The Bicycle Association (BA) and the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) have launched a new safety trust mark, E-Bike Positive, to help British consumers identify and purchase road-legal e-bikes with confidence. The initiative follows alarming YouGov polling data showing that 84% of people are not confident they can distinguish a legal e-bike from an illegally modified one.
Public Knowledge Gaps Exposed
The YouGov research highlights widespread ignorance about e-bike regulations. Only 16% of respondents correctly identified the legal speed limit at which an e-bike's motor must stop assisting—15.5 mph. Additionally, 69% recognized that using an incorrect charger can cause fires, and 65% pointed to substandard conversion kits bought through online marketplaces as a fire risk.
However, 30% still believe all e-bikes are equally prone to fire, indicating how illegal products have tainted perceptions of the entire category, including legitimate brands that meet rigorous international standards.
Industry Response to Safety Concerns
Steve Garidis, Executive Director of the Bicycle Association, said: “Reputable brands spend years and considerable sums developing e-bikes which meet longstanding international standards and all the regulations for their legal sale and use on the road. They are a fantastic product with a wide variety of customers and benefits to health and the environment. But all this is undermined by illegal and unsafe products often sold through online marketplaces to unsuspecting consumers. That’s why, as the industry trade bodies representing reputable e-bike brands and retailers, we have developed a safety trust mark as part of the E-Bike Positive scheme, so consumers can easily identify safe and legal e-bikes and where they may be purchased.”
How E-Bike Positive Works
The E-Bike Positive trust mark will be displayed by participating retailers and on products from verified brands. It assures customers that the e-bike meets legal requirements and safety standards. Jonathan Harrison, Director of the Association of Cycle Traders, added: “Our members are proud to sell properly tested, road‑legal e‑bikes, but until now they have had no simple way to prove it to customers who are understandably seeking reassurance. E‑Bike Positive changes that. When retailers and the brands they stock carry the trust mark, customers can buy with confidence, knowing the products come from independently verified brands and that the retailer is committed to recognised standards and responsible retailing.”
Impact on Consumer Confidence
The launch aims to restore trust in the e-bike market, which has been undermined by a flood of illegal and unsafe products, often sold via online marketplaces. The BA and ACT hope the trust mark will help consumers make informed choices and differentiate between compliant e-bikes and dangerous imitations. With e-bike sales rising, the initiative is seen as crucial for both safety and the industry's reputation.
