The discovery of a man speeding on an e-bike in Kortrijk by police suggests a trend of tampering with e-bikes to hike up their maximum speed is continuing, according to police.
The man, who was cycling above the legal maximum of 45 km/hour for pedelecs (pedal electric cycles) was stopped by the police, who did not believe him when he said he was “well trained”.
In April, the Flemish broadcasting station VRT, conducted an investigation revealing that it is common practice to tamper with a normal electric bike so that it can reach speeds of up to 70km/hour.
The man’s vehicle appeared to be a Chinese import that did not comply with European standards. It had an extra throttle on the handlebars that allowed it to easily travel above the legal maximum and its brakes were no longer working, reported New Mobility.
The police removed the vehicle from the man’s possession as he had no valid registration or insurance documents.
In the past, pedelec drivers caught speeding have been subjected to fines.
Evie McCullough
The Brussels Times
