Comments on: Assisted Bicycles

By: Folderman

Folderman — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 04:04:22 +0000

Legislative amendments to make it legal to ride a 250 watt pedelec assisted bicycle (that is you must be pedalling to activate assistance) on dual use (DUP)and principal shared paths(PSP)are in chain. All other forms of assistance (throttle controlled electric or petrol motors, and especially the woman who drives her Segway through Perth), it will remain illegal to use them on DUPs or PSPs and subject to a fine (which I think is $150.00), although I think they can be used on the road.

By: Peter Bradshaw

Peter Bradshaw — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 03:30:47 +0000

Has anybody heard of a move to make it legal in WA to ride assisted bikes on the cycle paths under power?

By: darren79

darren79 — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:37:42 +0000

I own power-assisted bike, of the type that has plastic bodywork resembling a petrol scooter (with two big pedals ssprouting from the side). The 200 watt power limit is quite impractical (slow can’t climb hills), and is apprently based on 200 watts being the maximum power of a fit human cyclist. I found that by adding batteries (to increase the voltage) the performance increased notably, probably well above 200 watts in any case I replaced the engine with a nominal ’500 watt’ motor and it is more usable – the pedals are really only needed to start and occasionally to get up steep hills. On dual use paths I have been stopped by traffic police who don’t know the road rules (I keep a copy of the Road Traffic Act and Code in the topbox) – also strange looks from other cyclists… I assume people think it’s a petrol scooter and therefore ‘unsafe’ to ride at 30 kmh (it’s max speed) on a bike path .. even though it’s covered in more headlights, brake lights, indicators than any ‘normal’ bike. A major benefit that its legal to park in bike racks, so in many buildings I can park closer to the doors and undercover (a real bonus when riding to Curtin Uni!).