Nov 04, 2022

How to be safe on the road with an e-bike?

Regardless of where your plan to ride your new E-Bike it is almost inevitable that you will need to ride on the road at some point. This can often be daunting to new e-cyclists, so we are here to help. Follow our e-bike road safety guide, to ensure you stay safe, legal and comfortable on the road.

E-bike road safety guide

Make yourself seen

Depending on lighting conditions many drivers don’t know how to look out for bikes zipping by especially with an extra 250 watts of power behind them. To make sure you’re seen we recommend kitting your bike out with lights and a bell. We also recommend wearing bright clothing and using DRL (Daytime Running Lights). And it’s not only drivers—you need to be aware of pedestrians or other cyclists, especially with the changes to the Highway Code rules.

Brake Earlier

E-Bikes are simply heavier and more powerful, hence they have a longer stopping distance. We recommend that you ensure you are comfortable with your stopping distance before you ride on a public road. It is also essential to have your brakes regularly checked and serviced to ensure they are working correctly, especially if you have bought a new bike as brake cables will stretch after some initial use.

Pay Attention to Traffic

Every cyclist should pay attention to the flow of traffic, but it’s even more critical on an e-bike. Drivers may not expect a cyclist to reach 15 mph on the road, and that disconnect can lead to potentially dangerous scenarios.

Learn to dismount and mount comfortably and confidently.

For some older e-bike riders or younger riders with mobility issues, mounts and dismounts are where many injuries happen. This is partly because of the bike’s heaviness, the extra weight could cause it to tip over and injure the rider. Make sure the frame you buy is comfortable to get on and off easily. We are seeing a rise in the number of step-through e-bikes we are selling to both men and women as riding an e-bike is much more about comfort and ease of use than trying to be as a as possible.

Monitor your speed.

When you first get on your new E-Bike you may be tempted to put the level of assistance up to the max. However, ensuring that you are comfortable and confident with your e-bike's different power modes and/or levels is key to preventing accidents and injury.