An electric mountain bike with a range of 50 miles at speeds up to 50 mph is being marketed in Britain as suitable for commuting to work.
With its 4,000 watt motor and top assisted speed of 50 mph, the Stealth Bomber far exceeds the legal limits imposed on electric bicycles, but bypasses the need to be registered as a moped by being classified as an off-road vehicle.
The high-rate lithium cells are guaranteed for 1200 charges – enough juice to power the bike over 60,000 miles.
Charge time is 2 hours via a 240v household outlet.
Regenerative braking prolong the life of the brake pads and allows greater range by converting braking energy into electrical energy fed back into the battery pack.
The law in Britain places a limit of 15.5 mph maximum assisted speed and 250 watts maximum power output on electric that allows them to be treated as conventional, non-electric cycle – that is, no requirement for a licence, helmet or cycle insurance.
Stealth by name, stealth by nature
The Stealth Bomber looks every inch a mountain bike, a very high-spec downhill model granted, but little about its appearance suggests its blistering – and silent – power. A button on the handlebars can limit the bike to 16 mph, a feature that has led to the bike being described by one dealer as a potential commuter.
Germany and Switzerland have established a separate class of electric bike. These bikes can travel at speeds of 30 mph and face less stringent requirements than mopeds.
This type of ‘super electric bicycle’ offers a cleaner, quieter and practical alternative to a traditional moped, but a proposal to extend this class of vehicle across the European Union was recently rejected by the EU government.
Bicycles currently represent the most efficient and practical application for electric motor technology; battery-powered cars and motorcycles are heavy and troublesome to charge without widespread charging points, but e-bikes are light enough to be carried into a house to be re-charged. The electrically-assisted bicycle (or the pedal-assisted electric moped) is the ultimate hybrid; if the battery runs flat, the rider can switch to leg power in an instant.
The main barrier to widespread uptake of exotic machines such as the Stealth Bomber is unlikely to be the law – at almost £10,000, it costs more than a good quality bicycle, scooter and enduro motorcycle combined.
Electric bicycle/moped/motorcycle hybrids
Mopeds are rarely thought of as anything other than a stepping stone towards car ownership for teenagers or a death-defyingly speedy way of delivering pizza, but an appetite for good-looking electric vehicles that look good and won’t break the bank is breathing life into the low-powered, two-wheeler market.
Juicer 48
The Juicer 48 pictured right is a custom-built electric bike and a moped in the classic sense – a low-powered motor and pedals to help get the machine moving at low speeds.
The bike has been built very deliberately with styling as a priority – its appearance borrows heavily from American motorcycles of the 1920s.
The bike can manage 13 miles at 20mph, but can reach an unrestricted top speed of 46mph.
Many electric mopeds or e-bikes are lighter and offer a better range, but unfortunately mopeds are subject to different classifications and a bewildering array of regulation depending on where you are in the world.
For example, any power-assisted bicycle capable of more than 15mph must undergo the onerous process of being registered as a motorcycle. By contrast, a good-quality road bicycle – without an electric motor – can cruise easily at 25mph, but is not subject to the same regulation.
A spokesperson for the ETA, which insures conventional and electric bicycles, said: “The promotion of electric vehicles is back to front; the government appears blind to the wider benefits of electric bicycles and mopeds that do not need the investment in technology and infrastructure required by electric cars.”
Cycle insurance for electric bikes
Cycle insurance from the ETA offers protection for both you and your bike. It includes new-for-old, third party insurance on any bike you ride , personal accident cover, race event cover and if you suffer a mechanical breakdown, we will come out and recover you and your bike. The cover protects against battery theft.
Chris Juden
Don’t call them electric bicycles. We know and approve of electric bicycles, but these faster and more powerful things are electric mopeds pure and simple.
And it is ridiculous to suggest that a good-quality road bicycle can cruise easily at 25mph. It takes a trained athlete to make a bike go that fast, and they won’t be cruising easily whilst they’re at it! Cruising easily happens between 10 and 15mph on a flat road, depending on the bike and rider, which is why electric assistance is limited to 15.5mph and 250 watts, that being as much power as a really fit rider can maintain in the long run. Any more and you have a human-assisted motorbike, commonly called a moped.
