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Guest: Hans “No Way” Rey – eBikes
This episode of the show is Part I of a series about eBikes and the ongoing issues surrounding their definition, usage, regulation, and legislation – all topics of controversy and conversation.
So many people, companies, policymakers, and organizations stand to find themselves negatively impacted as the definition and regulation of the category becomes mired in misunderstanding and frankly, fear.
eBikes, as first defined, were bicycles with a pedal assist motor without a throttle that would help flatten out the hills and offer a boost for a weary rider attaining speeds of up to 20mph.
Over the years, other so-called eBikes have been introduced to the market and now we have machines that can reach speeds topping 50mph with no pedaling capabilities.
These have been termed eMotos by some, but out in the “real world” the distinction between the two is being blurred and undesirable consequences are beginning to become apparent.
Today’s conversation is with mountain bike luminary Hans “No Way” Rey. Hans is an Ambassador for Bosch, probably the largest manufacturer of quality eBike “motors” on the market. Hans is also one of our bicycle world’s icons – stretching back several decades as a wild and exciting mountain bike trials rider.
Over his career, Hans has won a large number of bike trials riding championships including German, Swiss, and USA National Champion – to name a few.
Much less known though is his long-time interest in eBikes – as far back as 1997 when he converted one of his regular bikes with a bionic rehab motor.
Today, Hans is deeply concerned about the ever-escalating power of motors that are becoming so prevalent as to make some communities outright ban the entire category of electric bicycles. He notes that just putting a crank on the bike and calling it an eBike is not working – that these over-powered machines are NOT bicycles at all.
On March 1st, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News published Hans’ open letter to the industry voicing his concerns about eBikes and the need to define the category, also asking the industry to heed the need for action as the more power eMoto bikes begin to gain popularity and what the consequences of non-action could be.
We talk about the definitions of eBikes, what the industry needs to be thinking, and where the responsibility for making these determinations lies.
Over the next few weeks, I will be following up my conversation with Hans with several other important bicycle industry stakeholders, all of whom are hoping to bring together a clear and effective pathway to keeping eBikes from being regulated into oblivion.
background chatter at times, but the conversation is – as always – enlightening. And, I don’t mind a bit of ambient noise.