“Officials who should know better, don’t”: Sadiq Khan criticised for describing electric police motorbikes as “e-bikes” as BBC amends misleading headline; ’50km climb’ awaits Vuelta peloton in finale
E-bike inaccuracy
We wouldn’t normally cover stories on the rollout of electric motorbikes. After all, that’s not really our job. The Met Police’s announcement yesterday then that it was rolling out a new fleet of Sur-Ron motorbikes to help tackle mobile phone theft in the capital largely passed us by. Until we saw the Mayor of London talk about it…
Phone thieves and robbers: we’re closing in.
Backed by record City Hall funding, the Met’s new fleet of Sur-Ron e-bikes is targeting criminals who use illegal, modified bikes to evade police and commit crime.
That means more arrests and fewer escape routes.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@london.gov.uk) 27 August 2026 at 09:07
E-bikes? Wow I didn’t realise the bobbies on the beat would be pedalling in pursuit of their suspects…
Oh, never mind, just another bit of misidentification and conflation.
There are, admittedly, some difficulties in classifying these machines, when Sur-Ron themselves describe their machines as “the original e-bikes”. But that description does not match the law which – everybody say it with me – must ensure an electric motor is restricted to speeds of 15.5mph and only assists the act of pedalling. See, it rolls off the tongue.
Otherwise it is not an e-bike. We have had multiple conversations in our office over what we should call these machines. Illegal e-bikes? Illegal electric mopeds? Illegally-modified electric motorbikes? Something in between?
We’ve actually settled cautiously on the phrase “illegal bikes”, both for the simplicity and the fact that non-legal e-bikes should be insured and licensed but rarely are, hence them falling foul of the law. Besides, bike is a universal word that can also be applied to motorbikes, not that we care too much about them either.
Our first big story using the phrase was published yesterday:
Ultimately this grey area will persist for a little while. But that doesn’t stop us identifying when its black and white, like the BBC article initially headlined: Met Police expands e-bike patrol fleet to tackle phone snatchers.
This isn’t the first time the BBC has been caught conflating e-bikes and these illegal vehicles, though the title of this article was changed pretty swiftly to refer to ‘e-motorbikes’.
In a social media thread, public policy lecturer Sarah Bickerton criticised both the mayor and the BBC’s choice of language:
“*sigh* unfortunately this shows how even officials who should know better, don’t.
“It feeds into the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) around e-bikes, which are electric BICYCLES. And as such contributes to misinformation about actual e-bikes, which so many use rightly as bicycles and can enjoy the freedom those provide. E-bikes aren’t the problem here at all.
“These kinds of e-motos can be a problem indeed because our regulatory systems haven’t quite caught up with that technology (especially so given how easy they can be derestricted). Especially in urban settings. But having & using the right language around e-motos is a good step towards such.”
And @london.gov.uk keeps spreading misinformation about these e-motos, despite being repeatedly told by so many others on this platform that these are NOT e-bikes.
I genuinely like & admire Mayor Khan, but this kind of misinformation FUD is part of the problem here.
bsky.app/profile/lond…— Dr Sarah Hendrica Bickerton 🏳️🌈 (@sarahhbickerton.bsky.social) 27 August 2026 at 21:49
There we are then, the latest, but certainly noy last chapter in this story.
More than a cyclist campaign hits the service stations
If there’s any place for a poster campaign to remind drivers of their responsibilities on the road, a service station is a pretty reasonable choice, even if motorways are one of the few roads which cyclists are not permitted to ride on.
Incidentally, we spoke to the More than a Cyclist campaign a couple of years ago about their cycling safety campaigns and how effective they think they can be…
Vuelta stage 7 preview: Can Pogi bounce back Lynn
It feels very surreal to describe Tadej Pogacar’s third Vuelta stage win as a set-back. The Slovenian after all increased his overall lead in the red jersey to 3’34” over Enric Mas. And yet, we’re discussing that strange thing, a solo attack by Pogacar that was reeled in, and by Mas no less!
Coupled with his scary near-miss on the technical descent to the finish, people are a little more on edge about this race today than they were yesterday. Can Mas back up his incredible legs today?
