Cargo Bikes

Dog loves it. Gonna make a couple more me thinks.

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U gonna plug them cut off bits? Looks like it'd make a nasty rectangular biopsy mark in your flesh.

Also, who had that pic of the bungee chord end embedded into someone?

Edit: Ah yes, it was in this very thread.

Is there anyone making reasonably-priced lightweight coroplast or fabric-on-frame cargo boxes? I need something lighter than the 9kg folding box I currently have for my trailer. 200L or so. A big duffel of some sort could work too, but would need a stiff base. Must be pretty waterproof.

Probably not evidence-based at all knowing most laws in the country

I know there's a petition going around regarding boosting it to 20mph to match urban traffic speeds. Not sure I agree with that 100%. 25 kph is more than enough for off road and urban areas. There's nothing stopping you using your legs to go faster.

I find the 250w limit stranger, particularly when it to cargo bikes. Often need 750w to get up some of the hills in these parts with a load on. Not sure on how it's measured, legally, because the OEM motors are definitely putting out more than 250w at peak.

Could be easier to raise that to 350 which is the limit for scooters atm

Probably not evidence-based at all knowing most laws in the country

It's no longer the UK law but an EU directive--its status seems clear as mud, but perhaps this is useful:

https://leva-eu.com/2019/05/16/en-151942017-harmonized-under-machinery-directive-what-does-it-mean/

This is outdated but informative:

https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/presto_fact_sheet_legislation_en.pdf

IIRC the UK law wasn't that different from the EU version, and I don't know what 'Brexit' is going to do about it.

25 kph is more than enough for off road and urban areas.

I agree. Even that limit is too high for some people. The main problem with electric bike safety is that many people have taken to electric bikes whose riding skills are not good enough for even that sort of speed, hence the huge rise in e-bike-related crashes in Europe. This has often affected people who had too little experience and also elderly people. It's fine if you're a rider who routinely goes at that sort of speed on non-e-bikes and knows how to control it, but if your own unassisted speed is significantly lower, you need to be very cautious about learning to go faster. The problem with e-scooters is very similar.

I also think the current speed limit is fine. Most people forget that on an ebike you can achieve your top speed much quicker and in situations that would not be possible for most casual cyclists, like uphill or into a head wind.
If you need to match the speed of motor traffic get a motorbike. The ebike gives you access to cycle paths and shared paths and from what I am seeing currently lots of ebike and escooter riders insist sticking to the top speed at all times regardless of the situation.

In urban areas bikes should be quicker than motorised traffic through other means than top speed - less traffic lights, more cut-throughs and direct routes, and parking right outside where you want to end-up.

I completely agree with all of this but I ride a cargo bike all day every day for work and increasing the limit would definitely make my job quicker and easier!

So I am not sure really what I want, possibly different limits for people who are using them for work and could be given proper training. But that's a bit of a can of worms to be honest and I am never really in favour of extra laws/bureaucracy when it comes to cycling.

I completely agree with all of this but I ride a cargo bike all day every day for work and increasing the limit would definitely make my job quicker and easier!

Really? in London? I rode a leg-powered cargo bike around for work for 5 years, and only ever really felt under-powered with big loads, and I don't think I was that slow.

There aren't all that many scenarios in London where I'd feel comfortable travelling much faster than 25 kph for a prolonged period, on a big heavy bike: call me paranoid, but there's just too many black cabs ready to pull a u-turn with no warning, or tourists stepping off kerbs looking the wrong way.

Main times I've had near misses with pedestrians on an ebike (any kind) has been going up steepish inclines. Peds sort of look sideways and don't see a bike immediately there (or they see me further away) and assume no bike can be coming up the hill at more than walking pace, so leap out.... right as my front wheel munch's their ankle.
Had that exact scenario happen probably 20 times in 2 years, faster more powerful ebikes defo going to experience those kind of issues more.
I think the main reason is unfortunately the common nodder, put them in charge of a £300 budget hybrid and the main danger is to themselves, put them on a £2.5k+ well powered ebike, they are very likely going to cause some carnage*

*exact same person will have a BMW M car/Mercedes AMG and cause total carnage on the roads every day as well, when really they only have 1.0L ford fiesta driving abilities, but theres not much can do about that either!

you've clipped peds 20 times in 2 years?!

The speed limit on ebike does feel like general anti cycling prejudice. Cyclist going more than 16 mph, bad.

2 ton metal box able to travel at 100mph Plus, no problem.

That being said, I hated having somebody in flip flops on my wheel as I was struggling into a head wind on the sea front this week only to notice it was an ebike

I'm going to make an order from the Omnium website, but shipping is €35 to the UK.
If anyone wants to combine orders drop me a PM before Wednesday

I've often thought a 20mph e-bike speed limit would be nice but after reading some of the comments above, perhaps 15.5 is sensible. Also, I reckon I'd be running the battery down sooner - most of my journeys are 5 - 10 miles & I keep it on full power (mostly a heavy load & plenty of hills) & if I don't get a chance to re-charge during the working day, I'm often running on 1/5th charge by the time I get home.

As in, had to take avoiding action.
Had one about 5 years ago that sort of saw me (beasting a road bike up a decent incline), stepped out anyways, then noticed that I was basically on top of them and skipped much further out into the road into path of car that was already overtaking me, headphones on looking at ground kind of a person. Car had to do an emergency stop as they were face down on the tarmac in the middle of the road. Look where you are going people!

I'm all about that bounce!

60kg bounce yesterday. Stable at speed, but could really feel the high load compared to say a Bullitt. All smiles though

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Omnium prototype on their insta looks cool

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and I don't think I was that slow.

Fred Perry to Woolwich: 37 mins, pint at the harp inclusive

was fairly set on the r&m packster 80

just found out that and the packster 60 are discontinued in favour of the new model packster 70

going by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XGYVZxzwzo&feature=emb_title
this promotional video, the battery doesn't seem removable, at least with any sort of convenience, which i feel is a huge backwards step.

I loved the idea i could take the battery inside with me at night and charge overnight, whilst making the bike itself a bit less of a valuable target too.

Wondering what my other options now are for a ecargo that

1. two wheel longjohn type
   
2. gates carbon / IGH
   
3. room for 2 kids + shopping
   
   

Wondering about the douze g4

Fred Perry to Woolwich: 37 mins, pint at the harp inclusive

still a lot to learn for my inevitable comeback