All about bicycles, electric-assisted bikes, technology and safety in the press

In our daily work as we deal with bicycle safety, technology and user manuals we come across lots of safety risks. The most frequent ones are published in articles of the leading German special-interest magazines TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr. 1, BIKE – Das Mountainbike Magazin Europas Nr. 1 and E-Bike – Das Pedelec-Magazin to make this information important for the sector accessible to a wider public.

For many years now the Eurobike Show Daily accompanying the annual international Eurobike Show has given us the opportunity to publish our perspective on major developments in the cycle industry in full-page articles.

We also speak regularly in independent lectures about all topics relating to bicycle technology and bicycle market. In addition, we are regularly cited by further special-interest magazines or trade journals as well as more and more by radio and television and in their media reports, which shows us that we are completely right with our information. The section NEWS informs you about the latest news from our specialist fields. The reports and publications of this section are listed chronologically or according to topics of interest.

velobiz.de, 2015/11/10
Reading time 1:30 minutes

German associations VSF and ZIV prepare guideline for the modification of pedelecs

The question what bicycle dealers and workshops are allowed to modify on pedelecs and for which components they have to ask for the approval of the vehicle manufacturers and/or the system providers was and is an issue of legal controversy. Early this year the German associations VSF and ZIV had also a controversial debate on this issue (...). What had left was an uncertainty for bicycle dealers which is now eliminated with a joint guidance.

Respective guidelines for the replacement of e-bike components were brought on track in cooperation with the Zedler institute. These are to offer German bicycle dealers an orientation when it comes to changing certain components of a pedelec (assistance up to 25 kmh).

What has been developed is a grid in form of a table (…) which subdivides the components of a pedelec in four categories and which is intended as future guideline for those who are requested to give their approval for the replacement of components on pedelecs:

Components which require the approval of the vehicle manufacturer/system provider before the replacement
Components which require the approval of the vehicle manufacturer before the replacement
Components which require the approval of the vehicle or component manufacturer before replacement
Components which do not require a specific approval

This table does not only list the components, but also formulates supplementary remarks. "Another pedal can simply be mounted without consultation, if it is not wider than the original pedal. Otherwise going through a curve in oblique position could turn out to be risky”, explains the expert Dirk Zedler.

There is agreement between Albert Herresthal of VSF and Siegfried Neuberger of ZIV on the fact that the joint guidelines not only represent an overdue contribution in product safety, but also a milestone for the cooperation between industry and retailers.

Author: Jürgen Wetzstein

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