Heinzja

I think I got my setup now the way I wanted… The bike white (alu-foldable 20” shopping bike) - full stickers E-bike etc - the Original standing Battery (alu-case) is present (but empty) - rear wheel motor 250W with sticker on the hub, the bike is registered with the police/Bike register, the battery is “hidden“ in on of the two “saddlebags” together with this controller (pic) - the original magnetic ring and sensor connected… Should do the job…?! …there was legally something with “before 2016” with throttle etc… the manufacturer of the bike was “Zebra” which doesn’t exist anymore and I couldn’t find anywhere … I could install the throttle - and claim that the bike is before 2016.. but anyway I don’t want to cycle faster only further with the 48V 20A battery… and 15mph is enough for me..

Aaah… that’s interesting (If you use a KT controller then a lot of them are dual voltage and will change automatically to match the battery. That's what I use and it functions well.) can you please reply with more details especially where you can get one of this controllers…and which I should get… thanks already! happy Christmas to everyone!

Since we’re discussing 'unlawful' bikes, I have a question for the experts here. A friend who used to work as a delivery rider gave me several 48V batteries as a gift. He’s stopped riding due to the legal issues he had with his own bike setup. Currently, I only own 36V and 24V bikes. I’m considering using a 48V battery with a step-down converter (48V to 36V). My bikes are road-legal, but I'm worried the battery's size and shape might attract unwanted police attention. As far as I know, the law only specifies the 250W motor limit and the 15.5mph speed restriction—it doesn't mention battery voltage or shape. Technically and legally, this shouldn't be an issue... or am I missing something? Has anyone tried this combination? If so, could you recommend a reliable 48V to 36V/24V converter or offer any advice?

Please find below the copied contends from a “Times” Newspaper Artikel (23.12.2025) which sounds unbelievable - nevertheless it’s very interesting….: Police in north Yorkshire have seized an electric bike capable of travelling at more than 100mph. The bike had been modified with an external battery and was found by officers in the Clifton area of York. Officers said the bike was capable of reaching a top speed of 103.8mph, far exceeding the legal limit for an electric bike of 15.5mph before it cuts and becomes pedal assisted. https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2025-12-22/police-seize-adapted-e-bike-capable-of-over-100mph https://www.aol.com/articles/electric-bike-capable-100mph-seized-104846611.html https://talker.news/2025/12/22/cops-confiscate-e-bike-that-can-go-faster-than-100-mph/ I think the Police lifted the rear of the bike and give full power, so that the Speedometer show this crazy number… ( they tried once to do this on one of my bikes - unfortunately my bike had front motor and everyone was running) Happy Christmas to everyone!

I am the one with the Battery problem and I want to thank everyone here for their kind help and advise…. I will go through all this suggestions and as soon as I hopefully have a positive result I will share my story… Thanks and best wishes!

After spending several months abroad and in the hospital, I returned to find that my Bosch Active Line plus powerpack 400 battery will not charge anymore. I know this is the worst you can do to leave a lithium battery empty for a while, but here we are. It happened, and I need help now… What I have done so far is try to charge it normally. The self-test goes through. The LED blinks—the bottom LED blinks—and that’s it. After a while, the whole thing switches off. There are no error LED indications as mentiomed in the Bosch charger manual. I’m using the original compact Bosch 2A charger, which is new and working. Does anybody have an idea or trick to restart the battery, or what can I do? thank you already….

Phone thieves’ e-bikes to be crushed hours after they are caught Police to be handed new powers as number of snatch thefts rises to highest level since 2003 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/28/phone-thieves-e-bikes-crushed-hours-after-caught/ Looks like the Police is more and more after cyclists... good when the criminals are going and anti social behaviour is stopped, but the Police neglect complete the other crime like Burglary or Car theft or even Bike theft....

In reality most of the untaxed cars are parked somewhere without a driver in it... they get clamped and if there is no reaction later on towed away...

https://eleek.com.ua/en/item/eleek_atom_afu/?srsltid=AfmBOoouaITlNMO0sd0Ax0ZOJQtMYKi61GpM1r6noSD38eHhxnsQ4mB I am curious when one of these bikes will be imported and legal on the road.... And here the UK version....: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-troops-electric-bikes-trials-b2377902.html

Don’t know, but this “bikes” have nothin good with “Ebikes” Electric motorcycle/ mopeds or whatever.... but NOT e-bikes and it is more than right, that these things are crunched up and seized... It’s different if they would get a MOT, insurance and numberPlate, than that would be alright and there is nothing against.... but classes them as “illegal e-bikes” is wrong.... illegal vehicles or something.. is more to compare like cars and Stockcars - one is legal, the other illegal.... no one would drive around in a Stockcar on a Public road... Is all common sense ....

