This, the only time I even hit the regulated 28mph is either because I’m on a road where the speed is 30 but cars are going much faster, or I need to get up our 18-28% grade hills with groceries, and I literally need all the power I can get while hitting about 9mph at 1,300w.
These rules for 20mph class bikes are great if you live in flat AF zones, but swiftly change with heavy payloads on steep, steep terrain. And that’s not even including riding on the same roads as vehicles that can easily do 40-50mph down arterials if the police aren’t around to keep them at 30. I’ve seen people on lime scooters doing 15mph (speed limited) on those same roads…
I’d also argue that setting very low motor wattage caps is dangerous for the same reasons you describe: inclines, getting away from cars, etc.
When I’m using my e-scooter, I rarely need to go faster than 25km/h (it caps out at <30km/h, anyway), but I had one that could reach over 40km/h, and it was a much more appropriate device for riding on roads alongside cars.
But none of that makes any difference if cars are going 100km/h+ on roads marked 50km/h max speed!
This, the only time I even hit the regulated 28mph is either because I’m on a road where the speed is 30 but cars are going much faster, or I need to get up our 18-28% grade hills with groceries, and I literally need all the power I can get while hitting about 9mph at 1,300w.
These rules for 20mph class bikes are great if you live in flat AF zones, but swiftly change with heavy payloads on steep, steep terrain. And that’s not even including riding on the same roads as vehicles that can easily do 40-50mph down arterials if the police aren’t around to keep them at 30. I’ve seen people on lime scooters doing 15mph (speed limited) on those same roads…
I’d also argue that setting very low motor wattage caps is dangerous for the same reasons you describe: inclines, getting away from cars, etc.
When I’m using my e-scooter, I rarely need to go faster than 25km/h (it caps out at <30km/h, anyway), but I had one that could reach over 40km/h, and it was a much more appropriate device for riding on roads alongside cars.
But none of that makes any difference if cars are going 100km/h+ on roads marked 50km/h max speed!