Class 3 laws

[PaulT]

Ebike class 3
Maximum speed of 35 mph
Throttle or pedal assist
No weight limit
No motor size limit
Must have two mirrors
White headlight and red tail lights
Also side marker light and red brake light
Rewire a auditable horn
Rider must wear safety yellow or safety green with reflective stripes
Require a reflective helmet and eye protection
Must have a drivers license
Must have a license plate
Must have insurance

My thinking is that most residential speed limits are 35 mph and it is more safe to stay up with traffic than be passed by it
Also thinking that ebike riders on the streets would be more inclined to follow the rules that are now in place that state they must use the same traffic laws as automobiles

 

[PaulT]

Ebike class 3
Maximum speed of 35 mph
Throttle or pedal assist
No weight limit
No motor size limit
Must have two mirrors
White headlight and red tail lights
Also side marker light and red brake light
Rewire a auditable horn
Rider must wear safety yellow or safety green with reflective stripes
Require a reflective helmet and eye protection
Must have a drivers license
Must have a license plate
Must have insurance

My thinking is that most residential speed limits are 35 mph and it is more safe to stay up with traffic than be passed by it
Also thinking that ebike riders on the streets would be more inclined to follow the rules that are now in place that state they must use the same traffic laws as automobiles

This is just my idea of what the laws should be changed to

 

[PaulT]

Thanks the post is a poll to change the laws

 

[canis2022]

Excellent take on the subject. I've got a class 2 Bpm 750 watt fat tire bike and 25 mph is plenty fast as far as I'm concerned. Most ebike frames and braking systems weren't designed for speeds faster than that. If I wanted to go faster than that I'd buy an electric motorcycle. I also think it's just a matter of time before the same laws for cars and motorcycles are applied to ebikes. My guess is that if gas prices remain where they are, we'll see an explosion of ebike sales.

 

[Jred5691]

Ebike class 3
Maximum speed of 35 mph
Throttle or pedal assist
No weight limit
No motor size limit
Must have two mirrors
White headlight and red tail lights
Also side marker light and red brake light
Rewire a auditable horn
Rider must wear safety yellow or safety green with reflective stripes
Require a reflective helmet and eye protection
Must have a drivers license
Must have a license plate
Must have insurance

My thinking is that most residential speed limits are 35 mph and it is more safe to stay up with traffic than be passed by it
Also thinking that ebike riders on the streets would be more inclined to follow the rules that are now in place that state they must use the same traffic laws as automobiles

Opposed. Makes it to much of a hassle I'd but a turn off for a lot of riders. But idk just my thoughts.

 

[Artenen]

Side markers? Eh...

See a bigger issue with multiple passengers on ebikes. Carrying a kid in the front and a kid in the rear and a kid carrier with two more kids in it. Boy that stuff gets scary not really sure you can regulate it though until enough people die doing it.

Laws need to be simple and straightforward and they need to have the manufacturers involved to agree on a compliance standard which already seems to be the class system any changes should result from a Consortium Round Table of user groups and the manufacturers that would then lobby for bill sponsors.

 

[CloneWerks]

In the United States your restrictions would turn a class 3 into a wussy motorcycle. If the idea is to get Class 3 off trails and sidewalks and other mixed use areas then, at minimum, the speed needs to be pushed up to 35mph because going any slower than that on most streets in the United States is pretty dangerous.

 

[Jred5691]

In the United States your restrictions would turn a class 3 into a wussy motorcycle. If the idea is to get Class 3 off trails and sidewalks and other mixed use areas then, at minimum, the speed needs to be pushed up to 35mph because going any slower than that on most streets in the United States is pretty dangerous.

Absolutely.

 

[Django]

Why mess with the current class 3 specification?, ( this would cause problems for people that currently ride class 3 ). Why not just make an e-moped class and leave the current classes as they are?

