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Scooters and scooters with disc brakes, 2 wheel drive, high speed and more!
- Thread starter Doodski
- Start date
kemmler3D
Master Contributor
I gotta say, if you want to go that fast on an electric "mobility vehicle" I'd go with a bike. Center of gravity on these things is just too high, they're super dangerous IMO.
At least, they are for me. I feel shaky as heck on these e-scooters and try to use e-bikes instead as often as I can. Both are commonly available for rent in my area. You can get credible ebikes that will go just as fast for a few grand.
At least, they are for me. I feel shaky as heck on these e-scooters and try to use e-bikes instead as often as I can. Both are commonly available for rent in my area. You can get credible ebikes that will go just as fast for a few grand.
Insane. The problem with that style of machine is you can't slow down. Your centre of gravity is so far above the front axle pivot point that any serious braking force results in a face plant.
Even crouching down isn't going to help much.
Need to do an emergency stop at 40mph - you're probably going to die.... or use your face/tarmac interface as the brake mech.
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OP
- Thread Starter
- #5
A young woman in my city had her foot amputated at the ankle when the rented scooter she rode was in some form of crash. People are modifying batteries and causing house and garage fires. City of Vancouver urges public not to modify them or keep them or rechargeable bicycles indoors. Then shows a ton of fires caused by the batteries being charged improperly or cheap batteries. My buddy is at least 67 and he rides a fast one downtown on the biggest avenue downtown at 50 kmh. He wears a helmet, pants, shirt and gloves. Fast fast...
somebodyelse
Major Contributor
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In the UK it would be treated as a motor vehicle, but it doesn't fall into a class that you can register and insure so you can't legally use it on the road. The only road legal scooters are from licensed hire companies, and nowhere near that fast or powerful.
E-bikes are limited to 250W, and can only provide power below 15.5mph, only while pedalling. Beyond that it's a motorbike or moped, and the normal rules for those apply - registration, license, insurance etc.
Having said that, enforcement is near non-existent.
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In the US E-Bikes are mostly unregulated. Some can go almost 40 km/hr in "track mode". It's going to take a few fatal accidents until the legislatures wake up to the problem.
kemmler3D
Master Contributor
Numerically speaking, this is not true. 44 states have some laws on the books and 37 have adopted a standard system of regulations around speed and speed control.
Ebike Laws in the United States - Updated Guide for 2023
Here's an in-depth and updated guide on ebike laws in the United States. From power and speed limits to age and other restrictions, learn everything!
raevbikes.com
Whether these laws are adequate for safety is a matter of debate, but "unregulated" is not the word to use when there are laws almost everywhere.
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How about inadequately regulated? Inadequate regulation isn't any better than none. Perhaps you could summarize those 44 state laws? I see people on e bikes (which can go 40 mph and weigh 80 lbs) that are really electric scooters with no license plates. I think there needs to be a bright line test for when they are motor vehicles.Numerically speaking, this is not true. 44 states have some laws on the books and 37 have adopted a standard system of regulations around speed and speed control.
Ebike Laws in the United States - Updated Guide for 2023
Here's an in-depth and updated guide on ebike laws in the United States. From power and speed limits to age and other restrictions, learn everything!
Whether these laws are adequate for safety is a matter of debate, but "unregulated" is not the word to use when there are laws almost everywhere.
yeah, these things are a danger to the owner and others. i used to go on long walks on a beautiful trail, and these things have infested it and after a few nearly misses i have stopped using it, which is a damn shame.
my urban scooter below... love it, super practical, does 95mph for those occasional longer trips, and has tons of storage space under the seat for single or dual household (with a cat or two :-D) grocery runs. also accelerates faster than most cars, which is a safety feature in urban traffic.
my urban scooter below... love it, super practical, does 95mph for those occasional longer trips, and has tons of storage space under the seat for single or dual household (with a cat or two :-D) grocery runs. also accelerates faster than most cars, which is a safety feature in urban traffic.
95 mph
well legally it is a motorcycle of course. 500cc engine, full registration and insurance needed (which none of the electric scooters/bicycle/onewheels require despite them being able to do a lot of damage).95 mph
kemmler3D
Master Contributor
I think that actually does cross the legal line to something that's supposed to have plates. So I think if you're moving 40mph on anything at all, you are supposed to have plates, turn signals, etc... But you're probably suffering from the same problem we are here, i.e. cops not doing very much about traffic violations. In most states the laws don't allow "e-bikes" to go faster than 28mph.
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I believe the 28 mph is with human power assisting. On its own the bike can't go faster than something like 20 mph. However, some of the bikes have a "track mode" allowing 40 mph. They look like motor scooters having pedals which are not intended to be used.
kemmler3D
Master Contributor
Yes, although I think this makes the user a lawbreaker... the issue as ever is scofflaws up against inadequate enforcement. And correct on the pedal-assist aspect.
I can hit 20mph on a bike down a hill or with a bit of sweat... 240lb of man + bike bearing down on you at that speed, doesn't really matter what the power source is. But 40mph is a very different story.
kemmler3D
Master Contributor
When I was in shape I could hit 30 on the flat on my single-speed, but with quite a lot of effort. These days, don't think so...
OP
- Thread Starter
- #18
With nice Michelins and those brakes I am guessing that ride stops on a dime.
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
About the same for me when I was road cycling in the 80s/90s/00s. Fastest I ever hit was 79.9kmhr (~50mph) going down a mountain road (yes, I'd ridden up it). The bike was floating on the road at that speed. Scary chit. Tried really hard to hit 80 but ran out of straight road. That "max speed" stayed on the Avocet cycle computer to remind me.
Tange 900 tubing, Shimano 105 groupset, Araya rims- ancient stuff.
Too old for that now.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #20
I hit about 50'ish mph when the brakes failed on a ride I had and it was very high speed wobbly and I was sure I was going to die. I slammed on the back brake. The rear wheel bent and formed like a potato chips shape and jammed in the frame and locked up and so I was skidding and steered it onto somebody's lawn to avoid road rash. I had a successful wipeout and was badly scrapped up0 but the asphalt woulda been wayy freaking worse. Loose spokes caused that rear wheel lock-up.
Doctor advised me today no more cycling and inline skating. Too much strain on the hip joints and lower back and the arthritis will get worse.
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