Attention Canadians !!!

[Rockenstein]

Eddy I've posted much information and beat the modified pedal bicycle horse more than once plus even went so far as to study Quebec regulations written in french ...but... since your in BC reading this document should tell you some of what you need to know. Further there is really nothing on the ICBC site in the section that describes motor assisted cycles that makes an allowance for a bicycle modified by it owner to use an ICE kit. They even go so far as to say MAC's can't be powered by an internal combustion engine so if that's the case then to them your modified bicycle is really not a legally defined MAC. Also the BC motor vehicle act's motor assisted cycle regulations really don't say much about or define what we have either. Really the regulations describe what the feds have already put on the books as a PAB. So long story short I see nothing in the BC regs that clearly says a modified pedal bicycle must be registered, insured and or whatever else.


If you put a seat, a sail, streamers and an iPod speaker dock on a baby stroller is it really anything other than a baby stroller? Why you all insist on turning your modified bicycles into something they quite clearly are not is beyond me and makes not a lot of sense. If you all want legally defined motor vehicles you should just buy one and not bother putting heat on our hobby. IMHO about the only thing that will ever come from lobbying politicians is either clearly defined laws against our hobby or an outright ban on the importation and sale of E and ICE kits specifically designed for the typical pedal bicycle.

 

[fasteddy]

Rockenstein, I know what the laws in BC are. I thought you had unearthed a way to get around it.

The bike I'm building is electric. Since I'll have over $3,000 in it when I'm finished I'm making sure that it doesn't go down the road on the back of a tow truck.

Steve.

 

[Rockenstein]

I really don't see what you need to get around but hey not everyone interprets written law in the same manner.

Your E build sounds really nice but I have a question...

If your zooming down the road and you get yanked over how are you going to prove your 3000 grand build is in compliance with the specs? This is the reason Ontario never included DIY e bikes in the PAB regs, assuring everyone who builds a PAB is in compliance with the specs is difficult if not impossible when it comes to roadside checks.

Your lucky I suppose in BC because the ICBC says the folowing...

As a condition of initial sale, all commercially manufactured MACs must bear a permanently affixed label stating that the vehicle is a “power-assisted bicycle”.

That leaves the door open for the DIY people at least but again when pressed for proof of compliance should you get spotted doing 40k on level ground what will you do? I guess what I come back to with that thought is that if any of you want to completely eliminate legal hassles and risks you should be on a PAB or LSM that is recognized as being in compliance with federal specifications.

 

[fasteddy]

Sorry I meant the ICE laws. Working on the fact a cop isn't getting out of his car to bother a guy 66 years old on an electric bike unless I mess up in a really bad way.

The bike shop and I are making sure that it's going 20km and no more through the way it's geared.
The bike will have everything that it is supposed to have to be legal. Thats part of why it is getting so expensive.
I started over building this thing and it got way out of hand like a lot of hobbies..

I just hope I'm worth it.

Steve.

 

[Blakenstein]

The potential penalty cost of operating a motor vehicle without insurance, license, headlights, tail lights,and signal lights can easily add up to thousands of dollars if I happen to get a cop who had a fight with his wife that morning or a bad cup of coffee. This is more risk than I wish to assume. I think the only chance we have in changing this situation is a letter writing campaign to our Minister of Transportation, MP and MLA's.

I am therefore going to start a new thread for this purpose entitled "Canadian Letter Writing Campaign". We need to have a few members submit template letters which can easily be cut and pasted along with a directory of MP's and MLA's email addresses. If we make it easy to do and these politicians get hundreds of letters it may make a difference.

You can start by emailing the Minister John Baird of Transport Canada at [email protected]

Followup with letters to your MP and MLA....be sure to include your name and address

Good luck !!!

There is a member here in this forum of whoms name is Bairdo.

Now, is this just a coincidence, or what the what???

Any way,the Alberta Gov. says that the definition of a motor vehicle EXCLUDES power assisted bicycles. This means that I cannot get fined for ridding one.:-/

 

[mountain80]

Hmm now thats something worth hearing..............

 

[fasteddy]

Lucky Dog!!!!

Steve.

 

[Rockenstein]

Any way,the Alberta Gov. says that the definition of a motor vehicle EXCLUDES power assisted bicycles. This means that I cannot get fined for ridding one.:-/

I don't mean to burst your bubble but sadly the definition of power assisted bicycle in Alberta does not include what we build. Alberta aligned it's definition of a PAB with the federal definition not too long ago and that's really sad because Alberta was the one and only province in Canada that had a definition and specifications on the books for a typical pedal bicycle modified by the owner to use an internal combustion engine.

