Originally Posted by
Marco
My understanding of the legislation is that all e-bikes have their electrical assistance terminated at 15.5 mph, on the basis that a higher value would make them a motorbike, and subject to compulsory helmet, insurance etc.
Of course this doesn't mean you can't exceed 15.5 mph, it just means that you'll have to pedal or roll downhill to achieve a higher speed. Talking to the portly rider of the Bianchi Aria e-bike I met a few weeks ago he explained that cycling with an e-bike involved using a different strategy. He chose to deliberately keep the speed below 15.5 mph on the slight inclines that pass as hills around here, so that he got full electrical assistance. On the flat and the slight downhills he could, and did, look after himself