First Road Legal S-Pedelec in the UK?

David Kilpatrick

Pedelecer
Dec 14, 2016
56
32
58
Cumbernauld
Hi David, This is great, i am following your foot steps . I'm waiting on a R&M Roadster Touring HS. do you thing I would be able to register and insure it?
Radhwan you will need a certificate of conformity for the bike, it should come with it. You will then need to complete a V55c
After that the DVLA should ask you do get a partial motor cycle test on it. The reason will be the certificate of conformity will not be in English and will have some exceptions for the U.K.
The partial test will need to be carried out by a local VOSA office where they will check that the speedo is in mph, the headlights shine the correct way and you have a wing mirror fitted.
As for insurance I got mine at Bikesure you will need to be quite persistent to get a quote. I’m paying £180 for third party only.
It’s sounds a bit of bother to get it registered but it’s not really. I’m now using mine and absolutely love it. I now save another 15 minutes off my commute compared to using my old ebike so it was worth the hassle and effort.

Good luck and it looks a cracking bike
 
D

Deleted member 22539

Guest
Hi welcome
I appreciate the effort you have gone to and well done for that but why didn’t you just get a small moped electric or petrol
Don’t take this as a dig at your effort it’s not ,it’s just a genuine question
 
  • Like
Reactions: geosea

David Kilpatrick

Pedelecer
Dec 14, 2016
56
32
58
Cumbernauld
Hi welcome
I appreciate the effort you have gone to and well done for that but why didn’t you just get a small moped electric or petrol
Don’t take this as a dig at your effort it’s not ,it’s just a genuine question
Not a problem as a moped, would have been a fraction of the cost.
Basically I like cycling and I still get excerise as well, however the speed it does makes my commuting more enjoyable
 

GLJoe

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 21, 2017
853
407
UK
Basically I like cycling and I still get excerise as well
But now that you've cut 15 min off your journey, doesn't that mean you're getting less exercise and having less time to enjoy yourself ?
(said with a wink, but its actually a serious question!)
 

David Kilpatrick

Pedelecer
Dec 14, 2016
56
32
58
Cumbernauld
But now that you've cut 15 min off your journey, doesn't that mean you're getting less exercise and having less time to enjoy yourself ?
(said with a wink, but its actually a serious question!)
No actually cycling more. I was only cycling into work about once a week as it’s 13 miles each way. I’m now using the bike Scottish weather dependent! 3-4 times a week
 

Radhwan

Finding my (electric) wheels
May 5, 2018
5
4
48
Glasgow
Radhwan you will need a certificate of conformity for the bike, it should come with it. You will then need to complete a V55c
After that the DVLA should ask you do get a partial motor cycle test on it. The reason will be the certificate of conformity will not be in English and will have some exceptions for the U.K.
The partial test will need to be carried out by a local VOSA office where they will check that the speedo is in mph, the headlights shine the correct way and you have a wing mirror fitted.
As for insurance I got mine at Bikesure you will need to be quite persistent to get a quote. I’m paying £180 for third party only.
It’s sounds a bit of bother to get it registered but it’s not really. I’m now using mine and absolutely love it. I now save another 15 minutes off my commute compared to using my old ebike so it was worth the hassle and effort.

Good luck and it looks a cracking bike
Many Thanks David, this is very helpful. i have tons of questions but i will wait and ask as i go through the process.
 
  • Like
Reactions: David Kilpatrick

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
20 km is a good s-pedelec commute distance, wearing a full motorcycle helmet while pedalling for 20 km is not a good idea. I hope you are cheating a bit there...
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
The motorcycle helmet killed the moped in France:

- try pedaling up a hill in 40°C sunshine with a motorbike helmet on.
- try pedalling up a hill with 1.7 kg on your head when you are a 15 year old teenager (of the smaller size)...
- I don't like the physics of riding a light vehicle with something very heavy on my head, I think it is downright dangerous.

Your s-pedelec is a moped not a modern 49cc scooter, it makes 750 W peak, not 2.2 kW. Back in the day, the people who wore helmets on mopeds wore lightweight "bol" helmets basically equivalent to the weight of a bicycle helmet and similar in style to the skateboard helmet of today.

This one weighs 800 grams and is ventilated of I had to go s-pedelec it would be the only choice for me. 250€ extra on top of the price of the bike...

