ADAC warns: These electric bikes are life-threatening

"Disastrous Test Results"

ADAC warns: These electric bikes are life-threatening

ADAC warns: These electric bikes are life-threatening-warns15

ADAC ADAC and Stiftung Warentest test e-bikes: e-bikes have dangerous defects

Electric bicycles (pedelecs) are becoming increasingly popular. The offer is large, but the manufacturers save on security. Broken frame, broken handlebars, bad brakes – we'll tell you which e-bikes failed in the test.

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In the current pedelec test by the ADAC and the Stiftung Warentest, many candidates delivered a catastrophic result. "The electric bicycles of the manufacturer Leviatec, Kreidler, KTM, Sinus, Flyer, Top Velo, Fischer, Victoria and Raleigh have failed smoothly in the investigation – right nine times the scalding judgment was poor," says the ADAC with.
With five bikes, frames, handlebars or the mounts for the rear axle broke in the stress test, three models were devalued because of defective brakes – all factors that pose an enormous risk for cyclists in an emergency. In addition, some e-bikes have rather bizarre defects: "A pedelec, the Raleigh/Impulse iR HS, emits such strong electromagnetic interference waves that even the radio services of the police, fire brigade and rescue services can be massively disrupted," according to the ADAC. For this, too, the testers only received the verdict "poor". Although the models from Pegasus and Kalkhoff also slightly exceeded the electromagnetic limit value, they still received the test grade "sufficient".
"The stress test on the test bench correspond to the loads that can also occur in reality," says Stefan Grabmaier from the ADAC Technical Center in Landsberg on request from Site-Online. The course includes, for example, downhill runs as well as various braking and acceleration manoeuvres. A life cycle of 20,000 kilometers is simulated. "With a pedelec you can reach higher speeds faster than with a normal bicycle," says Grabmaier. The wheels would have to be adapted to these loads. It is also incomprehensible that some manufacturers of electric bikes still do without hydraulic brakes.

Only two models received good marks

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Large fluctuations in range

ADAC warns: These electric bikes are life-threatening-adac

Stiftung Warentest Driver usage – in real life, that could have resulted in a bad accident

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17 thoughts on “ADAC warns: These electric bikes are life-threatening

  1. One defect after the other
    I have a pedelec (29") with Impulse II engine. After the first (!) longer mountain journey … After about a year, the engine made croaking or squeaking noises (no steep climbs, no off-road trips) and the engine was then. Dealer swapped (could also have been opened and repaired as unevenly applied white sealant was visible on the case). Within the now driven approx. 3.500 kilometers the chain (2x) and the rear sprocket (1x) were changed (it is supposed to be normal that the sprocket and chain on e-bikes after 3.000 kilometers or less are worn). It says German engineered – the rest probably bought together on the Asian market. At the moment there is a cracking noise in the motor housing (do not use on inclines – the note is still missing on the wheel).

  2. nonsense test
    So anyone who has seen the test on TV must ask themselves the following questions: "What did they actually test??" Step-through bikes were tormented like off-road racers and touring bikes whose BA says "designed for paved paths",were sent over hump test benches under maximum weight, etc. At best, the test served to destroy what is currently the car industry’s biggest enemy in the most spectacular way possible. The thing about the brakes is also far-fetched. Even average cyclists today ride their 15 kg aluminum bikes at around 30 km/h, i.e. faster than a pedelec can support at all. Bicycles (normal as well as pedelecs) can usually weigh a total of 130-140 kg. Suddenly, V-breaks are no longer enough, although there is usually an additional coaster brake?!?

  3. The ADAC has tested …
    That says it all, our Autofahrer-Durfen-Alles-Club sees a lost member on every pedelec who has gone over to the enemy cyclists. You have to do it as badly as possible. The StiWa is also to blame for the bad results, for years there have been bad marks for heavy bikes and deductions for comfort if the step-through is too high in every bike test. That’s why StiWa is pushing the bike manufacturers to use spongy frames with pensioner geometry and thin-walled aluminum tubes (also called Coke cans).

