Electric bike laws UK

[the.fee.fairy]

I'm thinking of buying one of these:

http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/t ... cycle.html

It is cheaper for me to buy one here and ship it home when i go back permanently than it is to buy one at home.

BUT! I'm so confused as to the legalities of electric bikes in England!

Can someone give me an idiot's guide please?

Thanks

edited to add: It goes about 10mph (18-20kmh), weighs about 3 stone (35kg).

Is there anything i would need to make sure that it has before i ride it in England? Obviously, i plan to have lights :)

[merlin]

It is an interesting question. I know a chap that has a horse and a cart, he does not need anything. Mind you it only goes about a tonne and a half, does not have breaks or lights and goes 25 mph. So perhaps you won't need anything.

[trinder]

I think one of my friends had one when he was banned from driving. It was not very good on hills but on the flat was fine.

[the.fee.fairy]

It'll be useful for me here to go shopping. The downtown area is about 20 minute by bus.

Everyone here has them for getting around, there doesn't seem to be any law about them :)

But I know that the UK doesn't really make alternative transport that easy...

[Carltonian Man]

Here you go Fee. It all seems fairly straight forward

[the.fee.fairy]

oooh ta!

Looks like the bike i want is perfectly legal in the UK then!

Woohoo! Now i can go and spend a fortune on one

[Jandra]

Almost a year ago I got an e-bike and I love it. But with -14 C, the batteries don't work very well. Oh well, I admit I didn't have a burning desire to get on my bike with those temps. In a more normal temperature range the bike will get me into town (8 miles, over a steep hilly part) and to the railway station without my breaking a sweat. Very useful when I'm traveling to clients.

So, spend a fortune and then enjoy!

[the.fee.fairy]

The only thing that worries me is that it doesn't look like a normal bike. More like a scooter/moped type thing.

I suppose if i keep hold of all the paperwork and the badge and stuff I can explain it should i get stopped. I have a provisional licence (somewhere) so should be covered for electric scooter use.

I say spend a fortune...I've found one for about £160. It'll cost about £100 to send it home when i go home, so it's a lot of money for me here, but it saves at least £200 buying a 'normal' electric bike in the UK.

[the.fee.fairy]

I got it! I got it!

Felt like Christmas!

Got cold hands driving it home, didn't get squashed...

[Carltonian Man]

Can we see a photo, pleeease

[the.fee.fairy]

you certainly can!



It's the one that's not a cycle bike :)

[Carltonian Man]

That looks pretty good Fee, from what you said I thought it might be less pleasing on the eye than that. Seat looks comfy too.

[the.fee.fairy]

The seat looks more comfy than it is...or maybe my bum's just not used to being on a bike!

I need to find someone with a spanner so i can raise the seat. When I pedal, it feels like i'm going to knee myself in the head...