| Re: electric bikes on centuries
Mike Jacoubowsky writes:
>>> What's gonna happen when people try to show up on a century (or,
>>> for that matter, any other organized bike ride) on one of them? So
>>> far, it's been a non-issue due to limited range. But if that's no
>>> longer an issue...
>> If a century ride uses public roads and normal traffic laws,
>> there's not much you can do to stop him.
> Obviously you can't stop the person from using the roads. I'm
> wondering how you treat such a person when they're signing up for
> it. Or at that point you probably don't know, so I guess it's just
> how things go with other riders on the road and at the rest stops.
> I'm sure there'd be a certain number of riders who would love to
> have them along to draft behind, similar to tandems.
Just say the ride is not for motorcycles and this device has a motor.
Besides, it would probably be better to allow the entry because the
first hill would kill and if not that then next would do it.
> Hmm. So you've got someone out to try for a record "individual"
> time on, say, a double century. We've never really given much
> thought to the idea that it should be 100% unaided; it's assumed
> that people are going to draft behind tandems. And it's also
> assumed that someone hiring a motorbike or car to draft behind
> wouldn't exactly be legit. But what about an electric bike?
You need to believe that your assessment of electric bicycles is
correct. I know that electric car people who talk of 250 mile
operating range don't consider driving to Tahoe such a good idea
(mountains).
Jobst Brandt
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