Hello,
I have been reading this forum for about a week now and this is the first time I have posted. I Thank everyone for contributing their information here for it made it alot easier to decide on purchasing my e-Bike. Although my bike is not in my possesion at this moment in time it will soon be here. I had pre-ordered it on August 25, with the understanding it should be in stock on Sept 15. The man assured me no charges would go against my card til then. Then the man called me on Aug 28 informing me they just got my bike in and wanted to confirm what I had told him about not having the money in the account yet. I told him as much as I would love for the bike to be charged to my account right now the funds wont be there til after the 3rd of August at the earliest and I could not make any further decissions today for I am drugged from just getting out of the hospital from having an EGD and colonoscopy. He wished me well and I told him I would call him when the funds were available. He sias ok and the bike was there with my name on it. I was so excited to say the least!
Well, the next day while sitting at the Dr's office. I recive a call from R&L Carriers informing me that my bike was at the terminal! I panic'ed knowing the funds were not in the bank and told them I needed to contact the place I purchased it from for they were not to charge my card yet. Anxiety realy set in then!
To make a longer story a little shorter, I had to wait til my friend's boyfriend got off work for he siad he would pick it up for me and put it together. Being the Bike was here over two weeks before it was planned to be here, he was not able to borrow a truck to get it for me om such short notice and R&L Carriers siad if I did not get it by 8:30 that night I would not be able to get it til Tuesday for they would be closed all weekend and Monday for the Holiday.
So, Here I wait in great anticipation... a three day weekend knowing my bike is only a few miles away and I cant get it!!
So tomorrow I will meet up with my friends boy freind and we will pick it up at 4pm when he gets off work. I will let you all know what happens.
I read here many have the same questions as I have about speed, distance, charge can it take hills and ect...
I am going to be brave here and give you all some private info to help you all out... I live here in a city with lots of hills and I am a little over 300 pounds... so we will soon know how the bike handles with a load going up hills.
I bought me a Cateye CC-MC100W MICRO WIRELESS BICYCLE COMPUTER for $29.97 plus S&H off ebay last night so it should be here this week sometime.
Well, I think thats all for this time... Hope I will be able to sleep tonight!
May God Bless each of you,
Jillnel :-)
Congratulations Jillnel on your purchase of the XB-700Li!!! I think you're going to love it! I have an XB-600 and I am really enjoying it! It is so quiet and smooth and it's worth the looks I get when they can't hear the engine and I tell them it's electric! I'd like to get the 700Li someday, but for now the 600 will suffice.
Keep us posted on your progress!
Laurie(rocs)
Hi laurie,
Thanks for your kind words. I am so excited about the bike. It is like when I was a kid and the new school yr was about to begin... I could not sleep for days just waiting with great anticipation! We picked up the bike today after Ronnie(my freinds boyfriend) got home from work. It is sitting at their house 5 miles from me... cant wait til he gets home from work tomorrow so we can put it together. I pray all goes well and I will be able begin to ride it.
I first discovered the bike you have and thought it was great! Then a few days after while surfing the net I ran into the 700Li... OH how pretty I thought! Naybe if I do well with this one in a yr or two I can graduate to one with more power but for now I wanted to keep it where I did not have to have the expense of tags, registration insurance and such.
I spent a couple weeks trying to figure out the laws here... what a confusing mess! I dont really mind if I would have had to get a tag for I qualify for a handicapped plate and with that I can get free parking when I go downtown. My main concern is I did not want to get in trouble... well I ended up writing a letter to the city's bicycle co-ordinator... I will paste it here and his reply just in case it might help someone else...
Hello Philip Pugliese,
I was wondering if you could help me. I am needing to know what the law is for Chattanooga for the use of electric assisted bikes. From reading on different places on the internet my understanding is that there is no license required, no registration, no insurance. Nothing is required as long as the bike does not go over 20 miles per hour.
I just bought an e-bike and I am wanting to make sure I don’t get into trouble. I am 43, I have a drivers license that is also a motorcycle license. I am disabled and have a car that has a handicapped license plate. I bought the e-bake for I can’t peddle up the hills we have here in TN… Florida was no prob for the flat land there. My understanding was when I bought the bike I would not need to do anything special no extra expenses… with gas being so high and living on disability I thought if this bike did well I might could sell the car. I like the idea of this bike can be peddled and when needed I can let the electric motor help me get over our hills here.
Here is the bike if you want to look at it http://travelectro.com/X-Treme_XB-700Li.html
I have the manual in .doc format if you would like to look at it as well. The manual does state the bike is for one person to ride it with a max of 350 pounds. I am 300 pounds and hoping some of the peddling will use up some of this stored energy I have!
I have called the police department 2 times and both times they did not know what I was talking about. I was told to call a bike dealer… I then told them I did not want to ask a bike dealer for they may not tell me the truth just to make a sale. Why would the police not know what the laws are? While still trying to look up info on the net about our bike laws I found you and I thought maybe you might be able to help me. I wonder why there is not a web site with the rules easily written out so lay people can understand them… maybe there is and I just have not found it yet.
