Derestrict GF600

[bonzobanana]

A question from someone who m had a couple of hours ride on a rental e-mtb once and who basically knows little about them other than seem loads in my local bike shop and online too.

There's so many e-bikes in bike shops that completely comply with regulations from respected manufacturers with resources to understand the regulations sold by bike shops that similarly have the resources and knowledge to only stock legal e-bikes.

So with this in mind, why would you want to risk buying one with questionable or borderline legality? Why take the risk? Why not play safe and may buy from a reputable bike company from a reputable bike retailer? Why all this debate when it's probably not necessary because you can find a bike that's not borderline or is legally unquestionable?

You can't cherry pick what certified product is legal based on your assumptions. If a bike is certified for use it is certified for use. The whole 250W rating is a huge can of worms with many shop bought e-mountain bikes over 3x that rating but they are certified as 250W. I can't imagine anything more legal than a bike that is individually tested under the 250W LPM category, I mean you end up with a full registration document showings its legality which the police can validate. Lets not forget Bosch were behind the diesel gate fiasco, they are not a company that seem to be too bothered about legality. I also seem to remember they had a spy at Dyson that was discovered. Perhaps the fact they are selling 800W ebike motors as 250W is going to be a future issue although the way the certification is written I can't imagine that happening, the point about the certification is it doesn't limit ebikes to 250W at all so what is the point of the 250W rating anyway? A huge number of different ebikes all with hugely varying motor power are all called 250W. It would be much more accurate just to call them 25km/h assist ebikes rather than mention wattage at all when there is no requirement to limit the motor to 250W.

These fat ebikes are becoming another legal option for cyclists and will suit some and of course not suit others but its good there are options out there especially those with throttles for those who may have health issues etc. They are relatively easy to repair compared to mid-drive ebikes and typically more reliable for their motors. The fact the hub motor is independent of the drivetrain massively extends the life of drivetrain components and also the fact the controller is separate from the motor means easier servicing or replacement. It's all positive really. Lets not forget many of the ebikes at local bike shops are highly proprietary and cannot be repaired by the home user and if the frame, motor or battery fails they are often uneconomic to repair unless you are willing to pay a very hefty repair or replacement price for that component. Shop bought mid-drive ebikes have proprietary frames that can only take the specific motor originally fitted. Despite their high pricing they are disposable products really. They are good for local shop revenue but terrible for the consumer in value terms and also bad for the environment.