It’s a story as old as time, humans have been finding ways to increase the speed of their rides. Cars get scrapped. Aftermarket sprockets are available in the motorcycle. Hell, back in the day horses were probably fed ‘good carrots’. Now one of the latest forms of speed hacking has targeted electric bikes, and Amazon is being raked over the coals for helping provide accessories to illegally hotrod those e-bikes.
The issue of modifying e-bikes for extra speed is most commonly found in Europe, where strict electric bike laws limit electric bicycles to 25 km/h (15.5 mph).
Considering that even an out-of-shape cyclist can exceed that speed on an old Schwinn, some European e-bikers are eager to find workarounds for more speed.
To avoid this low software-limited top speed of electric bicycles in Europe, a cottage industry of e-bike speed hacking kits has emerged.
Solutions range from electronic modifications or “chipping” to hardware hacks that can remove the digital speed limit, tricking the bike’s speed sensors into thinking it is actually slowing down, allowing greater speed.
as many times As recently pointed out, a kit for hacking Bosch e-bike motors is currently an Amazon bestseller in the UK.
The product, which costs around 150 (about US$175), boldly claims to be able to unlock Bosch e-bike motors at speeds of up to 45 km/h (28 mph). Hidden at the bottom of the page is a small disclaimer that explains that unlocking an e-bike’s top speed above the legal limit may be against the law in some areas.
Cycling UK’s director of policy pointed out that these kits are illegal to use on public roads in the UK because they change the classification of e-bikes:
“Illegal adaptations where you no longer need to pedal or where the motor is more powerful or faster than 15mph is not a risk to the rider and others, but means you are riding a motorbike. Therefore you would be committing a criminal offense riding on UK roads without insurance, license plates and a motorbike helmet.
The ready availability of illegal conversion kits online is a concern. While buyers should do their research, the onus should also be on online retailers to ensure they are doing their due diligence and only selling these kits with all the necessary warnings about how they are safe and legally fit. Also selling legal equipment.
Amazon, for its part, claims that these devices are sold by third-party sellers using its platform. Unlike items sold directly by Amazon, third-party sellers take orders through Amazon but often fulfill those orders independently.
The company explained in a statement:
“Third-party sellers are independent businesses and are required to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and Amazon policies when listing items for sale in our store.”
This type of e-bike hot rodding is much less common in the US, where e-bikes are allowed to operate at speeds up to 45 km/h (28 mph) in many places.
Many e-bikes have been known to achieve speeds in excess of 28 miles per hour, and most police departments in the US often do not know enough about electric bikes to differentiate between legal and illegal use of e-bikes on public roads. They are not proficient.
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