I did find these sites that talk about the laws: I am really not understanding all I am reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle_laws
Tennessee
It appears Tennessee has not passed any legislation that applies to electric bicycles. Some people think the laws pertaining to a Motorized Bicycle should be used for an electric bicycle. However, a Motorized bicycle would be a gasoline powered device per state law as it is defined as "means a vehicle with two (2) or three (3) wheels, an automatic transmission, and a motor with a cylinder capacity not exceeding fifty cubic centimeters (50cc) which produces no more than two (2) brake horsepower and is capable of propelling the vehicle at a maximum design speed of no more than thirty miles per hour (30 mph) on level ground." [45]
Motorized Bicycle: The motorized bicycle does not have to be registered nor does a certificate of title need to be obtained. An owner may register the vehicle under regulations issued by the Commissioner of Safety.
No endorsement is required on a driver license in order to operate a motorized bicycle, thus the motorized bicycle may be operated by anyone with a valid driver license. Goggles, windshields and other special equipment required for motorcycles and motor-driver cycles are not required for operation of a motorized bicycle. However, crash helmets are required regardless of operators age. Minors between the ages of 14 and 16 may apply for a restricted license to operate a motorized bicycle, just as they would to operate a motor-driver cycle. For instance, they must take a written test, vision tests and demonstrate their ability to operate the motorized bicycle. The license issued will be restricted to a motorized bicycle only. The license is valid only during daylight hours and within a seven-mile (11 km) radius of the driver's home. Applicants for any type of license less than eighteen (18) years old, must complete a Minor/Teen-age Affidavit and Cancellation form making the parent or legal guardian financially liable for the applicants action. [46]
http://www.lightfootcycles.com/electric.htm
The United States Federal Low-Power Electric Bike Law
HR 727, signed by President Bush on Nov 27 2002, specifies working pedals, one horsepower maximum, and a top speed of 20 mph under electric assist. There are a few states allowing 1000 watt vs. the 750 watts (750 approximately equals one horsepower), and a few allowing 25mph. However, the majority of states use the 20mph rule to identify a bike or trike under the low powered electric bike rule. If you max out at 25 mph, in many states that bumps you up to moped classification, requiring more equipment such as turn signals, rear view mirror, horn etc; some may even require registration. This law can be seen in The Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 29 / Wednesday, February 12, 2003 / Rules and Regulations pages 7072 and 7073.
Excerpt: SECTION 1. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT.
The Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.) is amended by adding the following:
`LOW-SPEED ELECTRIC BICYCLES'
SEC. 38. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, low-speed electric bicycles are consumer products within the meaning of section 3(a)(1) and shall be subject to the Commission regulations published at section 1500.18(a)(12) and part 1512 of title 16, Code of Federal
Regulations.
(b) For the purpose of this section, the term `low-speed electric bicycle' means a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20 mph.
`(c) To further protect the safety of consumers who ride low-speed electric bicycles, the Commission may promulgate new or amended requirements applicable to such vehicles as necessary and appropriate.
`(d) This section shall supersede any State law or requirement with respect to low-speed electric bicycles to the extent that such State law or requirement is more stringent than the Federal law or requirements referred to in subsection (a).'.
SEC. 2. MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS.
For purposes of motor vehicle safety standards issued and enforced pursuant to chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, a low-speed electric bicycle (as defined in section 38(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act) shall not be considered a motor vehicle as defined by section 30102(6) of title 49, United States Code.
Thanks for your help in advance,
Jillnel
HIS RESPONSE.......
Hello,
From the documentation you have provided it does appear that your proposed vehicle would be exempt from motor vehicle registration. The standard rules of the road for all vehicles would of course apply. It does appear there is a gap in Tennessee law currently between a bicycle, motorized bicycle, low-speed vehicle and motorized vehicle that does not specify an electric bicycle. I’m sorry that I cannot be of more help.
Regards,
Philip Pugliese
Bicycle Coordinator
Outdoor Chattanooga
1250 Market Street, Suite 1006
Chattanooga, TN 37402
423.643.6887 Fax 423.643.6885
ppugliese .at. outdoorchattanooga dot com
www.outdoorchattanooga.com
www.bikechattanooga.org
Anyway.... I plan to print out the e-mail and carry it with me just in case I run into trouble since he had been hired by the city, I figure I should be ok....
I pasted this for I know many others are confused and maybe their city has hired a bicycle coordinator as well that can help them.
Well... guess I will try to calm down and get some sleep so I can be alert as I "assist" Ronnie with the bike tomorrow!
May God Bless You all,
Jillnel :-)
The way it is in pennsylvania is I needed to get mine titled registered and insured... this was actually a really easy process. First I called Xtreme Scooters to get a "bill of sale" then I went to a progressive agency and they scanned the bill of sale and the front page of the manual as I explained to them the bike doesnt have a VIN or a MCO. I was out of there within 30 minutes with a plate in hand. Titling unfortunately cost $170 and insurance is $95 a year for me but its worth it to KNOW you're legal (rather than hope with HR 727)