California law about E-bike use for 70 and above?

[Joerg]

Folks,

There was a story in the Wall Street Journal where a Californian rider
said that people 70 and older are now allowed to use E-bikes on MTB
trails. I could not find anything about it elsewhere and a LBS owner
also couldn't. Does anyone know?

It's not for me, I will stay pedal-only. However, some older folks
around here might be helped by it.

This was the story but it likely can only be read by people with a Wall
Street Journals subscription:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/instead-of-slowing-down-he-revved-up-with-an-e-bikeat-70-he-revved-up-with-an-e-bike-1507374019

Quote "When teenagers tease Bruce Austin for powering up a mountain
trail on his electric mountain bike, his comeback is: "Didn't you hear
California passed a law that people 70 or older can ride an e-bike?""

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

[John B.]

On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 16:31:11 -0700, Joerg <ne...@analogconsultants.com>
wrote:

https://www.electricbike.com/california-ebike-laws/
https://electricbikereport.com/the-new-california-e-bike-law-electric-mountain-bikes/
http://peopleforbikes.org/blog/new-e-bike-law-passes-in-california/
--
Cheers,

John B.

[Ned Mantei]

Not relevant to California, but I have been seeing a lot of E-MTBs here
in Switzerland--on one day 5 of 6 other mountain bikes were E-bikes.

Even though I'm over 70, I would avoid a E-MTB because of the weight.
The motor only helps when you are pedaling, so when lifting it over a
rock, stairway, or fence**, or even just pushing up a steep trail, you
have more weight than I could deal with.

**Lifting over a fence doesn't mean that I'm trespassing. Sometimes on a
mountain road or trail there will be a fence around a pasture, and a
narrow turnstile or V-shaped gate for hikers that isn't wide enough to
let a bike roll through.

Ned

[Joerg]

I had found those but none talks about that age 70 limit and trail use.
Trail use of motorized bicycles is generally prohibited and can't be
regulated by CVC changes, that would require some "bigger" law.

[Joerg]

On 2017-10-19 03:17, Ned Mantei wrote:
> On 19-10-17 01:31, Joerg wrote:
>> Folks,
>>
>> There was a story in the Wall Street Journal where a Californian rider
>> said that people 70 and older are now allowed to use E-bikes on MTB
>> trails. I could not find anything about it elsewhere and a LBS owner
>> also couldn't. Does anyone know?
>>
>> It's not for me, I will stay pedal-only. However, some older folks
>> around here might be helped by it.
>>
>> This was the story but it likely can only be read by people with a Wall
>> Street Journals subscription:
>>
>> https://www.wsj.com/articles/instead-of-slowing-down-he-revved-up-with-an-e-bikeat-70-he-revved-up-with-an-e-bike-1507374019
>>
>>
>>
>> Quote "When teenagers tease Bruce Austin for powering up a mountain
>> trail on his electric mountain bike, his comeback is: "Didn't you hear
>> California passed a law that people 70 or older can ride an e-bike?""
>>
>
>
> Not relevant to California, but I have been seeing a lot of E-MTBs here
> in Switzerland--on one day 5 of 6 other mountain bikes were E-bikes.
>

Some dudes road along singletrack on KTMs. Highly illegal but they do
keep the weeds at bay.

> Even though I'm over 70, I would avoid a E-MTB because of the weight.
> The motor only helps when you are pedaling, so when lifting it over a
> rock, stairway, or fence**, or even just pushing up a steep trail, you
> have more weight than I could deal with.
>

My purely pedal-powered MTB is by now well above 40lbs with tool kit and
all. Plus usually several large stainless thermos bottles with water.
Plus occasionally one with homebrew IPA in there. The battery for the
lights weighs a bit as well and needed an "impact-proof" ABS enclosure.

It's full suspension so I had to modify the back in a way that it looks
more like the rear end of a dirt bike, in order to be able to pack stuff
for longer rides. The regular single-boom racks don't work because the
boom will buckle during hard rides and be too hard on the seat tube welds.

> **Lifting over a fence doesn't mean that I'm trespassing. Sometimes on a
> mountain road or trail there will be a fence around a pasture, and a
> narrow turnstile or V-shaped gate for hikers that isn't wide enough to
> let a bike roll through.
>

Oh, I have done that many times myself. Sometimes I can squeeze through
by "deflating" (unpacking) one of the panniers.

[cycl...@gmail.com]

The weight problem with a normal full suspension bike is why I returned to cyclocross bikes. Though the super-light weight and no suspension has its own set of problems.

