Was I caught by an electric bike?

On 6/03/2011 7:11 AM, Rob wrote:
On 5/03/2011 2:03 PM, Erik Vastmasd wrote:
I caught a glimpse of Geoff Lockglock@home on Sat, 05 Mar 2011
05:27:17 +1100, writing in aus.bicycle:

Well, a coupla days ago, I was saying how I was caught at the lights by
a female on a girly bike with a basket up front.

I just read this in the Sydney Morning Herald.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/we-want-la...304-1bi1d.html

The RTA have some restrictions on the motor capacity which I think
something like over 200W??? motors have to be registered.

Max for ANY motor is 200W - more than that and you need to register the
vehicle.

Uner the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Act 1999

ROAD RULES 2008

"bicycle" means a vehicle with 2 or more wheels that is built to be
propelled by human power through a belt, chain or gears (whether or not
it has an auxiliary motor), and:

(a) includes a pedicab, penny-farthing and tricycle, but

(b) does not include a wheelchair, wheeled recreational device,
wheeled toy, or any vehicle with an auxiliary motor capable of
generating a power output over 200 watts (whether or not the motor is
operating).


The SMH article above talks of moves to take it to 250W to bring us into
line with the Europeans so that we can import more models.

On 6/03/2011 12:52 PM, Erik Vastmasd wrote:
I caught a glimpse of on Sun, 06 Mar 2011
07:11:19 +1100, writing in aus.bicycle:

The RTA have some restrictions on the motor capacity which I think
something like over 200W??? motors have to be registered.

That is correct and there is the further restriction of not being
allowed to exceed 20kph.

Dunno about the 20kph restriction in NSW - maybe that is for anything
which do not fall within the legislation. I am no legal expert - what do
I know

Although there is a movement pressing to allow for unregistered electric
bicycles in excess of 200w.

I'm a licensed driver but stopped driving and sold my car because of
medications I take that restricted my ability to control a car.

If they introduce unregistered 250w or 300w electric bicycles I will
still probably stick with what I've got because I still feel in control.

Yeah, always good to be in control of your bike. Falling off is painful

On 6/03/2011 2:34 PM, Theo Bekkers wrote:
"Geoff Lock"glock@home wrote
On 6/03/2011 7:08 AM, Rob wrote:
On 5/03/2011 4:55 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:

The postie bike I saw in Canterbury had the motor in the rear hub. It
was hardly noticeable and at first I thought it was one of those hubs
which had the brakes built into it - you know the ones I mean, where you
pedal backwards and the brakes kick in - dunno what the correct name is
for them.

Ah! back peddle brakes?

Yeah? You having me on, aren't you?

Except for the spelling, no. Back pedal brakes, also known as coaster brakes
were pretty much standard on most bikes when I was a kid.

Well, I tend to ignore spelling mistakes. It's usually easy enough to
figure out what is meant.

So, back pedal brakes or coaster brakes, eh? Well, there you go - I
learn something every day. Problem is, sometimes, it is the same thing I
forgot from yesterday

On 6/03/2011 3:17 PM, Erik Vastmasd wrote:
I caught a glimpse of Geoff Lockglock@home on Sun, 06 Mar 2011
14:31:31 +1100, writing in aus.bicycle:

On 6/03/2011 12:21 PM, Erik Vastmasd wrote:
I caught a glimpse of Geoff Lockglock@home on Sat, 05 Mar 2011
16:55:01 +1100, writing in aus.bicycle:

On 5/03/2011 2:03 PM, Erik Vastmasd wrote:
I caught a glimpse of Geoff Lockglock@home on Sat, 05 Mar 2011
05:27:17 +1100, writing in aus.bicycle:

Yes I have, with a very very full basket of groceries I was able to
pedal home, I used 1st 2nd& 3rd but there was no chance of me obtaining
a higher gear. ;-)

Heheheh! You need to find a downhill section, eh?

There is no respite on downhill sections, if I don't use the electric
motor or pedal, the stinking thing will stop.

Why is that? Some kinda safety braking system coming into play?

You have one of these?

http://www.electricbicycle.com.au/electrictricycle.html

Yes I think that looks awfully like my first trike from The Electric
Bicycle Company. Twin mirrors, front headlights and rear tail lights
plus a horn to beep motorists which I never ever dared to use.

I don't even have a bell on my road bike and yes, it does make my road
bike unroadworthy but I find that B-doubles tend to ignore me when I
ring my bell

Currently: http://www.bicyclestore.com.au/indi-...-tricycle.html

A Gomier for which an electric kit is available from any bicycle shop is
my current trike.

Hey, that bike looks flash Wanna race?

"Geoff Lock" glock@home wrote
On 6/03/2011 2:34 PM, Theo Bekkers wrote:

Except for the spelling, no. Back pedal brakes, also known as coaster
brakes
were pretty much standard on most bikes when I was a kid.

Well, I tend to ignore spelling mistakes. It's usually easy enough to
figure out what is meant.

So, back pedal brakes or coaster brakes, eh? Well, there you go - I learn
something every day. Problem is, sometimes, it is the same thing I forgot
from yesterday

You're joking or much younger than I thought. What are you? 15? 17?
In the fifties, sixties and seventies, most bikes were single-speed,
back-pedal brake machines. There's still a plethora of them for sale in most
bike shops, though mostly fitted on children's bikes now.

