike in the UK

 

[t_savez]

There are quite a few round here. I often see them on the bike stands outside the supermarket and one day last summer on a guided walk in Whitley Bay I saw more e-bikes on the NCN1 than standard bikes.

There's one guy I'm sure simply uses his to go from one end of the street - where he lives - to the other - where there's a local shop. I have never seen him actually pedalling; he just treats it like a moped.

Interesting, the statistics on e-Bikes really became accurate in 2017 (import tags were lumped with scooters, segways etc) so I am looking forward to see what the growth rates are at the end of 2018.

He must only use the 'power' mode on the bike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

but apart from the electric car, no other forms of sustainable transport appear to compete in some form with the speed and distance covered of a private car.

What makes you think electric cars are sustainable transport? The electricity they use still has to be generated and distributed and pollution is still produced as a result. That's before you even get into the resources used in battery manufacture and the toxic waste disposal problems of life-expired batteries.

 

[Salar]

What makes you think electric cars are sustainable transport? The electricity they use still has to be generated and distributed and pollution is still produced as a result. That's before you even get into the resources used in battery manufacture and the toxic waste disposal problems of life-expired batteries.

Exactly my thoughts when people start discussing how green electric cars are, they aren't, electricity doesn't grow on trees.

 

[raleighnut]

I built mine up from a basic trike and a kit after I'd snapped my Femur into 3 bits, not bad in that it came in at (slightly) less than a grand whereas a 'ready made' one would have been £1,600-£1,800.

Mine was built before the regulations changed so it does not require an 'assist mode' (incidentally saving me £100) and operates simply on a thumb throttle with the speed being limited by the wheel only being able to turn up to a certain number of RPM. It was built like that so I could choose when to use the power assist and when to save the battery and also using the K.I.S.S. principle (less to go wrong)

EDIT - BTW the curly 'telephone wire' lead is nothing to do with the kit, it is the power lead from the small battery pack on the seat-tube to the front lamp set.

 

[Salar]

Trike still going strong @raleighnut

I'm pondering to do a bit of engineering on the wife's trike as it is single drive and pulls to one side, only when I ride it though!
Looking at converting the rear axle to dual drive somehow with a machined coupling.

 

[raleighnut]

Trike still going strong @raleighnut

I'm pondering to do a bit of engineering on the wife's trike as it is single drive and pulls to one side, only when I ride it though!
Looking at converting the rear axle to dual drive somehow with a machined coupling.

@mickle would be more your man for advice, I just fitted a front wheel kit to my 6 speed.

Here's a pic of the back axle set up on mine, drive to the offside wheel only though

 

[glasgowcyclist]

There will be no e-bike boom so long as government suppresses it by imposing new restrictions on them, and giving huge grants to electric car buyers while giving only limited interest-free loans for e-bike buyers. Not to mention the free fuel given away to electric car owners.

 

[Salar]

@raleighnut I always thought your trike had drive to both rear wheels.

It's probably just me, my better half can easily keep the Batritrike in a straight line and has learned how to counteract the side pull.

 

[raleighnut]

@raleighnut I always thought your trike had drive to both rear wheels.

It's probably just me, my better half can easily keep the Batritrike in a straight line and has learned how to counteract the side pull.

If you lean to correct the pull it will actually make it worse as the frame flexes, just steer it straight.

 

[Salar]

As you say it's just a matter of discipline to learn to counteract the side pull and steer straight.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I think @t_savez should be commended for being ‘present’ in this thread.

SO many researchers just don’t bother, so well done from me and good luck.

 

[t_savez]

What makes you think electric cars are sustainable transport? The electricity they use still has to be generated and distributed and pollution is still produced as a result. That's before you even get into the resources used in battery manufacture and the toxic waste disposal problems of life-expired batteries.

I say it as it is often lumped as sustainable, and the government is pushing the electric car as its solution after the 2040 new petrol and diesel car ban. I actually agree with you, the pollution still occurs from braking, some of which is toxic.

Professor Frank Kelly, a top government adviser, is a proponent of this argument. Please see:

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ollution-says-top-uk-adviser-prof-frank-kelly

 

[t_savez]

I built mine up from a basic trike and a kit after I'd snapped my Femur into 3 bits, not bad in that it came in at (slightly) less than a grand whereas a 'ready made' one would have been £1,600-£1,800.

Mine was built before the regulations changed so it does not require an 'assist mode' (incidentally saving me £100) and operates simply on a thumb throttle with the speed being limited by the wheel only being able to turn up to a certain number of RPM. It was built like that so I could choose when to use the power assist and when to save the battery and also using the K.I.S.S. principle (less to go wrong)

View attachment 422953

EDIT - BTW the curly 'telephone wire' lead is nothing to do with the kit, it is the power lead from the small battery pack on the seat-tube to the front lamp set.

e-Bike users like yourself will go missing in sales stats for e-Bikes as you used a kit to transform your bike, a major issue to track e-Bikes in the USA too. I wonder how many people have done this rather than buying an e-Bike outright, hmm.