Navigating The E-bike Boom With America's Outdated Infrastructure

[@NotJustBikes]

Ebikes are awesome, and we need more of them. But honestly, it's comical how much time, energy, and money is spent pearl-clutching and panicking over ebikes, when over 40,000 Americans are killed by cars every year, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of people left with life-altering injuries, also due to cars. Ebikes can and should be speed-limited and regulated, but we should be putting about a hundred times as much effort into speed limiting cars. Electronically limiting car speeds within cities could literally be the most beneficial public safety measure of the 21st century. It needs to happen as soon as possible.

[@genuinesprinkler9339]

Hi 👋

[@burgerman101]

No speed regulations for bicycles please unless they are speed limited to 80+ km/hr

[@curtheisler1200]

Glad to see you here, NJB. Been watching your content for a while and live car free (mostly by choice) but need to get around in Fake London. Winters are going to be more difficult, you know how they maintain the roads here I'm sure. The thick wheeled e-bikes may be better... Also, I saw someone around here with one of those wooden "barrow" style ebikes you showed a few months ago, signs of hope! Anyways have a happy new year

[@zerocool6452]

There has been some talk in EU or in Sweden at least to put out a geofence system to speedlimit cars so they can't drive faster than they should depending on where you are even on highways. In cities and other tightly populated areas should have system like this implemented.

[@christao408]

Completely agree. E-bikes injuries and fatalities aren't even a drop in the bucket compared with those caused by vehicles. Thanks for providing some balance in this video.

Never had a car and always relied on buses, but that commute took 50 min. This year I got myself a pedal assist ebike and it takes me 23 min (4.7 miles), it's fun, and still an exercise going over hills. I was initially terrified of biking on the road, but it seems like many drivers in my area also bike, so they're respectful and aware of people on bikes.

[@anubizz3]

Did you count the shower time? Or you let you co-worker smell your sweets?

[@Brad-99]

I have a fat tire ebikes and I love it . I still actually ride my peddle too lol If it's poring rain I take the ebikes and I don't gat as wet . It's just so much faster

[@dorothymorris6536]

@@anubizz3 this guy is really coming after every comment. man you're too invested in this discussion. go take a shower yourself, maybe go outside

[@znail4675]

@@anubizz3 The main advantage of ebikes over bikes is that you don't have to work that much meaning you wont really be sweaty.

[@xFD2x]

@@anubizz3 The trick is not to sweat. Just cycle at leisure.

[@kenhoward3512]

In the small city where I live, there's been an effort to accommodate more bicycle traffic on many streets. But a simple white line painted toward the right side of the street to indicate a bike lane is not nearly enough protection for a bicyclist to feel safe from auto traffic.

[@rolandbechtel5399]

My city painted lines everywhere to compete with the city across the river that built super highways of bike and running paths. Only a fool would ride a bike in Moline Illinois. The cops themselves have hit children on bikes in the street and wrote my aged father-in-law a ticket for crossing the street on his bike. He was in contempt of court while he was in intensive care recovering. Do what you want. The city next to me doesnt even have sidewalks in many of the neighborhoods. A city designed and built by monsters.

[@tomd5017]

Maybe walking is good for now I think cities are to undefined until we get rid of those one story houses on the outside of cities, get self driving cars, and putting those houses in a suburb.

[@eliasaltenberg]

Out were I live people park cars in the bike lanes. Luckily, my delfast has a few tricks.

[@joepopplewell680]

The only thing that can rally keep people safe is harder driving tests and harsher penalties for breaking laws.

[@be4unvme]

@@joepopplewell680 the only thing that could keep the US safe from terrorists is a 10 trillion dollar war. I've been biking for 5 years and millions do, you rarely ever hear about someone getting killed down the road. It's a big myth.

[@arthurpizza]

*Cars killing 1000s a year* Local Governments: We need to regulate ebike! That'll solve the problem.

[@skycloud4802]

That's a bit of a straw man argument. Everything naturally requires regulation. Why shouldn't ebikes be regulated to be safe like anything else?

[@linusmlgtips2123]

@@skycloud4802 it already is, 28mph cap (with pedaling) which makes sense considering how less dense american cities are, on average, compared to european

[@Enstrayed]

@@skycloud4802 eBikes are already regulated. Generally you can only have up to a 750W motor and a top speed of 20 mph. Going beyond that is classified as a Moped and requires a license.

[@containedhurricane]

Firearm violence took the lives of around 40,000 citizens and children every year, so the government has to replace them with around 55,000 legal immigrants under DV Lottery program annually

[@joshbutts3143]

@@skycloud4802 the lack of bike infrastructure is the problem, not the bikes themselves

[@gens2119]

I got an e-bike last year and it’s been the best choice I’ve ever made! I live in a small suburban town with thankfully relatively safe bike infrastructure and I make all my in town trips on my bike and with that I get enjoy my town more, I see my neighbors and connect with them more, I visit stores I’ve never seen before. Additionally I live in a place where it frequently rains and has high winds, with some extra bundling up the weather is almost never a factor that keeps me off my bike.

[@jamalclark4846]

What kind of ebike?

[@johnpossum556]

Aren't they fun? I've had mine for almost 5 years now. I have the radcity stepthru model and I'd definitely buy it again because aside from some annoying chainslap in very icy conditions it's been a great choice. The bike has already paid for itself compared to $3 for a bus ride plus I never end up waiting for a bus anymore. I even bought winter Schwalbe studded tires for it so that makes it a beast in winter! (plus you can't even legally use studs on car tires but you can on bikes here)

[@adamspecs9799]

You’ll pay the price for riding in dangerous conditions. Slippage is real

[@a.m.doesit9347]

no way I would ride one in TX

[@superblondeDotOrg]

an electric trike is even better..

[@shotgun1321]

Love that alternate methods of transportation and its infrastructure is getting covered. Especially love that one of my favorite channels, Not Just Bikes is getting such mainstream recognition.

[@kirkginoabolafia3650]

Been really enjoying CNBC making these videos recently on infrastructure and transportation. Kudos to giving attention to, in my opinion, a woefully under-reported issue.

[@koroush100]

yes but they blame the ebikes, this is a problem cars are the problems. Not everyone wants to drive everywhere.

[@thehalfricanguy]

@@koroush100 huh? They didn’t blame e-bikes in this reporting. They pointed out the need to update current infrastructure to allow for safer biking.

[@Racko.]

The issue with CNBC is they talk about important things like Infrastructure and transportation and then openly refuse to acknowledge that cars are usually the issue and car lobbying is the main cause of terrible infrastructure in the US

[@Mediumdoo]

Brought to you ford. Have you driven a ford lately?

[@yapandasoftware]

@@koroush100 I don't want to take your ebike away from you even though the little slave kids in the Congo, Ghana and Namibia are dying by the thousands to provide you with batteries for them.... So stay away from interfering with me owning a car.

[@bbb-un9hq]

1:08 Directly quoting from your source, CPSC: "Collisions with motor vehicles were the leading cause of death associated with e-bikes, accounting for 27 of the 53 reported deaths" I would argue these are car accidents and not bike accidents. And if we plot the 30,000 + fatal car accidents per year on the same chart, the bars for the e-bikes would shrink into the x-axis and be practically invisible. Also, "Twelve e-bike fatalities were due to user-control issues, such as crashing into other fixed objects ... and getting thrown into oncoming traffic." Apparently cars were also involved with some or all of these 12 additional accidents? CNBC and CPSC, are trying so hard to blame e-bikes for a car problem.

[@teranova5566]

Yes, you are right. Again the major problem is a car. They do not even mention how many fatalities are cause by pollution exhausted by cars, that would be about 40 times higher than number of accidents they cause. That just CNBC, but anyway they are moderately optimistic towards e-bikes.

