Is 20 mph too slow?

[tylerrrrrr]

I'm looking at getting my first e-bike (and i started another thread about that) but specifically I want to know if people feel like after a while maxing at 20mph is too slow and if they wished they'd gone for a Class 3 28mph or if over time 20mph holds up for both fun and speed of commute.

 

[tylerrrrrr]

Thanks - here in California the 28mph is slightly restricted but for my personal commute that would only be about 15% of my trip. A large portion of my trip is a straight shot on a flat road with a decent bike lane so I'm wondering if I'd want to make up time in that part of the commute.

 

[keithd]

If you commute by human power 20 mph is fast. I have motorcycles for speed so for me the bicycle is for exercise and enjoyment. The 20 mph top end would not kill the purchase for me if I liked the bike.

 

[tylerrrrrr]

If you commute by human power 20 mph is fast. I have motorcycles for speed so for me the bicycle is for exercise and enjoyment. The 20 mph top end would not kill the purchase for me if I liked the bike.

I think 20mph would be fine for me as well, I just wondering if other people after a couple years and theyre comfortable on their e-bike if they are wishing for more speed. But yeah, 20 felt fast enough on a test ride for me.

 

[Joe EE]

Hi, just my 2 cents. Started riding again last year after a really long time off bikes. 20 MPH is fast on a bicycle, I typically ride between 12 and 15 MPH. Every now and then, I see a long straightaway and I feel like blasting down it. I notice lately that my Voltbike either has a mind of its own or the governor is malfunctioning because the other day I got 22 on a flat and she would have given more. I also did a DIY this year and she is hella fast... and now I’m thinking about upgrading that! I think that like with cars, speed can become an addiction. I think that as long as you are aware of the risks and are willing to take them, and you are not compromising anyone else’s safety and do these things in deserted areas... I don’t think that there is anything wrong with blowing off a little steam every now and then. To a point. Why anybody would want to go 40 or 50 mph on a bicycle is beyond my comprehension, especially when there are so many available reasonably priced options for vehicles like that. Just my 2 cents. Be safe.

 

[Fitzy]

Mine came restricted at 20MPH and I wanted more, so I dongled it. I find that I'm regularly riding in my 22MPH comfort-zone (the 20MPH wall was very annoying) and that couple of MsPH are worth the price of the dongle. I removed the dongle recently for troubleshooting purposes (and to get some extra exercise), and although I'm a stronger pedaler than I was when I bought the bike last-year, there where two instances where I just made traffic-lights because I had to crank like a lunitic to get the speed to catch them recently; I DEFINITELY would have made them much more safely with the dongle. As far as I'm concerned, reserve-speed makes the bike safer.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

One thing you don't see much about in the literature is any discussion about the range difference between a class I or II e-bike and a class III speed pedelec. My guess (based on naive physics) is that at full power, all other things being equal, a speed pedelec would have approximately half the range.

Based on that fact alone I see the 28mph e-bike as really kind of an odd duck. You can't legally use most bike infrastructure and you still can't safely match vehicle speeds outside of a pretty densely built up urban area. So I'd imagine its highest and best use would be for fairly short commutes on city streets in a relatively flat city without much cycling infrastructure.

 

[opimax]

you can go slower than 28 on a 28 mph bike, you can't go faster than 20 on a 20mph bike (by design). speed is a drug, once yo get used to 28 , 20 is slow. On a strait shot to commute 28 makes more sense...to me

 

[opimax]

PS. falling ( or being shoved by a deer) at 28 ( or higher as I was going down hill) REALLY SUCKS, very painfull. Falling at 5 mph sucks too, broke my leg at 5 mph. It didnt hurt as much , bigger PIA though

 

[Bruce Arnold]

I think 20mph would be fine for me as well, I just wondering if other people after a couple years and theyre comfortable on their e-bike if they are wishing for more speed. But yeah, 20 felt fast enough on a test ride for me.

I do most of my commuting and joy riding at 15-20 mph. Occasionally, for momentary reasons, I have gone faster, as high as 31 mph. Those moments are rare, and a lot of fun. Back when I was in better shape and commuting on a pedal bike to work, I would keep my speed between 12 and 15 mph so as not to be so sweaty when I got to the office. So being able to run 15-20 mph, also without working up a lather, is an amazing benefit AFAIAC.

Keeping it in the 15-20 range also helps to maximize battery charge, and minimizes wear and tear on the bike and all of its components. Also, at speeds over around 20, more of the motor's energy goes into overcoming wind resistance than into increasing speed, so it takes more power to produce less result.

 

[Rakku]

Im living in germany.
Ebikes with a speed over 25km/h are calssified as speedpedelecs and those are classified as "kleinkrafträder" the same class as scooters and motorcycles up to 50m².
My bike (radrhino) only needs a license plate or falls in the category, because it has a throttle.
Now when I think about it, I could have gone with a bike that gets up to 28mph.
Maybe my next bike will be such.

Normally my bike would go 15,5mhp/25kmh, but within the LCD menu you can just set the top speed to where you want.
The bike goes up to 35kmh full throttle without pedaling.

If I pedal I can reach about 40kmh.


My normal cruising speed is 20 - 25kmh, but now comes the fun thing.

With a throttle and around 25 - 35kmh and a forest, you can get downhill feeling without any hills.


In germany where I live, there are nearly no trails at all, and no downhill.
I can just create a similar feeling, wheezing through the forests with such speed, extremly fun.

