The Gadget Show

beckcd

Did anyone see it this week? Well the presenter Ortis was basically racing Russell Downing on a hill climb and he had a power assisted front well on a Cannondale Super 6. Whilst riding he said "The assistance can be used up to the legal limit of 15 mph". Now I was wondering what that meant. Can a bike that is power assisted only go 15 mph?

beckcd

Wheel, not well you tit

beckcd

Wheel, not well you tit

ride_whenever

helpful beckcd, helpful.

There is a legal maximum for electric powered bikes. But home-made and off-road systems can push it a lot higher than that. I've seen videos of a BMX with a large motor in the front wheel that could do 35-40mph. Its acceleration was so fast the front tyre couldn't grip a running track!

lae

They can go much much faster, but you have to register it with the DVLA and get insurance to make it road legal - I think the 15mph limit is the distinction between an electrically assisted bicycle and an electric motorbike.

ColinJ

ride_whenever wrote:

helpful beckcd, helpful.

An unpleasant comment if directed at another poster, but permissible, methinks, when aimed at oneself!

giant_man

yeah I saw it, that presenter guy Ortis was such an idiot. Spoilt it for me.

Cunobelin

Ben at Kinetics in Glasgow has an excellent page on this subject:

The full detals are in the link above, but the main part is:

Road Legality: The law relating to this dates back to 1983, and covers what you can legally use on public roads in the UK.
The limits are: 200W continuous power (250W for tricycles and tandems), 15mph maximum assisted speed, maximum weight 40kgs (60kgs for tricycles and tandems).
As long as your cycle is within these limits, and you are over 14, you can ride your bike legally on UK roads with no restrictions. This law is laid down in the Road Traffic Act, and the police have the power to enforce it.