One has a speed limiter - guess which?

Why is it that electric bicycles here in the UK are limited to 15mph while no restriction at all is imposed on cars?

It's possible to buy an e-bike with a motor powerful enough for the law to consider it a motorbike, but very few of these so-called speed pedelecs are being registered here as motorcycles.

Our European cousins have recognised the benefits of faster electric bikes by legislating for them. There are two categories of electric bicycle law - Type-approval L1e-A is for powered cycles with a maximum speed of 25 km/h and maximum 1 kW of power. L1e-B includes speed pedelecs with a maximum speed of 45 km/h and a power output of 4 kW.

An example of this new breed of faster e-bike is the Stromer ST2, a bicycle capable of 30mph that allows you to choose between three levels of motor assistance as well as the degree of regenerative braking. Thanks to an efficient motor and a battery capacity of 983 watt-hours, the ST2 can cover up to 180 kilometres before it needs to be recharged.

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As the market for speed pedelecs grows, so too does the range of bike styles on offer. High-speed electric bikes are now available as town bikes, MTBs, folders and adventure tourers. The Riese & Müller Charger GX offers assistance of up to 275 per cent at a speed of up to 45 km/h. And even when walking the bike when its racks are laden with panniers, the Charger GX helps with an assisted ‘pushing mode’.

New and disruptive technology has always unsettled the national psyche. However, those perturbed by faster e-bikes and e-scooters - while often at the same time overlooking the road danger caused by cars - risk missing an opportunity to make our cities cleaner and quieter.

Don't get us wrong - these emerging modes of transport must be subject to regulation - both legislative and technological. For example, the tech being used to govern some of the current trials of e-scooters on UK roads includes 'High Accuracy Location Technology' which is accurate to within 10cm; 'Rapid Geofence Detection' which activates in 0.3 seconds and the 'Dangerous Riding Detection', which warns of unsafe behaviours in real time. In practice, this means that any scooter being used where it shouldn't, or in a dangerous way, is restricted automatically.

However, the way e-scooters and faster e-bikes are portrayed by the media is little more than a straw man argument to distract from the real source of road danger. We need a rational approach to road danger reduction; the greater the threat to health and environment, the more severe the restrictions.

Insurance for e-bikes

We cover all road-legal electric bicycles as standard. If the output of your electric bicycle does not exceed 250 W/15.5 mph, we’ll cover it under our cycle insurance at no additional cost.

Every cycle insurance policy of ours includes the following as standard:

• Theft, accidental damage & vandalism
• E-bike battery theft cover
• Cycle Rescue (breakdown cover for your electric bicycle and you)
• No devaluation of your bike over time
• £2m third party PLUS £20,000 personal accident cover
• Shed and garage storage
• Low standard excess of 5% (£50 minimum)
• Any rider covered to use your bike

Read a full list of everything we include as standard.

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The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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