There are several desires, we would say even needs, that are unfulfilled for most frequent ebike users. We tried to list them.
Let’s imagine a passionate ebiker, using his city ebike to get around in the city and even beyond. Here’s the list of what he would like to get!
More bike lanes
Bike lane swallowed by a forbidden way
There are too few of them. Some disappear abruptly. Watch the photo of this one, it suddenly corks onto a forbidden way, with no previous warning.
Car doors with a rear view camera on the left mirror
This way they would avoid opening the door when he’s riding alongside.
Standardization of ebike parts
You know, the European Union has decided that smart phone chargers must be universal, standard and therefore able to charge any smart phone, if they want to be allowed to be sold in Europe starting from 2024. Why couldn’t manufacturers do the same for ebikes, not only for chargers, but also for other parts, such as displays, chain rings, cables, drive parts and so on? Otherwise he needs the advice of a mechanical engineer every time he wants to replace a part of his e-bike.
Ebike manufacturers that don’t imitate Apple
Apple products are sure great, but even if you need just a cable, you often ought to buy an Apple cable, other cables are not compatible. Something similar happens for most ebike manufacturers.
Clearly stated model year compatibility
Whenever a spare part or an accessory is declared compatible, e.g. from model year 2019, one wonders whether or not that applies also for ebikes from model year 2020. If it’s declared “from model year 2019 onwards”, would that apply to a 2022 model year ebike? Hard to prove. Wouldn’t that be better if manufacturers could specify e.g. “from 2019 to 2021”? Otherwise the only way to determine how long the compatibility spans over the years of the same models, is to verify whether a new part suits a later model year of the same ebike. Easy? Well, no, both if you sell or buy parts.
Ebike brake pads that wear off slowly
Living on a hill, downhill roads compels him to replace his disc brake pads with a bimonthly frequence. Time consuming and expensive.
Electric outlets almost everywhere
Even public lights could have inexpensive 220 or 110 V outlets for charging ebikes. After all most European states subsidize ebikes, they could reuse their subsidies and invest the spared money in such services
Rendering recharging stations and facilities for e-cars suitable for ebikes
In France, many recharging stations for E-cars carry a domestic outlet, but not all of them can feed all kinds of ebike chargers.
Bike lanes that cannot be invaded, crowded nor occupied by pedestrians
Sometimes, while riding reasonably fast, all of a sudden he stumbles onto an entire family, from grandparents to grandsons, ranged horizontally on the bike lane. When that happens right after a narrow curve…
Pedestrians that cross the road watching instead of just listening
At least here in France, many pedestrians cross the road without even turning their heads to the left, as long as they don’t hear any car engine approaching. Now, ebikes are silent; he often risks finding somebody suddenly seated on his handlebars, or even worse, lying under his wheels.
Bike lanes that cannot be used as a parking nor as a traffic lane
The former is quite annoying, the latter can be lethal.
An antitheft system with a sort of Taser embedded in the saddle
This way, if a thief jumps on his ebike without dialling a secret code, it would be compelled to jump off like a frog, by a harmless but painful electric charge. It would sure be effective, wouldn’t it?
Solar panels for his racks that are cheap, light and powerful enough to recharge his ebike
We know it’s technologically difficult to achieve, but wouldn’t that be great?
Last but not least, a European law allowing ebikes to be supported up to 32 km/h without having to be registered and insured.
In the US, the same ebike motors providing an assistance limited to 25 km/h in Europe, support you up to 32 km/h. That speed is not only more practical for daily ebike commuters, but also safer. Indeed, the slower you ride, the more likely you are to be hit by a car from behind, which happens most of the times and causes most bike accidents.
I thank Mark Hendricks’ comment hereafter, which changed my mind. I therefore correct: 32 km/h may be better for small towns like mine, where there’s pratically no traffic and many country roads, where cars can bypass you at high speed. Generally speaking, for most ebikers, 25 km/h is safer.
Photo: courtesy FIAB – Turin – Italy
we were in almost complete agreement until you mentioned speed differentials. Most bike vs car incidents are actually in passing, at intersections (leftbhooks, right hooks and close passes). They are not from the rear. Having been a bicycle commuter more than 30 years, I can tell you that the closer you get to motorized traffic speed, the more hassle you are to motorists. It takes longer and is harder to pass you. Unless you can travel 5mph above thr limit, where most U.S. motorists drive (no kidding…NHTSB), you are viewed as in their way.
Well, I agree with you, thanks. Indeed I added : “I thank Mark Hendricks’ comment hereafter, which changed my mind. I therefore correct: 32 km/h may be better for small towns like mine, where there’s pratically no traffic and many country roads, where cars can bypass you at high speed. Generally speaking, for most ebikers, 25 km/h is safer.”
Merry Christmas!
Luca