Electric bikes- bikes for the non-cyclist
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| Electric bike |
Seen by some experienced bike riders as cheating, electric bikes make riding a bit easier and open up cycling to people who see riding a bike as either too hard or too sweaty.
If you're 14 or over you can ride an electric bike without paying road tax Vehicle Excise Duty, number plates or insurance- but as with normal bikes we'd always recommend you have third party insurance.
The rules are:
- the bike must have pedals that can be used to propel it
- the electric motor shouldn’t be able to propel the bike when it’s travelling more than 15mph
- the bike (including its battery but not the rider) must not be heavier than 40 kilograms (kg) if it’s a bicycle, or 60kg if it’s a tandem or tricycle
- the motor shouldn’t have a maximum power output of more than 200 watts if it’s a bicycle and 250 watts if it’s a tandem or tricycle
- the bike must have a plate showing the manufacturer, the nominal voltage of the battery, and the motor’s power output
Here's a quick look at how this might work out for someone who drives 5 miles or so and parks at the station. (This is a perfect distance for a normal bike, but some people are put off because they think they'll get sweaty or need special bike clothes- this isn't true)
Running costs for a cheapish petrol car are about 19p per mile. That's £9.50 a a week.
Parking charges are £31 for a weekly ticket.
So you're talking around £40 per week to drive to the station and park fairly close. That's £1800 for a 45 week year.
£1800 buys you a reasonable electric bike, and you can park it within 10 yards of the station entrance. Power it from renewable energy and you have a zero emissions bike...
BBC magazine article Electric Bikes-for people who don't cycle
Pedelec- Electric bike website
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