Legal Pitfalls

Zlatan

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 26, 2016
8,086
4,290
i have been braking the law since 2014 and i ride my bike pissed going 30mph some days i get scooters blasting past me going 50mph evey just eat rider has a 1000w+ hub drive and there are 100s of them.

id take it back and get a 3kw motor :cool:
Why bother with a paltry 3kw.Go whole hogg, buy a Fireblade, get some cloned plates on it.. Job done.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,745
6,444
Why bother with a paltry 3kw.Go whole hogg, buy a Fireblade, get some cloned plates on it.. Job done.
because you cant ride it on the pavement and it is a bit to heavy lol ;)
 
  • :D
Reactions: Zlatan

TwoWheels1954

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 25, 2023
23
12
i have been braking the law since 2014 and i ride my bike pissed going 30mph some days i get scooters blasting past me going 50mph evey just eat rider has a 1000w+ hub drive and there are 100s of them.

id take it back and get a 3kw motor :cool:
Thanks for that, good luck to you. Not a way I'd like to go though.
 

cyclebuddy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 2, 2016
1,629
768
Beds & Norfolk
As all Wing appear to sell on that website seems to be illegal e-bikes/mopeds, what seems to me to be true madness is this encouragement to already disqualified drivers to instead buy and ride one of their illegal over-powered e-bikes... or rather their mopeds... without the required licence and insurance. Isn't that just likely to end in tears with yet another hefty fine and a further extension to your current driving disqualification?
 
  • Agree
  • Like
Reactions: flecc and Zlatan

TwoWheels1954

Finding my (electric) wheels
Feb 25, 2023
23
12
As all Wing appear to sell on that website seems to be illegal e-bikes/mopeds, what seems to me to be true madness is this encouragement to already disqualified drivers to instead buy and ride one of their illegal over-powered e-bikes... or rather their mopeds... without the required licence and insurance. Isn't that just likely to end in tears with yet another hefty fine and a further extension to your current driving disqualification?
Yes, I noticed that and I agree with you. It's all too easy to tempt disqualified drivers with such a solution regardless of the consequences for them if caught.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zlatan

egroover

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 12, 2016
1,036
618
57
UK
Just put a Deliveroo/JustEat/Ubereats cube backpack on your back and bomb up and down Exeter city centre, you'll be fine, no-one will stop you
 
  • Like
Reactions: StuartsProjects

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
61
West Sx RH
Go to CAB and TS as obviously the bike is selling illegal bikes that they should be warning or telling potential buyers about. This sort of shoddy selling needs stamping on as so many do not know the pitfalls or what an illegal bike looks like.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc

Bonzo Banana

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2019
801
461
Just had a groupon email promoting this;


A 500W ebike from a Spanish importer being sold into the UK so that is two countries not bothered about wattage restrictions etc.

You may ask why I'm on the groupon mailing list. Well I like their restaurant offers. Recently managed to get some Harvester vouchers which meant a 3 course steak meal was only £9 and it was lovely and really enjoyed it at the two locations I used.

However this ebike looks appalling value at Groupon.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,745
6,444
Just put a Deliveroo/JustEat/Ubereats cube backpack on your back and bomb up and down Exeter city centre, you'll be fine, no-one will stop you

 

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,588
1,744
70
West Wales
This site is obviously giving false information to potential buyers.
1: The bikes are only legal for off road use where there is no public access. In other words ones own private estate or where the land owner has given permission. They don't state this.
2:They state that you don't need a licence or insurance. Not true, you would need both, also the machine would have to be registered for it to be legal and you would have to wear a motorcyle helmet.
3: They say that the speed can be restricted for road use. This may be true but would make the direct drive motor extremely inefficient reducing range and overall battery life. A technicality but also not mentioned.
4: They say the power can be restricted for road use. The rated power of the motor is the important thing here. It is rated at 1500w. The maximum continuous rating of a road legal motor is 250w. This is determined at manufacture and cannot be altered, so also false information.
Surely all this information is enough to prove an intention to mislead you, and others, into unknowingly breaking the law . Caveat Emptor not withstanding you have been lead astray deliberately by a dodgy trader.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Nealh and flecc

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,882
8,517
61
West Sx RH
It matters not if that bike is retricted to 250w & 25km/h , it is illegal and requires registration and all the other legalities to go with it as a moped class .
 
