Is it Legal to Ride a UK Throttle Equipped Pedelec in Europe?

[chris74]

We know that a car/motor cycle that is registered, taxed & insured in the UK can be driven/ridden in most countries on a temporary basis even if it does not comply with their construction & use regulations.

A UK pedelec in neither taxed nor registered. It also does not comply with the no throttle - pedal assist only - rule that I believe applies in the rest of Europe. So finally the question - is it legal to ride a UK spec pedelec that I take on holiday from the UK whilst on the continent and in particular Holland?

 

[jonathan75]

The last time I saw a Dutch policeman he was looking seriously chilled... But yeah good question anyway

 

[trex]

The throttle is only tolerated in the UK. You should unplug/switch off the throttle while riding in Europe so you won't be tempted to use it. All the Chinese bikes will let you pedal as much or as little as you like, so it should not be a big effort.

 

[flecc]

Some of our e-bikes have a throttle that only operates while pedalling continuously, so if 250 watt rated, those possibly comply to a major extent with EU law, which requires all assistance to stop when pedalling stops.

There is a problem with power phase down, here is the law explaining the requirement for the power to be legal:

(h) cycles with pedal assistance which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0,25 kW, of which the output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25 km/h, or sooner, if the cyclist stops pedalling,

That makes any full throttle ability to 15 mph illegal, but in practice very few pedelecs do in fact phase down power as prescribed. Also it's arguable that torque sensors are throttles.
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

On some bikes, like the Oxygen MTB, you can switch the throttle from normal operation to 6 km/h in the LCD settings to make it legal in Europe. That feature is probably on a lot of bikes with LCDs if you want to selve deep into the settings.

Unless you're riding around without pedalling, how would anybody know that you have an independent throttle.

If it worries you, tell us which bike, and we'll give you a workaround.

 

[chris74]

I have been recommended to look at Woosh bikes by this forum. I am just putting together what I need to know before jumping.

Thank you.

 

[mike killay]

I have been riding my electric bike in Belgium now for four years.
Quite honestly, I don't think that the Belgian Police know about or are worried by throttles.
I have shown the bike, and given rides on it to many Belgians, none commented on the throttle which probably seemed quite natural to them.
Even a Singer sewing machine has got a foot throttle.

 

[trex]

I have been recommended to look at Woosh bikes by this forum. I am just putting together what I need to know before jumping.

Thank you.

AFAIK, woosh sold a lot of bikes to France. Also, you can unplug/switch off the throttle on all the woosh bikes except on the Sundowner and the Zephyr CDN.
The police in all the EU countries where I've been to don't even look at ready made e-bikes. Perhaps the reason is that they presume that manufacturers have already made sure that their bikes are legal so there is no need. I have never heard of anyone being fined for having a throttle in France or Spain or Germany. Still, I recommend that you switch off your throttle to be a good tourist.

 

[grldtnr]

It may be illegal for a throttle on the continent, but I don't think that anyone is going to be that interested, there are more pressing problems such as satirical magazine's!

 

[RobF]

It may be illegal for a throttle on the continent, but I don't think that anyone is going to be that interested, there are more pressing problems such as satirical magazine's!

If you are going to joke about mass murder of journalists, the least you can do is get the grammar somewhere near the mark.

The plural of magazine is magazines, there is no apostrophe.

This is fairly basic stuff, a child ought to know it.

That adults don't know it shows you the billions spent on education has been a gigantic waste.

 

[oldtom]

Given the frequency with which very simple words, usually relating to bicycles, are mis-spelled in these pages, I find that comment from RobF particularly unnecessary. The mis-use of the apostrophe is just as common as the 'we're/were/where' mistakes and the 'would of'/'could of'/'should of' expressions from more than a few.

If we are going to operate to certain grammatical standards, then all who can't express themselves properly should be admonished; not just the odd one, otherwise it's unfair. There are lots of terms that grate with me, most particularly at the moment, probably the most misused word in the English language, 'amazing' - usually there is nothing at all amazing about the circumstance to which it's applied. Another is the usage of the word, 'sat', which has a particular meaning and differs from 'seated' and 'sitting' as even a cursory venture into etymology reveals.

So, all in all, I'd say let's leave the spelling police for more important areas of life involving the written word. This is just a forum about bikes!

Tom

 

[flecc]

That adults don't know it shows you the billions spent on education has been a gigantic waste.

Particularly on the education of journalists, who should be the professionals in language usage. In reality they are among the worst in our society, with their misuse of adjectives, incorrect words and faulty grammar.

Shooting them was a bit harsh though.
.

 

[D8ve]

I hold my hand up and declare. I am dyslexic. English is a bastardised language a mix of multiple languages. The spelling and pronunciation is illogical. The grammar is the icing on the cake for me.
Please meaning is more important than misc apostrophe's.
Can we keep it to sense and meaning.
And anyone who criticises my spelling should think about why I contibute and what is important here.

 

[flecc]

And anyone who criticises my spelling should think about why I contibute and what is important here.

I often get pleasure from seeing some of the spelling mistakes in here. This current thread title amused me:

Two birth camper can be towed by cycle

I wonder if conception was in the camper too?

Of course a large number of spelling errors are being caused by predictive text, since so many use portable devices to post.
.

 

[Alan Quay]

The plural of magazine is magazines, there is no apostrophe.

I believe it's called a "Greengrocer's apostrophe".

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Should that be greengrocers', since there's more than one of them with that apostrophe? I've often wondered about that.

 

[grldtnr]

If you are going to joke about mass murder of journalists, the least you can do is get the grammar somewhere near the mark.

The plural of magazine is magazines, there is no apostrophe.

This is fairly basic stuff, a child ought to know it.

That adults don't know it shows you the billions spent on education has been a gigantic waste.

Yes,OK my comment was flippant,but as in most things you chose to read it as jokey reference to a slaughter of innocent's, when I meant to
Imply that what has been happening in the name of religious zeal is a travesty of intolerance, dare I quote it here ,such as your post!

 

[flecc]

Should that be greengrocers', since there's more than one of them with that apostrophe? I've often wondered about that.

I think it's usually shown as greengrocer's to mimic the way in which greengrocers commonly place it, as in Apple's for example.
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

What about carpenters vice?. Does it have an apostrophe to show that it could belong to one or more carpenters, or is it a vice for carpenters, so no apostrophe? What about all the other tool names and stuff like engineers blue, or is it engineers' blue?

 

[mike killay]

Of course, although it is written as 's
only the North Walians actually pronounce it that way.
Everybody actually says 'z