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I think they're good, but since their motors and powertrain are not immediately obvious, I think they ought to be registered vehicles, specifically to make sure that they're limited to 20 mph. This will open certain uses. Perhaps a 15.5 mph limit may even be reasonable, to further reduce the...

I don't think it's that bad to ride Class 3s anywhere, but it is likely to induce bad behavior because of how fast the bike can go. Motorists labor under a similar mental barrier, which why they honk all the time even when you're traveling at the speed limit in a low-speed area. So the right...

Hey, just because I have 6 or 7 bikes doesn't mean I'm a bike nut! Maybe. Well. I've used a Giant Dirt E2 2016 ebike for commuting since 2016. Prior to that, I used one of my road bikes. I still use my road bikes from time to time, but I use the Dirt E whenever I need to negotiate traffic...

Having helmet subsidies for commuters will probably encourage more helmet-wearing than otherwise. Having better designed and stylish helmets will help, too. Mandatory says, "You should drive your car instead." We always have to factor in the idea that making cycling more onerous will shift...

I'd like to point out that we're NOT talking about whether wearing a helmet when riding an ebike at speed is a good idea. It's absolutely a good idea. There's no point in making that case further because no one here is disagreeing. What we're talking about is whether we ought to arrest people...

For what it's worth, I don't support banning the use of helmets at any speed. Feel free to wear your helmet at the cafe. I won't hold it against anyone.

I think helmets should be mandatory for bike races and club rides. Local groups and organizers can make this choice on a case to case basis. Per personal experience, helmets start becoming very useful once you're breaking 12 mph. But 10 mph? 8 mph? 6 mph? Yeah, you won't need a helmet for those...

Hm. Let's split the difference. There are riders for whom riding with minimal or no assistance will never be an advantage because they manage their batteries well and will not or cannot ride without assistance. For these folks, the fact that a Bosch motor and direct drive hub motors offer...

The way I ride my Dirt E ebike and how I think about my range is generally different from how they're marketed and how they're described even here. One of the ways it's different is the idea that you'd never ride an ebike unassisted. This isn't quite true. I turn off my pedal assist sometimes...

I mount an extremely obvious GoPro on top of my helmet during the day. I find motorists to be a lot more cautious and apparently a lot more attentive when their driving is being recorded.

Quick update: Well past 8000 km now. My LBS has finally advised me to replace my chain within the week. I'll have it done Wednesday. The stock KMC e-bike chain has proven quite durable. I'm curious to see if the non-e-specific KMC replacement will last as long. I've tested the 500 Wh battery...

Just here to say that the Quick-E models Giant runs in the Netherlands apparently has a spec with a suspension fork up front, so that's apparently very doable. Not sure if a post-sale upgrade is possible for a regular Quick E, but a nice suspension fork up front has been a godsend commuting on...

It depends on the rules. In my home country, the authorities themselves often obligate people to ride bikes on the sidewalks. It's a stupid rule, but there it is. If I'm riding on the sidewalk, I go no faster than 15 kph, or 10 kph if there are many people. When it's too crowded to even go that...

LOL. I have a European spec 25 kph limit ebike. Anyone who accuses me of cheating that seriously can exchange bikes with me and we can race 2 km on a flat surface. I'm not as fit as I used to be but 30 kph on flat terrain is perfectly leisurely.

Highly agree with micheal mcvey. Obviously, an ebike's effective range is infinite, if you turned off the motor and rode it like a regular bike. The Yamaha PW motor is fairly okay for this. There's some resistance, but it's a bit like the brakes rubbing a teensy bit. It'll probably suck maybe...

It is not. I don't know whether you've been bike commuting before this, but this is actually commonplace among bike commuters because, well because local bike shops aren't places that guarantee maintenance and support, especially on the road. By necessity, most bike commuters are relatively...

Rider: 195 pounds Bike: 2016 Giant Dirt E2, Yamaha base PW motor Battery: Energypak 400 (400 Wh, rounded off) Battery usage: 90%-30% Cargo: 25 pounds, panniers Power usage 80% Sport(max), 20% Normal(mid) Terrain: mostly flat, stop-and-go city traffic, 3 bridges Wind: nonfactor (traffic...

It might be an issue of using the bike. I know competitive sprinters can break a bike chain no problem. So if you output a lot of strain on the chain habitually, you're going to break it. In my case, I use the motor assist very mindfully. I don't accelerate at maximum from a stop. I use the...

7880 km update. I'm still riding the bike as my daily commuter. About 13 miles one way. Some errands are sometimes done in between the morning and evening commuting. There are times I do 50 miles in a day. I've bought a spare 500 Wh battery. Works flawlessly. I've had to replace the tires, of...

I ride to work on a Dirt E with a 400 Wh battery. I still want to buy a 500Wh one but local Giant customer service kind of sucks. The Dirt E 2 is powered by a Yamaha PW engine, but Giant provides the software and battery, I believe. I have Eco, Normal, and Sport. That's it. I can also turn off...