Okay, first, this is NOT a Jonathan Swift-style modest proposal (see Endnote). This isn’t satire. Second, yes, okay, maybe I’m focusing on this relatively minor problem in an attempt to dodge thinking about the truly massive, cataclysmic problems we’re facing in the US. But hey, it’s my blog and I get to do what I want.
The fact is, there’s a very real problem in the Ebikeverse, and I have thoughts about it. I’ve been thinking about this problem off and on for a few months, in part because I had a minor disagreement with a fellow cyclist/photographer on Bluesky. He’d made a rather broad, disparaging comment about ebike riders. As an ebike rider, I asked for clarification. It turned out he was talking about a specific type of ebike, which he referred to as “not-a-moped” ebikes. These little bastards.
I responded to his comments:
It’s a mistake to equate all ebike cyclists with not-a-moped jerks, who I’ll agree are a massive problem.
I can’t quote his reply exactly because…well, he’s blocked me (see the Other Endnote). Basically, he said the people who ride that type of ebike were assholes. I responded that assholes are assholes, regardless of the type of bike they ride. At which point, he blocked me. Perhaps he thought I was calling him an asshole. Who knows?
But he was right about the problem. A sizable chunk of the people who ride this particular style of ebike DO tend to be aggressive jerks who are abusive and a danger to regular cyclists and pedestrians. But he was wrong to call them not-a-moped bikes, because (in my opinion) they actually ARE mopeds, not bicycles. They may have pedals, but they aren’t really designed to be pedaled; they’re designed to be driven using a throttle.
In the US, ebikes are basically categorized by how they’re powered. Class 1 ebikes rely exclusively on pedal assist (they’re technically called ‘pedelecs’).They have a top speed of 20mph and they lack a throttle. Class 2 ebikes are basically Class 1 ebikes, only with a throttle (which is used most often to get the bike moving again after a complete stop). Class 3 ebikes have pedal assist and a throttle, but have a top speed of up to 28 mph.
There are also Class 4 ebikes, which generally have more powerful motors and aren’t limited by a top speed. They’re considered to be motorized vehicles and (in many states) require a license to operate, as well as proof of insurance. They’re generally prohibited on bike paths.
The ebike/mopeds I’m talking about (like the one pictured above) are the bastard children of Class 3 and Class 4 units. They’re marketed as Class 3 ebikes and sold as Class 3 ebikes, but they’re not ridden like ebikes. Everybody knows this. In fact, in a review for the Ride1up Revv 1 FS shown above, it’s openly admitted.
[It] isn’t a bike, at least in conventional terms. The presence of pedals on little crank arms is more incidental and added to skirt existing laws about electric mopeds…nothing about the bike’s weight, geometry, or gearing is built for actual pedaling.
They’re designed to be throttle-driven. While they may be sold with a top speed of 28mph, they’re easily modified to go much faster, and there are lots of videos showing people how to do it (for example, here’s a video showing how to unlock the ‘bike’ in the photo above). And this is why they’re a problem.
So here’s my modest proposal: designate this specific type of ebike as a Class 4 ebike and establish an age limit for purchasing Class 4 ebikes.
That’s it. Don’t allow manufacturers to skirt existing laws by attaching mock pedals to a vehicle designed to be throttle-driven. It won’t stop assholes from riding like assholes, but it would reduce the asshole quotient on bike paths and sidewalks.
Endnote: Back in 1729, Swift wrote a satirical piece called A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick. The proposal was that poor folks should sell their children to the rich for food. So, nothing at all like my proposal.
Other Endnote: Even though I was blocked by this guy, I can’t/won’t complain about it. I’m a huge fan of the way blocking works on Bluesky. It’s incredibly effective and efficient. If somebody is annoying you, you block them and they disappear. You’ll never see anything they post again. They’ll never see anything you post again. If somebody you follow responds to a post by the person you blocked, you’ll see the response but not the post itself. It’s brilliant (even when it’s used against you).
gregfallis.com 
You have touched upon something that has been bugging me too for a while, i.e. the Class 3 ebike (thank you for explaining the classes, which I didn’t know about).
In the DC area where I live, I am convinced that these ebikes are being purchased and ridden by people who are trying to make a full-time job out of Doordash delivery. It seems this type of ebike allows them to a) go faster and b) ride on sidewalks. Which for me raises the question of how much this type of ebike costs. Is it cheaper than a gasoline scooter? If so, then these folks have a decent setup at a lower price.
And I never see them pedal. And they ride like assholes.
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I lived (and rode bikes) in DC for a couple of years, pre-ebike. It was a fun city to ride in.
Ebikes are great for delivery riders–as you note, they can go faster with less effort. The problem, of course, is that both customers and owners ALWAYS want still faster delivery, so bike messengers/delivery folks have ALWAYS ignored traffic & pedestrian laws. Which makes them dangerous and unpopular with peds (who, as consumers, expect fast delivery).
Ebikes are generally less expensive than gasoline scooters. They’re cheaper to operate (electricity is cheaper than gas), easier to maintain, & easier to store.
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In NY, no bike ~ e-bike or regular bike ~ is allowed by law to be ridden on the sidewalks. Of course, you see bikes on the sidewalks all the time, since it’s safer to ride on a sidewalk than it is on the street.
There have been so many accidents with cars & e-bikes lately ~ with some deaths ~ that it’s just a matter of time before e-bikes owners are going to have to register their bikes, get insurance & have a license to ride them. At least here in NY. Of course that won’t stop the accidents but that’s how the legislature in NY operates.
I’m thinking about getting an e-trike ~ just to go to the store or to the park. I like the big baskets on them. But I’m not crazy about riding it on the roads & dealing with the traffic, which is why I haven’t gotten an e-bike before this.
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I used to live (and ride bikes) in Manhattan. When I lived there, there was virtually NO bike infrastructure. I rode on the street; it was faster than the sidewalks.
Things have changed since then; NYC has significantly better bike infrastructure now. Not enough, but still better than before. The problem with NYC (and almost all of urban US) is that everything is designed for cars and for the convenience of drivers.
If you’ve ever spent any time in European cities that support bike infrastructure, the first thing you’ll notice is how QUIET the cities are. Traffic is noise and stink.
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I confess I know next to nothing about these types of bikes but you’re quite correct Greg. Assholes are assholes, regardless of the bike/bicycle/moped/car/van/vehicle they ride/drive. I think they’re born that way.
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I don’t know if they’re born that way, but I absolutely believe the MAGAverse has boosted asshole culture into the mainstream, so we’re seeing more blatant asshole behavior.
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