[@WouterNederstigt]

I'm trying to look further into the 80 dutch ebike fatalities, but unfortunately they don't make the distinction in the public data between ebikes and normal bicycles. Of the total 207 bicycle fatalities, 105 were due to a collision with a motor vehicle. 12 by a collision with another bicyclist, and 9 due to a collision with a fixed object. The rest (81) died after a one-sided fall, for example after losing conciousness, slipping on ice, or making a steering mistake. Of those 81, 58 people were 70+ years old. Which is worriying, but at the same time a good indicator that a lot of older people are still comfortable biking somewhere. So again half are probably car accidents. I also find the term 'user-control issues' quite insidious. It suggests the bicyclist is fully at fault, while the built environment could very much have played a role in that collision. I know I have seen enough images on the internet of various "fixed objects" such as road signs being placed in the middle of a bicycle path, while doing the same on a car road would be seen as attempted murder.

[@tin2001]

A someone who both bikes and drives often, I'd suggest the blame is probably about 50:50 on average. Cyclists riding the wrong way down the road are way too common around here. Adding a motor would be deadly for them. But plenty of car drivers also fail spectacularly. Like driving out in front of huge vehicles then claiming they didn't see it.

[@386Clarke]

No doubt this is anti Bike fear mongering propaganda propped up by the auto industry.

[@gadaadhoon]

I use my ebike about as much as my car, but I disagree. It's a result of the system as a whole. Lack of infrastructure, lack of understanding, poor safety behavior by cyclists.

[@0hypnotoad0]

>40,000 people die from cars every year from cars in the USA "Oh well, gotta break some eggs to make an omelette" >10 people die per year from e-bikes "THE SKY IS FALLING"

[@Legend0FZorro]

Omg NotJustBikes made it here! So glad it’s becoming more mainstream

[@Zyo117]

The guy's basically a city planning celebrity at this point 😂

[@TheRJRabbit23]

Thank you!

[@vinroc]

Love that channel 👍🏽

[@jdnrotterdam2150]

They are just leftside anti cars channels. I hate those

[@curtheisler1200]

​@@jdnrotterdam2150 Why?

[@kjl42]

Love that Jason from NJB was featured predominately in this video and it’s completely true that cars are the #1 threat to anyone on the road. Just sucks that this video didn’t really talk about that until the last quarter of the play time.

[@tcsnowdream9975]

#OrangePilled here - yeah, I love NJB and glad he’s getting attention. So many *die* from cars and even more are injured. But in the US we destroyed cities for car dependency. We destroyed our housing stock in cities and then put everyone into a car in the suburb. It’s absolutely insane.

[@localnyraccoon]

Yeah NJB is awesome. I don't know why they dedicated over half of this video explaining why e-bikes are worse than regular bikes when cars are the #1 threat.

[@LuisPJ]

that because it how the story is written, it that what the danger just within e-biking alone to what this the bigger issue

[@puffpuffin1]

Sad that Not Just Bikes was featured here. They could have found someone else like City Beautiful who doesn't bully and put down people not like him. His "that's-not-racist" racist remarks don't help too. It's people like him that creates this cars vs bikes hate that is spewed in the bicycle advocacy community against people not like him. Then his continued lies and cherry-picking data doesn't help either. In this video, he claims that the Netherlands simply installed bike infrastructure overnight with no complaints. The truth is that is not true. It took decades to reach where they are now. It will probably take just as long in the US, but the way he trivializes it that the Netherlands and the US are the same only creates more conflict instead of solutions. It's so sad that so many people watch him as his videos only spew hate and division.

[@jamaly77]

​@@puffpuffin1Not even within the next 100 years will the US achieve anything close to the Netherlands. People are just way too fat and stupid (statistical fact).

[@Jlogar4]

I benefited from Denver’s e-bike rebate program this last summer. It has been a game changer. I’m able to do large grocery runs, replace all car trips throughout the city, and with only minor accessory additions, carry my partner on the back (2 adults on one e-cargo bike). As others have stated, the biggest impediment to further adoption of e-bikes is lack of infrastructure/mixing with cars (Although I would also argue single-family zoning is a very close second). It baffles me how we can’t even give up half a street out of every 10 for decent, protected bike infrastructure. I aren’t community planning meetings, participate in local advocacy, and even let friends borrow my e-bike to try it out for themselves. Any city in America could start saving so much money if only they would tweak things to start to accommodate anything besides the automobile and repeal exclusively single-family zoning (I promise I’m not getting off topic. These two issues are complimentary to one another). The costs of prioritizing cars is truly staggering when you include the infrastructure costs, personal costs, environmental costs, and health impacts (ex. Pollution, isolation, etc). It’s great that corporate news is seemingly coming around on these issues, but things need to happen much quicker. Finally, no person advocating for these changes is telling you to completely give up your car, but what they are advocating for is replacing many car trips with different modes. I still have a car and still find reasons to drive from time to time. Don’t let the few required car trips prevent you from supporting cheaper, more sustainable, community-oriented alternatives.

[@Newspeak.]

I live in a very bike friendly city (by American standards at least) and I've been bike + transit as my main form of transportation for the past 8 years. About 2 years back I got an ebike and its really increased the amount I ride. I view it as a mode of transportation more than anything else and its perfect for getting around the city. The bike can go 20mph but often I don't end up riding that fast just because I want as much range as possible. Its great to have the speed when I need it especially in times where I have to mix with traffic. The more folks on bikes the better in my opinion.

[@ericdiaz9775]

I drive, but biking is my main form of transportation locally. It is so much nicer to go grocery shopping by bike than by car, you feel more connected to the community around you

[@tatsuyaaikawa7185]

I can't wait till trains become more popular look at europe/uk trains are popular

[@ch1ll1add.25]

@@tatsuyaaikawa7185 Watch as some americans make the excuse that the reason why rail doesnt work is because the U.S is big lmao

[@BC-yw2tw]

Come on, riding a bike makes you more connected to the community? Not buying it.

[@ericdiaz9775]

@@BC-yw2tw My my neighbors can see me when I wave at them, the same isn't true if you're driving. There's countless more examples of course, but you wouldn't understand unless you actually go outside.

[@gilerd77]

I agree, but that point sheds light on why the pickup truck bros don't want to lose their pickups. They are scared of everyone and anti-social angry people that only dream of running over families and spewing black smoke onto cyclists. How else will they compensate for their small uhhh issue.

[@williamsaloka9043]

After riding an E-Bike for the past 4 1/2yrs, I would have to say, the biggest danger for us riders is car-drivers not watching where they are going or who is around them. I ride only street and have had some close-calls. Getting "doored" is probably my biggest fear. I only ride street because nothing is set up too well for cyclists here in the U.S. (at least here in the North-East). I love to ride, so I take my chances.

[@janeblogs324]

Summed up as lacking modern infrastructure. Bicycles and 100 ton trucks shouldn't be moving within 3 feet of each other

[@znail4675]

@@janeblogs324 I saw a funny clip where they made buss drivers sit on bikes while another buss drove by them at high speed.

[@lostboy8084]

A trick I have seen is having a flashing blue light on your helmet it is funny how much people seem to notice flashing blue lights and slow down.

[@williamsaloka9043]

@@lostboy8084 Police do not like if you use blue flashers... I know. If you use them, don't flash. Impersonating an Officer is not a good thing. Use other colors.

[@ambiarock590]

In order to try to push for change some people need to take the risks, and I am one of those people. I take my ebike on grocery trips and commutes, and joy rides too and I love it

[@Josiahpapayas]

So the problem is cars, we need to prioritize other options of transportation besides cars. I’m so glad there is a huge wave, we need to do more though. Call our council members about the need for bike infrastructure

[@anubizz3]

We need better public transport like Asia city, not city full of bike even in the cannal like amsterdam.