Here is a good page explaining the situation in the EU:

https://www.stromerbike.com/en_IT/blog/blog/the-technical-and-legal-differences-between-pedelec-and-s-pedelec.html
 
  • Informative
Reactions: LeighPing

GLJoe

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 21, 2017
853
407
UK
No actually cycling more. I was only cycling into work about once a week as it’s 13 miles each way. I’m now using the bike Scottish weather dependent! 3-4 times a week
LOL ... well I'm not really sure I'm following your thought processes there. Something tells me there is a bit of self justification going on, rather than cold hard logic! You can still ride a non S pedelec 3-4 times a week as well ;) (or were you comparing your e-bike to a non assisted bike?)

Don't get me wrong ... I'm not one of these anti S-pedelec zealots - far from it, I think the current legislation is plain daft and I'm sure you'll have a great time not having to put up with the annoying (and sometimes dangerous!) 25kmh cutoff. It'll be a much more 'natural' cycling experience.
But all this registration fuss. And cost. And then needing to wear a too hot and heavy helmet. AND more stupidly, not being able to then legally ride on cycle paths, for gods sake. Its just crazy. And I often think about this when I'm on my non powered drop handlebar bike, zooming at 25mph down the most gentle of gradients on a (empty!) local cycle path I often use. Or when I'm hurtling at 30mph down any decent hill on ANY bike I own.
I'm not getting at you here, I'm getting at the legislation. But I often think about this as I have a (still stock and restricted) Bosch powered bike I use to commute a 40 mile round trip to work, and I've considered the pros and cons of getting and implementing a fully legal 28mph solution, however there are so many cons to doing it, at the moment, for myself, there seem to be more cons than pros, and that includes taking into account it _might_ take an extra 15 min to get to work.
That's for me and my situation though. I can possibly see that if nearly all one's riding was done on flat 30mph roads exclusively, and you could maintain that speed all the time, then it might be a safer option keeping up with the traffic.
Interestingly, as my own commute route is VERY hilly, with very little flat, I'm not convinced that I'd save that much time at all if I derestricted my bike, because 15mph is pretty darn fast up most of the hills as it is, and I don't need assist going down them at 20-30mph!!
But note I still detest the 15mph cutoff, and I consider it dangerous when I'm navigating town roundabouts etc, so its interesting to see people now managing to legally overcome this in the UK. But the law is an ass at the moment.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
s-pedelec has to be an open road only option which fits my case but the 45 km/h top speed limit doesn't... Being caught doing over 45 km/h on an s-pedelec, getting a fine and losing points on my drivers licence or getting a slapped wrist for breaking the speed limit on a vanilla pedelec my choice is made.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LeighPing and flecc

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
16,909
6,512
s-pedelec has to be an open road only option which fits my case but the 45 km/h top speed limit doesn't... Being caught doing over 45 km/h on an s-pedelec, getting a fine and losing points on my drivers licence or getting a slapped wrist for breaking the speed limit on a vanilla pedelec my choice is made.
ill over take on the pavement then ;)
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,200
30,603
I think the current legislation is plain daft - - - - - - - - - note I still detest the 15mph cutoff
The strange thing is that this is very much a British complaint, just like the fuss kicked up about throttles not being allowed.

Through the rest of Europe and other countries with the same laws there's nothing like all this fuss about either. In some countries it never gets a mention.

The reason is that they cycle at common cycling speeds up to 15 mph at most, which we all used to do in Britain for most of the life of cycling. But since around 1980, we in Britain seem to have developed a sport cycling style obsession, commonly regarding 20 mph or more as normal cycling speeds, though nowhere else does.

That's why the pedelec law doesn't change and isn't likely to, since in fact it's been spreading to more and more countries. What we've got is now very much a world standard with only the USA differing, though not always in a good way.
.
.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LeighPing

David Kilpatrick

Pedelecer
Dec 14, 2016
56
32
58
Cumbernauld
The motorcycle helmet killed the moped in France:

- try pedaling up a hill in 40°C sunshine with a motorbike helmet on.
- try pedalling up a hill with 1.7 kg on your head when you are a 15 year old teenager (of the smaller size)...
- I don't like the physics of riding a light vehicle with something very heavy on my head, I think it is downright dangerous.

Your s-pedelec is a moped not a modern 49cc scooter, it makes 750 W peak, not 2.2 kW. Back in the day, the people who wore helmets on mopeds wore lightweight "bol" helmets basically equivalent to the weight of a bicycle helmet and similar in style to the skateboard helmet of today.

This one weighs 800 grams and is ventilated of I had to go s-pedelec it would be the only choice for me. 250€ extra on top of the price of the bike...

