A category 2 cyclist can mean different things depending on whether you are talking about racing categories or electric bike classifications, both of which are used in Australia. In AusCycling road racing, categories or grades are used to separate riders by ability. Category 2 or B-grade typically refers to an intermediate to advanced racer. In road racing, A-grade is elite, B-grade or Cat 2 is strong club racers with high fitness who race at average speeds of 38-42 km/h, C-grade is intermediate, and D-grade is beginner. In criterium and track racing, Cat 2 riders are competitive and may be aiming for state-level competition. In mountain biking, Category 2 in an event usually means the second distance or age group category. The second meaning is in electric bikes. Under the US three-class system which is often referenced in Australia, a Class 2 e-bike is a throttle-assisted e-bike with a 750W motor that can propel the bike up to 20 mph or 32 km/h without pedalling. This type of Class 2 or Category 2 e-bike is not legal as a bicycle in Australia, because Australia limits legal e-bikes to 250W pedal-assist only. Some Australian retailers incorrectly label throttle e-bikes as Category 2, which causes confusion, but under Australian road rules they are considered unregistered motor vehicles. So when you see Category 2 in an Australian race program, it means intermediate racer, and in e-bike ads it usually means an illegal throttle e-bike.
1 votes
Marked as accepted