Thanks for sharing! La Demonia and I just got a couple of Class 3 ebikes. Mine is unlocked to go faster than 28 mph…shhh, don’t rat me out!
They are super fun, but the main reason we bought them was because we can easily get to most places within 20 miles of our house, without having to ride on major roads. The regional trail system here is ridonculous.
That’s medium true. There’s a big difference in force between a 15 mph crash and a 30 mph crash. I think the critical aspect of safety is knowing thyself…and thy wife. That’s why I limited her speed to 15 mph.
I’m very concerned by all the young kids recklessly zipping around on these things. There was a serious injury that just occurred in my town with a 15 year old kid on an ebike getting jacked by a car. Parents are just buying their kids these Class 3 bikes, not understanding the laws.
I’ve been known to break a few laws here and there, but damn! Parents be letting their kids do whatever.
In Colorado, 16 year old drivers are not allowed to drive unsupervised with any passengers under 21 for the first six months. When I found out my sweet diablita drove her friend to the mall, I busted out my Socratic parenting skills:
What happens if you get pulled over and you have your friend with you? (She answered that she could lose 2 points off her license)
What happens to people’s car insurance when they receive traffic violations? (She correctly acknowledged that we’d have to pay more for her indiscretions. I then explained that her poor choices may actually save us money after dropping coverage for that vehicle and selling it.)
Are your friend’s parents aware they’re jeopardizing your ability to drive? (Blank stare)
Would you like me to tell them, or would you like to tell them?
I lost a good friend to a motorcycle crash a few years ago. He was about 20 years younger than me. A far better and experienced rider than myself. He was going less than 5 miles an hour. What cost him his life was his tendency to do stupid stuff on his dirt bike. He exited a parking lot and hit the throttle purposely to make the rear tire spin causing the bike to skid sideways on the loose sand that was on the concrete road. The tire gained traction and flipped him off. He was not wearing a helmet at the time.
MIPS is different rating and most if not all you find at REI and bike stores are MIPS rated.
On mixed rides with Portland Bicycle Club I find pretty much everyone exceeding 40 mph on downhill legs. eBikes, eTrikes, road rockets. All their helmets have the MIPS sticker.
A Southern California father is facing felony charges after his 12-year-old son was critically injured while riding a modified electric motorbike, a case that prosecutors say highlights the growing legal consequences for parents when children ride high-powered electric two-wheelers illegally.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, 39-year-old Yorba Linda resident Richard John Eyssallenne has been charged with felony child endangerment and abuse as well as misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor after the crash that severely injured his son. If convicted, he could face up to six years in state prison.
The incident occurred on last summer, when the 12-year-old boy ran a red light while riding a [Talaria electric motorbike ]and was struck by a driver in a sedan. The collision left the boy with serious injuries including a skull fracture, intracranial bleeding, a fractured femur, and a broken wrist.
Investigators claimed that they later determined that the bike had been modified in ways that removed it from the legal definition of an e-bike and instead classified it as a motor-driven cycle or motorcycle. The investigators stated that the Talaria had its pedals replaced with motorcycle pegs and the factory speed limiter was bypassed, allowing the machine’s 5,000-watt motor to potentially reach speeds of up to 60 mph (96 km/h).
