SUGGESTIONS TO BIKE MANUFACTURERS:

[UphillBothWays]

Electric bikes are growing in popularity, and soon there will be MANY more of us on the roads and trails. Right now, especially while the gyms are closed, there are SO many more pedestrians.

I think safety will become an issue.

We are riding faster, and there are more of us newbie riders with fast bikes we don't yet know how to control.

I believe ALL electric bikes should be equipped with integrated BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR VIEW MIRRORS, AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS. Why there are

no companies offering directional signals on electric bikes is baffling to me!!!

When traveling faster, I have a HARD time taking my hands off the handlebars to signal a turn.

THESE THINGS SHOULD BE MANDATORY.

 

[rich c]

There are bicycle helmets with turn signals and brake lights. Much more visible than when mounted on the bike, especially with bags and panniers. Search Lumos. Not sure it's the manufacturer's problem to compensate for riders who don't yet know how to control their bicycle. If they are responsible, look for a max speed of 14mph coming very soon.

 

[Solom01]

Why stop there? Why not add ABS, safety harnesses, bluetooth links so you can't start it without wearing a helmet, safety lights for when your brakes are worn and so forth? Well maybe because some cyclists don't want a bike that weighs 50 pounds or more? By the way, since I notice you're from California, maybe there should be a mandatory metal Prop. 65 plaque saying that the bike contains chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm?

 

[indianajo]

I believe ALL electric bikes should be equipped with integrated BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR VIEW MIRRORS, AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS. Why there are

When bikes arequired to have all those things, I'll go back to walking everywhere.
Autos are totally useless now after 10 years and 20000 miles. Or 250000 miles, if you're rich enough to drive that far.The check engine light comes on over & over at 10 years anyway. I can't buy an auto with gold plated sensor & computer contacts, not even a $350000 Maybach. So I ride a bicycle that works 99.9999% of the time. Except when I'm doing scheduled maintenance.
Besides, I have a flashing rear light. Drivers should realize a bike can stop in 5 ', from any speed.
I do make hand turn signals, and most drivers ignore them if it would cost them a second of their precious time. If a car is there, don't turn, 80% of drivers are out to kill you. Low life homeless person, why don't you drive a Toyota like a real man? Or pick a lifestyle, there are dozens of tribes out there now. Diesel dually pickups with no mufflers are the tribe out near my summer camp. I've been notified by my wife that her co-workers that live out there expect me to steer into the ditch if they get caught behind me climbing a hill.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Your title says "Suggestions to bike manufacturers", but then you say all these changes should be "mandated." Suggestions are fine, but mandated....no way.

If enough of the public wants rear brake lights or mirrors bike companies will include them. They will give the custom what they want, because it's good business sense.

We DON'T need the government getting anymore involved than it is already. Look at the EU's seriously stupidly mandated 25kph top speed.

 

[Sierratim]

Injury prevention is an issue, but so much depends on the rider's willingness to wear the right gear; helmet, decent shoes, gloves, etc. What's the saying, "There are two kinds of cyclists, those that have fallen over and those that will fall over". Even getting riders to follow road rules would help a lot. I don't know how many times I've seen cyclists blow through stop signs at the bottom of hills around our very hilly town. How about actually signaling before turning, or even riding an ebike that complies with local rules. I see a number of ebikes powered way over the 1hp US limit, even in our small town. Or my favorite gripe; cyclists wearing earbuds. No wonder you don't hear my bell or my loud "bike on your left" as I approach. How can you expect to hear traffic.

On the other side, how about getting car drivers to respect the rights of cyclists. Riding with plenty of lights and a bright jacket, I can't tell you how many times I've been cut off by drivers that speed ahead just to make a sharp turn in front of me. Take a breath and I'll be gone. Or nose out into the cycling lane forcing me into traffic. Other local cyclists have been forced off roads, some with serious resulting injuries when a driver insists on passing on a blind curve to find an oncoming car. Swerving into the cyclist seems to be an OK option.

I don't have an easy answer for any of this, but adding turn signals won't cut it.

Anti-theft security features would be a great idea that manufacturers can really help with. Ebikes are expensive and make a good target. For those ebikes that interface with an app how about a user option to require a login before the motor will power up? Just making the display/controller screen removable would be a big help. Or even just a key like cars have had for a couple of generations. A GPS chip would be helpful to find stolen bikes, if you get the local police to pay attention when you locate the signal.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Ride on.

 

[stanmiller]

OP is troll. Don't take the bait.

 

[Nova Haibike]

I think safety will become an issue.

When traveling faster, I have a HARD time taking my hands off the handlebars to signal a turn.

THESE THINGS SHOULD BE MANDATORY.

Should rider/operators then be required to take a course and be tested on their proficiency? Because safety should primarily be active, not passive. Take directional signals on motor vehicles, for example. How many people fail to use them when changing lanes? Headlights...how many people fail to turn them on at dawn or dusk or when it is cloudy or raining? How many people allow two seconds of distance to the vehicle ahead, or more in low light or bad weather?

I am all for safety devices, but I wish more people would ride (and drive) safely.

One other thing: bikes would require inspections as well. As someone who works on bicycles for a living, a lot of people's bikes would fail an inspection...a lot of people ride on very unsafe bicycles.

 

[sc00ter]

Thats what accessories are for, make it yours, how you want it. I learned the hard way when I wreaked my ebike without wearing a helmet. I wear one now! I also have a rear view mirror, an accessory I purchased with the bike. I did see bicycle turn signals on WISH.com once. Remember, the government can ruin anything if you give them ideas. Look at the Scwhinn Krates and that Ralph Nader guy!

 

[harryS]

Safety concerns will come to a head if we have people riding so fast they can't take their hands off the bars to do a hand signal.