Yes the Police is very active.... and they are out and about... and can not see criminals in front of their own door: Took this pic, because I thought is was (tragically) funny.....:

ok... Thank you for "Step through", but I notice that Bikes sold as "Lady's Bikes" are shorter as well ... And some step through are very large black/dark frames are sold as "City bikes" for probably older men which would have difficulties (like me) to swing the leg over the seat when getting on the bike... anyway the frames are build nowadays so strange that's not easy to find a suitable good bike (especially electric)...

To bring Parkinson’s back into the cycling world: I will never forget how grateful a son was when I sold him a three-wheeler e-bike for his mother, who has Parkinson’s. This enabled the whole family to participate together in bike rides, even with their ill mother. She also enjoyed the physical activity that this dreadful illness often makes difficult (e.g., one foot, arm, or hand may lose strength, making steps or cycling challenging). We often forget that e-bikes are immensely important for rehabilitation and regaining a sense of “youth” through cycling (I am an example of this). The health benefits are immeasurable because you can get much more exercise without sweating, exhaustion, or reaching physical limits. Even some disabilities that would otherwise require a mobility scooter can be managed with e-bikes. Many aspects can be easily modified or adapted (e.g., both brakes can be operated with one hand, or addressing the loss of muscle strength in one leg due to Parkinson’s, etc.). I know an old guy (92) who does his shopping and all other journeys on a Lady’s Ebikes because he likes cycling and hate public transport... (Lady’s bike because he can’t get his leg up and on traffic lights is more stable to wait with two feet on the ground...) Three of my Bikes...: Top: Carrera Crossfuse Women Electric Middle: EZEGO Commute EX Womens Electric Below: Norco Storm MTB The top tube is similar on all three bikes, but the frames are completely different!

the little box on top of the carrier contain probably some Nappies which are necessary to ride the thing (very stiff frame with this seat post!) must be like cycling with Parkinson...

Bike couriers, Just Eat, and Uber Eats deliverers are very courageous in earning their living through this kind of work, which has a long tradition. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabbawala - It’s understandable that these drivers try to make the best of their situation and customize their bikes to make their work easier. It’s a long day cycling in wind and weather for 6 to 10 hours or longer.... But why not be legal and buy a moped? It’s cheaper anyway and more trouble-free. The current system invites trouble, from seized bikes to battery fires, not to mention the costs of replacing stolen battery packs and bikes due to theft. Ultimately, it’s everyone’s choice. The real nuisance is when riders drive around without lights, on sidewalks, against traffic, and fail to obey traffic signals. At least they don’t do wheelies, donuts, or other stunts like some bums in parks and public lawns to impress... whom? Anyway, getting rid of this illegal behavior would be beneficial for a quieter life on the road. https://news.sky.com/story/driver-killed-showboating-e-bike-rider-to-teach-him-a-lesson-13312432 Regarding throttle use: when using pedal assist at a high power level while pedaling, the result feels similar to using a throttle as everyone with an ebike know, unless someone wants to let their legs dangle So, the legal option isn’t soooo bad or unbearable after all.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c30d41q6469o The rental companies don’t really help to make Ebikes more loveable in the public... Over 100 e-bikes seized to combat pavement blocking Here in Leicester the Police is really activ and wiling to stop this nonsense... https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/e-scooters-illegal-e-bikes-9881509

Yes, the thieving bastards don’t let anyone alone. If it is an NHS bike shed, they (or better, we all) have to pay for it. Thieves know that NHS bike parkings often have very nice bikes locked up (from GPs, employees with money, not from poor people who work all day or night and often overtime, so “rich picking”). There should have been a camera around or the shed near the A&E ambulance parking, where staff sit for hours in the ambulance. It’s very sad. During Covid, the police caught some bike thieves with NHS bikes, and they received quite a hefty punishment. (I think I remember it was even prison.) but that is the past... now it’s normal time again... I was surprised about that because usually the police couldn’t care less when a bike is stolen... just a bike... regardless of whether it costs more than a second-hand car... they just give you a case number and you never hear anything again.... https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/named-thief-who-stole-nhs-4255843 One year prison..... now... so in my “hometown “ Police is more strict than usually... Sorry Police!

