From a member of Paris local government: «Tomorrow, we'll be saying to motorists, “Here's where you can drive, on this car-lane.” Everything else will be for pedestrians and cyclists.»
the 'form factor' isn't the problem. a 'cool' tricked-out bike could just be cosmetics, tire size and suspension; and still have a legally allowed motor output and a safe rider.
it's the modifications to bypass power limits (some can go 60+ km/h, where the legal limit is closer to 25) or swap out motors for much stronger ones, and how reckless some people ride.
Fatbikes look cool but lose one of the main advantages of bicycles, which is that you can easily carry them, whether up stairs, onto a train or into a car. Electric fatbikes must be even worse for that. Its probably better thinking of them as motorbikes.
As a comparison, the Aventon Level.2 is their city commuter ebike. Stock, it weighs 62 lbs (28 kg). Nobody is carrying that bike up stairs, and it's not a fatbike.
The problem here is people exceeding speed limits in populated places, creating danger.
I thought these things were a bit dumb, then I figured out that the fatter tires make riding on the cobble stones that are common in my city more comfortable. I still don't want one, but I see that they have their place.
Technically no, but people are really confused with terminology around electric bikes of all sorts. Fatbikes are just a bicycle with oversized tires. When we look at mountainbike tires, they typically stop at around 2.6, maybe 2.8 inches in width. Fatbikes are more around 3.8 or even more, and are typically intended for snowy areas, or if you just want the extra cushioning off road. What people nowadays cry about and describe as "fatbike" is more of an electric moped.
Fat bikes are bikes with wide tires. The wide tire acts as a sort of suspension in effects. They’re fun as hell especially when you hit potholes, but idk why people are using them on streets for transport, they’re far more of a fun bike
Not really, for now it is mostly "here's the bike lane", because the street is attributed to cars by default. So this quote is about reversing this mind set.
The article is paywalled, so good luck with it. Isn't "Lemon de" on the conservative carbrain side?
And, yes, speed limits need to be enforced somehow for all motorized vehicles within their contexts. Sidewalks are not for riding fast and bike paths aren't for riding fast either. Speed limiters are most definitely needed, as is a lot of education. Civilization is 100% not ready for "sharable" scooters either.
Le Monde Group is mainly owned by various rich people, but 25% is owned by employees, and they have specific rights that are not common for billionaire-owned journals, like voting for their own newspaper managing editor and approving changes of shareholders.
Yes, I said it is paywalled a couple of worlds before the link. I was just giving a source for the quote, it's not really the point of the article.
No, Le Monde (The World) is center left, which in France means close to Socialist party, which is close to Bernie Sanders in the USA. It's probably the most well respected newspaper from France.