Mountain bikers are turning away from e-bikes because of their potential fire risk, with 23% of prospective buyers citing safety issues as a concern when picking out a new ride. That’s according to an industry body called the Electric Bike Alliance, which surveyed likely bike buyers and found knowledge of recent battery fire incidents was a big concern.

Now the cycling industry is trying to overturn the negative image of e-bikes and educate riders, with a new safety campaign to inspire confidence in battery-powered bikes and demonstrate just how safe they are.

E-bikes are proven to be safe, if used as intended, unmodified and charged with the correct cables… just like 99% of us do anyway

People are coming in [to bike shops] saying “e-bikes are all dangerous”, or “e-bikes are going to set my house on fire,” according to Jonathan Harrison from the Association of Cycle Traders, part of the new group promoting e-bike safety education.

“The truth is e-bikes are safe if you buy them as a complete system, if you buy the e-bike and the charger and you read the instructions, it’s very safe,” Jonathan Harrison said. “It’s only when tampering or messing with it, it can become a fire risk. If it’s assembled by the rider or an unqualified person… or adding an e-bike conversion kit, that’s when danger could happen.”

Do we need an e-bike battery safety campaign?

Electric bike fires were reported to be up by 78% in a year by the London Fire Brigade. And with so much media coverage on the dangers of dodgy batteries, it’s no wonder that the Electric Bike Alliance has found consumer confidence is affected, with a claimed 23% of UK adults hesitant to buy an e-bike after learning of battery fires.

Now, we know that for the most part – the danger comes from cheaper, non-branded batteries and chargers. But, that doesn’t discount from the fact that e-bikes and their components can be expensive, which in itself puts people off buying them.

Local bike shops, e-bike brands, national charities and industry trade bodies across the UK cycling industry have joined together to launch the ‘E-Bike Positive’ campaign. The campaign aims to enhance consumer knowledge of e-bike safety, particularly around batteries, and help people to buy e-bikes with confidence.

The new campaign will include educational materials for prospective customers, as well as lobbying the government

So what is the E-Bike Positive campaign?

It’s backed by some of the industry, including the Bicycle Association, hundreds of local bike shops, Bosch eBike Systems, Association of Cycle Traders, and Cycling UK to name a few. Essentially it will work by getting the word out about the benefits of e-bikes and how to safely buy and use them. It will also call on the government to implement better protection for UK consumers through legislative measures.

Jonathan Harris, Director of the Association of Cycle Traders commented on the launch.

“E-bikes are an excellent solution for modern transportation for almost anyone. They encourage more active lifestyles, and make cycling with friends and family of mixed abilities possible. Electric cycles are growing in popularity, which underscores the importance of helping consumers to distinguish between high-quality, reliable e-bike products and those that are substandard or potentially hazardous, such as aftermarket lithium-ion batteries, chargers, and conversion kits from unreliable sources.

“The ACT encourages cycle retailers and mechanics from across the UK to help give consumers greater confidence by signing the E-Bike Positive retailer pledge. In so doing, they can commit to specific guidelines when selling, or servicing e-bike products to ensure compliance with legal and safety standards. These measures help protect both businesses and customers by promoting safe usage.”

You can find out more about the campaign and what it hopes to achieve on the E-Bike Positive website. And if you want to learn how to care for your e-bike battery, check out our guide.

ebikepositive.co.uk