[@miles5600]

@@anubizz3 what? Bikes ate the most efficient type of transportation, why not like Amsterdam? You can only have some trains going for long trips, but you can’t have a train going to everyone’s house. That’s why bike are the best.

[@bradfordjhart]

Great you can use your bike when it's 4 below zero in Boston

[@howard6433]

@@bradfordjhart Yes, I did when I lived there. No different than walking outside when it's 4 below zero. Just look out for patches of ice and deep snow.

[@Xenomorph-hb4zf]

@@howard6433 you also need bike handle gloves. The ones I've seen Uber eat bikers use. Nobody will use their bare hands during the winter cold

[@ronkirk5099]

I'm 72 and I spent my life bicycle communting, recreational riding and bicycle touring, but until more dedicated bicycle paths and bike lanes separate from motor vehicles are available, I'm done. It is just too dangerous out there these days with distracted drivers.

[@anubizz3]

Do we need dedicated, line for motorcycles, scooter, skateboard, and roller blade as well?

[@dutchman7623]

Ban smartphones! Handling electronic devices cause most of distraction accidents.

[@miles5600]

@@dutchman7623 more like ban cars in city centers to make the place safer overall

[@bingosunnoon9341]

I'm the same age as you and haven't owned a car since Jimmy Carter was president. Distracted driving laws are not being enforeced as evidenced by all the KZbin videos recorded while driving. Smile at the camera while describing what a joy it is to drive your car while not paying attention.

[@Angultra]

@@anubizz3 No, motorcycles and scooters go as fast as cars and need a license, while few actually commute with skateboard / roller blade and can use multi use pathways

[@jaggyseagull1876]

I am so thoroughly impressed with this story. It gives me hope that more people are becoming aware of the shortcomings and dangers associated with car centric design. Props to Jason Slaughter from NJB for making it on here. Hopefully this will mean more progress in expanding bicycle infrastructure.

[@ambiarock590]

I've been a car enthusiast for a long time and I fully support ebikes and better urban planning

[@koramawin6134]

3:28 this is the guy CNBC should highlight more. NJB is a channel that every American local gov should watch

[@squidcaps4308]

Jason is getting what he wanted from this, and i do not mean bike infra but recognition.

[@therealdutchidiot]

@@squidcaps4308 No. He never wanted any of this at all. His original goal was to show people back home why he moved. It blew up unexpectedly. He's stated multiple times he's not an advocate. As an engineer he expects people to see the facts and accept them as they are. It makes zero sense to him how people can be in denial about the facts. In fact, had he known the other urbanists channels he wouldn't have started his channel (his own words).

[@puffpuffin1]

Nope. That's the stupidest idea I've seen so far. You support bullies who put down people not like him? His "that's-not-racist" racist remarks don't help too. It's people like him that creates this cars vs bikes hate that is spewed in the bicycle advocacy community against people not like him. Then his continued lies and cherry-picking data doesn't help either. In this video, he claims that the Netherlands simply installed bike infrastructure overnight with no complaints. The truth is that is not true. It took decades to reach where they are now. It will probably take just as long in the US, but the way he trivializes it that the Netherlands and the US are the same only creates more conflict instead of solutions. It's so sad that so many people watch him as his videos only spew hate and division.

[@therealdutchidiot]

@@puffpuffin1 You've never actually watched any of his content, have you? Because nothing you say even comes close to statements coming from him.

[@jaime9344]

Best option hands down. My family has moved to them. My son no longer rides the bus and gets to all of his activities on his own. We need more bike paths and external secure storage at malls, restaurants etc.

[@jonathaneby1440]

It’s frustrating for people to talk about injuries when there isn’t proper infrastructure. I hope that e-bikes and their popularity build a constituency for building safe infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists and e-bike riders.

[@jacobd1432]

Agreed, but at the same time I can’t tell you how many times I have been almost hit by one doing 30 mph down a path through the park. Feel like this adoption needs to be done cautiously, I feel like we should prioritize pedal bikes.

[@jonathaneby1440]

@@jacobd1432 prioritizing infrastructure is what’s important. You can’t tell people to not buy a product that’s basically a car replacement. (Regulating e-motorcycles with bike pedals is a different story.) As someone who walks, bikes, e-bikes, and drives, I’ll say from experience that safe infrastructure; streets, sidewalks and bike lanes, is what will keep people safe. From cars, and from cyclists.

[@ey3z4ya]

@@jacobd1432 You're describing an infrastructure issue

[@marshmelo15]

@@ey3z4ya or people on ebikes not caring about others around them and thinking they can do w/e they want. been on a bike path and almost been hit 5 times by people on ebikes. which fyi e bikes are considered motor vehicles. but yet alot of them lack alot of stuff your suppose to have.

[@pingubustanut6530]

@@marshmelo15 make a different lane for them then

[@Oceananswer]

Outdated infrastructure is a pretty accurate description.

[@TaldanZero]

Outdated, and frankly poorly designed. The most common use of land in most US cities is parking lots. Everything is designed solely around cars and it leads to barren, spread out cities

[@Racko.]

@@TaldanZero It's terrible infrastructure by design, it's no accident

[@STho205]

Outdated is a poor choice of word. American roads are primarily post WW2 paved, designed for the most modern road transit....automobiles, trucks, buses and trains removed from the roadway. This allowed the common everyman the ability to go 20 miles with cargo and protection in only 30 minutes or so in low congestion. Not possible with more primitive methods. European roads were paved when more primitive and less expensive transit was the bulk of the transport: Walking, cycles, streetcars, horses, wagons, carriages, carts. For this enthusiast sector, there is a thought that the new fad is new, but it is regressive in tech. A bicycle has almost always been a not fish nor fowl vehicle since they emerged as a regency era fratboy fad, the hobby horse. Pedestrians hated them and wanted them off the pavement (sidewalks), streetcars, taxis, horsemen and omnibuses saw them as a major dangerous annoyance....so somebody had to absorb them into existing sectors against their will. The Netherlands is uniquely flat and small. Skating and cycling for transit was something done for 200 years by the commoners. Therefore the ancient roads and canals lent themselves to such simplistic machines much more than automobiles. I like to bike myself and like to have a place to do it....however a poorly skilled cyclist or a child is in serious danger outside the immediate residential slow pace streets of a housing neighborhood in many places. So outdated....no. Just not primarily engineered to a particular more throwback vehicle we somehow still love. Same could be said of horseback, sedan chairs, Amish buggies or chariots.

[@Rune-Thief]

@@STho205 Outdated

[@STho205]

@@Rune-Thief as a bicycle is outdated by a motorcycle and finally a car and next....who knows....doubt we'll see Doc Brown's flying DeLorean...sure didn't by 2015.

[@james-p]

It's not the bikes that are dangerous, it's the cars. If bicycling fatalities are increasing, it's not because of electrics, it's because there are more people on bikes in general. And painted gutters are useless for safety.

[@MrTimy06]

My man not just bikes making it big on news channels

[@pimpinaintdeadho]

What?

[@ncard00]

@@pimpinaintdeadho He means the guy owning the big youtube channel coming on a big news channel like CNBC is a huge achievement.

[@NicksDynasty]

@@pimpinaintdeadho the great KZbinr " Not just bikes" they are probably a fan as well

[@pimpinaintdeadho]

@@NicksDynasty Thanks, makes sense when it's a channel name.

[@retrogamer2548]

I live in Houston Texas. I use my E-Bike every day to get to work. Love it. Goes 25 MPH, and I bypass all the traffic. I charge at work, so free, gave up my car as well. Loving it.