I nevertheless agree that an electric moped is a nicer thing than a petrol moped. If they are to be encouraged then it’s up to the motorcycle industry to sort out their own regulations.
M.Magee
Chris Juden, you obviously are not a cyclist! On my daily commute to work I regularly cycle at 50mph (in a 40mph zone along the Perth motor mile) just to keep up with the normal traffic flow. On down hill gradients I’ve been known to hit closer to 70mph. I know this for a fact because most of the vehicles Im keeping up with are my work colleagues & they have the speedos on they’re motors, not I! It some low carbon vehicles can drive on UK public roads tax free, its common sense the most powerfull of ebikes should also be road tax excempt! So may I ask…are you quite simple a cyclist hater who wants us all put off the road? You certain ain’t a cyclist, & that’s a fact from you comments stated.
Rob
Hahaha total bullsh*t!
Wiggo
I suggest you “Google” Chris Juden who is very well respected in the world of cycling.
James
Liar! I can easily cruise on my road bicycle on a flat road at well over 30mph using my legs as it has no motor! I am definitely not a trained athlete! Downhill that bicycle has done in excess of 60mph due to long kentish hills. I have a standard orbea road racer style bicycle. It is very very fast and has no motors so no idea what you are talking about
Andy Phillips
Super bike, and even better place to live! Wow! No traffic, no potholes, right out in the country and…sunny! In other words: not the UK 🙁 That said, electric bike commuting could still work here.
james
Man, 80km on a bicycle with pedals? that would be pretty scary
marriott levetti
its about time that relisse we cant go on taking everything out the ground ,25 years i have been trying to convince people of the great destruction to the earth ,has a bad conclusion. The end mankind and women as well,I would say see you in the afterlife,but the god thing is bullshit too. dont belive what you cant ;see,smell ,touch and taste.
Jeremy
Should leave God out of it. Question – Do you have a brain?…Can you see it? Smell it? Touch it? Taste it? There you go, you must not have a brain and/or it does not exist, by your logic.
John
I think you can feel your brain alright, how about hangovers and headaches for a start, they let you feel your brain alright lol, one of the poorest argument regarding the existence of God I’ve ever heard lol
jb
Read the holy quran
dave
No
David Bennett
I can’t see, touch, feel, or taste oxygen but I believe in it.
Ben S.
And why is that? Overwhelming scientific eevidence repeatedly verified by independent experimentation, perhaps?
Paul Goodwin
“Still, a man hears (smells, feels, tastes, sees) what he wants to hear and disregards the rest…”
If I may suggest a walk with C.S. Lewis – self confessed the most reluctant believer there ever was. Narnia is only the tip of the iceberg.
Alan
Electric bikes are the way forward. If you look at what’s happening to the car industry, it certainly all going that way. Roads in the UK are now so over congested, that an electric bike that is capable of doing 50 mph, seems a much better solution than piling on more cars on our already overcrowded roads. The real issue here is not about the performance of the machine, but how it can be taxed and charged accordingly. Nothing is for free. It is unlikely that this type of bicycle will be used by the scallywag mopeds rider or anyone who is that way inclined. What is appealing though, is the fact that there are numerous bridleways and all sorts of roads that can be used by this vehicle making its use far wider than that of its petrol counterparts.
Ron Pranglen
Alan,I’m afraid your knowledge of the law is incomplete,cannot ride on bridleways on a taxed vehicle two wheels or four, byways yes. I’m struggling to find one I can ride legally that has enough power to help me with an arthritic knee. I agree with you it is the way forward but like anything else that’s new the laws are slow in catching up ! PS I agree with knoxieman below !
knoxieman
Great bike but too expensive, I have many super fast e bikes and have had for 10 years, using off the shelf hub motor kits you can make a 30mph ebike for less than 1000 quid, why should ebikes be taxed? Your local council tax funds the roads, motorbikes shouldn’t be taxed if their class was based on their emissions like cars but they unfairly don’t class them like cars and do it on engine size’ if they did it like cars they would pay no road tax.