Next bike is going to be a 28mph/45kmh bike though, since I basicly am in the same category at the moment with a slower bike.

 

[rich c]

Most of my rides are between 10 and 20 miles long, on class 3 bikes. Average is usually 15 after stop lights and signs. I often find myself going 20-22 mph in the lower assist modes, rarely hit 28. It takes a great amount of energy to go from 22 to 28. I weigh 250, which is a big brick to push through the air. I have ridden class 1 and 2 bikes. I found it very annoying to hit the limiter at 19-20. One consideration is legal riding. If you ride where they are strictly enforcing speed and bike laws, the decision is mute. My city is not a big biking town, and being retired I don't see many people on the trails when I ride. So class 3 is my preferred ride.

 

[tylerrrrrr]

I do most of my commuting and joy riding at 15-20 mph. Occasionally, for momentary reasons, I have gone faster, as high as 31 mph. Those moments are rare, and a lot of fun. Back when I was in better shape and commuting on a pedal bike to work, I would keep my speed between 12 and 15 mph so as not to be so sweaty when I got to the office. So being able to run 15-20 mph, also without working up a lather, is an amazing benefit AFAIAC.

Keeping it in the 15-20 range also helps to maximize battery charge, and minimizes wear and tear on the bike and all of its components. Also, at speeds over around 20, more of the motor's energy goes into overcoming wind resistance than into increasing speed, so it takes more power to produce less result.

Thanks this is a very helpful way of thinking about it

 

[niveksilliw]

I agree with Rich C. A class 3, speed pedelec is my preferred e-bike, even though I rarely ride to the 28 mph limit. The most important factor is that I can maintain a steady 22-23 mph pace with motor assist for a long period of time with the 28 mph reserve if I need it. I know there will be a penalty in range if I ride at higher speeds. It just like many sporty automobiles. My Subaru Forrester XT can achieve 130 mph. But I usually cruise in the low 70’s to maximize mpg. However there are times when it is necessary to downshift and hit a much higher speed. E-bike riders should have the same options.

I know e-bikes in the US are mostly unregulated with little, if any, license and insurance mandates presently on the books.

Another thing about all bikes is that achieving speeds of 40 - 50 mph are easily surpassed when riding downhill. That’s the thrill of riding a bike!

 

[Manu]

In my case I have to say that for me if it is useful to use the unlock at 25km / h at least on the yamaha pw, it is a very good combination combined with eco + or eco, there are no such stops and really the pedelec becomes eco + on a carbon bike without limitations or cuts, as the yamaha does not offer resistance to pedaling except for the greater total weight, when using the echo + the small force that prints makes it a bike +++ with all the benefit it brings .

standar / high mode unlocked becomes a very fun mode and without leg strength you reach 35 km / h the high mode can reach up to 45 km / h but making a great effort from 40 to 45 km / h. The advantages of This 2 modes is that in the hills you maintain high speeds of up to 28 km / h with gradients of up to 10º confirmed in my case and with 90 kilos of weight

The autonomy is reduced considerably in standard and high but it seems to stay in echo + and lowers the range a little in Eco


I use the blueped and the unlocked is activated when I turn on the light. I use it in private area.

haibike treking 5.0 "notes"

 

[Nova Haibike]

When I am riding in downtown Washington D.C., or on the trails here when there is a lot of traffic, I would not want to ride faster than 20 mph...in my opinion it is just not safe. But I will definitely install a dongle when I get the chance, because when I am riding on open roads it would be nice to go faster.

 

[christob]

Add me to the list -- my pedelec is rated to 28, but I find my average trip speed is often below 20. On a longer (paved trail) run (while I'm working on getting more fit) I'll average 13-15, with as little assist as I can tolerate. I have taken it to level 5 assist and hit 28, and it is honestly, a bit nerve-wracking! I can see where I'd be glad to have it in certain conditions, but I can't honestly say I ever foresee flat out riding, consistently at 28, unless I was perhaps on a closed, paved track and was say, experimenting on how quickly it would kill the battery charge

 

[TForan]

I think 20 on urban streets is plenty fast enough.

 

[Fitzy]

PS. falling ( or being shoved by a deer) at 28 ( or higher as I was going down hill) REALLY SUCKS, very painfull. Falling at 5 mph sucks too, broke my leg at 5 mph. It didnt hurt as much , bigger PIA though

I hit a tree at about 20MPH on a trail a few years back...nothing but a scrape on my arm and achy balls.

Bike slipped out from under me a few years before that whilst walking it at 2MPH through a muddy-puddle; resulted in surgery to install a titanium-pin and nearly 2-months in a full leg-cast.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

I have a 28mph Trek XM700 which I ride for enjoyment only, no commuting. I’ve put 3500 miles on it in the past twelve months.

My normal ride is 20 - 30 miles, mix of paved roads, paved bike paths, stone dust paths and hard dirt trails, often all on the same ride. Occasional longer touring style riding, maybe 50 to 60 miles in a day. Nothing technical, but lots of hills, some of them pretty good ones in the Adirondacks.

I find that I hardly ever go over 20mph, but would love to have a little more climbing power. I’d swap out my Performance Speed motor for a Performance CX in a heartbeat if it were feasible, for the added climbing torque.

It’s a lot of fun wheeling along at 23 or 24 mph, at the end of a longish ride, but it ain’t necessary, for me at least. Plus, that time going faster just kills your battery range as well.

Absolutely love this bike, but the extra speed has nothing to do with it, for me at least.