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Rivian's TM-B electric bike

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190 points hasheddan | 6 comments | 22 Oct 25 18:00 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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legitster ◴[22 Oct 25 21:25 UTC] No.45675359[source]▶
So the interesting thing about this is the ... peddle-by-wire drivetrain? So unlike a normal e-bike, when its battery dies it turns into a stationary bike.

I love ebikes and generally like what Rivian does, but in a very competitive market it's hard to see the appeal of this.

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username223 ◴[22 Oct 25 23:02 UTC] No.45676253[source]▶
"E-bikes" are much more efficient than electric cars, but they're just electric scooters with governors at this point, and only called "bikes" for regulatory reasons.
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_carbyau_ ◴[22 Oct 25 23:09 UTC] No.45676317[source]▶
I have a friend who hates any electric bike not "pedal-assist". His opinion is they are electric motorbikes - that happen to have pedals as a backup option, usually not used.

And if anyone said "lets ride motorbikes with pedestrians" they'd be looked at funny.

I'm seeing more near misses each week AND in 20 years I'll be old enough to feel real vulnerable...

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1. pm90 ◴[22 Oct 25 23:40 UTC] No.45676541[source]▶
Everyone is vulnerable regardless of age. There absolutely need to be regulations around how these ebikes are allowed to go based on their power output.
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2. xnx ◴[22 Oct 25 23:49 UTC] No.45676599[source]▶
> based on their power output.

and mass!

3. _carbyau_ ◴[23 Oct 25 00:56 UTC] No.45677010[source]▶
I ride a motorbike. I'd argue speed is the limiter.

Some of these electric bikes are quite speedy - capable of mixing it up with flowing traffic. So classify them as being motorbikes.

If they can't go that fast, or are "assistive only" (require large fraction of rider pedal input up to a set speed) then legislatively they are a "normal bike".

The thing is, we already have the rules around each style of bike. It's just a classification thing.

Many electric bikes are masquerading and hoping no one looks too closely. So, just look closely. And hold actions responsible.

4. hamdingers ◴[23 Oct 25 01:37 UTC] No.45677248[source]▶
Okay but cars first obviously, right? Considering they kill orders of magnitude more people.
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5. hollerith ◴[23 Oct 25 01:52 UTC] No.45677326[source]▶
Yes, it should be illegal to drive cars on sidewalks, too.
6. tbrownaw ◴[23 Oct 25 02:37 UTC] No.45677584[source]▶
> Everyone is vulnerable regardless of age.

Yes, and people who are slower and more fragile and take longer to heal are more so than others.