[@TagetesAlkesta]

53 e-bike related deaths in the US since 2017… compared to 40,000 *every single year* for cars.

[@TagetesAlkesta]

@Autodrome96 Source for the 4000x number? Also my point wasn’t necessarily that e-bikes were inherently safer, I was pointing out the absurdity of the media dunking on how dangerous e-bikes can be while ignoring that the main mode of transportation for almost everyone in this country is absurdly deadly.

[@ambiarock590]

@@TagetesAlkesta Hate how people love to point at the small handful of issues with ebikes and think they need to be gotten rid of, but ignore the 40K people who die to cars every year. We lose 13X the number of people to cars per year than on 9/11. Cars are the bigger issue than ebikes.

[@Rappini_]

I live in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil,and the e-bike is a very common way of going up and down the city. I have one. It is great. I can go buy some groceries,i can go to the mall (where they have bike parking),i can give rides to my friends,it works wonderfully.

[@ambiarock590]

Even if a place doesnt have dedicated bike parking, just about any pole or post works as long as your bike is not in people's way. If it's out of the way enough you should be fine and I've done that before.

[@dudestir127]

I love that Jason from NotJustBikes was featured. I've been a subscriber for roughly a year, but I do hope this can lead to more subscribers for his channel and more people taking the orange pill, realizing not just things with ebikes but problems in general with car centric design.

[@jonathanwilkinson4299]

Nice seeing this on old news channals and it's nice seeing "Not Just Bikes" also why do they keep bringing up how they are more dangerous then regular bikes? How does that matter when they area WAYYYYyyyyy safer then cars?

[@zedlyfe]

Especially when Ebikes are replacing people's cars, not regular bikes.

[@zerocool6452]

I would assume its due to bad regulation like they can have throttle and go up to 32 km/h but also being pedal assisted. In the EU you can have it throttle assisted but it can't give you more speed than 6 km/h if you want to go faster the pedal assist will help you until it stops at 25 km/h In my head it makes no sense to me that they are more dangerous than regular bikes.

[@ilovesuisse1]

They mention they are more dangerous than normal bikes because a lot of people, especially older people, who get an ebike under-estimate their speed.

[@znail4675]

@@ilovesuisse1 There are also a lot of delivery services that use ebikes and they are in a hurry leading to accidents.

[@386Clarke]

This news piece seems more like anti Bike propaganda designed to scare people from riding at all. I’ll bet the auto industry is behind it. Theres’s a lot of fear running through this story.

[@sethfroman7044]

Omg I just binge watched all of Not Just Bikes videos like a week ago. His content is awesome. I highly recommend. Great seeing him in this video

[@jakel8627]

I used an e-bike in London and they're suprisingly quite powerful. They don't assist in achieving higher speeds, instead they enable you to go from 0mph to 10mph very quickly. Any cyclist will know peddling from a dead stop takes a lot of energy and having an electric motor do the accelerating for you makes cycling a lot easier.

[@AndrewMalcolmson]

Faster acceleration is also due to ebikes' typically smaller wheels. Regular bikes with small wheels can take off pretty fast too.

[@scb2scb2]

This is also where the 'max' 250watts story comes from most ebikes in europe these days can do 600-700watts and generate 85nm-95nm in a legal way thats more power ratio then most cars. They are limited in speed so indeed can be quicker at startup. My 85nm auto gear switching ebike gets away faster from the stoplight to 25km/h than most cars if i try over 25km/h i just get tired quickly if i try to keep up with the cars :). Wheel size doesn't matter too much here ebikes in 90% of cases use same wheel size i use 29" wheels, 2.4" wide.

[@the_kombinator]

Use the gears on a bike. I've been cycling for 25 years and it's not a problem if you know how to use them.

[@curtheisler1200]

@@the_kombinatorI remember travelling between cities on rural roads a bunch some years ago. I'd sure loved to have had some electric help going uphill with a headwind, at least. Gears helped me .... go really really slow.

[@coolspot18]

Some eBikes can hit 60mph, so they absolutely can go fast!

[@Chapter7Certified]

One of the biggest appeals of traveling with a bike is the lack of regulations (you can go a lot more places than cars).

[@johnpossum556]

Even though it was illegal I took a bike of mine through a state park down by the mighty Mississkippy.

[@debbiebernhardt5406]

Bikes with cargo trailers can make money than just a bike

[@Pete-rs4yz]

A bike is generally required to follow the same traffic laws as vehicles.

[@Chapter7Certified]

@@Pete-rs4yz Yeah those rules are stupid and dangerous it's much safer in most of the country for them to ride on the sidewalk instead of the road for example. And luckily most people and police see it that way as well and don't enforce those laws. But it'd be stupid to enforce them

[@debbiebernhardt5406]

@@Pete-rs4yz cargo trailers used with electric bikes seems to meet requirements of all the laws. It does not violate speed because extra strength is needed for cargo trailer, the electric assist acts as a towing assist function for small cargo, and the biker can attach lights to the bikes cargo to meet safety requirements.

[@petesmitt]

e-bikes were meant to be about assisting hill climbs, not replacing the need to pedal; of course, people like to outsmart regulations, so it's not uncommon to see e-bikes being ridden without any need to pedal.

[@ambiarock590]

I do use my ebike unassisted but rarely. I primarily use pedal assist. The times that I use the throttle only is when I have bags on my handlebars and would rather not kick my groceries 100 times on the way home and to get up to speed from a standstill. People like to point out how dangerous ebikes are but fail to realize how much MORE dangerous cars are

[@questioner1596]

I find the "dangers" of ebikes pretty laughable when on flat ground or downhill, a fit person can cycle faster on a non-assisted bicycle than the 32 km/h ebikes are governed to. The problem is when using the full speed in inappropriate places, which can be fixed with proper bicycle lanes separated from pedestrians and cars and a society that teaches children how to bicycle safely.

[@central5358]

In New Zealand ( Auckland mainly , cbd )we are already seeing the increase of newly built bike lanes everywhere. It’s all a big preparation for the future as fuel runs lower. The council could however be doing a better job at relaying this information to the public as alot of people don’t like the new bike lanes

[@anubizz3]

How about build better public transport. It will naturally reduce the car usage, then convert that unused road to share line{not freeking bike line} than everybody happy. I am sure like Sydney, NZ council just remove road, yes the same road that use by bus and make bike line. No wonder people don't like it.

[@W1DO]

@@anubizz3 you have done a good job proving his/her point. It's about education. If someone made everyone aware that their is not enough space to stop car congestion if every flat space between buildings was road then they might stop thinking that more road surface for cars could solve the problem of them sitting in traffic. NZ could also do with pointing out how much of a potential trade deficit importing cars and fuel for cars cuases. A huge portion of NZ peoples income is spent on this and its almost entirely going to overseas business. NZ also does not do a good job of publicizing the cost of reading and road repairs. People might want slower speed limits and less car parking on street if they realised it costs them thousands of $$$ in tax per year. I suppose none of the above is a priority for the 2 main parties in NZ though as they are funded by the people who might lose $ if people didn't keep doing what they are doing now.

[@youtube_moderator]

I've been eScooting around Auckland CBD for the last 3 years. I love the new bike lanes and my Zero 10X

[@todddammit4628]

The answer is not to regulate e-bikes. The answer is to update our sh*t infrastructure to make it more bike friendly. Protected bike lanes will basically eliminate nearly all of these accidents. It will also decrease congestion in cities and make driving better. Even if you don't want to ride a bike, supporting bike infrastructure will benefit you.

[@jsrodman]

I mean, there's merit in some e-bike regulation. The current limits on self-powered speed are pretty reasonable, and some controls on batteries to ensure high quality and stewardship and turn-in as they age would probably be a good idea. Beyond that? There's no need.

