E-bike with motors greater than 250w, speeds above 15mph and the UK police

minime

Pedelecer
Feb 19, 2017
158
18
40
Hull
@d8veh
I would beastify the Cyclamatic if I could, but I don't know anything about bikes in general, much less about e-bike conversions. I remember that you advised me to change the controller and battery - solid advice - but I don't know how to do that.

With the Pedalease 1500w you can switch between restricted and derestricted modes through the controller.

@anotherkiwi
The BBS02 500 W costs around 1100; 300 more than the Pedalease 1500w.
 

nemesis

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 14, 2011
521
343
Are you able to provide any more details of this? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested to hear about it.
At the time i had a Kalkhoff pro connect S with the panasonic motor and someone who lived nearby reported me for speeding on a bicycle.I have a good idea who but i didn`t know for sure.
When the police came to the house they said i had been reported for going at excess speed on a bicycle.I think the police lady was a little ashamed because of how daft the claim was and all she did was have a quick look at the bike and said slow down a bit in the future and left it at that.I don`t live in that area anymore.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
At the time i had a Kalkhoff pro connect S with the panasonic motor and someone who lived nearby reported me for speeding on a bicycle.I have a good idea who but i didn`t know for sure.
When the police came to the house they said i had been reported for going at excess speed on a bicycle.I think the police lady was a little ashamed because of how daft the claim was and all she did was have a quick look at the bike and said slow down a bit in the future and left it at that.I don`t live in that area anymore.
I thought that there were no speed limits for bicycles. "Furious cycling" is prohibited though, whatever that is.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,785
The European Union
I thought that there were no speed limits for bicycles. "Furious cycling" is prohibited though, whatever that is.
Almost everywhere in the EU it is the same speed as for cars.

On the other side of the Basque Country in Irun center bikes are limited to 30 km/h just like cars and I must admit to having been a little over that limit from time to time. In S. Sebastian cycle paths have 5 and 10 km/h limits in zones with lots of pedestrians.

In Lyon a guy with a vélomobile was condemned to a rather large fine because there was a speed camera (50 km/h) on his way in to work and he triggered it just about everyday until the police got bored and waited for him one morning.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,785
The European Union
I like 33-35 km/h. I tried 45 km/h and it is too stressful watching out for cars who think you are only doing 15 km/h...

Those kind of speeds also don't do your range much good.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc and LeighPing

EmSeeDee

Pedelecer
Oct 13, 2015
69
27
73
Coventry, UK
But not in Britain due to an accidental loophole. Our highway speed limits have always been written into the Road Traffic Acts which only apply to defined motor vehicles.
.
Although there are some private road with public access, for example royal parks, where the speed limit rules specifically include cycles, and since many of them are 20 mph, it's far from being only a theoretical issue.

Sent from my SGP311 using Tapatalk
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
I like 33-35 km/h.
When a bike can be tweaked to it, luckily we can legally have 17 mph assist cutoff in the UK. That's because we have a universal speed limit tolerance of 10%, this confirmed for e-bikes by the DfT.

25 kph + 10% = 27.5 kph = 17.1 mph

Given the police equipment can't accurately measure such low speeds on bikes, we can probably stretch that a bit more without risk.
.
 
  • Useful
Reactions: LeighPing

Gubbins

Esteemed Pedelecer
When a bike can be tweaked to it, luckily we can legally have 17 mph assist cutoff in the UK. That's because we have a universal speed limit tolerance of 10%, this confirmed for e-bikes by the DfT.

25 kph + 10% = 27.5 kph = 17.1 mph

Given the police equipment can't accurately measure such low speeds on bikes, we can probably stretch that a bit more without risk.
.
This would be great if it was easy to do...
 
  • :D
Reactions: LeighPing

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,785
The European Union
Getting back to propper money.. on down gradients and wirh a decent tail wind I can peddle mine up to 40mph.
This is fine on a nice smooth road with not much traffic, but the pot holes and grates appear alarmingly fast if you let your attention wander.
I hear you! I have to keep reminding myself "don't look at the fabulous scenery you stupid old fool!" :eek: Had a couple of near misses these last weeks at speeds over 35 km/h
 
  • :D
Reactions: LeighPing and flecc

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Although there are some private road with public access, for example royal parks, where the speed limit rules specifically include cycles, and since many of them are 20 mph, it's far from being only a theoretical issue.
But they are not highway speed limits as I posted. They are akin to private land laws as you say. Some of those are even slower, I think the Brighton seafront limit is 10 mph and even 5 mph isn't unknown in some places.
.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: LeighPing

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
This would be great if it was easy to do...
We used to have some that were accommodating. Some Wisper models when derestricted were freed to 18 mph assist, and some Impulse powered Kalkhoffs had about 17 mph assist as standard according to owners.
.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: LeighPing

mountainsport

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 6, 2012
1,419
298
1000w bike



250w oxydrive kit, LCD adjustable speed limit bike


I much prefer the 250w for peace of mind and now only use the bigger motor off road. Shorter braking distance too.


In my opinion, 18 mph is the 'sweet spot' and plenty fast enough, without turning too many heads. :)
Thank you LeighPing for taking the time out at showing us the comparison between sudden stopping and speed safety limits.
It was also wise of you by using the pole as a precise marking point.

MS.
 

Advertisers