Post #2205241

45 km/h is still freakishly fast for all but professional cyclists. I do not agree that more restrictions are unnecessary. A simple, paperwork-minimal registration scheme would allow proper accountability for reckless bicycle-riding (which is uncommon but still happens) and would deter theft, especially since e-bikes cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, pounds, or euros. The problem with fast e-bikes (especially those which can accelerate without pedalling) is that they let anyone's grandmother reach the speeds of professionals without actually *being* an experienced cyclist. Ideally, there should be three levels: 1. Bicycles and low-speed e-bikes, where registration is not required 2. Moderate-speed e-bikes which can accelerate without the use of the pedals, where minimal registration formalities are required (namely, affixing a registration plate that comes with the bike along with registering an owner online). The registration process should be free of charge, one-off, and should not take more than 5 minutes to complete. I am against requiring anything which resembles a driving licence for these e-bikes. 3. High-speed e-bikes and motorcycles, where ordinary vehicle registration, motorcycle licences, and inspections are required. In the United States, we have a tool to deal with fragmentation in state laws: [uniform acts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_act).