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MPs urge crackdown as unsafe e-bikes and chargers found on Amazon and eBay

MPs have called on Amazon and eBay to tighten controls after e-bikes and chargers flagged as serious fire risks were found for sale on their platforms.

2 Jul 2025, more…

E-Bike Positive campaign gains national momentum amidst media coverage in 2025

The E-Bike Positive campaign has seen major success in the first half of 2025, with its message reaching nearly 8 million people across the UK through high-profile media coverage and growing...

25 Jun 2025, more…

Cytech Training Returns to Darlington as Activate Cycle Academy Reopens Workshop

Activate Cycle Academy has reopened its Cytech training facility in Darlington, offering a full range of courses from Home Mechanic up to Cytech Technical Three.
 

20 Jun 2025, more…

Beyond the discount: Restoring integrity to the cycle supply chain

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain, writes ACT Director Jonathan Harrison in an article published for BikeBiz.

18 Jun 2025, more…

Study warns forceful cycle advocacy risks hindering bike lane progress

A new academic study has found that overzealous pro-cycling campaigners on social media may be inadvertently damaging the case for better cycling infrastructure across the UK.

11 Jun 2025, more…

Young adults leading the UK’s surge in e-bike popularity – but increased education on battery safety crucial, new research reveals

 To coincide with Bike Week (9-15 June) – the UK’s annual celebration of cycling – new research has revealed a clear shift amongst Gen Z and Millennials in their approach...

9 Jun 2025, more…

ACT Director among judging panel announced for BikeBiz Awards 2025

The judges for the BikeBiz Awards 2025, in association with Bikedesk, have been officially announced, with ACT Director Jonathan Harrison among the leading voices from all corners of the cycling...

3 Jun 2025, more…

ACT partner Bikebook joins with BikeBiz to boost Mechanic of the Month campaign

ACT service partner Bikebook has teamed up with leading industry publication BikeBiz in a boost to the BikeBiz ‘Mechanic of the Month’ campaign.

23 May 2025, more…

Bike mechanic apprenticeship scheme for prisoners nears first anniversary of success

A pioneering prisoner apprenticeship scheme is being highlighted after almost a year of successful operation, offering participants hands-on training and professional qualifications to prepare...

22 May 2025, more…

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MPs urge crackdown as unsafe e-bikes and chargers found on Amazon and eBay

Posted on 2 Jul 2025

Several listings this week featured products from the Chinese brand Ridstar that are either identical to or closely resemble models recently deemed unsafe by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).

E-Bike Illegal Amazon eBay

The OPSS had warned that three Ridstar products posed a severe fire hazard due to faulty electrical components and substandard chargers. Despite this, the same or similar bikes and chargers were available to UK shoppers, even after the government said they had been banned from sale and some intercepted at the border.

The call for better regulation from online marketplaces follows a recent report from All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking's (APPGCW), "Unregulated and Unsafe: The Threat of Illegal E-Bikes", which calls for urgent government action to tackle the sale of dangerous and illegal electric bikes.

MPs Fabian Hamilton and Olly Glover, of the APPGCW, wrote to Amazon’s UK boss warning that these listings likely pose “an immediate fire risk.”

In a separate letter to eBay, the MPs demanded the urgent removal of all e-bike products lacking proper safety certification or breaching UK speed and power limits. They also questioned eBay’s controls, noting the continued presence of more than 1,400 second-hand e-bikes listed by private sellers, despite claims that such sales are banned.

The OPSS warnings follow growing concern among parliamentarians over what they describe as “a crisis hiding in plain sight” around illegal and dangerous electric bikes.

Under UK law, e-bikes must not exceed 15.5mph with a power output no greater than 250 watts, but more powerful models remain easy to purchase online.

Amazon and eBay said they had removed items flagged by the OPSS and insisted they are taking further steps to identify and delist other unsafe products.

Amazon said sellers are required to provide certification from accredited labs and highlighted its partnership with the London Fire Brigade to promote safe usage, with eBay stating that it was conducting CE audits on e-bike battery listings and using AI tools and block filters to detect unsafe or banned items.

Campaigners say stricter rules are not only essential for public safety but also to support businesses complying with regulations.

ACT Director Jonathan Harrison
ACT Director Jonathan Harrison

Jonathan Harrison, Director of the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT), welcomed the calls for tougher oversight. He said: “This push for more controls is vital for the manufacturers and retailers that do produce quality, compliant e-bikes and chargers. It’s incredibly damaging to the industry when substandard and potentially dangerous products are allowed to circulate so freely.

“Clearer enforcement and proper regulation will help protect consumers, level the playing field for responsible businesses, and ensure that e-bikes can continue to grow as a trusted and sustainable mode of transport.”

The warning comes amid wider efforts to promote e-bikes as a sustainable and healthy transport option, including the E-Bike Positive campaign; a UK-wide initiative backed by the ACT designed to improve public understanding of e-bikes, highlight their benefits for sustainable transport, and challenge negative perceptions particularly in mainstream media.

Supporters of the industry say consumer trust is key to growing adoption, and that undermining this with dangerous, illegal products must be addressed urgently.

For more information on the E-Bike Positive campaign, visit: www.ebikepositive.co.uk