What is a normal pedal cycle? I believe it is a cycle capable of being ridden by human pedal power alone.
I personally would welcome input from the MCIA on this open and transparent discussion.
I would like to hear what possible objections they might have.
The spirit of the DfT provision for conversions is very clear and doesn't provide for such dodges to circumvent both the law and what they've said. We all know what "normal bicycle" means.
Adding to my previous answer, we've got what we wanted as shown below:
Conversions of existing normal bicycles into legal EAPCs will not have to have official approval, even with throttles. That's now.
New EAPCs with throttles will need type approval, but that is done by maker or supplier. Therefore there is no discrimination, since anyone will be able to go to a supplier and buy a throttle EAPC in exactly the same way as buying a pedelec only EAPC. We just have to be a little patient since there is a delay to allow the necessary Type Approval class to be provided.
Therefore we should be satisfied and not look for dodges to circumvent the law on new EAPCs pending the new type approval class.
Attracting attention to such dodges risks the EU closing the loophole by adding an SVA class for bicycle conversions to pedelecs.
That could mean all individual conversions, even those without throttles, would have to be submitted for Single Vehicle Approval.
Is it worth that risk in an attempt to avoid another year of patience? After all, we've lived for almost 13 years since November 10th 2003 without any permission for throttles on new pedelecs, so what's another year or so?
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