Certainly not all Chinese products are bad. iPhones are manufactured in China (Foxconn... like HP and others), and Samsung is from Korea. So if bikes are from China, Taiwan, or wherever, if the frame is constructed according to our physics—my first e-bike was a PowaBike Commuter, which was an import as well. I still have it and have never had a failure. Three 12V SLA batteries in, and £80 later, I cycled for another 3-4 years like a cowboy sitting on a wild horse. (The batteries, plus the frame construction to house the battery pack, made the “top tube” rather wide, so that after a few hours of “cycling,” you walk like a cowboy after a rodeo.) But what do you not do to collect experiences? The conversion kits, front or rear, have provided a big service to the e-bike market because, in the beginning, the frames of e-bikes were horrible, including bikes from Freego. All were built about 20 cm longer to house the battery behind the seat post, which made the bike funny to ride without motor help (like a tandem with one person on it). If all bikes were like my “Commuter” without motor help, no one (including me) would touch a bike anymore. A 40 kg weight for the bike, big tyres on it, heavy wheels—it's like attempting to jog in wellies... horrible! The same applies to the hire bikes/Santander bikes or whatever name you give them. Nobody steals these bikes (only for the Bafang front wheel and the battery). The frame is worthless as a bicycle, and everyone can see from 100 m that it is stolen, and that is the idea behind the construction. The problem with mid motors is that the frame is made for it (I got lifetime warranty on the frame! For my bike —how long is that? 5 years? What is the lifetime of a frame?). If you really want to try, you have to spend the best part of £2000 for this experience, while the usual cheap electric bikes are, in reality, factory-converted normal bikes, which cycle nicely and normally, even without motor help, and the extra weight is just a few kg for the motor and battery.

Good luck! Will be alright - if it has last this far it will last more... A good idea would be always to have a chain tool and some chain bits with you... they don’t weigh much and like always you will not need them when you got them with you! Like an Umbrella... if you got an Umbrella it’s not raining... but...

That e-bike use increases the wear and tear of a bike is self-explanatory. Tyres on the motor wheel wear out quicker, brake pads on calipers or discs wear out quicker, and drivetrains have a shorter life—all self-explanatory. But at least we live longer (provided a car accident doesn’t shorten it). Cycling, whether normal or with electric help, is the best anyone can do. I have cycled all my life, and now in my mid-70s, I feel the age slowly creeping up. But thanks to e-bike use, I am able (and willing) to cycle for longer times and distances. I am never ill; when I get wet in our horrible weather here in England, I might catch a little cold, but when I am forced to use public transport, then I have a proper flu for a week or two. Cycling is the best and healthiest activity anyone can ever take up, regardless of the bad image associated with it here in England (the continent is different—see Benelux, Germany, France, Italy, Spain...). I have never seen a “fitness club” from the inside (I have only seen idiots on static bikes through large windows on display), but I am fit for my age. At the moment, I cycle daily (for almost 2 months now) 60 km to visit my wife in the hospital, where she is after an accident at home. I doubt I would do this without an e-bike (even considering that I was a successful racing cyclist in my younger years and trained up to 200 km daily several times a week, besides races over the same distance in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France). Wear and tear of equipment was never an issue; it was normal and was never mentioned....

{Quote start:} “ @Heinzja care to enlighten us on the actual situation if you know it in Germany ? Considering there are many more mid drive ebikes in Europe, [sic]“ {Quote end} Yes, I can enlighten you about Bosch. Bosch is everywhere in Germany—from power tools to freezers, from spark plugs to electronic injection systems in Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW. Cars and motorcycles everywhere have Bosch components inside: ABS, lights, electric systems... **Service Network:** Bosch Dienst is everywhere, with a qualified master as the owner who trains youth to become car electric technicians. They repair starter motors, dynamos, and everything on-site, or sell new or certified repaired parts. Scrapyards are used only by foreigners or people who need a bit of life experience to later find their way to a Bosch service. Because, as the name suggests, you will find scrap at a scrapyard. Here in England, I have to mention Lucas, and everyone starts running away. Here, you can buy a syringe and start injecting Botox without any further qualifications. The same goes for hairdressers, nail studios, tattoo parlors, and painting and decorating.... and Bike-shops.... In Leicester, Halfords is not even able to use the USB service port on a Bosch mid-motor, but selling new bikes with such a motor is not a problem. Ask any professional or even handyman which power tools are the best: blue Bosch comes out on top (green Bosch is for DIY/B&Q). Wherever there is an electric motor inside, Bosch has held a leading position for many, many years (I still have some Bosch power tools from the 1960s that work fine and without any problems). Most Germans own a car and have experience with Bosch products, so it is not surprising that when spending money on an electric bike and Bosch is mentioned, the choice is clear. I wonder what would happen if Lucas (they still exist?) would sell/produce electric bikes...

