Barry S
Well-Known Member
If you ever get your placard, hang it off the handlebar stem. That's sure to get some conversation going.
No motorized vehicles allowed
- Thread starter net200777
- Start date
No my LBS, they just wanted to sell me a bike and could not tell me where it was legal to ride.
John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
MikeDD , what state do you live in ?
John from CT
John from CT
john peck
Well-Known Member
Roger that, but my bars are gettin' kinda crowded.If you ever get your placard, hang it off the handlebar stem. That's sure to get some conversation going.
Washington
John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
Mike,
I agree with John Peck and I live 3000 miles away. WA State is known far and wide for being very bicycle friendly,
but if you're having trouble falling asleep some night and want to read the law here it is....
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
John from CT
Alphbetadog
Active Member
Any of you WA guys know the situation of emtbs in the WA State Parks? We are moving to a home just outside of Moran State Park and I was planning on riding my emtbs there in my normal super-courteous way to other trail users and not drawing attention to myself. However I'd rather not get arrested and/or bike being confiscated.
John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
Alphbetadog,
I think you nailed it when you wrote...."I was planning on riding my emtbs there in my normal super-courteous way to other trail users and not drawing attention to myself. " That's how I ride. Here in CT the Legislature is working on revising some very old wording in the law regarding ebikes. Below is some wording that was used in both Michigan and Washington State to address MTB ebikes ...which will most likely find it's way in CT ebike laws.....
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2018) (a) Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, the rider of an electric bicycle shall be afforded the same rights and privileges and subject to the same duties as the rider of a bicycle.
(b) Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, or where prohibited by local ordinance or a state agency, an electric bicycle may be ridden where bicycles are permitted to travel.
(c) A class 3 electric bicycle shall not be ridden on a bicycle path or multiuse path unless such path is within or adjacent to a highway, except where permitted by local ordinance.
(d) Except as provided in this subsection, an electric bicycle shall not be ridden on a trail that is specifically designated as nonmotorized and that has a natural surface tread that is made by clearing and grading the native soil with no added surfacing materials. A local authority or agency of this state having jurisdiction over a trail described in this subsection may allow the operation of an electric bicycle on that trail.
Below are Washington State ebike laws...
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
John from CT
Mr. Coffee
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
The general rule seems to be that legal electric bikes (class I and class II) are allowed on roads and bike paths or trails with an improved surface unless explicitly prohibited. On trails without an improved surface electric bikes are prohibited unless explicitly allowed. Just like with trespassing laws it is your responsibility to know where you are allowed to ride.
On trails in National Parks generally all bikes are prohibited. So even though the "trail" out to Cape Alava from Ozette is a 3-mile-long boardwalk and thus an improved surface since it is in a National Park and I think also designated wilderness bicycles of all kinds are prohibited.
In practice the worst thing that is going to happen to you is that you are going to get a ticket. And I don't think that State Park Rangers can write tickets, that has to be the county sheriff or state patrol. If I remember there was exactly one San Juan County Sheriff on the rock (*).
So my advice is be reasonably discreet and polite and I doubt very much you'd have a problem there.
* "The Rock" is one term local kids use for Orcas Island. Also known as "Orcatraz".
Alphbetadog
Active Member
Hi John, I saw this new legislation but it seems so easy for the state or local land managers to just arbitrarily prohibit them. This is what was done in most of the AZ areas where regular mtbs are allowed. in actuality, I've never seen any sort of enforcement so I don't worry too much about it. However, ebikes and peddle-assist bikes are classified as a "motor vehicle" and operated on these trails is considered a class 1 misdemeanor by city ordinance which is the most severe misdemeanor just under a felony - yikes!
Alphbetadog
Active Member
Perhaps this is also a case where being mature and having grey hair might also be helpful? In reading the SJC Sheriff's log; it would seem that if they have more than one sheriff deputy on "The Rock" it would be too many!
The more we hear it referred to as "Orcatraz" the more we are getting concerned...
Mr. Coffee
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
The more we hear it referred to as "Orcatraz" the more we are getting concerned...
Sorry, one summer too many years ago I worked at Friday Harbor Labs just across the channel. One of my duties, as a relative peon, was to help with an environmental education program we had for the local high school kids. This evolved quite naturally into a beach barbecue and campfire lecture and a slide show.
One thing I learned there was that those islands would be a tough place to be a teenager. Local kids introduced me to the terms "Orcatraz" and "The Rock".
john peck
Well-Known Member
Trails could be nebulous, If it looks like a bike path as long as your careful & not endangering peds & other cyclists your good.