Theo

On 6/03/2011 4:00 PM, Theo Bekkers wrote:
"Geoff Lock"glock@home wrote
On 6/03/2011 2:34 PM, Theo Bekkers wrote:


So, back pedal brakes or coaster brakes, eh? Well, there you go - I learn
something every day. Problem is, sometimes, it is the same thing I forgot
from yesterday

You're joking or much younger than I thought. What are you? 15? 17?
In the fifties, sixties and seventies, most bikes were single-speed,
back-pedal brake machines. There's still a plethora of them for sale in most
bike shops, though mostly fitted on children's bikes now.

No, not joking. I come from a very poor background as a kid and as the
saying goes, "If I didn't have an erection in the morning, I'd have
nothing to play with all day".

Bicycles, as toys, were a luxury item. The only bikes I knew had normal
lever brakes and those were for adult use. I learnt to ride on an adult
sized bike as a kid but that is another story.

I think the first bike I encountered which had coaster brakes was when I
was in my late teens and I kinda remembered what a great idea until I
tried riding one Not that easy when one is not used to them as I
would back-pedal way too hard and get all tangled up. I did get the hang
of it after a few minutes though and I have never ridden another since.

Actually, I think I may have worked on one such bike a coupla years ago
for a neighbour's kid - he had a puncture and his dad wasn't brave
enough to take the rear wheel off to fix it so I got the job

Even though I only asked for the cost of the inner tube, $5-6 from KMart
(I rode 5kms to pick it up), I got paid top dollar by his dad too - $25
for supply and fit inner tube!! I, subsequently, invested the profits
wisely in a 6pack of beer!!!

Geoff Lock wrote:
On 6/03/2011 12:52 PM, Erik Vastmasd wrote:
I caught a glimpse of on Sun, 06 Mar 2011
07:11:19 +1100, writing in aus.bicycle:

The RTA have some restrictions on the motor capacity which I think
something like over 200W??? motors have to be registered.

That is correct and there is the further restriction of not being
allowed to exceed 20kph.

Dunno about the 20kph restriction in NSW - maybe that is for anything
which do not fall within the legislation. I am no legal expert - what do
I know

Although there is a movement pressing to allow for unregistered electric
bicycles in excess of 200w.

I'm a licensed driver but stopped driving and sold my car because of
medications I take that restricted my ability to control a car.

If they introduce unregistered 250w or 300w electric bicycles I will
still probably stick with what I've got because I still feel in control.

Yeah, always good to be in control of your bike. Falling off is painful

http://www.zbox.com.au/legal.htm

On 5/03/2011 4:05 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:
On 5/03/2011 7:48 AM, Alan Erskine wrote:
On 5/03/2011 5:27 AM, Geoff Lock wrote:
Well, a coupla days ago, I was saying how I was caught at the lights by
a female on a girly bike with a basket up front.

I just read this in the Sydney Morning Herald.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/we-want-la...304-1bi1d.html




Maybe that was how she caught up to me but then again maybe I was just
hopelessly outclassed

I could have sworn I didn't see any batteries anywhere on that bike but
from what little I know about motors and batteries on electric bikes,
they can be pretty small and can blend in very nicely to being almost
invisible, eg the electric bikes used by some Australia Post posties.

The fact that she was wearing tight shorts, ala Delvene Delany from The
Paul Hogan Show, might have 'clouded your view'? ;-)

No, that was the other chick at Regent Street, Redfern That one was
riding a road bike and and I simply could not keep up - not that I
wasn't trying despite the obvious advantages of "falling behind" I
give no quarter when I am riding my bike.

God's truth, she beat me fair and square - tight shorts AND in rubber
thongs!!!! Yes, I know some smart arse will ask, she did have a top on

I remember seeing a woman at Chadstone (Melbourne) Shopping Centre one
day - she was wearing a beehive wig and the tightest shorts and high
heels - and riding a bike!

She even had a helmet on - not that it fitted over the hairdo! 8-)

On 6/03/2011 11:52 PM, Alan Erskine wrote:
On 5/03/2011 4:05 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:
On 5/03/2011 7:48 AM, Alan Erskine wrote:
On 5/03/2011 5:27 AM, Geoff Lock wrote:
Well, a coupla days ago, I was saying how I was caught at the lights by
a female on a girly bike with a basket up front.

I just read this in the Sydney Morning Herald.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/we-want-la...304-1bi1d.html

Maybe that was how she caught up to me but then again maybe I was just
hopelessly outclassed

The fact that she was wearing tight shorts, ala Delvene Delany from The
Paul Hogan Show, might have 'clouded your view'? ;-)

God's truth, she beat me fair and square - tight shorts AND in rubber
thongs!!!! Yes, I know some smart arse will ask, she did have a top on

I remember seeing a woman at Chadstone (Melbourne) Shopping Centre one
day - she was wearing a beehive wig and the tightest shorts and high
heels - and riding a bike!

She even had a helmet on - not that it fitted over the hairdo! 8-)

Hey, I get to be the smart arse this time Did she have a top on?

On 7/03/2011 12:45 PM, Geoff Lock wrote:
On 6/03/2011 11:52 PM, Alan Erskine wrote:


She even had a helmet on - not that it fitted over the hairdo! 8-)

Hey, I get to be the smart arse this time Did she have a top on?

With everything else, I just didn't notice.....