DIRK ZEDLER: No, the end consumer can do what he wants with his bike. Before the law, the e-bike in the hands of the end consumer is a normal bicycle. BUT: If something goes wrong, the manufacturer raises his hands. As a result, it may happen that the end consumer may have to pay for all conceivable damage himself. But this applies in the same way to bikes without motor.
So where does the myth come from that it is forbidden to change anything on the e-bike?
According to the law the pedelec is a machine and as a complete product with all add-on parts needs a CE mark, otherwise it must not be sold in Europe. In the case of an e-bike you as manufacturer have to proof prior to selling that everything is safe. This can be checked spontaneously by the trade supervisory authorities and if changes have then taken place, there is the threat of a sales ban. For this reason, manufacturers and retailers are extremely careful.
And that changes as soon as it becomes my property?
The important thing is the making it available on the market, this concerns everyone in the supply chain. That is why the retailer must not change anything, because he is putting the machine into circulation. That would be like forging cheques.
Can I as a customer tune everything to my heart's content?
Motor tuning for higher speed is of course forbidden and punishable by law. In the case of safety-relevant components, for example in the steering centre, one should not make any compromises as a matter of principle, but always assemble only matching handlebars and stems of one manufacturer. As in the wrong stem the most durable handlebar can break early!
