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Pashley's Multi-trike looks to pioneer chainless tech

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Richard Peace's picture

Richard Peace

Richard Peace took to full-time outdoor writing/photojournalism after stints in an office and as an English teacher abroad. His cycling route guide books include the best-selling Ultimate C2C Guide and the Ultimate UK Cycle Route Planner plus Electric Bicycles. He has written for various media about many aspects of cycling

4 comments

4 months 2 weeks ago

No, seems more of a 'greyvarea'. Pedal power is still technically, the main form of propulsion.

Not for hilly areas I imagine!

4 months 2 weeks ago

Wot the others said.  Looks like an electric motorised vehicle with a pedal garnish.  Still, at least they didn't use a carbon fibre propellor!  Plus it's a small one.  I'm not the target market (yet), mustn't grumble.  Maybe adds to the argument for "we need space for cyclists"?

Perhaps it can replace a few light van trips also?  Particularly as vans and light cargo vehicles are the most dangerous category of vehicle on the UK roads for other users (by mileage, according to the PACTS analysis).

4 months 2 weeks ago

These electric drivetrain cycles do not meet the EU EAPC definition. For it to be classed as a pedal cycle, the electric motor must be an "auxiliary electric motor", i.e. the electric motor has to be a supplemental form of propulsion.

The UK EAPC definition is a bit more accomodating and as long as the pedals can be used to propel the cycle (i.e. with a flat battery), then you're good to go.

4 months 2 weeks ago

The disadvantage is that you lose quite a lot of energy in the process of converting pedal movement to electricity.

and then lose some more converting the battery chemistry back into physical movement. Perhaps they could supply an actual pedal-to-wheel efficiency number, and compare it to a chain drive.

I suspect this amounts to little more than an exercise in legal compliance. Nearly all the motive power will be coming from the mains charger, with the rotation of the pedals serving only to fulfil the letter of the law.