[@ambiarock590]

Also remember that 53 people have died to ebikes sinve 2017, 40,000 people die to cars every single year. Cars are clearly more dangerous and ebikes barely even hold a candle to how dangerous cars are

[@W1DO]

The key issue here is that even CNBC are comparing the ebike to the acoustic bike. The comparison should be with the car people are swapping for an ebike... it makes no sense comparing the safety of an ebike they do use to the safety of an acoustic bike they didn't use. If you compare the physical damage caused to people by cars vs by ebikes it is obvious that transition from car to ebike is safer... ebikes don't need to be safer than acoustic bikes because they are not a replacement for acoustic bikes.

[@ex0stasis72]

Exactly! Ebikes aren't for people who already cycle. They are for car drivers who hate driving but don't like arriving to their destinations all sweaty.

[@W1DO]

@@ex0stasis72 unless you live somewhere like NZ where they restrict motor size rather than top assisted speed. That makes it a viable car alternative for everyone as it means hills and headwinds don't make you late for a meeting & helps people who are bike riders or cycle delivery people keep cycling all week even if it's a high KM week. In places like the UK the speed restriction has been set low.... presumably so that it doesn't reduce car sales, either that or the people lobbying for low limits were not on the car and oil payroll.

[@dutchman7623]

As Jason Slaughter (NJB) said, there are strict regulations in the Netherlands concerning E-bikes. And the rest of the EU is following in their footsteps. Only pedal assist is considered a bicycle and limited to 25 km/h. Throttle powered is considered to be a moped, as well are pedal assists that can go up to 45 km/h, anything else would be motorcycle. But the regulations not only limit to bicycles, cars need a regular check on brakes, lights, road safety and pollution level. That also increases safety for all. And to get a driving license for moped, motorcycle, car or truck, you need to follow lessons and pass an exam, both about traffic laws and regulations, but also an hour long practical exam to prove you can handle your motorized vehicle. And yes, we see more accidents with E-bikes than with muscle powered bicycles. But that's also related to the fact that almost all 80+ have an E-bike nowadays, and they were already higher in the charts because of lower sight, hearing, reaction time and other limitations. And some of that age just 'seize', most in bed or armchair, but also while cycling.

[@teranova5566]

I have been cycle Ng normal bicycle for 30 years and I did not want to waste money on e-bike. But as the petrol prices and maintenance cost of my car stared to rise so much I decided to sell my old car and buy e-bike that s summer. This was excellent financial and health decision. The fuel itself costs me 70 times less for e-bike than for a small car. I do not have any of the road tax cost, insurance cost, fixing cost, parking costs and problems etc. Absolutely amazing solution. I even bought trailer so I can carry heavy shoppings: 20 kg cement bag, 30 kg propane cylinder, 32" TV. I save ship boat load of money 💰. And even more I spend more time on fresh air using e-bike. I think now all cars should be banned in cities.

[@ClayShentrup]

hilarious that they're comparing the safety of e-bikes to the safety of bikes instead of cars. jason slaughter is a king.

[@johnpossum556]

I have never seen Mike Rad before but I bought one of his Ebikes back in 2018 that I have enjoyed the hell out of. I'd definitely buy it again. I have the radcity ST frame because I have a lot of health challenges and the bike has allowed me to save the bus fare downtown to medical appts. It has more than paid for itself, repairs have been minimal, and I have customized mine by adding 2 Wald 582 folding rear baskets to carry groceries plus an Omaha steaks cooler on back to carry frozen items in summer. I average about 42 items from the grocery store in one trip on this bike with this set up plus I never have to wait for a bus anymore or know their schedule. The other thing a lot of people do not know is that you can legally ride on studded winter tires on bikes but not on cars due to the damage they do to roads. When you have studded tires on an Ebike its plenty safe because your traction is immense to say the least. It feels safer than driving on dry pavement during the summer because the braking power of the dual disc brakes is really unlocked with these studded tires. ( This is from some one who has about 2,000 Ebike miles on my 2018 RadCity ST which I ride all year around. I ran 3 local errands on mine yesterday. I can also attest to the fact that demand was/is HIGH because back then radcity sold out of these bikes in just minutes and I had to put my order in 3 different times, weeks apart, in order to finally get one and even then I didn't get the color I really wanted -- The safety orange. White just dirties up quickly especially in bad weather. But I try to run a red blinking light on the bike even in the day because I bike in Mpls which is a very busy city and I have been hit downtoan on one of my non-Ebikes and I get out of downtown during rushhour very easily on the Ebike as all the cars are jammed together getting commutter cage syndrome as Jethro Tull would call it in one of their songs, Colors ) Mentally, it almost always feels like a treat to mount this Ebike and its probably the best purchase I made in that decade! Plus I get to brag as I'm in the bleeding edge of the movement. ;-) Glory to Ukraine! 💙💛 Down with Putin!

[@LightsOnMultiMediaMindArts]

We own a Tesla Model 3, which has a top speed of 145 mph. You might not be surprised to learn that I do not always drive it at that speed. In fact I've never driven it faster than about 72 mph. The same is true with ebikes. Just because my ebike can go 20 mph it doesn't mean that I drive it around town at 20 mph. I ride more or less the same speed as manual bicycles (12 - 14 mph). In fact manual bicycles pass me up all the time. My ebike is not light, not particularly aerodynamic. What it does do is climb hills. That's the value of an electric motor in a bicycle: torque--not speed. So when I hear people criticize ebikes because they go too fast, they are misleading the public. It may be that some riders ride too fast, just as some cars drive too fast. But speed isn't the problem. If people want to ban ebikes because they go too fast, then using that same logic we must also ban cars.

[@TaldanZero]

Cars don't like sharing the road with bicyclists and bicyclists don't like being on the road with cars. Everyone would be happier if we invested in bicycle infrastructure. Not to mention it's cheaper better for the environment, has less noise pollution, and will reduce traffic congestion

[@davidteeghman]

Bought an ebike for my partner for Christmas last year and she LOVES it. I still have an old school bike, but I am definitely considering an ebike for myself when we have a kid.

[@brandonm1708]

Please keep spreading awareness on the issue of car dependency!

[@shiroyukiwang1252]

You shouldn't and cannot blame ebike being dangerous without proper bike infrustructure. I live in Toronto and bought a ebike last summer. It can go as fast as 32km and have a range of 40km. I absolutely loves it. As I'm not a someone with a lot of muscles, a regular bike will exhaust me within a few kilometers, and ebike solved that. I used my new ebike for a lot of my daily commute inside downtown Toronto. But after a few hundred kilometers in my ebike, I decide to stop. why? Because I've had so much close calls with cars. Not even talking about drivers who doesn't check their blind spot, there was once a guy in a ram pickup truck intentionally try to squish me and yelled at me with his window open. What's more dangerous? I'd says cars.

[@Brad-99]

There everywhere in my town lol I was probably the only ebiker in my hood a few yrs ago but not any more . It's great to see older people in their 60s riding ebikes .😁 They always say they are so happy to be able to ride again .

[@AntechamberAE]

I like how they make a big deal about 57 E-Bike deaths a year compared to the 50,000 car deaths and almost half a million car injuries per year

[@ambiarock590]

Focusing on the molehill instead of the mountain

[@yuriydee]

So here in NYC the delivery guys speeding thru intersections on their ebikes is definitely dangerous, but when you look at statistics, cars are like 100x more dangerous to pedestrians. We are just conditioned to focus on the bikes and ignore the cars.

[@the_kombinator]

You should see how scooters are operated in any major Korean city. Lights are totally optional, road rules? Now I'm a pedestrian!