On another note I was thinking a little more about things and one government branch we should be really worried about is Health Canada. Health Canada is the branch of federal government that deals with consumer product safety issues and can have consumer goods banned...baby walkers, certain baby crib designs and some pogo sticks are example products that come to mind. Anyway I read on an e-bikers blog that the bicycle engine kits that Zoom Bicycles sells have been brought to the attention of Health Canada by the mother of a son whom purchased and installed one...apparently this kid broke some bones and lost some teeth and the mom filed a complaint with Health Canada saying the kits are dangerous etc etc. As of right now I don't see anything on the Health Canada site about the kits but yea those guys can order product recalls, issue importation bans, order products to be pulled from store shelves and more

 

[marts1]

I was goin up this steep hill one day with a baby buggy, I turned it sideways and it tipped over. I am 2 yrs old and have no idea what went wrong. I need way more tolerance lol.

 

[Blakenstein]

Any where u go u gotta use gas jfor them anyway-with electric bikes u can generate ur own power-they're more independant-some ,,,,if ur stranded,,,u can just turn them over and pedal.

sooon the Toilet scoundrels in the Gov.will make em eeeleeegal.

I wanted an electric one to begin with but I could not afford one. The Idea of gas powered was ridiculous to meeeee....way tooo much of a heat score and way too dependant.

At the time I had the money to buy electric,-store had none!!!--only had one gas in stock.

Any way I clicked on that Gov adress and nothing came up!!! I'm not gonna go by hear say.......I saw the law last year and it said that my bikes okay...that's what I'm gonna go by.
Rack mount systems are more stealth like and I'm glad that few people have them.

Don't get me wrong...I really love my Island Hopper rack mount chain drive Bridestone Titan

It really hauls through the winter...just eats it right up. The city in which I live has about a million people but in the winter, the streets turn into....OFF ROAD!!!!! -just came got back from a 2 mile ride tonight..between 5&12 above fahr. and it was great. like I said all I know is that the law said last year that my bikes okay, and that's what I go by.

 

[TheE]

Welp, I sent an e-mail to the SAAQ to find out why gas bikes are not considered "power-assist". The guy said it's because the pollution from the 2-stroke motor would not be good to have on a bike path or bike lane. I really never saw that as being a problem, but I guess someone could always complain.

 

[NorthJet]

So, can we confirm that gas 49 cc motorized bikes are now illegal in Alberta and indead Canada?
I am just ready to get into it. Was planing to buy a bunch with my freinds. They wiuld likely want to be straight up and legal.

 

[marts1]

As yet, I'm not convinced they are illegal. I know last year they were not illegal here yet many said they were. I'll wait to see what the cops say around here come spring.

 

[NorthJet]

Did you know that making a pie and selling it is illegal in Alberta unless it is made in a fully approved commercial kitchen. Gotta watch those grandma pie terrorists.

This new law in Canada is making me very angry. Laws are intended to protect the little guy. Motorized bikes could make a big differnce for marginal people trying to get to work go shopping and recreating. Harpo keeps talking about balancing the need for conventional econmic growth with the the need for reducting green house gasses.

His Gov obviously has acted with a heavy hand to eliminate such an insignificant contributor to our envirnmental problem and took away another tool. Our cities are so gridlocked we losing our good paying jobs and our transport minsiter is worred about motoized bikes! Definitly makes my mind up about an idiot who thinks like that.
Afew more like that in AB need to go .

 

[bgoates]

Quit the *****ing and write to your MLA and MP.....that is our only hope as I see it !

See http://motorbicycling.com/f17/canadian-letter-writing-campaign-14867.html#post149606

 

[furament]

that and lets not be to qwick to confirm aney thing aney time anething is put out there it has the oppertunity to be fule for the fire or atleast come back to bite if evrey one thinks it to be true weather it is or not sets a president and if evrey one thinks its true it must be caus we all do lisent to what we want to here dont we?

 

[Blakenstein]

Thats a good statement-..... The only official Gov. document I saw ,was the one that said that power assisted bikes, including gass, were okay, and that was just a few months ago.-I have not seen ant other official statement--all I hear is talk

 

[Wawardred]

I just turn the motor off when I see a policecar and hide the motor with my legs. I also carry a copy of the motor vehicle act in my backpack!

 

[Wawardred]

Hear hear!

 

[andrewg225]

hey anyone here areound the twin saults? i'm looking for someone to ride with some day