Question about electric scooters/bikes with peddles?

Question

Okay, I do not know that much about electric scooters/bikes. However, with the raising cost of fuel I am looking into purchasing one. The ones that I have been looking at say they are electric but have peddles. How do these bikes work? Do you have the option to peddle or do you have to peddle? If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it!!

Answer 1

These are mopeds.  They're motor assisted bicycles.

Answer 2

Yes, it gives you the option of pedaling for excercise, to conserve your batteries, whatever.  google e-bikes lots of info right on the ole internet.

Lee Iacoca of Chysler fame developed one of these but it is like 1400 bucks, many others are cheaper.

Answer 3

There are loads of different types.

There are electric bicycles, which are basically a combination of an electric scooter and a bicycle.  You can both pedal and use the electric motor at the same time or one at a a time.  Some examples:

http://greenhome.huddler.com/products/ca...

I owned this one for a while, and reviewed it on this page:

http://greenhome.huddler.com/products/e-...

Then there are the ones that are basically electric scooters which also have pedals.  Like this one:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/s...

On those the pedals aren't very helpful, but basically by pedalling you can make the battery last a little bit longer.  Most of the time I don't think you pedal them.

The good thing about those is that at least in California, for a moped with a top speed of no more than 20 mph with pedals, you don't need a motorcycle (M class) license.  If you have a moped without pedals, you need the license.  Which is stupid, but that's the California law.

Moped laws by state: http://www.mopedarmy.com/wiki/Moped_laws

And then there are electric mopeds and motorcycles without pedals:

http://greenhome.huddler.com/products/ca...