Category:E-bikes: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Products]]

An '''electric bicycle''', '''e-bike''', '''electrically assisted pedal cycle''', or '''electrically power assisted cycle''' is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor used to assist propulsion. Many kinds of e-bikes are available worldwide, but they generally fall into two broad categories: bikes that assist the rider's pedal-power (i.e. pedelecs) and bikes that add a throttle, integrating moped-style functionality. Both retain the ability to be pedaled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles. E-bikes use rechargeable batteries and typically are motor-powered up to 25 to 32 km/h (16 to 20 mph). High-powered varieties can often travel up to or more than 45 km/h (28 mph) depending on the model and riding conditions

Depending on local laws, many e-bikes (e.g., ''pedelecs'') are legally classified as bicycles rather than mopeds or motorcycles. This exempts them from the more stringent laws regarding the certification and operation of more powerful two-wheelers which are often classed as electric motorcycles, such as licensing and mandatory safety equipment. E-bikes can also be defined separately and treated under distinct electric bicycle laws.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle]

Despite overwhelming evidence that manufacturer-standard electric bikes are no more thermally dangerous than many other consumer electronics, the trend of major buildings managers and employers enforcing an electric bike ban and thus blocking people from riding e-bikes to work appears to be accelerating. This insurance-driven trend is now believed to be playing a part in stifling new e-bike demand in the market and driving people toward bike sharing schemes.

In blanket bans that are not easily challenged, even with evidence that electric bikes pose no significant risk above and beyond the laptops, phones or EV cars within a building, Cycling Electric has learned that FTSE 250 listed real estate provider Savills has adopted an electric bike ban across its property portfolio, while major London skyline feature buildings like the Gherkin, The Tate Galleries, Canary Wharf and the 13 acres of property within the More London area have also enforced bans on taking electric bikes inside. These bans are often tied to insurance underwriters for the properties putting in coverage clauses that now force the hand of firms and property owners.

HM Courts and Tribunals properties also have a ban in place, pending further risk assessment. This follows a full ban from the Government Property Agency on its property portfolio, exclusive of parking in external car parks, or in open-air areas away. This was first raised in Bristol, but is believed to form part of broader guidance.[...]

Naturally, this is not just a London problem and spans national groups, with Deloitte’s Edinburgh building another that (at this time, anecdotally) has banned all e-bikes, allegedly featuring alongside supermarket group Morrisons, a staffer of which said they are no longer able to ride an e-bike to work. Morrisons has since clarified that it has ‘tightened up our health and safety policy on how electric bikes and scooters are stored at site,’ but has not issued an outright ban for employees riding to work on e-bikes.

Others confirmed to us by Cycling Electric readers include the CBRE-managed Wellington Place office space in Leeds, which has pushed previously secure cycle parking for e-bikes outside, which is described as ‘less secure.’ The global real estate services’ insurers were blamed for the change, according to our source. Another, Birmingham’s GPA-managed Stephenson Street building. As for councils, so far we have been able to confirm that all North Tyneside Council buildings are effected, though a local councillor told us there does exist “covered locked bike stores located just a few metres outside of a main entrance” and that they had not encountered the ban another council worker reported to us.

One worker who bought an electric bike on the cycle to work scheme provided by one of the organisations within the aforementioned group told Cycling Electric ‘In a way, the Government sanctioned a platform that sold me a product that [they are now arguing] poses an unacceptable risk to property.’[...]

Speaking to Cycling Electric, one mobile mechanic, operating a repair service from a Shimano Steps-driven cargo bike, said, ‘This week I was pitching for a job at another building in the City. All was going well until they asked me about parking my van on site. I said it was not a problem because I have a cargo bike. '''But there is a problem because they have a blanket ban on e-bikes, no matter how safe they are.’'''

This stance is bizarre for a number of reasons, and sharply juxtaposes the ambitions the Mayor of London has to increase cycling rates in the city. It has been shown in various datasets created for specialist insurers that electric bikes of bike shop standard are no more likely to catch fire than your average car, only marginally more likely than modern EVs, but substantially less likely than internal combustion engine cars to well,… combust. Therefore, it’s likely that the van would actually, statistically, be more dangerous to have on site, even before you consider other risks.[...][https://www.cyclingelectric.com/in-depth/electric-bike-ban-trend-spreads-to-uks-largest-buildings-and-real-estate-groups]

'''<big>•Australia E-bike ban:</big>'''

Thousands of e-bike riders could be deprived of their rights to take their bikes on trains following moves by state governments to outlaw e-bikes and e-scooters from trains because of the risk of battery fires.

Such a ban would result in a major disruption to the day-to-day lives of many Australians.

