Racerbear02 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Can anyone advise what is the legal position regarding these in France please? I am talking about push bikes which have auxiliary electric motors to ease hill climbing etc.Do they need to be registered?Do they need to be insured?Do you have to wear a motorcycle, or indeed any, safety helmet?Any other regulations? or are they totally illegal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused of chalus Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 As the owner of one of these ( though I bought it just before winter so haven't been on it a lot) my understanding is that as long as it one that you have to keep pedalling to make the electric assist kick in and not a motor that will move the bike on its own then it is classed as a bicycle and can be used just like a bicycle. whether you choose a cycle helmet or not is up to you. But thats not definitive - just my understanding of the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 [quote user="Racerbear02"]Can anyone advise what is the legal position regarding these in France please? I am talking about push bikes which have auxiliary electric motors to ease hill climbing etc.Do they need to be registered?Do they need to be insured?Do you have to wear a motorcycle, or indeed any, safety helmet?Any other regulations? or are they totally illegal?[/quote]1. no2. no3. no4. no Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 [quote user="LEO"][quote user="Racerbear02"]Can anyone advise what is the legal position regarding these in France please? I am talking about push bikes which have auxiliary electric motors to ease hill climbing etc.Do they need to be registered?Do they need to be insured?Do you have to wear a motorcycle, or indeed any, safety helmet?Any other regulations? or are they totally illegal?[/quote]1. no2. no3. no4. no[/quote] Hi Ok Sorry but it should be . 1 no 2 no 3 no4 yes You can have max 250 watt motor (300 for trike or trailor type ones ) max speed is 15 mph from the assist and you have to be moving for the assist to work .. rules are nearly the same as the uk but the uk allow a twist grip like speed controller good site here http://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Check out this DRIRE ruling on the classification of bikes with electric assistance:http://www.velo-electrique.com/Images/lettre_drire.JPGThe bike will be classed as a bicycle rather than a cyclomoteur, provided that the motor ceases to function whenever:- the cyclist stops pedalling- the speed reaches 25km/h- the brake is applied.Twist grips or any other device which would allow the bike to move on its own are prohibited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 [quote user="Sunday Driver"] Check out this DRIRE ruling on the classification of bikes with electric assistance:http://www.velo-electrique.com/Images/lettre_drire.JPGThe bike will be classed as a bicycle rather than a cyclomoteur, provided that the motor ceases to function whenever:- the cyclist stops pedalling- the speed reaches 25km/h- the brake is applied.Twist grips or any other device which would allow the bike to move on its own are prohibited. hi ok sorry SD your info is only 14 years out of date .....very very funny for you .. Dave How fast can I go?Legally, the motor must stop assisting you when you reach 15.5 mph (25 km/h). Of course, you can pedal faster than that, and it's certainly possible to go faster than that downhill, so the top speed is up to you. A good comfortable speed for general commuting and riding about town is between 10-15 mph, so the motor should assist you whenever you need it.What's the legal position on electric bikes?There are a number of key features which define an electric bicycle in law. Although there's currently a little UK/EU confusion in the regulations, the de facto rules are that the machine must not weigh more than 40kg, the motor power must not exceed 250 Watts, and the motor must cut out at 15.5mph. In addition, it must have working pedals, and meet the relevant standards for a normal bicycle. Currently, there is a definite difference between UK and European regulations in terms of power control. In the UK, it is still legal for the throttle to be operated without the pedals turning (so that you may ride on power alone), whereas in Europe, the pedals must be turning for the power to be applied. It's likely that the UK will soon come into line with European standards for new bikes, but that anything currently legal will remain legal. A rider must be over 14 years old to ride an electric bike, but they are not required to pay Vehicle Excise Duty, register the bike, have insurance or wear a helmet. An electric bike may use the same cycle facilities as a normal bike - such as off-road cycle paths, Advanced Stop Lines at traffic lights, designated cycle crossings and so on. And of course, they can use the roads, unless bikes are prohibited (such as is the case on motorways). Although you are not required to have insurance, it may be wise to insure your bike against theft and damage anyway. It is also possible to get third party insurance, in case you damage someone else's property while on your bike[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racerbear02 Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 Thanks all, much appreciated [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 [quote user="Dave&Olive"][quote user="Sunday Driver"] Check out this DRIRE ruling on the classification of bikes with electric assistance:http://www.velo-electrique.com/Images/lettre_drire.JPGThe bike will be classed as a bicycle rather than a cyclomoteur, provided that the motor ceases to function whenever:- the cyclist stops pedalling- the speed reaches 25km/h- the brake is applied.Twist grips or any other device which would allow the bike to move on its own are prohibited. hi ok sorry SD your info is only 14 years out of date .....very very funny for you .. Dave [/quote]No it isn't. The DRIRE letter may be dated 1998, but the requirements are current for France - as the rest of your post goes on to confirm. Finally, I'm not sure why your explanation about the situation in the UK would be relevant to Racerbear's query which concerned the legal position in France.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 [quote user="Sunday Driver"][quote user="Dave&Olive"][quote user="Sunday Driver"] Check out this DRIRE ruling on the classification of bikes with electric assistance:http://www.velo-electrique.com/Images/lettre_drire.JPGThe bike will be classed as a bicycle rather than a cyclomoteur, provided that the motor ceases to function whenever:- the cyclist stops pedalling- the speed reaches 25km/h- the brake is applied.Twist grips or any other device which would allow the bike to move on its own are prohibited. hi ok sorry SD your info is only 14 years out of date .....very very funny for you .. Dave [/quote]No it isn't. The DRIRE letter may be dated 1998, but the requirements are current for France - as the rest of your post goes on to confirm. Finally, I'm not sure why your explanation about the situation in the UK would be relevant to Racerbear's query which concerned the legal position in France.... [/quote] hi ok I can not be ...they have up the wattage from 200 to 250 since 1998 ??? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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