A flat start to today’s stage belies what awaits the riders, with the final 50km almost entirely uphill, culminating in a final category-1 drag to Aramon Valdelinares. No long technical descent to catch anyone out today, but could we have a day for the break?
If no break has got away by the time the category-2 El Remolcador begins, we could see a host of good climbers try and angle for a stage win or a GC bid a la Guillaume Martin. Or even Ramses Debruyne.
Pfeiffer Georgi signs for UAE
A little bit of British transfer news this morning, with former national champion Pfeiffer Georgi swapping Team Picnic PostNL for UAE Team L’Imad, the first move of her pro career.
In her eight years on the team formerly known as DSM, Georgi won the Classic Brugge-De Panne and podiumed Paris-Roubaix in 2022. She also finished 5th in the women’s road race at the Paris Olympics and has ridden all three Grand Tours.
In the statement announcing her transfer, Georgi said, “I have been in the same team for my eight years as a professional and am excited to enter a new environment at this point in my career. I have gained a lot of experience and I am now looking to develop further as a rider.
“I have seen the development of the team over the last few years and the depth of success it’s had. I wanted to be in a place where I can reach my full potential and I believe UAE Team L’IMAD is the best place for that.
“I am really excited to get to know all the girls and first want to focus on fitting into the team. My main goals in the first part of the season will be the Spring Classics. I [also] want to continue to improve my climbing ability to open up more opportunities in races and perform better in longer stage races.”
Georgi has signed a three-year contract and will join one of the biggest teams in the women’s peloton, with star riders such as Elisa Longo Borghini and Dominika Wlodarczyk. However, breakout star Paula Blasi, fresh from winning the Vuelta a Espana earlier in the year, is set to leave the team.
An aero front mudguard?
Just when you think you’ve seen it all…
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Driver arrested after swerving into cyclists and firing gun
An utterly shocking incident from across the pond…
> SUV driver arrested after swerving into cyclists and firing gun in shocking US road rage attack
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@chrisonabike An additional note to clarify that I don't believe Ashley did buy one. As you say that was the advice from the supplier. If I recall he was sent an Engwe for review, which turned out to be capable of illegal use. So he made a video calling them out, saying that it was not acceptable and he would not deal with such vehicles, and gave it to one of his viewers to use on his farm. It was quite stylish - he did the review pushing it along explaining why he could not ride it. There is a ROADCC forum thread here: https://road.cc/forums/topic/good-video-ashley-neal-engwe-x26-e-bike-review-307075 And the video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLOXb0aKGgo
@jackcycles This is nonsensical, Jack. It is as far off as your declarations the other day about "all Li batteries" being serious fire risks yada yada yada. We have a wild west with these illegal motorcycles - more so than for example countries on the continent, for example - because our previous Government refused to regulate, refused to enforce standards and the law, refused to regulate e-marketplaces for Li batteries, and refused to regulate business models in the delivery trade. They were requested to do so by all the relevant cycling, disabled etc bodies from about 2016, and sat resolutely on the bottoms whilst a wild west of criminality developed. So much for "party of law and order". Then they made a culture war to try and save themselves from the consequences of their own policies. I don't think any of our political parties are so stupid as to try and ban EAPCs, which give a mobility and autonomy to many people they have never seen before, especially those who cannot use motor vehicles. We now have all kinds of people invested in illegal motor bikes, including sellers, youtubers, traders, users - who in true British fashion have decided they are free to break any law that is not enforced, and organised crime setups. But now we have a serious political party in Government, so I think we will get to grips with this sensibly. It is notable that Andy Burnham and Chris Boardman are the two key players nationally, just as they were in Manchester in the late 2010s.
@sheridan They've just introduced one of those for car parks and residents permits (cue more ranting). Like the pothole tax term; we have plenty of those!
I was heading E along the Bristol ring road bike bike path by UWE late yesterday; by the big junction before heading down towards the M32. The W bound traffic was stopped at the red light; an electric road bike came to the front of the queue, checked the junction was clear and went across pulling a wheelie (against the red light). No helmet (balaclava on) or registration. Just a menace. Along with illegal ebikes (incl people who chip the legal bikes) and, to an extent, badly ridden hire ebikes, it's the biggest threat to cycling in general. Free 'ammunition' to the anti-cycling brigade. Must see one every day; UK is just admiring the problem (to use that business term).