E-bikes have rapidly increased in popularity in recent years and now comprise a fundamental part of our transport mix.

They are used daily in conjunction with train travel to get children to school, parents to work, grandparents out on healthy midweek social rides and to get a wide spectrum of people into regional Australia to tour along trails, injecting vital dollars into local economies.

Now all this is under threat as governments move to head off the risks of train fires caused by lithium ion batteries overheating and catching alight.

Although there have already been such instances in Australian and overseas cities, so far, they are rare. The consequences, however, are not to be brushed aside, and a burning bike battery in a peak hour train, especially when travelling through a tunnel, could have a devastating impact.

Following in the wake of bans in London and New York, Victoria and New South Wales – both with new rail tunnel networks underway – have moved to follow suit.

The ban proposals have landed in a policy environment where the regulation of e-bike safety standards and the enforcement of rules for importation and point of sale have fallen apart.

Many of the riders who will be worst affected by these bans have high-quality, standards-compliant bikes made and serviced by reputable brands and stores. A thermal runaway fire in one of these bikes is unheard of.

However, there are tens of thousands of e-bikes and e-bike kits entering the country each year that are substandard, illegally modified, poorly maintained and often used with non-matching chargers.

Firefighting agencies are reporting a major spike in fires involving such bikes in homes, in the streets and now in trains.

In Victoria, the proposed ban is one of a number of several proposed new public transport regulations that been released for public comment.

We urge riders to fill in the survey and make submissions to explain how these new rules will make life hard for riders.

“This proposed ban will have a serious negative impact on the many people who take an e-bike on a train as part of their commute to work or university,” Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack said.

"It will also be very disruptive to the many recreational and touring bike riders who use trains to get to trails around Melbourne and regional Victoria.

“We certainly appreciate the risks that a battery fire on a train poses to the public, and we understand the motivation of Australian states that are moving towards an e-bike ban to eliminate this risk.

"It would be unfortunate if such a ban were adopted, but if it is, it should be temporary while state and federal governments quickly move towards re-establishing proper Australian standards for e-bikes that keep sub-standard e-bikes and batteries out of the country.

"Proper regulation of e-bikes and batteries will fix the underlying problem, and we can welcome e-bikes back on trains again."[https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2025/07/24/e-bike-fires-prompt-train-ban/]

