News

With an estimated two million e-bikes in the UK, and sales on the up, battery fires are on the increase. However, they occur at a rate of less than one per day. To put that in perspective, 100,000 cars go up in flames every year resulting in the death of around 100 people. That's nearly 300 vehicles fires every day. In other words, a car is...

Smartphones may have become de facto cycle computers, but what if you're interested in knowing the basics about your ride without relying on an app? A simple cycle computer like the CatEye Quick might be just the ticket. It's unusual for sporting cyclists to ride without a...

This was the week the UK government tied itself in knots over its definition of extremism. Here's hoping any commitment to tackle 'the promotion of an ideology based on violence' leads to an effective campaign against road danger. As a society, we've become so inured to road danger, deaths rarely make the news. Writer George Monbiot...

At least one third of London roads are now subject to a 20mph limit. However, 87% of drivers break that law when they have an opportunity to, according to TfL research. Here at the ETA, we’re proud to have helped coin the phrase Twenty's Plenty, and thrilled that over the years it evolved into 20’s Plenty for Us, a campaign group we...

Mobility scooters offer a social lifeline for around half a million people here in the UK, and yet two-seater models remain illegal. The same goes for our own cosy mobility scooter caravan pictured above. Tesco gave us permission to test drive it down their aisles, but mobility scooter trailers remain illegal to use on footpaths or the...

Every new motorbike in the UK must be fitted with ABS brakes - technology that's now being fitted to e-bikes. The bigger and heavier e-bikes become, the harder disc brakes have to work. And as calls grow for bigger e-bike motors, manufacturers are focussing making their cycles stop as quickly as they go. Bosch claims the addition of ABS...

Bicycles are supremely dependable machines, but occasionally they do break down. Even the shortest journey comes to an abrupt halt if you can't fix a flat tyre, broken chain or buckled wheel at the roadside. And if you're unlucky enough to lose your bike lock key, your ride home may not begin in the first place. It's why 30 years ago we...

Some local authorities provide secure on-street storage areas for cycles - 'bike hangars' that provide secure parking for those without the space to store a bicycle themselves. However, they're not immune from thieves so many users opt for cycle insurance for added protection. ETA cycle insurance and bike hangars We provide full insurance...

Counter-intuitive it may be, but e-bikers typically get more exercise than riders of conventional, analogue bicycles. Research has found e-bikes encourage riders to cycle more often and over longer distances. For example, a 2019 study followed 10,000 adults across seven European countries and found that on average electric bike riders were...

Why have SUV sales in the UK have soared by 23% to over one million a year? One reason might be our country's low tax rates on large, polluting cars. A report by Transport & Environment (T&E) describes the UK as a 'tax haven' for bigger, less environmentally friendly vehicles. When you compare the tax paid by UK buyers with...