Ebiking It’s the best way to get about, next to an electric car which I also have and both are solar powered.
jeff plantz
can you help me with info on how to build a solar powered bicycle ? U may call me at 206 327 8598
ronald millsopp
Hello all,
can anyone advise, if its best to buy an electric bike 48v1000 w or buy a conversion kit ? I dont currently have a bike . My objective is to obtain fast speeds on the tracks and take the hard work out of steep hills .
thank you
ronnie
Paul
I think there should be more investment in this area, although they are not bicycles. A new vehicle category should be created for them, where a simple course/test is required. Not the motorcycle test as there are numerous bits that are far to complicated.
One of the main problems I see for these in the UK is the poor weather we have, nobody likes getting to their destination soaked or having to wear loads of extra layers just to get from A to B.
Essentially the next gen vehicles will be as narrow and nimble as motorcycles/scooters, with the safety, ease and protection of cars.
Daniel
The Lit-1 when it eventually rides ticks a lot of boxes. I hope the giros don’t make too much noise though and if there is a computer error you don’t end up coming off a bend.
Steve Nev
We need to have what the Germans do; a super pedelec of 45km/h and a simple registration fee plus cheap insurance. Helmets compulsory and you are good to go. Wrote to the UK government and they could not understand what I was talking about. Idiots at the DfT. Check out Haibikes.
john
Hello mate,
Totally agree with you, I also agree with a lot of what people have said on this forum. But the fact you have written to the government about what the germans do is awesome! I’m not surprised that they brushed you off though 🙁
The simple truth is that…. if they made it a little less restrictive and allowed a higher speed and more power on e-bikes, then lots and lots of people would probably throw the cars in to the scrap heap and go for e-bikes! This would not be good for the government as it would disrupt tax income massively from fuel and road tax etc. However they will keep the restrictions in place under the guise of “safety” until they can worm in a way of taxing the snot out of e-cyclists first. This is however counter productive to the governments stance on a greener lower emissions country. Obviously I agree that you cant have an electric version of a gixer 600 flying down a pedestrian/cycling path mangling small children, however on the other hand I think the laws are far to strict!
Mike
I’ve got an 1kw kit and it’s actually much safer to use on the road not using the 250w function on the bike because you can keep up with traffic when you need to (where you would otherwise be causing a danger by going slow) and then cruise along at 15mph (which increases range and causes less wear/tear) when you’re on wide roads with lots of space for cyclists.
I’ve got a standard racing bike and that’s just as fast as my ebike so I really don’t know why there’s a problem. I really hope something is done… although I highly doubt Nanny Cameron is going to do anything other then introduce more regulations
fastelectricbike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S6fO5_cGlI
I think my one is alot cheaper and similar just not quite as fast
G
I would buy an electric super bike if it could be taken into my house for charging, I like the idea of a 50 mph electric bicycle.
I ride motorcycles and drive cars most of the time but have an electric bike for fun, it’s very slow compared to my other forms of transport, I think many people would be happy to get on one of these types of electric bikes, even if it were the slower 29 mph ones that some EU countries have.
The UK is so backward when it comes to electric bikes you could say we are still in the stone age of two wheeled transportation.
rich
Watch this space.
blaxstar.com will be releasing an electric bike much in the same league as the Stealth performance wise but much lighter.
It will have been put through the UK’s rigorous test inspections and will be road legal and able to cheaply insure.
Look out for it in 2015…
dan
Im afraid it doesnt matter how slow you make the bomber go it weighs more than 40kg putting it overspec to ever be considered legal in the uk without getting it registered and mot’d etc.
Phil Lee
With a design speed of over 30mph, this isn’t even a moped – it’s a full blown motorcycle, and subject to all the legal requirements thereof.
OK, you can market it as off-road only, and get away with selling the thing, but anyone who actually uses it on anything but private land (where they have the permission of the landowner) is liable to have it seized and crushed.
Get the thing through Construction and Use type approval and sell it properly as a road vehicle, or not at all.
