Illegal e-bikes for sale ?

[Scaleyback]

I 'stumbled' across " Dual motor e-bikes " on Amazon today.

A few ' cut & paste's ' from a listing.

" FREESKY Ranger Air Dual Motor Electric Bike for Adults 200Nm Fast Ebike "

" 【250 W Power Road Mode & Private-Track Mode】 UK-legal 250 W -25 km/h(15miles) on public roads. Private-Track Mode unlocked via display "

" Choose from dual or single motor drive, pedal assist, throttle-only, "

So I read elsewhere " it is illegal to offer dual-motor e-bikes for sale as electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) in the UK if the combined power exceeds the 250W continuous output limit, regardless of how the motors are configured or if they are switchable between modes.

So is this brazen disregard for the law or a clever way around selling restricted e-bikes ?

 

[classic33]

I 'stumbled' across " Dual motor e-bikes " on Amazon today.

A few ' cut & paste's ' from a listing.

" FREESKY Ranger Air Dual Motor Electric Bike for Adults 200Nm Fast Ebike "

" 【250 W Power Road Mode & Private-Track Mode】 UK-legal 250 W -25 km/h(15miles) on public roads. Private-Track Mode unlocked via display "

" Choose from dual or single motor drive, pedal assist, throttle-only, "

So I read elsewhere " it is illegal to offer dual-motor e-bikes for sale as electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) in the UK if the combined power exceeds the 250W continuous output limit, regardless of how the motors are configured or if they are switchable between modes.

So is this brazen disregard for the law or a clever way around selling restricted e-bikes ?

Nowt clever about riding round on something illegal.
Getting someone to buy something they can't legally use, might be the only "clever" part to it.

Dual motors on bikes I've seen in use, in Bradford and Leeds. Police in Bradford did nothing, those in Leeds parted the rider from their bike to go their separate ways.
Same force, same instructions on the electric bike situation, different divisions.

 

[classic33]

Not a dual motor electric bike, but still illegal and on sale on the high street
B98 Electric Hybrid Bike

 

[Alex321]

Not a dual motor electric bike, but still illegal and on sale on the high street
B98 Electric Hybrid Bike

What makes you think it is ilelgal?

Maximum speed 15.4mph, which is OK.
Motor only assists when pedalling, legal
Motor power not specified there, but all I can find online suggests it is 250W, which is legal.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

"Private-Track Mode" ? That's hilarious. For many people, everywhere is a private track.

 

[Dadam]

What makes you think it is ilelgal?

Maximum speed 15.4mph, which is OK.
Motor only assists when pedalling, legal
Motor power not specified there, but all I can find online suggests it is 250W, which is legal.

The throttle and the so called private track mode.

Off road’ mode​

Some electric cycles offer a temporary increase in top speed that is often advertised as ‘off road’ mode. When ‘off road’ mode is activated, the vehicle can be propelled by the motor at a speed greater than 15.5 mph.

Vehicles that have this feature do not, in our opinion, comply with the EAPC regulations and are considered motor vehicles.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...cles-eapcs-in-great-britain-information-sheet

Choose from dual or single motor drive, pedal assist, throttle-only,

 

[Alex321]

The throttle and the so called private track mode.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...cles-eapcs-in-great-britain-information-sheet

I can't see anywhere in the Halfords advert where it suggests it has either of those.

[EDIT] Just noticed that although you were replying to me, - and I was responding to the Halfords post from Classic, you have quoted Scaleyback - different bike altogether.

 

[Dadam]

Oh sorry I thought you were replying to the OP

 

[rydabent]

How often do you think the police will stop an E-bike to check the specs on the motor??? The specs may not be on the motor, or it may have been taken off,--------------------what then???

 

[classic33]

How often do you think the police will stop an E-bike to check the specs on the motor??? The specs may not be on the motor, or it may have been taken off,--------------------what then???

They get checked on a portable dynamometer, for compliance with speed cut-off laws. Fail and bike and riders get parted.

 

[Roadrat77]

I used to say mobile phones were but as a battle hardened veteran of Birmingham City centre its undoubtedly these damn things. The police have just given up with them.

 

[oxoman]

I know in Derby and Nottingham they had a purge and seized and ultimately crushed loads of ebikes including a few nice legal ones that had been modified to twist and go. Sadly the majority stopped tended to be couriers or people going to work and not drug pedalling surron riders. These things are more like mini motorbikes tha a standard ebike.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I know in Derby and Nottingham they had a purge and seized and ultimately crushed loads of ebikes including a few nice legal ones that had been modified to twist and go. Sadly the majority stopped tended to be couriers or people going to work and not drug pedalling surron riders. These things are more like mini motorbikes tha a standard ebike.

They are the ones that really need stopping

But they are by far the most difficult to catch and find

Some bloke pedalling along the cycle path to work on an otehrwise legal ebike converted to have a throttle will mostly be easy to stop
or just follow to work/home and stop them there

BTW - throttles can be legal

Certainly for pre 2016 ebikes - like my first one
but they are also limited to 200W (mine was rated at 180w) and the same speed cut off - I saw one like that on ebay yesterday

also - you can get single vehicle approval for a throttle from the DVLA apparently
bit of a faff - butit can be done


and good luck telling the copper who stops you that you are OK with a throttle


and - I think - legal EPACs should have a "plate" stating its rating and all that - mine is on the bottom bracket
I think kits come with a sticker for this

I have no idea how the Police deal with that - stickers seem very easy to fiddle

 

[classic33]

They are the ones that really need stopping

But they are by far the most difficult to catch and find

Some bloke pedalling along the cycle path to work on an otehrwise legal ebike converted to have a throttle will mostly be easy to stop
or just follow to work/home and stop them there

BTW - throttles can be legal

Certainly for pre 2016 ebikes - like my first one
but they are also limited to 200W (mine was rated at 180w) and the same speed cut off - I saw one like that on ebay yesterday

also - you can get single vehicle approval for a throttle from the DVLA apparently
bit of a faff - butit can be done


and good luck telling the copper who stops you that you are OK with a throttle


and - I think - legal EPACs should have a "plate" stating its rating and all that - mine is on the bottom bracket
I think kits come with a sticker for this

I have no idea how the Police deal with that - stickers seem very easy to fiddle

You can get it approved under the MVSA, which gets it reclassified as a light moped.

Cost was £95, but finding a test station that can do the test isn't easy. The fact that there's not many places doing this shows there's not no big rush to get such approval.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

You can get it approved under the MVSA, which gets it reclassified as a light moped.

Cost was £95, but finding a test station that can do the test isn't easy. The fact that there's not many places doing this shows there's not no big rush to get such approval.

That is what I suspected

I'm not tempted - I used to have a throttle (legal - pre2016 as above) and it was useful at times
but not enough to be worth the effort or changing it