Hello from Fort Washington, Maryland

[fredi]

After a lot of research I pulled the trigger on a fully loaded Evelo Delta. With the intro 20% off, 750-watt mid-drive motor and NuVinci N380 Transmission, I couldn’t resist. I’m an RVer and will be using her for street and trail with occasional off-road use, although I can see my off-road use increasing dramatically with her.

 

[fredi]

So I thought I should get a helmet for my new bike and googled “maryland electric bicycle helmet law” to see if there were any special requirements. Surprise, the top link was on Evelo’s web site /maryland-state-electric-bike-helmet-laws-definition/ no special requirements for helmets but it appears the Delta at 750 watts is illegal in Maryland and has to be insured and registered as a Moped, well that ain’t gonna happen.

Originally when I ran the Evelo “Fit Consultation” it recommended the Luna, but now that the new bikes are out, it suggests the Galaxy ST. I must admit that it is a good match for me, as I consider a dirt road “off-road” but I was blinded by the power. I just hope the 350 watts will get me up those hills.

 

[mrgold35]

Congrats on the new ride! I've put over 2200 miles since Sept/16 on my Radrover ebike and taken trips to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, AZ. Trailriding can be a ton of fun (especially at night). Helmet, eye protection, suspension seatpost, and very bright lights is all your need to 4X your fun when traveling.

I'm not sure how an average law enforcement or park ranger would know if your bike is Class I/II/III, 250w-3000w, or 20-35 mph unless you tell them? I only know if an ebike has a mid-drive or hub motor and some ebikes have those components well hidden within the frame. I got into the habit of double-checking the city, state, and federal laws on ebikes if I plan to travel. Places like Sedona, AZ, don't allow any ebikes where MTB/road bikes on bike only trails because they consider them to be motor vehicles. The Grand Canyon has a little more flexibility and you can ride on the trails away from the main south rim viewing area.

I've even thought about the option of riding in ebike restricted areas without my battery inserted turning my Radrover into a +60lbs regular bike. Unfortunately, the gearing would make it hard to pedal out of 3rd gear unless I have a tailwind or going downhill.

 

[fredi]

I’m not worried about law enforcement or park rangers, I’m more worried about the lawyers if there was some kind of accident on an “illegal” bike. Maryland has far and away the highest number of civil lawsuits per capita.

I should mention that I have been very impressed with Evelo’s support. I have asked tons of questions and they have answered each and every one. This is the second, hopefully the last, time I’ve changed my order and they have been total professionals the entire time.

 

[fredi]

I looked at a Sondors Fat Bike and knew I would not be happy with the Galaxy ST so I emailed Evelo and they switched my order back to the fully loaded Delta, no problem. These people continue to amaze me with their customer service. I can't wait to load the Delta onto the back of the RV and take her deep into the woods for some fun.

 

[fredi]

Looks like there is a delay with Evelo shipping the Delta, they had a problem with the batteries not being up to their standards so they won't ship till mid July. Evelo offered to let me cancel or add a free accessory pack to my order. I chose the comfort package.

 

[J.R.]

Do be a little careful in Maryland. I have a good friend that is a parks manager in MD, he lives in the park, and they are very aware of ebikes, the drive systems and power. I've ridden in MD and have by chance run into him. Without prompting from me, he asked his friend (me) if my bike was pedal assist and under 500 watts. I'm pretty sure throttles aren't allowed, not completely sure on that though. We've had a few discussions since and managers and their staff, including rangers get regular updates on ebiking in the state. Not trying to be a wet rag, I really like your bike and I think MD is behind the curve.

 

[fredi]

There's no mention in the Maryland law about throttles and Evelo has offered to limit the motor to 500 watts in the firmware to make it legal.

 

[fredi]

I wonder what Maryland would do if they caught you with a 750 watt bike?

 

[J.R.]

I wonder what Maryland would do if they caught you with a 750 watt bike?

I think it's still pretty much an honor system. I've seen plenty of people ride fast on trails, but none of them were on ebikes. I think if everyone rode respectfully, it wouldn't be an issue. I can't imagine I would have been asked if it weren't a friend. Someone will mess up big one day and then the law will come crashing down on us. The few always ruin it, for the many.

 

[fredi]

I think I'll see if I can swap out for a Galaxy TT, I don't wanna be that guy

 

[J.R.]

I think I see if I can swap out for a Galaxy TT, I don't wanna be that guy

I think you were correct, in that the Bafang drive can be set to the required specs for Maryland law. Then if MD falls in line with most other states, you could have the bike reprogrammed to the higher limits.