“Gobsmacked”: Bosch accused of protectionism over potential changes to ebike definition | BikeRadar

www.bikeradar.com “Gobsmacked”: Bosch accused of protectionism over potential changes to ebike definition | BikeRadar

Bosch under fire over proposed ebike rules some say would stall progress

Stan is BikeRadar’s content editor. Stan works on everything from content strategy and breaking news to evergreen updates and long-form features. Stan started working in the bike industry in 2018, writing content for some of the sport's biggest brands, before moving to BikeRadar in 2020. With a degree in design history and a master's in writing, he has worked as a freelance writer and journalist for the past nine years, writing reviews, essays and interviews for many art, design and literature publications, as well as appearing on radio. A road cyclist at heart, Stan has undertaken foolhardy pursuits such as 300km overnight audaxes, and you’ll likely find him cycling through Essex from his home in East London.

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7 comments

"In April, Zweirad Industrie Verband (ZIV), the German cycling industry association, published a paper with these recommendations:
A support ratio of 1:4, where a rider’s 100W power output is matched by 400W from an electric motor
A maximum assistance power of 750W <...> Although Bosch is just one of 140 members in the association, some have said that Bosch is exerting influence over the position to protect its place in the market. <...>
ZIV’s position has been interpreted as potentially blocking the development of heavier e-cargo bikes. Disabled people or those who cannot generate sufficient power could also struggle to use ebikes if ZIV’s recommendations are implemented."
- If the ultimate goal is to regulate speed and size, power output as a multiple of rider input is an interesting wag to measure that for "normal" ebikes. Not necessarily good, but interesting. Specialized advertises their bikes like this: "2x You" or "4x You". Part of what makes it interesting is that I don't know how manufacturers could figure out your power output on a bike that doesn't have a torque sensor. My Specialized has a power/torque sensor, but many of the bikes I test rode only had cadence sensors.
  
  I know Ride1up uses some sort of voltage trickery to simulate it. It's not perfect, but it's surprisingly good IMO.
  
  Huh, I wouldn't have thought of that. Mildly brilliant on their part.
  
  I've only had my Portola for a little while, but so far I am impressed especially for a budget bike.

7 comments