[Joerg]

It also depends on whether the rider has chronic lower back issues. I
do, so full-suspension is the only option when using gnarlier trails
like the one yesterday. If my road bike frame ever croaks I'd also get a
cyclocross frame but more for being able to use dirt roads with better
peace of mind and better traction than now with those 25mm tires (frame
can't take more width).

[cycl...@gmail.com]

You'd have to go used. The latest cyclocross bikes are so far out in left field you'd think they were designed for racers only.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/ridley-x-night-sl-25-disc-ultegra-complete-cyclocross-bike-2017?skidn=RID004S-BLAYL-S50CM&ti=UExQIEJyYW5kOlJpZGxleSBDeWNsb2Nyb3NzIEJpa2VzICYgRnJhbWVzOjE6MzoxMDAwMDEyNTRfY2NDYXQxMDAxNTg=

http://www.wiggle.com/eddy-merckx-eeklo-70-cyclocross-bike-tiagra-2017/?lang=us&curr=USD&dest=18&sku=100387740&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=US_PLA_Everything+Else2&utm_medium&utm_content=mkwid%7cspj1vrT7q_dc%7cpcrid%7c155370070978%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7c%7cprd%7c100387740us

Though slightly better but carbon:

https://www.cxmagazine.com/review-redline-conquest-cyclocross-bike-issue-28

[Joerg]

Too expensive and I don't want carbon, ever. It'll be more like a
trekking bike which someone here recommended. Good old steel frame:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/adventure-touring-bikes/920/920/p/1432999-2018/?colorCode=tan

I don't like the bar end shifters because they can hurt in a crash but
with brifters the bikes only come in aluminum:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/adventure-touring-bikes/920/920/p/1432999-2018/?colorCode=tan

BikesDirect has some with Ti-frames, though no sturdy rack mounts:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/century-pro-ti-viii-21.jpg

Upping 160mm to 8-inch rotors should make mechanical disc brakes
palatable but I believe the one above has hydraulics.

[Doug Landau]

> My purely pedal-powered MTB is by now well above 40lbs with tool kit and
> all. Plus usually several large stainless thermos bottles with water.
> Plus occasionally one with homebrew IPA in there. The battery for the
> lights weighs a bit as well and needed an "impact-proof" ABS enclosure.
>
> It's full suspension so I had to modify the back in a way that it looks
> more like the rear end of a dirt bike, in order to be able to pack stuff
> for longer rides. The regular single-boom racks don't work because the
> boom will buckle during hard rides and be too hard on the seat tube welds.

Alright, alright, alright. Let's see a pic of this POS already, Esé

[Joerg]

Have to get my camera going again. It quit after the last MTB ride, it
is mechancially nearing its end. This is the bike before the mod:

http://www.analogconsultants.com/ng/bike/Muddy3.JPG

Now there is a diagonal U-shaped strut mid-tube to under the panniers, a
large machined clamp around the middle of the seat tube (in the
triangle), the electrical box (for lighting, music, etc.) is smaller and
now on that strut, and there is an additional top trunk.

[Doug Landau]

Meh.

[AMuzi]

You'd show more appreciation if you'd picked up a few 40-oz
hammers on tour.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Doug Landau]

I picked it up! I tucked it under a bungee, resumed pedaling, changed my mind after 5 or 10 seconds, and returned it to the gutter.

But back to Joerg's bike, well, I expected to see something a little more chitty-chitty-bang-bang

[AMuzi]

Such as more bunjis and plastic bags maybe?

https://101quickandeasysecrets.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/homeless_bicycle.jpg

[Joerg]

Camera works. Here it is:

http://www.analogconsultants.com/ng/bike/Muddy4.JPG

The mod has proven itself over about 1000mi, most of them hard miles,
with heavy loads. The top trunk addition is fairly new, since about
200mi, but works well also. It sometimes carries homebrew IPA :-)

[Doug Landau]

I was expecting a crossbar on the handlebars

https://www.google.com/search?q=1981+mtb+bars&rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS751US751&tbm=isch&source=iu&pf=m&ictx=1&fir=Y_mdI6aHbXM0LM%253A%252CfiCIYHeHoYUhQM%252C_&usg=__4xCHqqLIzhOzMI4SpupsU703hxg%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjk7uTIhorXAhWM0J8KHd-aDZQQ9QEILDAB#imgrc=Y_mdI6aHbXM0LM:

[Doug Landau]

That is starting to took like a suitable contraption. Have you considered tire wipers and orange whip flag or a 2m radio antennae

[Joerg]

Tire wipers are provided by the forest service around here, in the form
of a brush on a cable. No kidding, there are boundaries where you must.

An antenna mount maybe some day when I get back into ham radio. Both
bikes have on-board batteries which makes this easier.