I am not a huge fan of the e-bike. I know many others feel similarly, and there’s a multitude of reasonings for their dislike. For me it has nothing to do with perceiving folks that ride them as “cheaters”, which I know is a reason for some, and it isn’t a matter of being envious either. Well, only when I am struggling to make it to the top of the hill and they breeze by barely pedaling! No, but seriously – I can appreciate that the e-bike has something to offer that a traditional push bike cannot. But that’s also why I think we need to take a step back and reflect on what an e-bike really is. Because as of right now, there’s not really much consensus on the definition of an e-bike, and this ambiguity is part of why I remain so skeptical. E-bike classifications vary widely across the globe, in Europe, e-bikes are typically limited to 250 watts with a top speed of 25 km/h, while the U.S. has three classes, with power limits up to 750 watts and speeds up to 28 mph. Some countries allow throttle control, others only pedal-assist. Then there’s also the matter of the frames, where you have manufacturers going for a MC/MX aesthetic, stripping away as much of the bicycle componentry as possible, while others stay true to more classic bicycle designs. These differences complicate the definition of an e-bike, blurring the lines between bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles. As a result, what qualifies as a “bicycle” in one country might not in another. Whenever I hear someone tell me, “But an e-bike is just an bicycle with a motor”, I do think to myself… Well, a bicycle is by definition, at its core, an organically driven thing. The very essence of the design is that it is a human powered vehicle, a reliable mechanical extension of the human output. Once you blur those lines, you start to strip away the identity of a vehicle which has transformed the world in such a positive way.
But surely it can’t all be negative, right? As far as I am concerned we are trying hard to come up with more coherent regulation and classification – which hopefully over the years can make up somewhat of a global or semi-global consensus. Because right now it does seem like a bit of a free for all, with people producing very different products under the guise that it is merely a bicycle with a motor. I find it very funny that someone could buy a pedal kit for their Surron e-bike and suddenly the classifications become absolutely pointless and it is now a road legal electric franken-bicycle. Basically, better distinction between the various offerings on the market is needed. But I think either way we will have to accept that due to the somewhat overlapping nature of these electric vehicles, a better system would be one that separates it fully from the world of non-motorised vehicles. Sure, you can have your pedal operated e-bike, and you can have your throttle operated e-bike. But they don’t need comparison with my human powered steeds.
I get that it may seem sort of pedantic, what I am saying. Why does it really matter? It’s not like e-bikes are stopping me from riding my bicycles. That’s true, of course. But the very nature of the marketing of e-bikes, is that they are bicycle v2.0. They’re the upgraded, get with the times grandpa, answer to the awful struggle of having to contend with just your legs. They’re not merely the supposed alternative to a car, but also the alternative to the lowly pushbike. And this is something that makes me very sad. We live in a world where disposability is something that we see as part and parcel of modern living, we unashamedly accept that we’ve now reached such a level of production, that we don’t expect things to last and if it fails, we expect a replacement. This is something that is very integral to the booming e-bike business, which has very little stake in longevity and sustainability. I’m not going to get into the matters of production, obviously e-bike production is resource intensive, but the cycling industry as a whole isn’t great either when it comes to mass production and disposability. But instead I want to touch on the lifespan and the serviceability of e-bikes, which I think is where we start to see real distinction. We already know that the push towards electric technology in bicycle componentry has impacted serviceability, bike mechanics end up having to do replacements rather than repairs, in contrast to a mechanically actuated component. Even if you wanted to attempt to do a repair, you often cannot due to warranty voiding, liability, as these electronic gubbins are often highly proprietary and closed source, many of them likely not designed to be repairable. This of course can be directly translated over into the world of e-bikes. Motors do fail for a multitude of reasons, particularly on cheaper models you see insufficient weatherproofing messing with both battery and motor. And for the more higher end stuff, you’re still on borrowed time as there’s a finiteness to a motorised, battery driven vehicle. Also, any electrical product has a higher chance of a sudden freak failure than a mechanical setup. In any of these instances, there isn’t really much a bicycle mechanic can do, because they’re simply not capable of fixing it or allowed to even if they were capable. This means discarding and replacing, to a much higher degree, than we would for an ordinary pushbike. And let’s not forget that what we are throwing away had to go through more intensive and harmful production than its mechanical counterpart.
