Ebiketips Archives

Government’s 500W and throttle e-bike proposals are ‘unnecessary, risky and the wrong approach’ say UK trade bodies

The government’s recent e-bike proposals to double the legal wattage of motors to 500W and allow ‘twist and go’ e-bikes with throttle control up to 15.5mph are ‘unnecessary’, ‘risky’, and the ‘wrong approach’, the Bicycle Association (BA) and Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) have said.The Department for Transport (DfT) announced the proposed changes in February, … Read more

Bristol man accused of ‘holding e-bikes to ransom’ after Tier mistakenly designated his firm’s car park an official hire zone

A businessman in Bristol has been accused of ‘holding five e-bikes to ransom’ after Tier mistakenly designated a hire zone on his property, placing the vehicles in his car park on December 15 last year.Tier reportedly said someone would come back and move them but when they were still there at the end of the day, … Read more

The Moustache J says it’s not a bike… but it absolutely is – it’s an urban e-bike, now with automatic gears

The Moustache J, the bike that’s not a bike, but a “brand new day,” has got three new models for people to choose from. The differences are down to the gearing, with the options now including Shimano and Enviolo hub offerings. We had a first look at the J last year at Eurobike and will … Read more

Alternatives to e-bikes – what other light electric vehicles can you ride in the UK?

It really couldn’t be easier to buy and use an e-bike. As even those only vaguely acquainted with them know, they can be treated just like regular bikes. But there is a perception – and in some cases a reality – that other kinds of light electric vehicle are trickier to ride legally on the … Read more

The Specialized Creo 2 electric road and gravel bike has gone alloy

Hot on the heels of the Creo 2’s launch last September, Specialized has announced it will be adding an aluminium version of the electric road and gravel bike – the E5 Comp. This will retain most of the features that make the Creo 2 such a versatile e-bike, but with a £1,000 lower price tag. … Read more

Brompton backs ESF’s e-bike battery safety campaign

Brompton is backing a campaign by charity Electrical Safety First (ESF) that would require third party certification for e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries, reducing the risk of potentially dangerous batteries entering the market.The manufacturer, which produces around 100,000 bikes every year, has formally backed ESF’s Ten Minute Rule Bill which will be tabled in Parliament by Yvonne … Read more

Best electric mountain bikes 2024 – from lightweight eMTBs to enduro beasts

Electric mountain bikes are usually among the first to benefit from new tech. Whether it’s smart suspension systems, or new mid-drive motors, chances are they’ll be the e-bikes with the latest kit on. There are plenty of varieties of electric mountain bike – from electric hardtails, which tend to be more leisure oriented, to full-suspension … Read more

You can legally ride the Swifty Go GT500 e-scooter on UK roads (because technically, it’s a moped)

British e-scooter brand Swifty Scooters has introduced the UK’s first road-legal electric scooter that can be ridden on a provisional licence. The Swifty Go GT500 has been released in response to the slow legislative progress on e-scooter regulation. Despite their popularity and potential for reducing urban congestion and emissions, e-scooters have maintained a murky legal … Read more

Himiway Zebra

The Himiway Zebra is a very big, comfortable fat tyre e-bike. Like a lot of bikes this size, it can be tricky to manoeuvre at low speed and you aren’t going to find yourself doing much riding above the assistance limit – but it’s a well-built example of a popular style of bike and certainly … Read more

Video shows ‘ferocious’ e-bike fire on train station platform – ESF calls for govt to back third party certification bill

Charity Electrical Safety First (ESF) has urged the Government to back its bill to introduce third party certification for e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries, after footage was released of an e-bike fire at Sutton Railway Station. The ESF says the bill would reduce the risk of unsafe batteries entering the market as well as setting … Read more