Three years after Oakland announced a plan to purchase electric bikes for a pilot rental program, the new bikes are finally available for rent. In a press conference yesterday, Mayor Barbara Lee spoke of her excitement about the program. She was flanked by other community leaders, including councilmember Noel Gallo, whose district includes Fruitvale; at-large councilmember Rowena Brown; and Justin Hu-Nguyen, a co-executive director of the advocacy group Bike East Bay.
The renewal also marks the beginning of increased investment into the scheme, which will see improvements to the fleet, on-street infrastructure, and an improved Santander Cycles app. New cycle docking stations will be installed in Agar Grove, Camden; Brockwell Lido, Brixton; City Island, Canning Town; and in Hackney. Future plans include creating new docking stations on Harrow Road in Westminster and Queen Street in the City of London.
The little girl they are talking about is Frida. She was out playing with friends in the park at the weekend when she was hit by someone on an electric bike. It fell on her, breaking her tibia and fibula bones in her lower leg. She was rushed to the Royal London, where surgeons operated inserting pins that will help the bones heal. But that healing process will take around a year.
"I've heard from a lot of constituents and people around the city about fears of e-bikes going too fast, experiences people have had, injuries they've incurred. But I wanted to think of a way to address the concerns that wouldn't actually criminalize the bike riders," she said. The bill only bans the sale of such bikes, which are popular with the city's 80,000 delivery workers.
They understand that predatory delivery apps demand routes and times that are impossible without battery power, but also want to be able to cross the street without worrying for their safety. That's why I'm introducing a bill alongside nearly one-third of my fellow City Council members from both sides of the aisle that will defend pedestrians, protect delivery workers, and demand safety on our streets: the Ride Safe, Ride Right Act.
A lot of the unit's work centres on illegal e-bikes; they have seized 212 so far this year. News comes over the radio that PCs Harry Rose and David Parker have stopped someone they suspect is on an illegal e-bike, so we find them with a delivery rider in the familiar green livery of Uber Eats. The man, whose name is Mahede Hasan, says his bike has pedals, and the power of the electric motor is 250 watts, which he thought was allowed.
Upgrades with tech are common. We're mostly accustomed to getting a new phone every few years, and we know that sooner or later, laptops, smartwatches, or other tech will start to show their age, and we'll need to upgrade to current technology. So what about e-bikes?
JackRabbit has created the MG Platform, an entirely new category of rides dubbed Micro Haulers, designed to fold flat and focus on utility.
Velotric’s new electric trike, the Triker, features a 750W motor, a 48V, 792 Wh battery, and various riding modes, making it a versatile micromobility option.
The recent laws in Amsterdam to license e-bikes exist in a transportation context that positions bikes and cars on more equal footing, emphasizing safe mixed-use streets.
GoCycle, a leading UK-based e-bike manufacturer known for compact, lightweight models, has secured funding from Aventon's founder to reboot its operations and product line.
