# No One Gives A Rat’s Ass About Your ‘Street Legal’ Ebike : Build Something Awesome



## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

An interesting commentary on high powered "ebikes". I actually agree with much he says, but disagree that what he's talking about are ebikes instead of mopeds and where they should be ridden.

https://electricbike-blog.com/2016/...r-street-legal-ebike-build-something-awesome/


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Don't agree with anything he said, but what he proposes would be fine for a licensed, insured commuter. Also feel that major manufacturer's products are much more refined than what are basically some "DIY manufacturers", and this is reflected by the respective warranties.


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## mountainbiker24 (Feb 5, 2007)

The auther knows nothing about trail politics or trails in general.


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## Normwood (Jun 26, 2011)

mountainbiker24 said:


> The auther knows nothing about trail politics or trails in general.


Or likely cares.....which is the saddest part.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I only skimmed but the author is completely misunderstanding the point of e-bikes, which of course is to mimic a bicycle. Motorbikes have existed for quite some time now.



mountainbiker24 said:


> The auther knows nothing about trail politics or trails in general.


To be fair he never mentioned riding any of his proposed rigs off-road .


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

Isn't that site closely affiliated with an aftermarket E-bike parts seller that pushes the Bafang BBSHD 1000W mid-drives that they proudly state has 750W markings on it?

I give a big Kardashian rats ass! Have supported and fought for "legal" trail use all my life for off-road motorcycles and bicycles, as well as, safe responsible public land use for everyone. Living and riding in CA, I make every effort to follow the guidelines in place and wish others would too.


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## Silentfoe (May 9, 2008)

This guy. Geez. I couldn't get through the last bit. 

This guy is what's wrong with ebike advocacy and why they will always have access issues.

His article boils down to more power and who cares what the current laws are. 

Plus, once he wrote "for all intensive purposes" I couldn't take him seriously.


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## rider95 (Mar 30, 2016)

It all depends on were you are at I mean were you are in your riding he is playing in the road so he needs speed , he states that a hub motor will never be any fun for trail use he could not be more wrong. Its ok he is new to e bikes and is suffering with the e bike grin it takes years for the grin to calm down .


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Meh, some people are easily distracted by shiny things.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Don't want to shock anyone, but from another post he rides the same bikes off road.


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## Klurejr (Oct 13, 2006)

Silentfoe said:


> Plus, once he wrote "for all intensive purposes" I couldn't take him seriously.


hahahaha, oh goodness....


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

fos'l said:


> Don't want to shock anyone, but from another post he rides the same bikes off road.


Say it ain't so! :eekster:


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## JRT_in_WMass (Jul 22, 2013)

Harryman said:


> An interesting commentary on high powered "ebikes". I actually agree with much he says, but disagree that what he's talking about are ebikes instead of mopeds and where they should be ridden.
> 
> https://electricbike-blog.com/2016/...r-street-legal-ebike-build-something-awesome/


I think that he wrote that very probably not exclusive of personal profit motive, toward generating market interest in that which he offers for sale, but also perhaps not merely because of personal profit motive, because he was an enthusiastic consumer in that end of the market long before he began selling to others with shared interests.

I would doubt that he expects that article to sway many from that small group of very vocal bicycle market consumers who currently oppose the mere existance of bicycles that have been augmented with an electric powered auxilliary propulsion system.

But I also think that he would be wrong in that, because many of the anti-eMTB crowd are hard chargers on conventional MTBs and are risk takers at heart, and I think that they will eventually be swayed by the lure of significantly increased speed on the up-slopes. More so as technology and implementations improve, and there is a lot of room for improvement.

------

As an aside, I am just a consumer in that market, have no affiliation with anyone in that business.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

mountainbiker24 said:


> I would doubt that he expects that article to sway many from that small group of very vocal bicycle market consumers who currently oppose the mere existance of bicycles that have been augmented with an electric powered auxilliary propulsion system.


That group is very small, I have yet to meet or hear from even one of them.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Pretty much agree with you, JB although I have an acquaintance who dongles his Bosch to 35 mph and endless sphere has some individuals exploring the upper limits 5kw+.


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## JRT_in_WMass (Jul 22, 2013)

J.B. Weld said:


> That group is very small, I have yet to meet or hear from even one of them.


I expect that you will eventually encounter one of the Luddite bicycle purists.

Rumor has it that it all started decades ago in the late 1970s in the East Midlands of England, beginning with a small group of beer swilling dart throwing pub crawler rowdies in Nottingham, instigated by punk rocker Loosie Ludd who fancied herself as a direct descendant of the fabled 18th century General Ludd. Loosie's little band of drunken merry men unlawfully cut a single track in the 450 acre national park and nature reserve called Sherwood Forest, claimed it as their own, and began the tradition of getting together semi-inebriated at sunrise on the mornings following every full moon to race on the course bareass naked on their offroad penny farthings with direct crank drive and no brakes. According to the Luddite way of thinking, bicycling does not get any more pure than that. While the original gangsters have all faded into obscurity, their followers continue to consider themselves to be Luddite purists, and the only ones worthy of riding in that otherwise well protected public park. Poachers on chain driven safety bicycles are not allowed, and riders of same have been known to get a beating from the Luddites if caught riding their safety bicycles anywhere in or near Sherwood Forest. More recently the movement has been growing and has spread west across the pond. Some naked cyclists on penny farthings were reportedly seen in Nevada's Black Rock Desert last year at the Burning Man Festival.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

JRT_in_WMass said:


> I expect that you will eventually encounter one of the Luddite bicycle purists.
> 
> Rumor has it that it all started decades ago in the late 1970s in the East Midlands of England, beginning with a small group of beer swilling dart throwing pub crawler rowdies in Nottingham, instigated by punk rocker Loosie Ludd who fancied herself as a direct descendant of the fabled 18th century General Ludd. Loosie's little band of drunken merry men unlawfully cut a single track in the 450 acre national park and nature reserve called Sherwood Forest, claimed it as their own, and began the tradition of getting together semi-inebriated at sunrise on the mornings following every full moon to race on the course bareass naked on their offroad penny farthings with direct crank drive and no brakes. According to the Luddite way of thinking, bicycling does not get any more pure than that. While the original gangsters have all faded into obscurity, their followers continue to consider themselves to be Luddite purists, and the only ones worthy of riding in that otherwise well protected public park. Poachers on chain driven safety bicycles are not allowed, and riders of same have been known to get a beating from the Luddites if caught riding their safety bicycles anywhere in or near Sherwood Forest. More recently the movement has been growing and has spread west across the pond. Some naked cyclists on penny farthings were reportedly seen in Nevada's Black Rock Desert last year at the Burning Man Festival.


I believe they initially rode unicycles, but some of the gentlemen found the seats uncomfortable to their genitalia, at which point a compromise was struck, thereby allowing a second wheel for "comfort".

To be clear, the extra wheel was not to be confused with adding "safety", since that would allow "safety bicycles" and their heathen riders to destroy the tranquility that is Sherwood.

Thank you JRT for you lovely elucidation on the subject.


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