 

[canis2022]

I thought I'd post this because the conversation is about class 3 bikes and where we're headed in terms of regulation etc. As technology improves and ebikes keep getting faster, the line between ebikes and electric motorcycles gets more and more blurred, I'm not sure where one ends and the other begins. Optibike is calling it the Powerstorm MBB, which stands for “Motorized Bottom Bracket.” Now, if you know a thing or two about bikes, then you’d have figured out from the name itself that the Powerstorm is a mid-drive motor, as opposed to a hub-mounted motor. In the performance e-bike game, mid-drive motors tend to be preferred as they offer a more natural pedal feel as well as allow the rider to configure their bikes with higher end components such as rear cassettes, derailleurs, and wheelsets. Furthermore, the fact that the motor isn’t on the wheel reduces unsprung weight on full-suspension mountain bikes.
So, what exactly makes the Powerstorm MBB so special? While the majority of mid-drive motors from mainstream manufacturers have power outputs ranging from 500 to 750 watts, the Powerstorm MBB boasts a whopping 2,500 watts of peak output, or around 3.3 horsepower. Furthermore, its nominal output is equally impressive at 1,750 watts—more than double that of the norm. With these power figures, Optibike stands the chance of revolutionizing the e-bike game, and allowing riders to go further at a faster pace.

As for batteries, Optibike is known for some of the industry’s biggest, most power-dense units. For instance, the Optibike R22 features a battery with a whopping 3.26 kWh capacity—around five times the capacity of your run-of-the-mill e-bike. Surely, a power unit like this should be enough to juice up the Powerstorm MBB and offer respectable range while doing so.

 

[CeeJayBee]

I thought I'd post this because the conversation is about class 3 bikes and where we're headed in terms of regulation etc. As technology improves and ebikes keep getting faster, the line between ebikes and electric motorcycles gets more and more blurred, I'm not sure where one ends and the other begins. Optibike is calling it the Powerstorm MBB, which stands for “Motorized Bottom Bracket.” Now, if you know a thing or two about bikes, then you’d have figured out from the name itself that the Powerstorm is a mid-drive motor, as opposed to a hub-mounted motor. In the performance e-bike game, mid-drive motors tend to be preferred as they offer a more natural pedal feel as well as allow the rider to configure their bikes with higher end components such as rear cassettes, derailleurs, and wheelsets. Furthermore, the fact that the motor isn’t on the wheel reduces unsprung weight on full-suspension mountain bikes.
So, what exactly makes the Powerstorm MBB so special? While the majority of mid-drive motors from mainstream manufacturers have power outputs ranging from 500 to 750 watts, the Powerstorm MBB boasts a whopping 2,500 watts of peak output, or around 3.3 horsepower. Furthermore, its nominal output is equally impressive at 1,750 watts—more than double that of the norm. With these power figures, Optibike stands the chance of revolutionizing the e-bike game, and allowing riders to go further at a faster pace.

As for batteries, Optibike is known for some of the industry’s biggest, most power-dense units. For instance, the Optibike R22 features a battery with a whopping 3.26 kWh capacity—around five times the capacity of your run-of-the-mill e-bike. Surely, a power unit like this should be enough to juice up the Powerstorm MBB and offer respectable range while doing so.

I thought this was a discussion about Class 3 Ebikes.

 

[CeeJayBee]

Opposed.

 

[Django]

I thought I'd post this because the conversation is about class 3 bikes and where we're headed in terms of regulation etc. As technology improves and ebikes keep getting faster, the line between ebikes and electric motorcycles gets more and more blurred, I'm not sure where one ends and the other begins. Optibike is calling it the Powerstorm MBB, which stands for “Motorized Bottom Bracket.” Now, if you know a thing or two about bikes, then you’d have figured out from the name itself that the Powerstorm is a mid-drive motor, as opposed to a hub-mounted motor. In the performance e-bike game, mid-drive motors tend to be preferred as they offer a more natural pedal feel as well as allow the rider to configure their bikes with higher end components such as rear cassettes, derailleurs, and wheelsets. Furthermore, the fact that the motor isn’t on the wheel reduces unsprung weight on full-suspension mountain bikes.
So, what exactly makes the Powerstorm MBB so special? While the majority of mid-drive motors from mainstream manufacturers have power outputs ranging from 500 to 750 watts, the Powerstorm MBB boasts a whopping 2,500 watts of peak output, or around 3.3 horsepower. Furthermore, its nominal output is equally impressive at 1,750 watts—more than double that of the norm. With these power figures, Optibike stands the chance of revolutionizing the e-bike game, and allowing riders to go further at a faster pace.

As for batteries, Optibike is known for some of the industry’s biggest, most power-dense units. For instance, the Optibike R22 features a battery with a whopping 3.26 kWh capacity—around five times the capacity of your run-of-the-mill e-bike. Surely, a power unit like this should be enough to juice up the Powerstorm MBB and offer respectable range while doing so.