@mitsky I don't know if it's generally true that "bike" usually refers to pedal bikes. Amongst readers of road.cc yes, but less obvious in the general population. "Bike Magazine" is about motorbikes (not to be confused with BIKE magazine, which is about mountain bikes...). A "biker gang" is more likely to be found riding Harleys than Cannondales. The "Think Bike!" road safety campaign was about motorbikes. Etc.
@chrisonabike If that puts off the people who would use them for criminality I won't lose any sleep.
"Emoter-bikes"? Sounds a bit touchy-feely, which might put some off using them?
Agree... but it would just seem sensible to do *something* at the supply end. After all we do with many other products (cars, other potentially dangerous goods). That doesn't *prevent* humans from doing bad things (often an argument against regulation). But that almost always hugely reduces the scale of any problems. I note that people are flogging these things - and in "respectable high street stores" last time I looked - with what appears at best to be zero concern about what happens with them after ("we just sell the knives, nothing to do with us after that"). And sometimes active encouragement to ignore rules ("just slow down and look innocent if the cops show up" - as Ashley Neal found when he bought one).
£100!!! I'll stick to my middle of lidl job that cost £20 with a bladder included, I am sure this one is better but the Lidl one carries and delivers water fine
If you want to see fewer motor vehicles that's easily done.
8 thoughts on ““Officials who should know better, don’t”: Sadiq Khan criticised for describing electric police motorbikes as “e-bikes” as BBC amends misleading headline; ’50km climb’ awaits Vuelta peloton in finale”
To be clear, the police are perfectly legally using electric motorbikes. So in that context, it’s not accurate to call “these machines” “illegal bikes” (which is what is implied in Callum’s post above).
As “bike” is usually used to refer to pedal-only bikes and “motorbike” the (untill now) term for petroleum fuel based internal combustion engine powered bikes…
Wouldn’t the easiest way be to refer to them as “Illegal Electric Motor-Bikes”?
Shortened to “IEMB” which easily rolls off the tongue.
We have used “car” for those that are ICE based and nowadays use “electric car/EV” when talking about the differences between the old and new technologies.
So why not “EMB” (and “IEMB”) for electric motorbikes?
Technically, these e-motorcycles aren’t illegal in themselves, unless used on public roads without necessarily licenses etc. they can be legal in other circumstances, e.g. on private land. Not sure if this helps or hinders the debate, but it does put the focus on the user not the vehicle/bike.
Agree… but it would just seem sensible to do *something* at the supply end. After all we do with many other products (cars, other potentially dangerous goods).
That doesn’t *prevent* humans from doing bad things (often an argument against regulation). But that almost always hugely reduces the scale of any problems.
I note that people are flogging these things – and in “respectable high street stores” last time I looked – with what appears at best to be zero concern about what happens with them after (“we just sell the knives, nothing to do with us after that”).
And sometimes active encouragement to ignore rules (“just slow down and look innocent if the cops show up” – as Ashley Neal found when he bought one).
@chrisonabike An additional note to clarify that I don’t believe Ashley did buy one.
As you say that was the advice from the supplier.
If I recall he was sent an Engwe for review, which turned out to be capable of illegal use.
So he made a video calling them out, saying that it was not acceptable and he would not deal with such vehicles, and gave it to one of his viewers to use on his farm.
It was quite stylish – he did the review pushing it along explaining why he could not ride it.
There is a ROADCC forum thread here:
And the video is here:
“Emoter-bikes”? Sounds a bit touchy-feely, which might put some off using them?
@chrisonabike
If that puts off the people who would use them for criminality I won’t lose any sleep.
@mitsky I don’t know if it’s generally true that “bike” usually refers to pedal bikes. Amongst readers of road.cc yes, but less obvious in the general population. “Bike Magazine” is about motorbikes (not to be confused with BIKE magazine, which is about mountain bikes…). A “biker gang” is more likely to be found riding Harleys than Cannondales. The “Think Bike!” road safety campaign was about motorbikes. Etc.