On: Show HN: Long Range E-Bike

[Closi]

Agreed, 70mph but you have to pedal to keep the bike going = e-bike (although an illegal one)...

15mph and has a throttle = electric motorbike (and also illegal)...

But make that 15mph illegal electric motorbike 10mph faster and add extra hardware so users have to waggle their feet around in a circle to trigger the motors... SUDDENLY LEGAL!

I highly doubt there are any safety benefits from pedalling - it seems like an arbitrary limit.

[masklinn → Closi]

> it seems like an arbitrary limit.

Of course it is, all limits are arbitrary, even if informed. Lawmakers probably picked limits which would be reasonably achievable by average healthy humans over long distances.

[Closi → masklinn]

> all limits are arbitrary

I should have really said purposeless!

Usually limits have a purpose - for instance limiting the speed of cars by law is because of accident reduction.

Unless the argument is that pedalling makes it safer, it seems to be a limit for no particular reason.