Use of Electric Bikes by RVers

[Firedave]

Any one using "E-Bikes" to enhance your RV lifestyle? We just ordered two, a Rad Mini for me and a Rad Mini Step-Through for my wife.  Looking forward to receiving them and getting out on at least a weekend outing somewhere we can try them out.  These are fold able so hopefully we can fit them into our Class A's basement and avoid additional stuff hanging off the back. We watched a boat load of reviews on YouTube and checked web sites for several brands and all things considered I think these are a good choice. I haven't run into a lot of folks that have them but I did meet a middle aged couple at a campground last summer that had two of the full sized "Rad Bikes" and they loved them. They even let me take one for a spin and it was like riding a bike without the knee pain.  These are "Class 2" bikes so are allowed pretty much anywhere regular bikes are.
Anyone else using these?

 

[Isaac-1]

I Bought a cheap $600 electric folding bicycle a few months ago but have not had much opportunity to use it

 

[UTTransplant]

We carry our electric bikes on the back of our toad (a Grand Cherokee). Love them! Neither of us can pedal a regular bike for too long (bad knees), but the electric bikes get us out and about.

 

[JudyJB]

I have had problems with my right knee and also walking stamina, so the electric bike helps me get around large campgrounds.  I don't tow a car, so the bike is very handy for exploring.  I have always carried a bike on my motorhome, but early on I caught my heel going down a ship's ladder frontwards as part of a tour.  It bent my replaced knee and tore some cartilage.  After that, I could ride my old bike only about a mile, but then my knee would swell up and prevent me from walking the next day.  The electric bike is really easy on knees so it was a good solution.  I love mine!

One warning:  I had one COE campground host tell me that electric bikes were considered motorized and the ranger would stop me if he saw me riding it through the campground.  My solution is to hang my handicap sticker from the handlebars!  Have not been back to that place, but I am ready if I do and someone tries to stop me!  According to federal law, these electric bikes are bikes and not motorcycles, so they do not require a special license to operate one.   

 

[John From Detroit]

I Bought a cheap $600 electric folding bicycle a few months ago but have not had much opportunity to use it

Don't happen to recall where you got it do you?

I bookmarked a 200 foldign tricycle.. I bookmarked it because at that price it kind of had an aroma (Overripe fish) ... Well a month or two later I re-visited the bookmark and 404

 

[Isaac-1]

The one I bought was the Jetson Metro, I caught it on sale for about $150 off, the nearly identical import e-bike is also imported under the name Swagtron EB7.    I am right at 6 ft and 200 pounds, this ebike is just a little small for me, but works well for my wife, I would say it would work well for people up to 5'10" maybe 5'11".

 

[John From Detroit]

Thanks Isaac. I'll check them out

 

[JudyJB]

Make sure you buy one with a lithium ion battery instead of the old type of battery.  The old type can only be charged so many times without replacing it.  My lithium ion battery is six years old and has been charged hundreds of times without it losing its charging ability.  The battery alone is worth a couple of hundred dollars, so a really cheap bike will not have this type battery. 

 

[Isaac-1]

The Jetson Metro is a last couple of mile solution, not a long range ebike, it is a fixed gear bike with a fairly low top speed of around 15 mph.

 

[vinceherman]

Firedave, We have 2 Rads but not the folding Minis.  I have a City and the DW has a City Step-Thru.

At the camp sites, these are a wonderful enhancement to the camping experience.  On of our annual trips is at a long narrow campground.  About a mile from our camper to the activity center.  The RAD bikes make it super easy to get back and forth as often as we want.  Your Minis with their fat tires will handle grass and gravel trails better.

These are not light.  70 pounds.  And when folded, your Minis will be an awkward load to move around.
We load ours (non-folding models) in the bed in front of the fifth wheel.  Remove the front wheel and I have fork mounts on the bed sides.

 

[Firedave]

Thanks for the responses folks. Judy JB, as I understand it, these are considered Class 2 bikes and as such should be allowed anywhere you can ride a regular bike.  Given the nature of politicians at all levels to want to make new rules and get their fingers into everything, I expect we will start to see a patchwork of regulations soon enough. That and human nature to take a good thing and make it crazy, like taking a 20MPH bike, and turning it in to an electric Motocross racer. But until then, we plan to enjoy the heck out of ours.

 

[Isaac-1]

Keep in mind this class 1, class 2, class 3 thing is pretty much a California only law, at least for now.  Outside California there are no clear rules on ebikes, and the class bit does not matter.

p.s. My Jetson Metro is much lighter at about 35 pounds, but with much shorter operating range.

 

[irishtom29]

My wife and I have recumbent "tadpole" trikes (mine a Catrike Trail, hers an ICE Adventure) on which I installed Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid drives. They fit in the back of our Ford Explorer toad.

 

[JudyJB]

Actually, there is a federal law that defines e-bikes as bikes and not motorcycles or motorbikes. The law says that states and localities must treat these as bikes and not as motor vehicles and that this federal law supersedes state and local laws.

