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Re:First 100 miles on my E-Bike by dmurray on Saturday December 30, 2017 @12:20PM (#16036167)
Yeah, I'd count the author's bike as being pretty close to being a moped. Except that it might get regulated as an e-bike, and it is possible to use it as a normal heavy bicycle if he wants or if the motor fails.
Re:First 100 miles on my E-Bike by ebikelaw on Saturday December 30, 2017 @09:09PM (#16038946)
The law in many US states and most European countries views the machine in this article as a moped or motorcycle. It is throttle-operated, instead of being proportional to pedal torque, and it has no speed limiter. If it was limited to 20MPH, it could be a "class 2" or "type 2" e-bike in many jurisdictions. If it was pedal-operated and limited to 28 MPH, it could be a "class 3" e-bike. But as built, it's a moped. You need a license, registration, insurance, and a helmet to operate it.
Re:First 100 miles on my E-Bike by iamnothere on Saturday December 30, 2017 @09:33PM (#16039012)
Maybe the author lives in a state where this is fine? Not all places have the same laws.

The author made a cool thing and did everyone the service of documenting the process. Why is everyone so quick to crap on his project?