Here is a good page explaining the situation in the EU:

https://www.stromerbike.com/en_IT/blog/blog/the-technical-and-legal-differences-between-pedelec-and-s-pedelec.html

You’re correct about the helmet, looked at the Cratoni Vigor it’s the lightest one that is certified but at £160. I bought a cheap helmet to start with, it’s been okay as the weather hasn’t been great yet. I might need to spend the money if I feel uncomfortable in the hazy Scottish summer!!!
 

David Kilpatrick

Pedelecer
Dec 14, 2016
56
32
58
Cumbernauld
LOL ... well I'm not really sure I'm following your thought processes there. Something tells me there is a bit of self justification going on, rather than cold hard logic! You can still ride a non S pedelec 3-4 times a week as well ;) (or were you comparing your e-bike to a non assisted bike?)

Don't get me wrong ... I'm not one of these anti S-pedelec zealots - far from it, I think the current legislation is plain daft and I'm sure you'll have a great time not having to put up with the annoying (and sometimes dangerous!) 25kmh cutoff. It'll be a much more 'natural' cycling experience.
But all this registration fuss. And cost. And then needing to wear a too hot and heavy helmet. AND more stupidly, not being able to then legally ride on cycle paths, for gods sake. Its just crazy. And I often think about this when I'm on my non powered drop handlebar bike, zooming at 25mph down the most gentle of gradients on a (empty!) local cycle path I often use. Or when I'm hurtling at 30mph down any decent hill on ANY bike I own.
I'm not getting at you here, I'm getting at the legislation. But I often think about this as I have a (still stock and restricted) Bosch powered bike I use to commute a 40 mile round trip to work, and I've considered the pros and cons of getting and implementing a fully legal 28mph solution, however there are so many cons to doing it, at the moment, for myself, there seem to be more cons than pros, and that includes taking into account it _might_ take an extra 15 min to get to work.
That's for me and my situation though. I can possibly see that if nearly all one's riding was done on flat 30mph roads exclusively, and you could maintain that speed all the time, then it might be a safer option keeping up with the traffic.
Interestingly, as my own commute route is VERY hilly, with very little flat, I'm not convinced that I'd save that much time at all if I derestricted my bike, because 15mph is pretty darn fast up most of the hills as it is, and I don't need assist going down them at 20-30mph!!
But note I still detest the 15mph cutoff, and I consider it dangerous when I'm navigating town roundabouts etc, so its interesting to see people now managing to legally overcome this in the UK. But the law is an ass at the moment.[/QUOT

Joe agree about the law, however it’s not something that anyone can influence just now so just need to live with it. Bit of indulgence? Possibly! I love my bikes and cycling. My route takes about 5 miles through the city and 8 on the open roads where it’s relatively flat. In the city I don’t save much time and a normal ebike would be sufficient. On the open road it’s amazing and worth it. I suppose if nobody ever registers or challenges the government the legislation will never change. For me I was fortunate as I work in the motor trade getting it taxed wasn’t overly difficult. I’m sure others will find it much harder.
For now my current circumstances this bike is a good fit. If I change job or location it might not be. Everyone’s situation and needs will be different and they need to decide what’s right for them.
The main thing is everyone on this forum loves ebikes, cycling and will all have different views and opinions
Keep cycling guys and girls
 

Solarbake

Pedelecer
Jan 30, 2014
45
21
Hi it’s great you’ve registered it but my 300 cc scooter is only £69 to insure fully comp a year and that does 90 mph.I have a sped a kalkhoff bs10 actually and have been riding to work for 4 years now and have clocked over 16000 miles on it,
Would I register it not a chance,why would I want to wear a motorcycle helmet on a pushbike?,i never had any trouble had the police past me ,even been at traffic lights with them ,there not interested,I even been knocked off it and got compensation from the drivers insurance,they don’t have a clue or never will be interested.Great on you but i’d feel a right plonker with a helmet and number plate on a bike.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,200
30,603
Hi no It was attached to the rear rack which I removed some time ago.
Thanks, I thought that might be the case with you not getting troubled by the law.

There are quite a few traffic officers who are well aware of pedelec law, in part since some forces have tried out or even bought them for police duties. In the south we've had two cases of them attempting prosecutions and showing quite a lot of knowledge about the regulations.
.
 

Solarbake

Pedelecer
Jan 30, 2014
45
21
I think if your sensible and don’t go bombing around 25mph through towns and busy areas you’re be ok,most of my 20 mile each way commute is through country side i’m lucky if I see a few cars pass me.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
Reactions: flecc

Advertisers