Should e-bike speed restrictions be relaxed? The GCN Show

This week on the GCN Show Dan and Si are pondering e-bike usage and whether the current speed restrictions they adhere to is a reason for a relatively low level of uptake across our cities worldwide.

While e-bikes are legal there are speed limits that the onboard motor must adhere to. Here in the UK and across the EU the speed limit is 25kph whilst in most areas of the US its 32kph or 20mph. In some parts of the EU you are allowed electrical assistance up to 45kph for something called S-pedelecs but it’s usually a requirement to have insurance, a moped licence and a registration plate if you’re running one.

What started this train of thought were some interesting stats Si spotted from mapping technology company TomTom, who you might remember from the earlier days of SatNav. They produce a data report which basically ranks 387 cities from 55 countries across six continents for their traffic conditions. The worst for congestion, based on an average time to travel 10km, is London, followed closely by Dublin, Toronto, Milan and Lima, the capital of Peru. Speeds average below 14kph during rush hours in London.

Read more: Complete guide to e-bikes. What are they and should you buy one?

This got Si wondering whether one way to make e-bikes more appealing and potentially free up some of that traffic congestion in cities is to allow them to be a little faster so that they’re a quicker way to get around town. This could encourage more people to enjoy the health benefits at the same time as reducing the impact on the environment.

Si goes on to propose that this new limit could be 30kph or 20mph which is the slowest speed limit that vehicles are limited to in many countries. The fact that a lot of e-bikes are specifically designed to be easy to ride and navigate in urban environments, would help encourage riders to feel comfortable and safe at those speeds.

Read more: Electrify your commute: How to cycle to work on an e-bike

This then raises the question of whether there would be a need for some sort of proficiency testing and greater legislation with riders perhaps requiring a specific licence.

There is evidence that there’s more danger involved in riding an e-bike. In our report earlier in this week a US study showed head injuries among e-bikers had increased 49-fold in 5 years. Although this might be down to the fact that there are more people riding them it also suggests that riders are at higher risk of injury, especially when riding without wearing a helmet.

It’s an interesting argument and one we’d love to hear more from you about. Is this the right way to get more people out of their cars and onto bikes, especially across cities? Let us know in the comments below.

In other news Si and Dan look back at the action from Opening Weekend’s racing at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne which saw notable performances from Oir Lazkano and Kristen Faulkner. Watch out for our Strade Bianche previews later in the week both on the website and GCN Racing YouTube channel and keep up to date with reports and insight from all the key Classics races across the Racing section of the website. And to really get you in the mood we've just released our special edition Spring Race collection of t-shirts over on the GCN shop, like the ones Dan and Si are wearing on the show. Click on the rail below to find your favourite style.

There was also research from a huge European Commission survey into quality of life that included questions related to cyclists. It found that there is a correlation between cycling infrastructure and cycling uptake - the message seems to be if you build bike lanes then people will use them.

Hacks and Bodges

Here's this week's selection. Over to our audience to explain what their submissions are all about…

Solid rock saddle from Malcolm

After climbing to the top of Stone's Head, Scania, Sweden my daughter and I found a saddle on top of a post fastened into a rock. Hack or Bodge? Our legs were tired so we say hack!

© GCN

Biscuit tray mudguard from Chris

I could understand this as a quick fix, but there was not a cloud in the sky and this had clearly been left on for a….rainy day?

© GCN

Home made carbo derailleur cage from bhirawa wisnu

I make my own carbon fiber rear derailleur inner cage from a carbon fiber plate that I bought online for $5 usd and I shape it with drill and dremel and this save me 16 gram of weight and I can make 2 of them from one plate.

Bidon vase from Nick

Having run out of small vases for spring flowers we have made use of one of our old bidons. New use for an old thing - got to be a hack, right?

© GCN

Upload to the GCN Show

If you have a Hack or Bodge you'd like to be included on a future GCN Show then here's how you can upload it. Don't forget to include plenty of information so Si and Dan can understand what it's all about.

Coming up on the channel this week*

Wednesday 28 Feb: Mountain bike skills for roadies with GMBN’s Blake Samson

Thursday 29 Feb: E-Road bike vs e-Gravel bike - Ollie and Alex run through the differences

Friday 1 March: How much does rim width affect gravel tyres

Saturday 2 March: The World’s Biggest bike with Conor Dunne and Hank

Sunday 3 March: Can Ollie Bridgewood hold the wheel of a pro on the flat?

* Weekly video schedule is subject to change.

Did you know: You can also listen to this via podcast. So now you can get all the insight from the show without actually having to look at Dan and Si, which we can’t believe you’d want to do. Search for global cycling network wherever you get your podcasts.

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