Jacob
It should have been approved these bikes. just add the necessary parts and it would work!
mattayo
Almost every war that has been fought was and still is to do with religion. Make your own conclusions.
mattayo
Will the batteries ever get any cheaper. The rest of the gear to build your own is pretty reasonable.
phil
50mph on something like that you have to be kidding, I know they can do it but think of it, very quite, very narrow very quick even hard to see at 5mph head on never mind 50mph. Ho yes im a daily pedal cyclist with a power plant and in the process of building a two seater electric pedal assist car ready for the winter. Before you stick your size 9’s in I know all the IVA rules off by hart. Back to the bike it will never be legal under EU unless it complies with all currant motorcycle legislation including a rider having a crash helmet, full motorcycle licence, never mind the insurance. So back again to the bike at 50mph 1000watts it’s a motorbike, why you ask lets forget its power it has a speed of 50mph so not a moped, moped has to be restricted to 35mph max. So it’s a motorbike you scream! No its not has it stands it would not get a motorbike IVA approval as it has pedals that defines it has a moped / pushbike and it’s clearly not. So what category would it fit under? That’s the stupid EU rules for you, if it doesn’t fit into a nice clearly defined category that the EU likes it’s illegal and will remain so. Can’t road tax charge it, cant registration charge it, cant collect MOT charge on it, cant collect congestion chargers on it, cant even collect fuel tax chargers on it, cant collect insurance tax on it. So do you think UK powers at bee wont it? what’s in it for the economy a big fat nothing, in fact one would think it would be right for every commuter given the state of the economy right now being as it is, just think of the revenue that would be lost if we all ditched the car, bus, train for one day and used one of the 50mph bikes. Without us all spending to give to the revenue daily we would all be in the poor house. If you can travel with very minimal spend (sensibly) every day like one could on one of the 50mph bikes jobs would be at risk. That’s another rant for some other time. So it will never become legal for a 50mph push motorized bike described above in the UK has it would damage UK economy at multiple levels even given that it would be so practical for us all to use . Well that’s my rant over.
Penny Farthing
These bikes are great but completely wasted on the UKs pitted roads – Soon we won’t even be able to drive a Chieftan Tank on our shamefull third world roads !
paul wilson
yeah it is a motor vehicle if is electric and more than 1.000 watt MOTOR VEHICLE petrol or electric ie electric motor but if it is off road only then it is OK electric hub motors only have two moving parts so only two things two go wrong with and are cheep to replace
at the end of the day it is licence and you only live once motorcycle or electric bike
Kc
Even on my mountain bike can hold 20mph for a mile or two and hit 30 on a sprint and the same on steep loose rocky decents and never had a problem with safety.
15.5 seems over the top, should be around 20mph then tier 1 reqirements for 29(helmet, theory test)
and tier 29-50. (Maybe an e bike cbt,insurance,full face helmet)
And 1000 watts is nothing my basic RC car is 650 (60 mph) and they can go to 5kw and weigh 25kg anyway.
People just need to have a bit of common sense and respect of other people, the few that don’t should be restricted not the innocent majority.
Paul Wight
We really need to make a new legal category below a moped and above the current 15mph electric bike law. I suggest raising that to only 22mph would make a huge difference to how many people take up electric bikes.
I have good experience in this area, I have driven one to work for over 6 years.
Now we are going out of Europe this would be easier and could make England into leaders in the Electric bike market.
Who do we talk to?
ETA
You’re right, Paul – Brexit could pave the way for new regulation on electric bikes. One stumbling block could be the cycle lobby – they have always been weary of promoting electric bikes above those that rely only on leg power. This is an understandable position, but the environmental benefits of moving car commuters to electric bicycles are numerous and significant.
Yannick Read
A new 20 mph limit would work well as it tallies with the new default speed limit in many urban areas
Eddy
I regularly commute on an e-bike at 26mph. Its been 8 years and besides 1 near miss, and another minor collision – both not my fault, I felt totally safe.
Both incidents could easily have occurred with ordinary cycling anyway. One involved a docile oncoming driver cut in front of me by inches to turn into a junction. The second incident was a fault with the road planning involving cars travelling in same direction overtaking cyclist, avoiding a bus lane, then cutting left in front of cyclist and bus lane to turn into a car park on the left from the second lane.
I also rode for a year in London on those super highways. Even safer.