 

[Ken M]

I see a lot of suggestions that will make most ebikes a reliability nightmare. Anti-lock brakes, flat detection, electric brake wear sensors, blue tooth starting, etc. I've seen people want like a large screen TV on their ebikes so they can see every conceivable parameter possible. C'mon people bikes, including ebikes should be kept simple and reliable. I remember participating in design brain storming sessions and it always amazed me how few understood the difference between the truly needed things and the "want" things that in many cases add no value to 99.9 percent of buyers. I don't need wires going to my brake calipers to tell me when my pads need replacing and if you think you need that you should be riding a bike.

I think the ebike manufacturers should stop thinking the old weight is all that matters paradigm. Not that many spandexters are riding ebikes so forgot about them. Get rid of spokes and go mag wheels with good air volume tires for better handling and suspension effects without complex active suspensions, make tires like 10mm thick so they never puncture and last 10,000 miles minimum, more upright riding positions make sense for safety because being in an uncomfortable aero position is for the spandexters not someone riding to work, get away for soft aluminum frames and go back to chrome moly for durability and ride quality. Essentially anyone that has been designing bikes for more than a year or two out of the design process because they can't let go of the old paradigm.

 

[steve marino]

I agree, those things should be mandatory. Thanks for posting this. The visibility of the lights needs to be amped up as well. Many of these lights are not bright enough. Local governments need to be brought up to speed on things too. Many of them have ridiculous and unsafe rules on their books, and police can be a real pest when it comes to enforcing them. Things like having to dismount a bike and walk it across a crosswalk when there isn't a soul around, requirements to use hand signals, requiring that a bike must have a bell (so a horn is technically not legal) and a lot more.

The most important thing I can do to make myself safer on a bike is to avoid interacting w/ cars and trucks as much as possible. I try to avoid streets w/ bike lanes because they are no security whatsoever, and I travel through residential streets if at all possible. No amount of bike safety requirements will keep me from being run down by your typical distracted driver, who is often talking on their phone, or incredibly, texting while driving. Really stupid and irresponsible people out there on the roads and otherwise.

 

[sc00ter]

Actually, the OP basically described a moped. Upgrade to a Honda Metropolitan or Ruckus. They have everything you ask for, usually go 45mph max, quality built and you will never have range anxiety as there are gas stations around every corner. Problem solved!

 

[dodahman]

Electric bikes are growing in popularity, and soon there will be MANY more of us on the roads and trails. Right now, especially while the gyms are closed, there are SO many more pedestrians.

I think safety will become an issue.

We are riding faster, and there are more of us newbie riders with fast bikes we don't yet know how to control.

I believe ALL electric bikes should be equipped with integrated BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR VIEW MIRRORS, AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS. Why there are

no companies offering directional signals on electric bikes is baffling to me!!!

When traveling faster, I have a HARD time taking my hands off the handlebars to signal a turn.

THESE THINGS SHOULD BE MANDATORY.

I think if you want those things, you can buy them today. Go for it.

 

[Deacon Blues]

It seems we have two types of people in this world; those who want to make decisions for themselves and those that want the government to make all their decisions for them.
Any day I can keep the government out of my life is a good day.

 

[Alaskan]

It seems we have two types of people in this world; those who want to make decisions for themselves and those that want the government to make all their decisions for them.
Any day I can keep the government out of my life is a good day.

This is no place for divisive politics. Lets keep the discussion to bikes. Dividing all people into two categories is plain wrong. Life is more complicated than that.

 

[sc00ter]

Or, instead of a moped, you can get a Bintelli Fusion. It has everything you are looking for and can be serviced/supported at any Bintelli moped dealer.

 

[Asher]

Lol everyone on the internet apparently is a government hating libertarian...

I agree in principle with the OP, but I'm not sure any of those devices really help. Head and tail lights should be mandatory and meet some kind of standard. Mandatory inclusion of a $5-10 accessory like a rear view mirror is not going to kill anyone's business model.

Something I almost never do, and proudly so: signaling to drivers.

The moment you think that drivers are paying attention to you is the moment you get hit. You're better off acting as if no driver can see you, and plotting a course accordigly. Hand signaling is some fairy tale nonsense for a world where drivers are looking at you instead of their lane or their phone. Signaling may delude you into thinking flicking your fingers will ward off drivers.

Plus, hand signaling can upset your balance.

 

[Asher]

I don't know if it should be mandatory.
If it was going to be mandatory, I'm sure manufactures won't be able to put whatever they want, it will have to be approved by DOT and make sure everything is within spec.

Also, what about normal bicycles? a lot of roadbike riders, or even MTB riders can pretty fast especially downhill? Are they exempt from this rule?
If you rider your ebikes on the road, is it more dangerous than riding a bicycle on the road? Is this why ebikes require turn signals but bicycles don't?

Realistically, I think it would be difficult to make it mandatory, but as ebikes evolve, they can make it more of a standard feature.
Just like hydraulic brakes, GPS tracking, torque sensor, ABS... these kind of stuff are not mandatory, but it's a standard feature for some bikes.

It's not that hard. The government passes a rule and makers get warned/fined if they break it/flout it. There doesn't need to be a costly certification process, just a reasonable likelihood of enforcement. There's already a lot of rules and standards for bikes.

Road and mtb bikes are used by recreational, usually more experienced, enthusiasts. And their speeds are limited by their prowess. Conflating ebikes with muscle bikes is just willful ignorance. Everyone and their granny can go 28 mph on a class 3 ebike. Doing even 20 mph sustained on a muscle bike requires a decent bike, decent fitness, and a physical runway that most people usually lack.

 

[pmcdonald]

I would gladly accept mandatory lights and indicators if the government could raise our mandatory 25 km/h limit!