“A horse has horsepower, but that doesn’t make it a car”: Bike brand tells cyclists to “know your rights” after police’s legal e-bike seizure fiasco; Closest photo finish ever?; Commie Games pursuit debacle; Tour de France Femmes + more on the live blog

It was only a matter of time before the brand at the centre of the biggest e-bike story of the summer broke their silence. And they’ve finally done so in brilliant, eviscerating fashion.

Last week, you may remember, we reported that West Midlands Police was facing an appeal from cycling campaigners after its officers wrongly seized, and then destroyed, a delivery rider’s Tern HSD S00 e-cargo bike, erroneously believing it to be an illegal electric motorbike.

In case you need a quick refresher, the cyclist had been riding the e-cargo bike for a few months after renting it as part of Birmingham Bike Foundry’s Gear Shift scheme, funded by the city council, before he was stopped by police on 24 April 2026 at 8.15pm on New Street, Birmingham.

The Tern e-cargo bike was seized as part of the force’s Operation FRISLEN, a “targeted initiative” aimed at “addressing the growing concerns surround the misuse of e-bikes and electric scooters in Birmingham city centre”.

> Police seize and destroy delivery cyclist’s legal e-bike hired through council-funded scheme after “bogus” test – but officers claim rider didn’t have insurance

The bike, though clearly legal, was deemed by the officers to be outside the law governing electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) after they simply spun the cracks around a few times and spotted that the speed has reached 47kph (I know, I still don’t have a clue what they were thinking either).

After the bike’s seizure, radio silence followed before the police confirmed, around a month later, that the Tern had been destroyed, leaving the Birmingham Bike Foundry (and the council) £6,000 out of pocket.

However, after we published our in-depth story on the whole debacle, some good news swiftly followed, as West Midlands Police apologised for their officers’ actions and announced that is exploring alternative methods of spotting illegal e-motorbike use.

The charges against the cyclist, which West Midlands Police initially claimed related to him riding without insurance, were also dropped, with the force agreeing to reimburse the Birmingham Bike Foundry for the loss of the bike.

> Police to stop using “bogus” e-bike speed test as charges against delivery cyclist who had £6,000 cargo bike seized and destroyed are dropped

In an email sent to the Birmingham Bike Foundry, West Midlands Police said it would stop using the test carried out by its officers when the bike was seized – described by cycling campaigners as “bogus” – admitting that, while there was “no malice” in the officer’s actions, it was inaccurate.

And now, in the spirit of pointing out inaccuracies, bike brand Tern have this morning posted a tongue-in-cheek, but still pointed, video skewering the officers’ faulty understanding of EPACs, while attempting to alert cyclists to what is legal and what is not in the world of e-bikes and “clear up misconceptions” – by emphasising that the distinction between an e-bike and an “illegal electric motorbike”.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tern Bicycles (@ternbicycles)

Styled as a cross between a nature programme and a crime documentary, Tern’s “field guide to urban cycles” kicks off with a pile of headlines (including from ebiketips) related to last week’s story.

“Every naturalist learns this rule early. Just because a creature can do something does not mean it is something,” the very American narrator says.

“For example, a horse has horsepower, but that doesn’t make it a car. A hamster may power a wheel, but that doesn’t make it an engine.”

Turning to the Tern HSD, or ‘The Legal e-Bike’, as the video identifies it as, the narrator continues: “This is the Tern HSD, native to city centres, pedal-assisted, fully road legal, frequently misidentified as an illegal species, alarming if you don’t know the rules.”

In a caption, or “field note”, deliberately aimed at the plod in Birmingham, Tern pointed out that the HSD “when provoked, say, hand-cranked by an eager observer, this species has been recorded reaching 60kph”.

> What happens when a social media influencer gets pulled over on his heavily modified electric motorbike by undercover police dressed as roadmen? Yet more confusion and mixed messages about the legality of e-bikes

“It can hit 60kph, pedalling hard or coasting downhill, with the motor doing nothing at all,” the narrator continues.

“That doesn’t make it an e-moto, just like the hamster isn’t an engine. Some things just need a better field guide. Know your species. Know your rights.”

I’m not sure how much this video will improve the general public’s understanding of legal e-bikes, but hey, it’s a bit of fun for a Friday morning…

When Callum signed off on yesterday’s live blog, Alpecin’s Australian sprinter Jensen Plowright was the winner of stage two of the Tour of Denmark in Skive. That didn’t last long, however.

Threading the needle 🪡

Jensen Plowright found the gaps before surging past Wout van Aert in the closing metres to win Stage 2 of the Tour of Denmark. 💪 pic.twitter.com/MQ7FTielEo

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) July 30, 2026

After Plowright – who appeared to have narrowly pipped Wout van Aert at the line – had conducted his post-stage winner’s interviews, the race jury gathered around for a closer look at the finish photo, which had already been generating some controversy on social media.

Some extra lines were drawn on, VAR offside-style, and the original decision was soon overturned, the stage win awarded to Van Aert instead, who strengthened his grip on GC with his second consecutive victory in Denmark.

So, so close. Poor Jensen.

“It was a chaotic finale,” a baffled Van Aert said after being finally awarded the win. “I had to launch my sprint quite early. Plowright suddenly came alongside me in the final metres, and as we crossed the line I genuinely had no idea who had won.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before. Because of Plowright’s reaction, I was convinced he had taken the victory. It wasn’t until we saw the photo finish that everyone realised just how close it really was. I’m incredibly happy the win went my way.

As close as it gets 👀

The closest of calls saw the initial result overturned, with Wout van Aert ultimately awarded victory on Stage 2 of the Tour of Denmark. 🫣 pic.twitter.com/D7NUdXVmXJ

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) July 30, 2026

”This is a first for me. I had the feeling that Jensen had passed me, but he was so sure of himself that I thought it had already been checked. Only when I saw the photo did I start to have doubts. In the end, the coin landed in my favour. A very special experience.”

Next time, could cycling’s VAR guys sort out the result before the live blog closes for the day? Thanks.

Viewers forking out £31 a month to watch bike racing on the telly in July are up by over half, TNT Sports says. But is that actually a good thing for British cycling?

> TNT Sports hails “record” Tour de France audience in the UK – but can first paywalled Tour be viewed a success?