Ebike safety, battery risks and the law: what every delivery rider needs to know

Ebikes have changed delivery riding. More range, less effort, faster average speeds. For riders doing full-time hours, the difference in earnings potential compared to a standard bicycle is significant.

But ebikes also come with risks that standard bikes don't. Some are mechanical. Some are legal. And some, particularly around batteries, are serious enough to have made national news.

This post covers what every delivery rider using an ebike should know: how to keep your bike in safe working order, how to avoid the battery risks that have injured and killed riders in the UK, and what the law actually says about ebikes; because a lot of riders are unknowingly breaking it.

Before we get into ebike specifics, these are the checks every rider should run before every shift, regardless of what they're riding.

Check pressure and look for cuts, bulges, or embedded debris. Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, reduce range on an ebike, and make punctures more likely.

Squeeze both levers and check for firm, consistent resistance. If the lever pulls close to the handlebar before the brake engages, the cables need adjusting or the pads need replacing. On an ebike, where speeds are higher, brake failure is more serious.

It is illegal to cycle on a public road after dark without lights and reflectors. The specifics are worth knowing. A white front light is required, positioned centrally or on the right-hand side of the bike, up to 1,500mm from the ground. A red rear light is required, positioned centrally or on the right-hand side, between 350mm and 1,500mm from the ground. A red rear reflector is also required, positioned between 250mm and 900mm from the ground. Lights must be fixed to the bike — a helmet light alone doesn't meet the legal requirement. For full details, Cycling UK's lighting regulations guide is the clearest reference available.

On an ebike, where speeds are higher, being seen matters even more. Check lights before every shift — not just once a week.

Helmets are not legally required for cyclists in the UK — but on an ebike, where you're travelling faster than on a standard bike, the consequences of a fall are more serious. It's not worth not wearing one.

If you're riding a more powerful ebike, it's also worth checking the helmet rating. Standard cycling helmets are tested to speeds lower than some ebikes travel. Helmets with a higher pedelec rating — such as those certified to NTA 8776 — are built and tested for ebike-specific speeds and impact profiles. If your bike is quick, your helmet should match it.

Should be clean and lightly lubricated. A dry or dirty chain wears faster and reduces efficiency, which matters more on an ebike where the motor is working with the drivetrain.

Power on the bike and check the battery level, assist modes, and display. If anything is behaving unusually — error codes, unexpected power cuts, assist not engaging — don't start the shift until you know why.

That last one matters more than most riders realise. We'll come back to it.

In the last few years, ebike battery fires have caused deaths, serious injuries, and the destruction of homes across the UK. The London Fire Brigade has repeatedly flagged lithium-ion battery fires as one of its fastest-growing causes of callouts.

This isn't a fringe issue. It's a direct consequence of a specific type of ebike battery — and delivery riders are disproportionately affected because of how hard their bikes are used and how they tend to be charged.

Not all lithium-ion batteries are equal. Batteries that meet proper safety standards — particularly UN 38.3 and CE marking — are built with protections against overcharging, overheating, and short circuits. These are the failure modes that cause fires.

Cheap, uncertified batteries — which are common on budget ebikes and widely available as replacements online — often lack these protections. Under heavy use, repeated charging, or even just age, they can enter a state called thermal runaway: a self-sustaining chemical reaction that generates heat faster than it can dissipate, resulting in fire.

The problem for delivery riders specifically is that hard use accelerates battery degradation. A battery being discharged and recharged daily, often rapidly, degrades faster than one used occasionally. A battery that's several years old and has done thousands of charge cycles is not the same battery it was when new — and the risk profile changes accordingly.

• Swelling or bulging of the battery casing
• Unusual heat during charging or use — warmer than normal is a warning sign
• Reduced range that's appeared suddenly rather than gradually
• Error codes or unexpected power cuts during a ride
• Hissing, crackling, or any smell during charging

If you notice any of these, stop using the battery immediately. Do not charge it. A swollen lithium-ion battery is a fire risk.

Most ebike battery fires happen during charging. A few habits significantly reduce the risk.

Never charge overnight or unattended. If a fire starts while you're asleep or out, the consequences are far worse than if you're present and can act.

Charge in a well-ventilated space, away from flammable materials. Not in a bedroom, not next to a sofa, not in a hallway that blocks your exit route. The last point matters: hallways and stairwells are the most common charging spots in flats, and also the routes you need clear in an emergency.

Use the charger that came with the bike. Third-party chargers may not regulate voltage correctly for your specific battery chemistry.

Don't charge a hot battery. After a long shift, let the battery cool for at least thirty minutes before plugging in.

Don't charge to 100% if you don't need to. Most lithium-ion batteries last longer and run more safely when kept between 20% and 80% charge.

If storing the bike for more than a few days, store the battery at around 50% charge in a cool, dry place — not in direct sunlight or in a hot shed.

This is where it gets important — and where a lot of delivery riders are unknowingly breaking the law.

In the UK, a legal ebike — classified as an Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) — must meet all of the following:

• Motor output no greater than 250W
• Motor assistance cuts out at 25km/h (15.5mph)
• Must require pedalling to activate the motor — throttle-only propulsion is not permitted on public roads without a licence
• Must display the motor's power output and, if possible, the manufacturer's name
• Rider must be 14 or over

A legal EAPC can be ridden on roads and cycle paths without a licence, registration, or insurance — the same as a standard bicycle.

Any of the following takes a bike outside the EAPC classification:

• Motor output above 250W
• Assistance continuing above 25km/h
• A throttle that propels the bike without pedalling
• Modifications that increase motor power beyond the legal limit

An illegal ebike is classified as a motor vehicle. Riding one on a public road without a licence, registration, insurance, and MOT is a criminal offence.

This is the part most riders don't think through until it's too late.

If police stop you on an illegal ebike, the bike can be seized immediately. It will not be returned — it will be destroyed. You face a fine, points on your licence (or a conviction that affects any future licence application), and potentially prosecution for riding without insurance, which carries an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison in serious cases.

The financial logic here is the same as cheap bags versus quality kit. A cheap, illegally modified ebike might save you money upfront. But if it's seized and destroyed, you've lost the bike entirely — and gained a criminal record. A legal ebike, bought once and maintained properly, costs more on day one and far less in every scenario that follows.

Many delivery riders use ebikes with throttles — bikes that move without pedalling when the throttle is engaged. These are extremely common and widely sold in the UK, but they are not legal EAPCs.

If your bike moves under motor power without you pedalling, it is classified as a motor vehicle under UK law, regardless of its speed or motor size. Riding it on a public road without a licence and insurance is illegal.

This catches a lot of riders off guard because these bikes are sold openly and marketed as ebikes. The responsibility for understanding the law sits with the rider, not the retailer.

Ebikes make delivery riding faster, more sustainable, and more profitable. But they come with responsibilities that standard bikes don't — around battery safety, maintenance, and the law.

The pattern is the same one that runs through everything in the RiDa Roadbook: the cheaper or easier option often carries a cost that only shows up later. A cheap uncertified battery. An illegal bike that gets seized. A battery charged in a hallway that blocks the exit.

None of these risks are complicated to manage. They just require knowing what they are.

Ride legal. Charge safe. Keep the bike maintained. The job is hard enough without adding avoidable risk to it.

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