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc

PedalingGator

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 30, 2021
13
2
Yep, definitely illegal as far as pedelecs are concerned.
I had a similar argument a few years ago about a log burner bought for a barge. (it too was illegal)
Citizens Advice were brilliant. They got in touch with a lawyer they worked with who wrote a letter to mentioned company. They gave a full refund.
I didn't know a log burner needed to be legal, or pass requirements?

:(
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
I didn't know a log burner needed to be legal, or pass requirements?

:(
In January 2022, new rules came into force that meant all new wood-burning stoves, multi-fuel stoves and fireplaces manufactured would need to meet new guidelines called 'Ecodesign. ' The government also issued a ban on the burning of wet wood and house coal and urged households to switch to cleaner alternatives.

However, under the government's new Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, announced by environment secretary Therese Coffey on 31 January, burners in designated “Smoke Control Areas” – most towns and cities – will now only be allowed to emit 3 grams (g) of smoke per hour, down from 5g, as part of a bid to reduce air pollution.
.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PedalingGator

PedalingGator

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 30, 2021
13
2
In January 2022, new rules came into force that meant all new wood-burning stoves, multi-fuel stoves and fireplaces manufactured would need to meet new guidelines called 'Ecodesign. ' The government also issued a ban on the burning of wet wood and house coal and urged households to switch to cleaner alternatives.

However, under the government's new Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, announced by environment secretary Therese Coffey on 31 January, burners in designated “Smoke Control Areas” – most towns and cities – will now only be allowed to emit 3 grams (g) of smoke per hour, down from 5g, as part of a bid to reduce air pollution.
.
We have a stove in the kitchen and an open fire in the front room.
Both were in place when we bought the house 20 years ago.

Must take a closer look at this.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
We have a stove in the kitchen and an open fire in the front room.
Both were in place when we bought the house 20 years ago.

Must take a closer look at this.
You probably enjoy what is called "Grandfather Rights", meaning that existing equipment remains legal.

The principle being that laws cannot be retrospective, back dated, since that would infer criminality before the new law even existed.

For example, although the law now bans fully acting throttles on pedelecs, all those bought before 1st January 2016 with such a throttle can keep it indefinitely.
.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Laffin ebike

Bonzo Banana

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2019
801
461
You probably enjoy what is called "Grandfather Rights", meaning that existing equipment remains legal.

The principle being that laws cannot be retrospective, back dated, since that would infer criminality before the new law even existed.

For example, although the law now bans fully acting throttles on pedelecs, all those bought before 1st January 2016 with such a throttle can keep it indefinitely.
.
From what I've learnt from this site and elsewhere. You can have twist and go throttles on type approved bikes, fully acting throttles on ebike kits and as long as electronically linked to pedalling have full control by throttle on pre-built ebikes. So its not just pre 2016 ebikes that are limited to having throttles. There are lots of ways to have a throttle based legal ebike. It's still annoying and restrictive for those who want to buy a pre-built twist and go throttle ebike that they have to go through the type approval procedure when throttle ebikes are the norm for most people in the world though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PedalingGator

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
From what I've learnt from this site and elsewhere. You can have twist and go throttles on type approved bikes, fully acting throttles on ebike kits and as long as electronically linked to pedalling have full control by throttle on pre-built ebikes. So its not just pre 2016 ebikes that are limited to having throttles. There are lots of ways to have a throttle based legal ebike. It's still annoying and restrictive for those who want to buy a pre-built twist and go throttle ebike that they have to go through the type approval procedure when throttle ebikes are the norm for most people in the world though.
It's even more complicated than that:

Firstly a type approved pedelec doesn't exist, in law being type approved means it becomes a moped everywhere the EU type law exists, including here in Britain. The only difference here is that the DfT has arrange for the police forces to ignore the law and treat type approved machines as pedelecs, providing they conform to all pedelec conditions other than power only when pedalling.

Secondly kits don't exist in law since the pedelec law only applies to complete manufactured machines. Since every type of motorised vehicle has to have a specific approval to be on the road, private kit conversions are technically illegal. In common with some other powered bicycle aspects they have become a "blind eye" subject throughout the EU, ignored so long as they comply to the rules for manufactured pedelecs. When they have fully acting throttles they are not compliant of course.