There's a fair amount of ebike traffic on the Olympic Discovery trail. I've been using parts of for years. Now the sections are coming together.
I'm anxious to ebike the Historic Columbia Trail in Oregon. I've ridden portions on a regular bike. It too is a work in progress with some
amazing 'scenery'. WA state parks are all fee areas for day use unless you ride in. Vehicles need to display a pass. $30 annual,
transferable to another vehicle. There are literally hundreds of old logging roads to explore on a mtn bike. Below, my off-road legal
gas bike. 40cc, the cleanest 2 stoke made, pedals nice without power, it's a kick on the beach.
Attachments
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John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
Howdy,
I did a quick search and found this.......Note the 20 MPH limit and the wording "that may also be self-propelled"
Arizona State law, Title 28, defines motorized electric or gas powered bicycles or tricycles as a bicycle or tricycle that is equipped with a helper motor that has a maximum piston displacement of 48 cubic centimeters or less, or an electric motor off less than 750 watts (1 hp), that may also be self-propelled and that is operated at speeds of less than twenty miles per hour.
If you exceed 20 mph you are no longer covered under this exemption – this means you will be treated as a moped and subject to license, registration, insurance and other operational conditions and will be subject to a citation(s) by thePolice Department and your vehicle could be towed under the mandatory impound law.......
My opinion...Factory built Class 1 and 2 e-bikes by design cannot exceed 20 mph. The 'problem' I have with Class 2 e-bikes aka having a throttle is to the uniformed and or someone who wants to stir things up, sees a rider on same and says "That person is not pedaling, but going 'fast' (20 mph) must be a moped" ...I'm not anti throttle, but I do believe they could bring on some unintended consequences.
Last thought....E-bike kits. I'm not anti kit and have no knowledge of what I speak, but I'm guessing some e-bike kits by design and or hacking
can be tweaked to run at pretty much any desired speed. Should that be the case an errant cyclist can cause untold harm to the image of safe, traditional, responsible law abiding e-bikers.
John from CT
Mr. Coffee
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- A Demented Corner of the North Cascades
I don't know about other bikes, but I know you can set the max speed on nearly all Pedego and Rad Power bikes from the LCD display. I suspect that with mid-drive systems from Bosch or Yamaha the dealers can do it but it probably voids the warranty.
Alphbetadog
Active Member
No doubt it would be a totally boring place for a teenager or young adult. I'd like to have my 24 year old son come up since there is currently a boom in the trades, but he'd probably go stir crazy and my have a tough time finding a nice girl...
john peck
Well-Known Member
My understanding here is under power alone on lever ground. Obviously one can exceed that coasting downhill or
by pedaling. My CCS is throttle limited to 20 mph. Beyond that you'd have to pedal. 20 is plenty fast enough except
maybe getting a run of the many steep hills here. Even so, I've gone right by the local cops at 28. They don't seem
concerned. I've got a helmet, day-glo vest, a mirror, & hydralic disc brakes. One of even remarked as I passed,
"He knows what he's doing." Ride like an idiot; you'll get stopped. Ride responsibly, they'll ignore you.
If they ever make an affordable ebike with a 150 mi. range that can go anywhere I want to travel, I'll buy one.
Right now, my gas bike's all I've got that can do that. Hey, I love my Juiced CCS, but it still has limitations.
by pedaling. My CCS is throttle limited to 20 mph. Beyond that you'd have to pedal. 20 is plenty fast enough except
maybe getting a run of the many steep hills here. Even so, I've gone right by the local cops at 28. They don't seem
concerned. I've got a helmet, day-glo vest, a mirror, & hydralic disc brakes. One of even remarked as I passed,
"He knows what he's doing." Ride like an idiot; you'll get stopped. Ride responsibly, they'll ignore you.
If they ever make an affordable ebike with a 150 mi. range that can go anywhere I want to travel, I'll buy one.
Right now, my gas bike's all I've got that can do that. Hey, I love my Juiced CCS, but it still has limitations.
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Bruce Arnold
Well-Known Member
You can set the top speed on the Crosscurrent S from the LCD display also. This is mostly useful for setting it lower, to meet legal requirements in a local jurisdiction. You can set it above the default 28 mph, up to 60 IIRC, but that doesn't mean that the bike can do 60. The controller is only going to provide 20 amps max, no matter what speed you set. You might get 32 out of it, under the right conditions, and you'll be going through battery like grease through a goose. In situations where pedal assist is restricted to 20 mph/32 kph, I just might use that feature to dial it back, rather than trying to remember to watch the speedo.
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