{Quote start:} “Germany has 600,000 bicycle thefts a year and probably many more than that go unreported its a huge problem where as about 80,000 are stolen in the UK per year but again many thefts go unreported. I [sic]“ {Quote end} Don’t know where the above quoted numbers came from, but the only numbers I found were from 2020 (incl source) ### Germany In Germany, bike theft is a significant issue. According to the **German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA)**, there were approximately **300,000 reported bike thefts in 2020**. The recovery rate for stolen bicycles is relatively low, often cited around **10-15%**. For more recent statistics, you can refer to the BKA's annual crime reports or their official website. ### United Kingdom In the UK, the **Office for National Statistics (ONS)** reported that there were around **400,000 bicycle thefts in England and Wales in 2020**. The recovery rate for stolen bikes is also low, with estimates suggesting that only about **5-10%** of stolen bicycles are recovered. For the most accurate and up-to-date statistics, you can check the ONS website or the British Transport Police's annual reports. ### Sources 1. **Bundeskriminalamt (BKA)** - [bKA Crime Statistics](https://www.bka.de) 2. **Office for National Statistics (ONS)** - [ONS Crime Statistics](https://www.ons.gov.uk)

I am German. In Germany, everyone has insurance for their home (property or rental), which includes bikes as well. If your bike is stolen, you get a new one included the Abus D-Lock for £300... Here in England, the bikes are “old school.” Bike companies (even Brompton) take a normal bike, put a front or rear wheel with a motor in it, add a carrier with a battery and controller, and voilà! You have an e-bike for £699 at Argos or Halfords, and everybody is happy. These bikes don’t even have disc brakes, which means you have to change the wheel after a few months because the brake has worn the rim down, making a new wheel necessary. It’s all low quality and low price. The fact that Riese and Müller have crazy prices is another matter, but we Germans are crazy anyway to pay those prices. Everything is over-constructed (see house quality and longevity). E-bikes with Bosch motors, ABS, anti-theft, GPS, displays for £300, and batteries costing £500-700... which can be doubled for £1500 to get double the distance. If that is not crazy, I do not know what is. That the wife gets the same bike as the husband to “cycle” around on the weekend is self-explanatory. P.S.: Crazy is relative, because at least we get “quality for our money.” Here in the UK, we/you spend £8-10 million a day for the next few years on hotel accommodation for “small boat people,” while the number of homeless individuals on the streets is rising. The whole nation cries every year when the national football team again does not win anything internationally (or better yet, has never won anything internationally).

Strangely the largest ebike manufacturer in the world is NOT Chinese.... https://www.leebike.com/china-top-10-electric-bike-manufacturers/ Batteries most likely, parts as well... electric Motor (at least for Powertools etc is Bosch leading... electronic (Bosch in Cars Mercedes, BMW, VW Audi Porsche etc all is made by Bosch.... ebike Active Line Mid Motor is (for my opinion) as well leading... Riese and Müller nobody knows ... (under this name/ Badges is another story) but anyway... Chinese stuff is only so popular because it’s cheap and that is what people want... Look at the Riese and Müller offer on electric bikes! - these are Car prises! £2-3-4-6-7-8.000.- crazy ... https://www.r-m.de/en-gb/bikes/

Most bikes (all bike? Beside Brompton) are imported anyway... if the UK Government would implement a safety approval (like TÜV) for anything that is driven on a public Road than it would be ok but that never will happened thanks to Brexit... the stuff which comes via Ali Amazon EBay is uncontrollable anyway (and without VAT) even that is uncontrolled and when people look for the cheapest ebike Charger and want to spend not more than a tenner on it than is a firework not avoidable... the only way is only the crushing from illegal bikes and scooters... people might learn one day and would not buy such stuff/junk