[@wesleygaitan]

It's not only delivery guys , it's all cyclist

[@nalaqueenofthejungle]

We shipped our rad mini bikes to Barcelona and mainly used them as our primary mode of transportation. Our youngest is 11 and he rode it all over the city with us. The key is that 1) everyone rides a bike in Barcelona. Cars respect bikers and pedestrians. 2) there are dedicated bike lanes 3) everyone for the most part follows the road rules. I never saw a bike accident. Where as here in Austin, there is a car accident every week. I prefer e-bikes.

[@darkwoodmovies]

Cars are one of the worst things to happen to modern society. They have their place, but Murica took that idea and as usual took it to the extreme in the name of capitalism. I'm so happy this phase of our society is coming to an end, and we're slowly starting to reclaim our cities for people.

[@chrislyonm]

More car-centric alternative content please!! Like....there is a huge community willing to watch content on this. And y'all have such a large platform to talk about this.

[@chrislyonm]

Just adding that it's also apparent when looking at how well your car-centric alternative themed videos do on this channel compared to others. The non-traditionally minded generation is clearly waking up to the benefits and gravitating towards this kind of content.

[@driftofair9691]

Huge advocate for e-biking here and I do agree with these people, that car traffic and an infrastructure that primarily caters to cars is the reason why they're dangerous. I live in a city where there are dedicated bike lanes away from car traffic and it encourages more people to go out and ride, so there are several cyclists out here. The paths are completely out of the way of car traffic, so while you see few people walking on sidewalks adjacent to stroads, there is considerably heavier traffic on the bike paths which have the ability to take you anywhere within city limits. Other places around the country (US, for context) put bicycles right in the middle of car traffic where they are increasingly susceptible to collision, some don't even have sidewalks so inclement weather sees you walking through terrain weathered down by other pedestrians or is completely uncharted territory. Even when there are sidewalks, it's much safer to ride there than in the street next to 50-60+ mph traffic, but you will absolutely get hounded for doing so. Why do we have to choose between risking our own safety and breaking the law? This is the dismal state of American infrastructure. If local and state governments want to encourage more e-biking, they should build the infrastructure to make it necessary, and at cost far cheaper than accommodating cars. While this often comes at driver's expense, it's a necessary shift which may also see traffic reduction assuming cycling critical mass is achieved. It's literally expand a highway for $100M per yard paved (while uprooting yet another low-income neighborhood) or spend a small fraction of that money painting more defined bike lanes and setting up more bike parking. In my local area, even having better cycling infrastructure does not change the immeasurable parking disparity. You're vying for 10 spaces spread over two bike racks found next to the dumpster vs. the 4-500 parking spaces accommodating mostly single-occupant automobiles. If traffic in these locations increases (which it will as the city pivots to a commercial, financial, retail, and real estate hub in the state), local residents will find competition with visitors every single day for parking accommodation. I can't tell you how much 500 parking spots cost, but I can tell you it's far more expensive than 500 bike racks and causes reductions in retail space. Unfortunately, the current car-centric focus is driving decision-making at the city and I've seen more changes supporting car use than alternative transit. On the other hand, there is hope. I see changes happening everywhere from my hometown to local cities building new bike lanes, bike racks, and other accommodations. More people approach me curious about cycling as a car alternative rather than a purely recreational tool. They still balk at the price, but I see many commuters are slowly warming up to the idea of investing into e-bikes as a means of reducing car dependency. The recent surge in popularity and increasing bike infrastructure tell me that people are doing something about it and there is interest, so it's only a matter of time before things really start to speed up for non-drivers. These next few years will be interesting for transportation, that's a certainty.

[@ambiarock590]

I've been riding an ebike around my city since April and I've had some people ask me about it and I'm happy to share that I like riding it. They're really good for cities and we need more accomodations for bikes and other forms of transit not cars

[@jamestaylor3623]

Bought myself a folding E-Bike for Christmas for only $800. 10/10 would recommend

[@Snowshowslow]

That seems very cheap! The e-bikes I've looked into are all 1200+ (midframe motors / pedal assist, though - maybe that's a difference?). Was it second hand?

[@jamestaylor3623]

@@Snowshowslow The Lectric XP-Lite was $200 off for black friday

[@Snowshowslow]

@@jamestaylor3623 Ah nice :) good deal!

[@FrostyButter]

E-bike use can indeed cause serious injuries. Now wait till people learn about the death and disability toll of car dependency 🤯

[@NeverTooTiredToRideTwoTyres]

Great vid. I never get tired of watching videos on alternative everyday transportation, Not Just Bikes is awesome.

[@adamnieuwenhout7699]

Just so everyone's aware, mandating helmets is terrible for cities. As Peter Walker said, "if helmets are the answer, you're asking the wrong question."

[@Matanumi]

somestates outright mandate helmets..... let alone cities. i've been ticketed in BC for not wearing a helmet.

[@ambiarock590]

Bike helmets are only necesary becuase you are expected to act like a car, and be amongst cars. In the Netherlands no one wears bike helments because you aren't competing with cars and cycling is VERY safe there

[@Techn0Fox]

Cars are absolutely the threat, but majority of NA will do everything in its power to make sure cyclists are biking alongside cars. Trying to classify e-bikes in the same category as an automobile and banning them from sidewalks feels like such a liability cop-out, and only exacerbates the problem with collisions.

[@luckypennybenny]

I replaced my Kia Forte with a Radpower Radmission and Radrunner. My wife and I have fallen in love with cycling in Dallas...the worst rated cycling city in the US. These things are genuinely impressive. Maintain your brakes, ride away from pedestrians and slow down when you can and you won't be one of the wreck statistics.

[@Ben-rs4tf]

Far too much emphasis is placed on the danger of E-Bikes. E-bikes are extraordinarily safe.

[@AdamasOldblade]

I am a new ebike user and personally I love it. I purchased the Velotric Discover 1 (not advertising, that's just incase anyone is curious) and it has reinvigorated my desire to ride bikes. I use it for short commutes to the store and for morning rides to get my heart rate up and more importantly clear my head before the day starts. My body is also ever so slightly improving after years and years of neglect. This being said, I make a distinction between a, "cyclist" and a, "biker". I am by far a biker... This being said this video touches on the major issue that all people who walk, ride bikes, skateboard, scooter etc... have and that is cars. When you're in a car, you're essentially in your own little bubble, and you feel protected. You can change the inside weather, you can listen to whatever music you want, you can talk on the phone (in most states) and it does give that false sense of, "invincibility", when in reality you're not that at all. People who only drive cars CONTINUALLY forget how dangerous it is for not only them and other cars, but people who are not in cars. It's only getting far worse with smartphones... I cannot express HARD ENOUGH how many times I have been stopped on my ebike at an intersection waiting to cross and I look at a line of stopped cars and EVERY SINGLE DRIVER has their head titled down with a slight glow on their face... They are ALL on their phones! Every one of them! We've all seen or heard about someone who wasn't paying attention, decides to post something to social media, be it a post, video or photo and is just utterly not paying attention to the fact that if they slightly veer off to the right into the bike lane BAM you've just crippled or killed someone because you needed more attention and more likes on whatever social media page you were on. It's insanity of how thin the margin between life and death is simply because people REFUSE to put their damn phone down. They all think, "no I can multitask it's fine", and you cannot (scientifically speaking you cannot as well). Look I drive a car, and I have done things I'm not proud of too, but I've curbed that a lot in recent years. I only drive and talk with a headset and if I have to respond to a text I honestly pull into a parking lot and then go for it. It's simply not worth it. The attention span of Americans gets worse by the day and we willing give them a smartphone with full internet access and a car that is at minimum 2 tons of glass and steel to go X mph and say, "good luck!" It's madness.