The advantage of having a higher speed bike that travels alongside the curb is that drivers are less frustrated and reluctant to overtake anyway. This actually improves safety. Sure its the riders responsibility to still ride slowly and adjust speed for appropriate situations. For example riding so fast in a traffic jam undertaking cars is a very bad idea. However cycling on dual carriageway or open road is quite safe at 26mph speed. with traffic passing by.
Keith Frtwell
I go cycling each week with a group from my local. Ages range from the twenties to my age of 69. We cycle in the Peak District , lots of hills.I recently bought an electric bike to keep up with my mates. It’s brilliant on the hills but completely useless on the flat. Power cuts off at 15 mph and you are left peddling a very heavy bike whilst everyone disappears into the distance on lightweight bikes. Ironically, as old as I am, cycling on the flat has not been a problem for me on my carbon road bike. What to do? Give up cycling? Acquire an illegal bike? I would be happy to pay a license fee if this were an an option. At my age, I’ll not hold my breath that our rulers will develop sense.
Eddy
Don’t buy off the shelf ebikes. Instead use a 1kw hub kit that doesn’t cut off after 15mph. They will be heavier still but for 20 miles you’ll have no problem thrashing your mates
j.j
I have built my own trike from scratch weld it together know every nut and bolt on it I also wanted to fit an electric motor to assist it, its sad to realise that uk law restricts us to 15.5mph speed limit why not 30mph it seems its all just a money making scam to me and many others who see through this it will be like cars registration is to give up ownership and they now own the vehicle and you are now the registered keeper its all bollox to keep us under control shove the electric motor up there ass i will continue to cycle for free next they will be telling us we need a heatlh and safety course to wipe our own ass. bah bah as we all follow like good little sheep wheres the freedom they kick the ass and fun out of enjoyment cycling is meant to be fun not stressed out finding cheap insurance quotes w.t.f has this world come to.
Jaylaw
Thinking of getting a 1000w 48v for using to and from work, good or bad idea??
Eddy
Thats what I use and have been for 8 years. They are awesome kits
phil radford
completely illegal under UK law unless type approved registered with dvla. 250 watts is the max without type approval and registration.
Ali
They can make all the laws they like, just ordered 48v 1500w 50 mph mountain bike. Cant believe how many law abiding citizens we have. Happy cycling everyone.
Lupus Rides
It’s worth noting that this thing is totally Illegal to use on UK roads due to the motor being above 250W and the unassisted speed being above 15.5mph, this mean you WILL require A Crash Helmet, A Licence, An MOT & Full Insurance to use it on UK Roads.
phil radford
You can be banned from driving!! Don’t think for one minute just because it’s a push bike it won’t affect your licence, if it’s deemed illegal at the roadside your electric bike could be impounded and crushed under the new regulations. Not just that, if you haven’t got insurance on an electric bike over 250 watts its illegal end of. What does this mean in the event of an accident you could lets say accidentally kill a baby in a pram. Basically you could be charged with manslaughter in the same way as a driver caught in a car with no insurance committing the same offence. Remember no insurance 6 points on your licence. Not to mention using a vehicle on the public highway that doesn’t meat the UK’s minimum construction standards. I know you’re not going to have an accident but remember most accidents are caused by the other drivers and not you. Well 99% of all push bike riders that’s interviewed by the law say it wasn’t my fault. it’s very simple to check on all these illegal electric bikes, because all have to be plated and rated with the manufacturers specifications including the motor and its wattage and its voltage. Without this the bike is deemed illegal even if it is 250 Watts without the plate it’s illegal end of and full stop.
mueller1970
I don’t agree, read https://cleantechnica.com/2017/10/08/electric-bicycle-gocycle-gs/
tt
I am so glad that the USA does not have it’s head so far up its rear about allowing a reasonable power output. Here we get 750 Watts. You can buy a Lunacycle bike with more output, but all you have to do is drive sensibly, and you should be fine. That 50 MPH bike looks ugly, though.
tt
Watch out in New York, though. The mayor with zero vision seems to have started a war against them.
Phil
Changed my 250w mid drive kit to 18mph. just 2.5mph more. Made it far better. Back to 15.5 mph now. Don’t want to be done. [easy target 65 years old and wont cause trouble] I live in a flat area and quite skinny. Fat and hilly not enough power.