The intent of this law was to encourage the use of e-bikes for commuting and reducing the amount of city traffic and pollution.  Some states are trying to change or over-rise this law--not sure how successful they have been.  The federal law exempts any bike that has pedals, has a maximum speed of less than 20 MPH, and has a motor less than 750 watts from the legal definition of a motor vehicle.  This means no vehicle license, insurance, and no drivers training or license can be required.  https://electricbikereview.com/forum/threads/electric-bike-laws-in-the-united-states.22732/   

So, according to this law, you are supposed to be allowed on any bike path, but I have seen a lot of confusing signs on bike paths saying no motorized vehicles.  Not sure if they mean to forbid electric bikes meeting federal definitions or not, but I am always a bit concerned about using such paths.  One thing I sometimes do on such paths is use my pedals, just as if it were a regular bike. 

I think there is a big difference between my slower electric bike that just hums and gets me around a campground and the little gasoline motorbikes that kids like to ride in circles around a campground all day, spewing fumes and noise. 

By the way, when I do ride my e-bike in cities, I obey all traffic laws pertaining to bikes.  This means I stay on bike paths or take up a full lane in towns in traffic, stop at stop signs and stop lights, signal with my arm before turning, etc.  And I never ride on sidewalks in towns where there are pedestrians. 

 

[John From Detroit]

Judy hit on something that is often overlooked.. The traffic laws.
Now the state I know best for some strange reason is Michigan
In Michigan it is not a "Motor Vehicle Code" it is the "Michigan Vehicle Code" and bicycles ARE vehicles

So when on the road you have to obey all the traffic laws
Speed limits (Yes you can go faster than say 25MPH on a bicycle)
Ride on the RIGHT (Far edge of the traveled portion)
Stop signs. Red lights Yeild and such

Just like you were on a motor cycle

There are some exceptions in that bicycles are allowed in places motorcycle are not and if you need to make what for a Motor vehicle is an illegal left turn you can do that too. but you must get off and WALK the bicycle through the turn not ride it.  Some places have different speed limits (For example if riding the bike on a sidewalk there is a lower speed limit) and of course you need a horn or bell and lights at night (or reflectors on rear but light on the front)  I have a double spring clamp thing that holds my "Tac-Light" COB LED.. Very nice headlight.

 

[Jack Ducan]

Fast electric bikes are an innovative solution for those people who want to exert less effort in biking but want to take longer distances. Do you know how fast do electric bikes go? In the United States, electric bikes are categorized into Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3: Class 1 have a motor that can only function once you push the pedal, you can enjoy an e-bike speed of 20mph, while the maximum motor wattage is up to 750W. Class 2 e-bikes also have a full speed of up to 20 miles per hour, but it has the drive system activated by a throttle. You can travel up to 28mph full speed when you choose an electric bicycle in Class 3. Most e-bikes in this category have 750W motors.

 

[RVfixer]

Several of my friends bought e-bike kits. They are just a motorized wheel, a wire harness, on off switch and a battery. You just replace the wheel on your existing non motorized bike, mount the battery on a back rack and route the wire harness to the battery and handlebar switch.

 

[UTTransplant]

Fast electric bikes are an innovative solution for those people who want to exert less effort in biking but want to take longer distances. Do you know how fast do electric bikes go? In the United States, electric bikes are categorized into Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3: Class 1 have a motor that can only function once you push the pedal, you can enjoy an e-bike speed of 20mph, while the maximum motor wattage is up to 750W. Class 2 e-bikes also have a full speed of up to 20 miles per hour, but it has the drive system activated by a throttle. You can travel up to 28mph full speed when you choose an electric bicycle in Class 3. Most e-bikes in this category have 750W motors.

Many bike trails are restricted to Class 1 bikes only. Read the rigs before shelling out money for any higher class.

 

[Skookum]

Old thread, but was camping this weekend and it seemed like every other bike I saw was electric. DH wants a couple of them for us, comments about we should probably pedal our regular bikes a little more, might be good for us, didn't fly over very well

 

[John From Detroit]

By the way, when I do ride my e-bike in cities, I obey all traffic laws pertaining to bikes. This means I stay on bike paths or take up a full lane in towns in traffic, stop at stop signs and stop lights, signal with my arm before turning, etc. And I never ride on sidewalks in towns where there are pedestrians.

This is very good. NOT everybody knows this but.. alas I did some research a long time ago and still remember the results.
In MICHIGAN a Bicycle,, be it pedal or motorized, is a VEHICLE.. Same as a car, motorcycle or Semi. For the most part (1.5 exceptions) they are subject to all the same rules and regulations as Cars or Motorcycles the one exception is sidewalks. a Bicycle may ride on the sidewalk (Do not know if this applies to electric bikes) but may be limited to 4MPH (or some other arbatury speed) 4MPH is walking speed in case you wonder.

The half... Not sure if this applies to Motorcycles but you can WALK the bike through an otherwise illegal left turn as a pedestrian. (I normally road straight through right onto the far sidewalk around the Walk/Don't Walk and back on the road I wished to take going what was originally my left)

For several years back about my 20's I did not have a car.. I had a bike. Road that thing all over the city (Battle Creek)