Also, what about forced obsoletion? Considering technology that we use in our day to day, such as computers, phones, televisions and even convenience appliances get a shorter and shorter lifespan, is it any surprise if e-bikes go down the same route? I’d think not. There’s already e-bikers talking about this, realising that after a few years, they now own a bike which has no replacement batteries available, or their proprietary charging cable has been discontinued. Before you know it, you are faced with the issue of either having to do a potentially risky modification to the electronics, to run third party, or getting the newest and the best, fresh from the production line. Cycling already has an issue with proprietary standards, and cross compatibility remains a pipedream. But with e-bikes, we’re taking it one step further, extending it to the entire bicycle, because without the motor and battery – what is an e-bike? A very heavy paperweight. Once its electrical guts kick the bucket, you’re left with a useless frame, most likely designed with a particular brand’s gizmos in mind, so good luck repurposing it. I am aware that bikes which were sold with hub motors don’t quite fit in here, but I also think that as a whole the industry is moving away from that, realising that electric specific frames are the way to go. Mid-drive seems to be the golden standard, and so I’ve not taken conversions and hub motors into consideration. I actually think there are more redeeming things to say about hub motor kits and mid-drive kits, which allow you to take your ordinary bicycle frame and “electrify” it, with a plethora of third party parts available for repairs, also allowing you to tailor the bike to your needs. And the process is of course reversible. But as that is the more specialist option, I won’t go further into e-bike conversions. Also, though I think they make better sense, they’re not exempt from the same critiques, in terms of longevity and disposability. I suppose we can do a quick summary now. E-bikes do not last as long as actual bicycles and aren’t as serviceable, and when they go to the knackers yard, they are also less recyclable due to their complex production.
I know this comes across awfully one-sided. But I honestly have a hard time seeing e-bikes as even remotely comparable to a bicycle. When I cycle around, I see people on bicycles they’ve had for decades. Many of them visibly neglected and abused, yet they’re still out there serving a purpose. Getting someone to and from work, going shopping or enjoying a nice ride round town with their loved ones. An e-bike cannot offer that level of futureproofing, which shouldn’t sit well with anyone, considering the huge financial outlay required, not even taking into account the inevitable money you’ll have to chuck after batteries and servicing. So, you see, this is why I object so strongly to e-bikes being compared to bicycles. Because it compares apples to oranges, it trivialises the humble push bike which, for over 100 years, has merged human energy and mechanical ingenuity, to make a low impact way of exploring the world around us. We mustn’t allow further complication of what is a reliably simple, beautiful thing. A bicycle does not need charging.
So, e-bikes aren’t bicycles. But if I zoom out and I look at it from a bigger perspective, I think bicyclists should stand in solidarity with e-biking folks. Especially those who decide to leave the car at home to go ride one. We should all be supportive of people picking one of the less noisy and destructive options of motorised vehicles. I don’t like mopeds very much, noisy and smelly. Motorcycles are even noisier and smellier than mopeds. Cars are metal death crates. Did I mention they’re smelly too? If someone rides an e-bike around instead, responsibly, then they get a hell yeah from me. I would be all for people replacing their petrol and diesel guzzling machinery with electric bikes, but I think the reality is that very few, if any, do that. The e-bike isn’t so much an alternative as a supplement, which makes people who care obsessively about co2 footprints very happy. They keep saying how if they just take the e-bike once a week it means so and so much reduction of x y z… Yeah, but what I really care about is one less car on the road – so let’s find ways to make the e-bikes attractive enough to be either a full time or almost full time replacement to a gasguzzler. It’s not that I think electric vehicles will save the world or anything like that, I’m pretty sure we’re past that point, but if it means less congestion, noise, smell and accidents – sign me up! It could result in a reform of our modern car-obsessed infrastructure, to include more green spaces, making room for nature once more. But that’s me projecting I think. Anyway, I see a lot of elderly people getting out and about on their e-bikes, and families using electric cargo bikes to do the shopping and pick up children. And if the convenience of a motor assist is what it took to get them to leave the car at home, then I think every cyclist should be supportive. We can even pretend they’re one of us, while secretly, behind their back, giggle about how their electric moped likely won’t survive the downpour tonight.
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