[@connorphilipp]

I moved to Los Angeles about a year ago and with my ebike I get to most places in a 30minute radius just as quickly as a car would due to the traffic. I invested 1.2k in March to buy the ebike and I haven’t had an expense (except 30$ for a busted tire). No gas expenses while gas prices were soaring. Honestly it’s been amazing. And everyone always tells me how badass I look lol. And customer service with that company has been great, they sent me a new display and a new seat when they broke as soon as I asked, no hesitation. I love telling ppl abt them honestly haha. The company is called “Lectric”

[@anubizz3]

Your Ebike don't need to be charge?

[@connorphilipp]

@@anubizz3 obviously but electricity is dirt cheap lol

[@prayformywheels]

Lectric is a great company. I recommended it to a friend and he got one!

[@james-p]

@@anubizz3 Well, duh.

[@anubizz3]

@@james-p Well he mention electricity is not part of the costs in original post. Mostlikely he stole electricity from work or from public socket in his apartment.. Otherwise he will say it part of the costs.

[@bigbengamer]

I remember reading a "Choose your own adventure" book when I was a kid. Specifically, the Cave of Time. In one of the stories, the main character ends up in a far futuristic time when people moved beyond cars, and instead rode bikes everywhere. In fact, the roads were replaced with bike trails.

[@Mr.Drewski]

Buying an e bike did so many things for in NYC. It cut my commute in half, I rarely have to get on the train anymore so I can avoid the crazies 😂, you get to connect with the environment and people more and learn your neighborhood, and I also use gig delivery apps on the side to make extra income when I don’t have anything to do. When i say dollar for dollar its been my best ever, its no joke.

[@AlexMint]

One thing we need to change with e-bikes is some standardization of parts and ensuring replacement parts are available, because a lot of e-bikes are absolutely screwed if you can't modify them and the battery goes bad because a lot of manufacturers have maybe a handful of extra batteries for sale, if any, because a lot of these are just fly-by-night dropshippers. Also I highly recommend using a full face helmet on e-bikes.

[@johnnyguzman3429]

Unfortunately having been in the bike industry as a mechanic I can tell you manufacturers take advantage of the lack of standardization to keep selling more bikes. Same thing is happening with EVs and the right to repair or modify them. Why own your car/bike when you can have an endless payment/lease?

[@AlexMint]

@@johnnyguzman3429 don't even get me started with how so many of these manufacturers are doing the "buy now pay later" type financing, but yeah it's absolute trash that you can't get replacement parts so you wind up either having to be a very good mechanic, or to buy a new bike every time certain parts break, which will be less than a year from when you bought it.

[@MarkPemble]

Exactly. In 2 years there are going to be millions of eBikes with minor defects collecting dust in garages all over North America. Just changing a tube on an eBike is tough.

[@Wokegooglers]

just get a motorcycle, they're way better suited for a car centric infrastructure, they get an average mileage of 60mpg, further range than an e-bike, parts are more standardized, no E-waste, and better capacity and speed.

[@johnnyguzman3429]

@@Wokegooglers Definitely a slippery slope from an ebike to a full blown motorcycle, especially when considering how much some of these ebikes go for. However older people don't have the reflexes to handle motorcycles at high speeds, you need a license to drive them and they weigh a couple of hundred pounds more than an ebike. Gas powered scooters might be a solution as well, but still a lot to handle for some people, especially those with balance issues.

[@trickfall8752]

I feel much safer on my e-bike than I do on a regular bike. I had stopped riding on streets, but having the extra power to get away quickly from stoplights makes me feel much safer. The suburban area I live in suffers from lack of traffic enforcement, many pedestrian fatalities, most of which are hit and runs and poor infrastructure . If there were more cycling infrastructure I'd start doing things like getting my groceries on the bike.

[@iandennis1]

Where I live in Germany many employers offer rental schemes to their employees. After a couple of years you can choose to purchase the bike at a significant discount or continue to rent with a new bike in which case the original bike is sold off

[@JAKempelly]

Omg not not just bikes on CNBC. Love that for you Jason

[@icarus313]

A rare moment of actually compelling reporting by a mainstream TV news broadcaster. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[@JP77999]

It would be great to see more of these in Canada and infrastructure to support them.

[@the_kombinator]

Have you visited Toronto lately? 30 KM/h zone and tons of two lane roads reduced to one lane to support the handful of Uber eats delivery guys for half the year. Great call, whoever is mayor.

[@JP77999]

@@the_kombinator I have not been to Toronto since before the pandemic. I live in one of the smaller Ontario cities.

[@the_kombinator]

@@JP77999 I hate going there. I live about an hour away and am quite happy where I am.

[@JP77999]

@@the_kombinator 👍

[@MichaelStone337]

Hope to continue seeing more urban infrastructure and urban design reporting. I really think this is an issue that if we address it correctly and quickly, we can solve a lot of the problems we find ourselves, as a society, facing today (environment, housing, transportation, etc).

[@philsteel2790]

The biggest challenge with cycles and ebikes in London is not getting them stolen.

[@orlandovelastegui1391]

If they start to regulate E-bike more and harder I’ll drive my car more often! I ride my e-bike to work because I hate traffic and it takes me 25 minutes to get home from work and it takes me 35 minutes to drive home.

[@jadler10]

Automobiles also make our living places look and feel like dystopian hellscape!

[@christinecorrrea5402]

Another problem is that sometimes, you arent even allowed to cross bridges on bikes at all, which really sucks. Changes need to be made.

[@SLACKERBOY]

I love my Onyx RCR Ebike, originally started with a Juiced Bikes Scorpion. Never cared to drive a car but I love my Onyx.

[@FumblingDylan]

2:45 "That's my Grandpa" KZbin captioning never change

[@Antonio.dei.Demanaro]

A lot more scrutiny seems to be going into a few incidents involving e-bikes compared to thousands involving cars. I wonder why?

[@the_kombinator]

Insurance, lack of regulation, lack of licensing...

[@CZsWorld]

Car company propoganda

[@Kerleem]

As an American who is also car enthusiast living in Amsterdam, there's some missing context here in some of this video so here are my thoughts: -I agree with Jason from NJB; more people on bikes and less cars on the road makes it better for people who want to drive. That's a win-win for car enthusiasts as well. -There are more and more e-bikes around Amsterdam. I use a regular bike daily, I don't have an e-bike myself, but I can tell you that most people de-restrict the speed limitations and can ride over 40 km/h and often ignore rules, traffic lights and signals. Couple that with big cargo bikes (a.k.a. bakfiets) which weigh hundreds of pounds, IT IS scary as a 'normal' cyclist when someone is going fast on an e-bike or bakfiets, especially considering most everyday people on bikes don't wear any protection (helmets or otherwise). That's a big difference than cars where you have some level of protection around your body. I've seen some people get really hurt by falling off of a bike here or getting into a collision. -I choose to own a car even though I live in Amsterdam (I actually have 2 cars right now) and I'm happy I have it. I actually know more and more people choosing to own a car even though they live in Amsterdam. They usually don't use it for everyday commuting like people do in the US, but it's still nice to have. As a car enthusiast, I'm happily definitely keeping my car :)

[@ex0stasis72]

Wow, you've really witnessed cargo ebikes going that fast? Geez, talk about the wrong ebike for a thrill ride.

[@Kerleem]

@@ex0stasis72 we call them 'bakfiets moms' They don't go as fast as the unrestricted bikes, but they go pretty fast carrying a bunch of stuff or kids (so like a total mass of over 500 lbs) and they don't follow any rules.

[@chanmarr8118]

I live in NYC and the main issue I see with e-bikes is that people don’t follow traffic laws. If I try to cross a one-way street, a cyclist will come zipping by from the opposite direction. They also don’t stop at red lights sometimes. I’m trying to use the crosswalk and they’re still riding trying to swerve through the crowd. Some people are idiots.

