Search results

Do what I did and pay the VAT part (which I have no problem with) but don't pay the "advancement fee". They wrote me a stern letter and demanded I pay that as well but I refused on the basis that they had provided an unsoliciated service. They dropped it.

Ditto - I've thoughroughly enjoyed this thread. Knowledge is power and all that.

The "eco" question didn't even enter into the equation when I researched building my bike. I simply enjoy being on a bike and I loathe commuting in the car (I drive only for pleasure which driving at rush hour through Blackpool certainly isn't). The money saving aspect didn't really even...

An interesting point as well is that many high powered, fast ebikes can be brought back in line by simply substituting a lower voltage battery. For instance my bikes battery is 63v. It would be very easy to dispose of that battery (assuming I'm not insensible as a result of an accident) and...

My goretex walking boots keep my toes toasty warm!

To be honest - I'm not sure why the loophole should be closed. there are lots of people that could benefit from them despite not being registered disabled. For example my dad has really bad knees and sometimes can't walk to the end of the street - let alone the shops - and he isn't registered...

Full face helmet + ski goggles works a treat.

Just a theoretical question. I assume there is a central repository of EN15194 certificates? I.e. you wouldn't be up the creek if you had to prove you bike was legal but the seller/manufacturer has gone the way of the dodo.

Haha! In all seriousness, if anyone is after a cheap ebike, one of these is worth going for - you wont find any much cheaper - and the spec is reasonable.

And remember to wear a helmet!

I was hoping that WASN'T what he meant! I wouldn't be on an ebike now if the only choice was a shop bought one. Well, actually that's not true because whether my build was legal or illegal wasn;t a part of my decision process.

Well it wont, as there are alot of ebikes out there that are kit or diy converted.

That's such a good and logical idea! Which means no one in government will ever think of it! I'd be happy to go through that kind of process to have my bike confirmed legal (I'd just have it tested with a 36v battery rather than a 63v battery). The SVA for my kit car was no problem at...

Amen. Life's too short to worry about miniscule probablity "what if's" - else I'd never get out of bed for fear of the many imaginative ways we can kill ourselves or be killed by others! Another one of my many varied work roles is as a risk assessor. People unfamiliar with risk assessment...

Yes you're quite right - my Law tutor was always rapping my knuckles over forgetting statutes are primary authority (my field of work is primarily in employment rights - which is nearly always case law).

Yes - Kalkhoff hold EN15194 certs for all their pedelecs except the S class (that's a different type approval). The cert can be made invalid if you make a significant change from the specification though - so no using a Mercury Speedict to fool the controller into giving you 25mph assist...

I think we won't know if it matters until a test case is brought to bear. Most things in law aren't black and white, despite the numerous statutes suggesting otherwise. The word "reasonable" is probably the most used (and least defined") word in law and would a judge decide you have made...

So I've been told before, cheers ;) Don't get me wrong, it's not that I wouldn't ride it there due to some misguided reverence of the law - it's simply because I'd get caught! Those two coppers I wave "evening" to most evening probably wouldn't be very impressed :D

That reminds me - cycling home on the dark, unlit section of the promenade cycle route last night only to see 50yr old'ish female cyclist go straight over the handle bars. She'd hit a bench perfectly end on - she didn't even have a flashing light! Amazingly she ended up sitting upright on the...

Some cycling is seen as cool - but it's not commuting or leisure cycling - it's breaking legs on BMX's, downhill mtb'ing or busting a gut on a Sunday in lycra and a mini peleton ;-)