  4. E-bikes are good for seniors
    and disabled people, they are only used by them. You don’t actually see other users on the street, and why should you?? Cycling is healthy, but only if you don’t use a motor. For seniors and disabled people, the question is whether they should not rather buy a moped, because in addition to the high costs and the very high weight, the ecological balance of e-bikes looks extremely bad because of the batteries and the high power loss with the battery.

  5. What nonsense are you writing?
    Take a look around who drives pedelecs. Seniors and disabled only? You obviously haven’t the faintest idea. Young people, fathers/mothers with child trailers, comfort cyclists and and and. It’s best to stay at the regulars’ table with your prejudices.

  6. Excellent information
    I’ve been thinking about getting an electric bike for a while. This article shows me to drop this idea. Results that bad at these prices are a disaster. What are the manufacturers actually thinking? Thanks for the list.

  7. The ADAC writes here and it doesn’t have one…
    …Interested in alternatives to the car. Almost all the errors described are typical bicycle quirks that have existed for a long time and with every model, not just with pedelecs.

  8. lightweight construction!
    The frame breaks are partly due to the lightweight construction. Nobody buys a bike with a steel frame or steel handlebar anymore. So all manufacturers make their frames and attachments out of aluminum. However, aluminum has a significantly lower modulus of elasticity than steel. It is also much more prone to fatigue failure than steel. While a break in a steel part is usually indicated by previous deformation, aluminum breaks without warning. If the buyer were to increasingly use steel wheels again, this would also increase durability. Old steel wheels can be loaded with several 100 kg without breaking. This is also done in many countries. A "modern" Bike would collapse after a few meters.

  9. Untrustworthy
    Who drives it please 20.000km with one handlebar? Normally, after two years, handlebars are done and are exchanged. So after an average mileage of about 5000km. This test design is insufficient, at least in the area of the handlebars.

  10. Replace handlebars every 2 years?
    What’s that about? Maybe with the highly stressed downhill bike. I ride my handlebars as long as I have the respective bike.

  11. what information is in this article
    "With five bikes, frames, handlebars or the mounts for the rear axle broke in the stress test, three models were downgraded due to defective brakes, all factors that pose an enormous risk for cyclists in an emergency.“Are those defects that don’t appear on normal bicycles?? Speaking of the "rear axle": Most pedelecs I’ve seen so far have the drive on the front axle. Also: the maximum speed (with active drive !) is limited to 25/30 km/h for pedelecs. These are speeds that can also be achieved without an electric drive. Speed is built up quite slowly on a pedelec: I doubt that the propulsion forces introduced into the frame during acceleration are sufficient for the frame to break.

  12. Front-wheel motors usually have these
    …Hardware store cheap brands and you should avoid them anyway.

  13. Watch out
    As is so often the case when things need to be more convenient, the devil is in the details. What bothers me is the fact that many of the dangerous bikes have a GS approval stuck to the frame.

  14. Local companies are largely absent
    The fact that the renowned company Riese Muller is once again missing is just one example of the meanwhile weak research work by Stiftung Warentest with regard to their product test candidates. Being one of the pioneers in the field of e-bikes and one of the premium providers of bicycles of all kinds for decades, it is urgently necessary to involve local companies, such as Riese Muller, in a test in terms of safety and range.

  15. Native company is relatively…
    …Mind you, I drive a R M wheel. The frames come from the Far East, the remainder consists of components that also building other, here in Darmstadt is only mounted. And price r M is slowly through the ceiling. Incidentally, what is not reflected in a special range of the batteries.

  16. Which is completely foggy,
    Why these E-wheels need not be insured liability. On the other hand, a moped with the same driving performance must be insured.

  17. The engine power is much higher
    At the moped, the performance is many times higher than the Pedelec. Which is also rather not driven on permanent gas like a moped.

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