Street, bike lane and MUP legal ebikes aren’t getting faster, and unless the regulations change, they will not get faster. There are lots of “ebikes” that try to get around the regulations, but anyone that buys one is at risk owning of owning something that has very restricted use and can get them into legal trouble as well.

Advancements in ebikes have a very limited scope, otherwise, they cease to be an ebike. Lighter batteries and drive units are places for advancement along with ebike specific components, but speed and power are not really on the table. Putting superfluous pedals onto an Electra-glide doesn’t transform it into a moped.

At 93 pounds with an $18,000.00 price tag, not to mention that it’s not street legal in the US, I don’t see this thing as an advancement. The battery alone is 36 pounds. As far as I can tell, it’s just an underpowered and extremely expensive e-dirt bike with pedals.

And to answer the original question, I am opposed to changing the class specifications.

 

[canis2022]

Street, bike lane and MUP legal ebikes aren’t getting faster, and unless the regulations change, they will not get faster. There are lots of “ebikes” that try to get around the regulations, but anyone that buys one is at risk owning of owning something that has very restricted use and can get them into legal trouble as well.

Advancements in ebikes have a very limited scope, otherwise, they cease to be an ebike. Lighter batteries and drive units are places for advancement along with ebike specific components, but speed and power are not really on the table. Putting superfluous pedals onto an Electra-glide doesn’t transform it into a moped.

At 93 pounds with an $18,000.00 price tag, not to mention that it’s not street legal in the US, I don’t see this thing as an advancement. The battery alone is 36 pounds. As far as I can Siri, it’s just an underpowered and extremely expensive e-dirt bike with pedals.

And to answer the original question, I am opposed to changing the class specifications.

For the most part I just thought this was an interesting topic to discuss. I always learn something .

 

[CloneWerks]

I'd have given a lot to have that Optibike on the farm growing up!

Having said that, I'm about to show my age here, but Great Maker this is the "80's introduction of the moped" all over again! For those who don't remember, or who are too young, in the early 80's U.S. the "moped" was basically an attempt to skirt regulations by slapping a very basic pedal system onto a 55+cc motorcycle and trying to claim it was a "bicycle" to avoid registration, fees, licensing, et-all for street riding. In reality the pedals were basically good for starting the Moped and the charade didn't last long.

In the United States we're definitely still in the "Wild West you can get away with a hell of a lot" phase of eBikes but as I watch things it's pretty apparent that there is going to be a pretty significant clamp-down before much longer (I give it two years tops) and some people are going to wind up in the same boat as the "three wheelers" and the 200cc "Moped" folks.

I feel like there is an entire segment out there who lost sight of the "assist" part and who just want another full-transport vehicle. That's fine if that is what they want, but it's not an eBike and needs it's own classifications and rules.

 

[canis2022]

I'd have given a lot to have that Optibike on the farm growing up!

Having said that, I'm about to show my age here, but Great Maker this is the "80's introduction of the moped" all over again! For those who don't remember, or who are too young, in the early 80's U.S. the "moped" was basically an attempt to skirt regulations by slapping a very basic pedal system onto a 55+cc motorcycle and trying to claim it was a "bicycle" to avoid registration, fees, licensing, et-all for street riding. In reality the pedals were basically good for starting the Moped and the charade didn't last long.

In the United States we're definitely still in the "Wild West you can get away with a hell of a lot" phase of eBikes but as I watch things it's pretty apparent that there is going to be a pretty significant clamp-down before much longer (I give it two years tops) and some people are going to wind up in the same boat as the "three wheelers" and the 200cc "Moped" folks.

I feel like there is an entire segment out there who lost sight of the "assist" part and who just want another full-transport vehicle. That's fine if that is what they want, but it's not an eBike and needs it's own classifications and rules.

I agree with what you said. I've owned a 48V 750 watt ebike for about three years and it's amazing how fast they have caught on. As more and more people buy them and the more people that start showing up at places that were previously designated for traditional bicycles, the more people are going to get pissed off and report to the local cops. I think this ties into the topic because we're talking about regulations on class 3 (or more powerful and faster ebikes. Look, I'm hardly an expert on this subject.... I live in a rural area and mostly ride where there aren't many people around but, I can only imagine how having faster ebikes would affect how people will view them in larger cities. If I'm wrong, tell me.... nobody seems to have a problem voicing their opinion on here and that's fine.