A throttle electronically linked to pedalling is not a fully acting throttle, fully acting means the throttle can be used at any time without pedalling.

So as I posted, only pre 2016 pedelecs can have a fully acting throttle and legally remain compliant pedelecs.
.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PedalingGator

Bonzo Banana

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2019
801
461
It's even more complicated than that:

Firstly a type approved pedelec doesn't exist, in law being type approved means it becomes a moped everywhere the EU type law exists, including here in Britain. The only difference here is that the DfT has arrange for the police forces to ignore the law and treat type approved machines as pedelecs, providing they conform to all pedelec conditions other than power only when pedalling.

Secondly kits don't exist in law since the pedelec law only applies to complete manufactured machines. Since every type of motorised vehicle has to have a specific approval to be on the road, private kit conversions are technically illegal. In common with some other powered bicycle aspects they have become a "blind eye" subject throughout the EU, ignored so long as they comply to the rules for manufactured pedelecs. When they have fully acting throttles they are not compliant of course.

A throttle electronically linked to pedalling is not a fully acting throttle, fully acting means the throttle can be used at any time without pedalling.

So as I posted, only pre 2016 pedelecs can have a fully acting throttle and legally remain compliant pedelecs.
.
So what is your interpretation of this;


Also I would disagree about being a fully acting throttle as you can set it to ghost pedal quite legally so make no effort yourself. I was watching this video earlier and Atlanta is clearly ghost pedalling with a full range throttle which is clearly a moped style ebike which anyone can do I guess by setting a low gear which is slower than the hub motor speed and therefore cannot assist the motor and is just pedalling to activate the motor. Apart from moving your legs without resistance it is a legal twist and go throttle ebike as long as it only assists to 15.5mph and the wattage can be considered 250W.


So are you saying the Wisper type approved ebikes are actually illegal and the police are turning a blind eye to them. I'd be interested in Wisper's viewpoint on this. Surely the type approval process is completely legal even if limited to use in the UK. The majority of people in the UK have zero interest in the laws elsewhere in Europe because they don't use their ebike in mainland Europe. It's a minor restriction not to be able to use such ebikes in mainland Europe that will effect only a very small amount of people. However there are loads of twist and go ebikes available across Europe again the awful EU ebike laws are pretty much ignored by a huge number of countries. Sometimes laws are so abysmal and unenforceable they just become a bit of a joke and are ignored. However I totally accept that if you want to follow the letter of the law you cannot use such ebikes in mainland Europe.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,745
6,444
:D
 
  • :D
Reactions: AndyBike

Wisper Bikes

Trade Member
Apr 11, 2007
6,282
2,251
69
Sevenoaks Kent
So what is your interpretation of this;


Also I would disagree about being a fully acting throttle as you can set it to ghost pedal quite legally so make no effort yourself. I was watching this video earlier and Atlanta is clearly ghost pedalling with a full range throttle which is clearly a moped style ebike which anyone can do I guess by setting a low gear which is slower than the hub motor speed and therefore cannot assist the motor and is just pedalling to activate the motor. Apart from moving your legs without resistance it is a legal twist and go throttle ebike as long as it only assists to 15.5mph and the wattage can be considered 250W.


So are you saying the Wisper type approved ebikes are actually illegal and the police are turning a blind eye to them. I'd be interested in Wisper's viewpoint on this. Surely the type approval process is completely legal even if limited to use in the UK. The majority of people in the UK have zero interest in the laws elsewhere in Europe because they don't use their ebike in mainland Europe. It's a minor restriction not to be able to use such ebikes in mainland Europe that will effect only a very small amount of people. However there are loads of twist and go ebikes available across Europe again the awful EU ebike laws are pretty much ignored by a huge number of countries. Sometimes laws are so abysmal and unenforceable they just become a bit of a joke and are ignored. However I totally accept that if you want to follow the letter of the law you cannot use such ebikes in mainland Europe.
Hi BB,

For the avoidance of any doubt:

Wisper full throttle bikes that have been tested by the DVSA and Type Approved as an L1e electric bike in the 250W Low Powered Moped category are perfectly legal to use in the UK.

All the best, David