Legal ride or not?

[Johng1010]

Hi All
I have a PRO RIDER E–Wayfarer Electric Folding Bike this was built pre 2016
As it has a Throttle Only mode does the post 2016 regulation apply to this bike
I cant find anything on the government sites about pre 2016 bikes
If anyone has a definite answer or a link to one
I would be grateful to hear it

TIA

 

[saneagle]

There was a letter from someone that gave grandfather rights to pre 2016 bikes with throttles. Whatever the case, make sure your bike is restricted to 25 km/hr and you won't have any problems. Your motor isn't really strong enough to drive around without pedalling anyway, so how would anybody know or care about your throttle? If you get stopped by the police, they care more about whether yor brakes work than whether you have an illegal bike.

 

[snafu]

I think this link explains it all.

Electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) in Great Britain: information sheet

www.gov.uk

Specifically the sentence...
"However, under European law[footnote 4] new “Twist and Go” vehicles will, from January 2016, have to meet a range of technical requirements before they can be used on roads. "

TTFN
John.

 

[Johng1010]

I think this link explains it all.

Electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) in Great Britain: information sheet

www.gov.uk

Specifically the sentence...
"However, under European law[footnote 4] new “Twist and Go” vehicles will, from January 2016, have to meet a range of technical requirements before they can be used on roads. "

TTFN
John.

Hi
Thanks
Yes bike meets "technical requirements"
but I think still needs "Type approval" or is that granted to pre 2016 bikes?

 

[saneagle]

Hi
Thanks
Yes bike meets "technical requirements"
but I think still needs "Type approval" or is that granted to pre 2016 bikes?

I told you that there's a letter that gives grandfather rights. Also, that statement on the government website has errors in it. It was put up by amateurs.

 

[matthewslack]

Hi
Thanks
Yes bike meets "technical requirements"
but I think still needs "Type approval" or is that granted to pre 2016 bikes?

Type approval is not needed by pre 2016 'twist and goes'. The government website words don't say so explicitly because they don't need to: they expect this to be understood by inference from stating what is required from 2016.

 

[flecc]

Hi All
I have a PRO RIDER E–Wayfarer Electric Folding Bike this was built pre 2016
As it has a Throttle Only mode does the post 2016 regulation apply to this bike
I cant find anything on the government sites about pre 2016 bikes
If anyone has a definite answer or a link to one
I would be grateful to hear it

TIA

"Grandfather Rights"

The old 1983 EAPC regulations did not specify how pedelec power was to be applied, leaving the door open for any method including fully acting throttles. However the 2015 amendments to EU law barred such throttles, power only allowed by pedalling to be truly assist in nature. By convention though, existing machines from before 1st January 2016 had Grandfather Rights to remain as they were, this confirmed by a prior DfT statement of intentions at a joint consultation meeting with the industry and police on 13th April 2013. "

Beware of informal DfT responses and replies to inquiry letters, they are often wrong or misleading.

Your throttle only mode is entirely legal since your pedelec has Grandfather Rights formally granted by the DfT in accordance with very long standing legal practice, i.e. laws are never normally retrospective.

Here's an example of how far this goes in practice:

When 30mph limited 50cc mopeds were first introduced, to popularise their use instead of cars the government ruled that a car driving licence was sufficient.

However a rising moped accident rate caused a change of mind and they became subject to obtaining the CBT (Compulsory Basic Training) and passing the driving test for a group P driving licence.

However, anyone who had gained a full car driving licence prior to 1st February 2001 (the date of the change of law) can still just hop onto a moped and ride it on their car licence, entirely legally. See THIS LINK , paragraphs 1 and 3.
.