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 [[Category:Products]]
+An '''electric bicycle''', '''e-bike''', '''electrically assisted pedal cycle''', or '''electrically power assisted cycle''' is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor used to assist propulsion. Many kinds of e-bikes are available worldwide, but they generally fall into two broad categories: bikes that assist the rider's pedal-power (i.e. pedelecs) and bikes that add a throttle, integrating moped-style functionality. Both retain the ability to be pedaled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles. E-bikes use rechargeable batteries and typically are motor-powered up to 25 to 32 km/h (16 to 20 mph). High-powered varieties can often travel up to or more than 45 km/h (28 mph) depending on the model and riding conditions
+Depending on local laws, many e-bikes (e.g., ''pedelecs'') are legally classified as bicycles rather than mopeds or motorcycles. This exempts them from the more stringent laws regarding the certification and operation of more powerful two-wheelers which are often classed as electric motorcycles, such as licensing and mandatory safety equipment. E-bikes can also be defined separately and treated under distinct electric bicycle laws.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle]
+<u><big>'''•UK E-bike ban:'''</big></u>
+Despite overwhelming evidence that manufacturer-standard electric bikes are no more thermally dangerous than many other consumer electronics, the trend of major buildings managers and employers enforcing an electric bike ban and thus blocking people from riding e-bikes to work appears to be accelerating. This insurance-driven trend is now believed to be playing a part in stifling new e-bike demand in the market and driving people toward bike sharing schemes.
+In blanket bans that are not easily challenged, even with evidence that electric bikes pose no significant risk above and beyond the laptops, phones or EV cars within a building, Cycling Electric has learned that FTSE 250 listed real estate provider Savills has adopted an electric bike ban across its property portfolio, while major London skyline feature buildings like the Gherkin, The Tate Galleries, Canary Wharf and the 13 acres of property within the More London area have also enforced bans on taking electric bikes inside. These bans are often tied to insurance underwriters for the properties putting in coverage clauses that now force the hand of firms and property owners.
+HM Courts and Tribunals properties also have a ban in place, pending further risk assessment. This follows a full ban from the Government Property Agency on its property portfolio, exclusive of parking in external car parks, or in open-air areas away. This was first raised in Bristol, but is believed to form part of broader guidance.[...]
+Naturally, this is not just a London problem and spans national groups, with Deloitte’s Edinburgh building another that (at this time, anecdotally) has banned all e-bikes, allegedly featuring alongside supermarket group Morrisons, a staffer of which said they are no longer able to ride an e-bike to work. <u>Morrisons has since clarified that it has ‘tightened up our health and safety policy on how electric bikes and scooters are stored at site,’ but has not issued an outright ban for employees riding to work on e-bikes.</u>
+Others confirmed to us by Cycling Electric readers include the CBRE-managed Wellington Place office space in Leeds, which has pushed previously secure cycle parking for e-bikes outside, which is described as ‘less secure.’ The global real estate services’ insurers were blamed for the change, according to our source. Another, Birmingham’s GPA-managed Stephenson Street building. As for councils, <u>so far we have been able to confirm that all North Tyneside Council buildings are effected, though a local councillor told us there does exist “covered locked bike stores located just a few metres outside of a main entrance” and that they had not encountered the ban another council worker reported to us.</u>
+One worker who bought an electric bike on the cycle to work scheme provided by one of the organisations within the aforementioned group told Cycling Electric ‘In a way, the Government sanctioned a platform that sold me a product that [they are now arguing] poses an unacceptable risk to property.’[...]
+Speaking to Cycling Electric, one mobile mechanic, operating a repair service from a Shimano Steps-driven cargo bike, said, <u>‘This week I was pitching for a job at another building in the City. All was going well until they asked me about parking my van on site. I said it was not a problem because I have a cargo bike. '''But there is a problem because they have a blanket ban on e-bikes, no matter how safe they are.’'''</u>
+This stance is bizarre for a number of reasons, and sharply juxtaposes the ambitions the Mayor of London has to increase cycling rates in the city. It has been shown <u>in various datasets created for specialist insurers that electric bikes of bike shop standard are no more likely to catch fire than your average car, only marginally more likely than modern EVs, but substantially less likely than internal combustion engine cars to well,… combust.</u> Therefore, it’s likely that the van would actually, statistically, be more dangerous to have on site, even before you consider other risks.[...][https://www.cyclingelectric.com/in-depth/electric-bike-ban-trend-spreads-to-uks-largest-buildings-and-real-estate-groups]
+'''<u><big>•Australia E-bike ban:</big></u>'''
+Thousands of e-bike riders could be deprived of their rights to take their bikes on trains following moves by state governments to outlaw e-bikes and e-scooters from trains because of the risk of battery fires.
+Such a ban would result in a major disruption to the day-to-day lives of many Australians.
+E-bikes have rapidly increased in popularity in recent years and now comprise a fundamental part of our transport mix.
+They are used daily in conjunction with train travel to get children to school, parents to work, grandparents out on healthy midweek social rides and to get a wide spectrum of people into regional Australia to tour along trails, injecting vital dollars into local economies.
+Now all this is under threat as governments move to head off the risks of train fires caused by lithium ion batteries overheating and catching alight.
+Although there have already been such instances in Australian and overseas cities, so far, they are rare. The consequences, however, are not to be brushed aside, and a burning bike battery in a peak hour train, especially when travelling through a tunnel, could have a devastating impact.
+Following in the wake of bans in London and New York, Victoria and New South Wales – both with new rail tunnel networks underway – have moved to follow suit.
+The ban proposals have landed in a policy environment where the regulation of e-bike safety standards and the enforcement of rules for importation and point of sale have fallen apart.
+Many of the riders who will be worst affected by these bans have high-quality, standards-compliant bikes made and serviced by reputable brands and stores. A thermal runaway fire in one of these bikes is unheard of.
+However, there are tens of thousands of e-bikes and e-bike kits entering the country each year that are substandard, illegally modified, poorly maintained and often used with non-matching chargers.
+Firefighting agencies are reporting a major spike in fires involving such bikes in homes, in the streets and now in trains.
+In Victoria, the proposed ban is one of a number of several proposed new public transport regulations that been released for public comment.
+We urge riders to fill in the survey and make submissions to explain how these new rules will make life hard for riders.
+“This proposed ban will have a serious negative impact on the many people who take an e-bike on a train as part of their commute to work or university,” Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack said.
+"It will also be very disruptive to the many recreational and touring bike riders who use trains to get to trails around Melbourne and regional Victoria.
+“We certainly appreciate the risks that a battery fire on a train poses to the public, and we understand the motivation of Australian states that are moving towards an e-bike ban to eliminate this risk.
+"It would be unfortunate if such a ban were adopted, but if it is, it should be temporary while state and federal governments quickly move towards re-establishing proper Australian standards for e-bikes that keep sub-standard e-bikes and batteries out of the country.
+"Proper regulation of e-bikes and batteries will fix the underlying problem, and we can welcome e-bikes back on trains again."[https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2025/07/24/e-bike-fires-prompt-train-ban/]