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Derestricting an electric-assist bike (EAB) to prevent the assistance from cutting out at 25 km/h is a common practice, but it is prohibited by law. Offenders now face one year in prison, and manufacturers of derestriction kits face up to two years.
Source: unionsportcycle.com – Photos: Pxhere.com / Pixabay.com / Amazon / 3bikes.fr
Being able to enjoy the electric assistance of an EAB beyond 25 km/h: while the idea may seem appealing at first, it is not only dangerous but is now punishable by law.
The figures from the latest Cycle Observatory confirm it, and the next edition should too: EABs are gaining more and more followers in France. Their users appreciate the comfort of electric assistance, which allows them to pedal faster with less effort. With one limit: the electric assistance stops when the bike reaches 25 km/h. Beyond that, only the user’s pedaling effort allows them to accelerate. These characteristics clearly distinguish EABs from mopeds and firmly establish them as soft mobility devices.
A limit deemed too restrictive for some, who may have been tempted to install derestriction kits on their bikes, allowing them to extend electric assistance well beyond 25 km/h. The problem: it’s dangerous, and it’s illegal.
Thus, one can encounter electric mountain bikes with a 500-watt motor transformed into mopeds, or city bikes faster than Solexes ridden by commuters in city shoes.
However, and this is a trend noted in the new category of race-oriented road bikes, manufacturers are playing it safe by offering models designed to provide a boost on climbs, but not to break records, with power limited to 220 or 250 watts and reasonable torque. These light and agile bikes are also very close to traditional road bikes in terms of handling beyond 25 km/h.
A dangerous practice because it is not intended
An EAB placed on the market is designed to offer electric assistance up to 25 km/h. Derestricting the bike can then lead to premature wear of the frame, fork, brakes, and wheels, or even degradation of the motor and battery.
A danger to safety, therefore, but also a risk of significant repair costs.
Not to mention that a derestricted vehicle is no longer considered a bicycle but a moped. Consequently, it is no longer covered by warranty (neither by the manufacturer nor by the store) and its owner is riding an unapproved vehicle and is not insured. A modification with serious consequences in the event of an accident, especially if it involves injuries.
An offense now punishable by law
Promulgated at the end of December 2019, the Mobility Orientation Law modifies the Highway Code and prohibits this practice: one year of imprisonment and a fine of 30,000 euros are now required for a professional who modifies “the speed limitation device to allow (…) the bicycle to exceed its maximum authorized speed.” Articles L317-1 et seq. specify, in particular, that “the bicycle on which the offense was committed is immobilized and removed from circulation until it has been brought into compliance or repaired.” Manufacturers of derestriction kits, for their part, face two years of imprisonment.
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