Buying an eBike today. Please adviseeee!

I am looking to purchase an eBike today and need help picking one that's good for long commutes especially when derestricted.

The eBike will have to be from Halfords as that's what my voucher will allow for.

My budget is 1600 and so far I am going with the Raleigh Felix+ as it has a decent battery and the motor is Bosch which I am sure is derestictable.

If the Raleigh Felix+ is a good choice I would like to know which Badass dongle I would need to buy as I have no idea where the sensor would be on the bike (I'm useless when it comes to bike mechanics).

I would appreciate all suggestions on eBikes but most importantly ones that can easily be derestricted. Also, any suggestions on mechanics or dongles that can restrict would be helpful (I am no position to be attempting DIY methods myself, I will definitely break something).

they can all be unlocked one way or another even the bosch smart motors as ebike shop sells those with there dongles fitted and will honor the motor warranty.

no dongle has broken any motor and that comes from someone that repair these things for a living

if you fit a dongle to the smart system it can never be updated cos if you do it bricks the ebike shop dongles.

more of a problem is bikes that you can put a bigger front chain ring on as i have the equivalent to a 52t on my bike and is geared to 40mph.

if they start using gps to track these things in real time using ai then thats game over for dongles but it does not mean you cant rip out the controller and bms and use 3rd party ones, it has been done.

I suppose all this talk of de restriction is fine BUT ILLEGAL in the UK, god help you if you kill someone

And you would be at risk of loosing a driving licence if you had one.

100%

This is why I am being so cautious B4 getting an upgrade, I see sellers even in the UK ILLEGALLY stating no pedalling needed just turn the throttle

And whilst insurance is often not mentioned, for my eBikes I do have third party liability insurance, assuming the eBikes are legal etc.

Not sure I would be so keen to speed around on an illegal eBike knowing I would have to personally fund the cost of any injuries I might cause someone.

Engwe M20 seems to be selling well in the UK, presumably due to the low price. They are supplied via their Polish warehouse.

It looks really poor build quality but must appeal due to the relatively high performance straight out of the box for just over £1000 for the single battery version. I have even seen a UK distributor selling them for as low as £800 on eBay.

UK and EU law doesn’t seem to bother Engwe in the slightest.

Edited August 25, 20232 yr by AGS

UK and EU law doesn’t seem to bother Engwe in the slightest.

Unfortunatly, its not the sale of such bikes that is illegal, yet !

Although you could question the morals of a buisiness that is openly selling eBikes that the business must realise will be used on UK roads etc.

And whilst insurance is often not mentioned, for my eBikes I do have third party liability insurance, assuming the eBikes are legal etc.

I find this very interesting and would like to look at the policy small print - can I ask who your insurer is and which insurance product you bought? There's a thread about third party insurance for conversions somewhere, I don't think I'm the only one interested.

I find this very interesting and would like to look at the policy small print - can I ask who your insurer is and which insurance product you bought? There's a thread about third party insurance for conversions somewhere, I don't think I'm the only one interested.

It is with Barclays, but its changing in the next few months as Barclays are moving out of the Home insurance markets and passing their business to someone else.

What the terms and conditions will be with the new setup I do not know, I have not had the policy renewal.

Unfortunatly, its not the sale of such bikes that is illegal, yet !

 

Although you could question the morals of a buisiness that is openly selling eBikes that the business must realise will be used on UK roads etc.

100% UK illegal, and BANNED on many cycle places in Wales and the UK such as BANNED HERE obviously because idiots would could be killers to youngsters riding at 8mph not seeing a prat at 30

https://naturalresources.wales/bwlchnantyrarian?lang=en

100%

 

This is why I am being so cautious B4 getting an upgrade, I see sellers even in the UK ILLEGALLY stating no pedalling needed just turn the throttle

Wisper sell a twist and go ebike which is completely legal as individually tested. Still legal to have a twist and go throttle with a ebike kit and of course before 2016 ebikes were sold with twist and go throttles in the UK legally and still legal to use today. So lots of ways to have a twist and go throttle legally but admittedly a brand new ebike out of the box from China etc should not have a twist and go throttle.

It should be pointed out twist and go throttles can massively improve safety and enable the use of bikes by physically impaired people including the disabled, having full control of motor power at all times is not a bad thing, moving away from junctions, in complicated urban traffic.

I don't agree with the EU legislation I think its exceptionally poorly written. I personally feel in the UK assistance should be set at 20mph max, ebikes should have a weight limit so they are much nearer being a bicycle than a moped but I have no problem with ebikes using maybe up to 1000W for hill climbing which many already do anyway like Bosch mid-drive motors that can peak over 800W. Most of the world uses throttles on ebikes its madness to legislate against them.

Anyway the point is twist and go throttles are allowed under many circumstances in the UK.

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/dft-pedal-cycles-converted-twist-go-exempt-type-approval/

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/wisper-announce-dvsa-approved-full-throttle-models/

Wisper sell a twist and go ebike which is completely legal as individually tested. Still legal to have a twist and go throttle with a ebike kit and of course before 2016 ebikes were sold with twist and go throttles in the UK legally and still legal to use today. So lots of ways to have a twist and go throttle legally but admittedly a brand new ebike out of the box from China etc should not have a twist and go throttle.

 

It should be pointed out twist and go throttles can massively improve safety and enable the use of bikes by physically impaired people including the disabled, having full control of motor power at all times is not a bad thing, moving away from junctions, in complicated urban traffic.

 

I don't agree with the EU legislation I think its exceptionally poorly written. I personally feel in the UK assistance should be set at 20mph max, ebikes should have a weight limit so they are much nearer being a bicycle than a moped but I have no problem with ebikes using maybe up to 1000W for hill climbing which many already do anyway like Bosch mid-drive motors that can peak over 800W. Most of the world uses throttles on ebikes its madness to legislate against them.

 

Anyway the point is twist and go throttles are allowed under many circumstances in the UK.

 

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/dft-pedal-cycles-converted-twist-go-exempt-type-approval/

 

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/wisper-announce-dvsa-approved-full-throttle-models/

This is the problem

Limiting bikes to non powered twist/lever etc kills it for many disabled, as for weight 100%, being hit by a motorbike at 15 can kill someone so reduced weight 100%

Limiting bikes to non powered twist/lever etc kills it for many disabled

" On kits, that law does not apply, you have twist and go throttle."

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/build-spec-by-committee-might-that-include-you.45773/page-3#post-688195