[@En4cer2K9]

That's a people problem, not an ebike problem. When people do stupid things, how bout we blame the people for being stupid, instead of blaming other things for allegedly "causing" people to do stupid things (as if they have no agency over themselves)? When you absolve an individual from accountability (blaming things outside of the person), there's no preventing/deterring them from remaining "stupid" indefinitely.

[@bishop8958]

Would you rather have those idiots on lightweight bikes going 20 MPH, or in 2-ton cars going 60 MPH? There will always be idiots, that's part of human nature.

[@wesleygaitan]

That's a infrastructure problem not a ebike problem and going through red light is much safer for the cyclist

[@segriffincom]

I've ridden more than 1500 miles on my bike this year in my suburban town. Could it be safer? Sure. But every one of those miles was one I didn't make in an SUV. How many fatalities have been caused by "self-driving" schemes during the same period?

[@eddyawesomes]

The issue is so many cars on the roads. People will pay money to go on vacation and "walk everywhere" but think even having public transportation or bike lanes is "socialism". 🤦🔫

[@_skud]

More and more people are taking bicycle rideability into account when traveling and moving. That alone could help the infrastructure issue, but I'd still rather see an active effort be made regardless. Also, high speed rail would be revolutionary for this country.

[@ambiarock590]

In order to get viable bike infrastructure some people have to be pioneers to the cause. I don't have a lot of bike lanes in my area but I still use my ebike to get around, commute, and get groceries and food. I'd consider myself an enthused and confident cyclist so I can deal with riding amongst cars. I've got a flashing light on the back and I put an old license plate my bike for aesthetic and I guess to make me more visible. And yes I would absolutely take rail to get around if it were viable.

[@squig808]

Netherlands also has bike highways (Fietssnelweg) where you can really see the advantages of an e-bike as a commuter or "city runner". Inside cities I personally find e-bikes on the trendy side. They are expensive (maintenance, theft, damage) and have a much larger pollution and energy footprint compared to just buying and maintaining a used bike (there are plenty!). Unless you are extremely out of shape, disabled, elderly, etc. a normal bike will do just fine. Note: Comparing Netherlands to other non-flat regions without a mild winter is a poor comparison. The high population density of Randstad and very good rail network are also notable (e.g. many Dutch people have a "station bike" to get to a train station which takes them much further).

[@robp4564]

I have built my own, the issues I've found are cars still thinking bikes are slow. I'm doing 20mph and cars don't consider my speed, pull out on me, overtake then slow down just to be in front of the bike. I go faster on my road bike than my ebike, so speed is not an issue in my mind. Till attitudes towards bikes change we'll still be hit!

[@therealdutchidiot]

The primary issue with batteries exploding on e-bikes is the fact people build their own. Make of that what you will.

[@theepimountainbiker6551]

Love my ebike, its replaced my car for majority of trips. Never really ride it any faster than my "normal" mountainbike, hardly ever does my ebike see 20km/h. Because of how I ride it I might only need to charge it once a week.

[@naturalnewbie98]

People in USA government, city planning, etc... Wake up. Americans want to bicycle places without fear of getting hit by an automobile . CNBC good on you for the exposure. Thank you.

[@mtunofun1]

I live in the suburbs. My ebike is primarily used for liesure on weekends. However, I’ve been using it more when going somwhere where parking a car is too bothersome. Been discovering some cool restaurants and shops in my local downtown that I would have never known about otherwise because of lack of parking for cars.

[@ezy.doesit]

after moving to berlin, and cycling most of the time, my life is just better and healthier too!

[@johndefalque5061]

I have an NCM T 1,000 e-fatbike. I couldn't even make 200 km round trips on a regular bike. I use it 10X more often and go 10X further. The speed tops out at a max 40 km downhill. This is safer than the super light weight Kona Dew I used to own. I always wear a lid even if it's not the law in Quebec.

[@kevinriehl5906]

I live in Chicago and have been cycling everywhere as much as possible since the pandemic--and as happy as I am with people getting off their car dependencies, I have to say: Yeah, sometimes it's raining, snowing or just too cold tonride a bicycle l. So, maybe let's fix the public transportation instead of worrying about these bikes.

[@mardiffv.8775]

You are right, there are always people who can not or do not want to cycle or use a car. So public transport development is paramount.

[@ejenglin]

Why not both? We're going to hit peak oil sooner or later, so the more public transportation AND personal mobility we institute now, the better the future will be.🤷🏿‍♀️

[@the_kombinator]

They should make the fixed, year round bike lanes to be variable from October to April, as really no one is using the bike lanes for biking for half the year when there's 20 cm of snow about.

[@mardiffv.8775]

@@the_kombinator Well, the Finnish people in the city of Oulu have perfected winter cycling. They keep on cycling through out the winter at even -20 C/ -4 F. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmeokn1nj8lrgc0&ab_channel=PekkaTahkola But no cycling infrastructure should be permanent and yes, cycle tracks need clearing of snow and gritting too. Then the cyclists will cycle in the winter. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYrahoivr5t2eqM&ab_channel=BicycleDutch

[@the_kombinator]

@@mardiffv.8775 Well, yes, because the Nordics are hardy people and Europeans are generally more in favour of cycling, and let's be honest, quite a bit more fit than the average American. If I worked in my current city and had to go into work, I'd totally cycle year round.

[@huicho50able]

I really hope Houston implements bike lanes

[@bryanclark3693]

E bikes might be a good solution for some, certainly better than a car, but I love my regular bicycle for local commutes. I stay healthy by pedaling and it's not much slower than the e-bike's 20 mph.

[@joshbobst1629]

Yeah, there's some zippy speedster bicycles out there. Today I was stuck behind an especially slow moving car - but he was still going 20mph - and a cyclist on one of these fancy carbon fiber jobs passed us in the bike lane.

[@brooksarahl1652]

Yeah injuries are rising, but WHAT ABOUT CARS!! You can’t make a criticism about e-bikes or any new mode of transport and their safety without comparing it to the monopolized car usage and the consequences thereof.

[@KyleLanmon]

Compare ebike crashes to car crashes

[@foodtastesgood8579]

I live in a tent on a bike trail and its like a whole other world,I would love for more good people to be out here

[@davidlittlefield2483]

The problem occurs when governments consider bicycles and ebikes as toys and not serious transportation devices. They prioritize gas powered cars and trucks and completely disregard other forms of transportation and subsequently put alternate methods of transportation users lives at risk. The solution is simple: Separate cars from bicycles and ebikes with a continuous physical barrier and include safe bicycle lanes on every thoroughfare including major highways. The bicycle and ebike should be considered a part of the national transportation network. The age of ebikes has come and room must be allocated to include this new form of transportation in our transportation network including free charging stations at regular intervals to promote their usage. At 20 mph, my ebike has a range of 100 miles or 120 km at a cost of $0.32 in electricity and the benefits is obvious. And if you are wondering, intercity travel is currently possible using an ebike hauling a small bike trailer carrying a gas generator, gas can and a spare battery at a cost of $3/100 miles. If there were charging stations at regular intervals, a gas powered generator would not be necessary to travel long distances on an ebike. It is time for the government to step up and make room for ebikes in their overall transportation plan. Stop legislating against ebikes and start legislating for them. It's better for people's health and the environment, plus they are fun, fun, fun.

[@bobcharlotte8724]

Needs a part 2 of "How the fossil fuel industry wont let this happen".

[@Benjamin_Jehne]

It’s nice to see that this movement is also growing in the US. I bought my first ebike in 2016 and it really changed my life in such a positive way.

[@gingermany6223]

53 death over a 5 year period on ebikes. That’s less than how many pedestrians are killed per month in my state.