French cycle paths at the mercy of ‘hot rod’ e-bikes

FRANCE’S notorious roads are facing a new danger – cyclists riding illegally souped-up electric bikes.

The modified e-bikes – capable of reaching 30mph without pedalling – are terrifying pedestrians and normal cyclists.

Owners are boosting the power of their e-bikes, which are limited by law to 15mph in France, by following online guides which explain the relatively simple adaptations required.

The alarm has been raised over the e-bike menace by Lionel Quillet, the mayor of Loix on the Île de Ré, a popular family holiday destination where the bicycle is king.

The island, off La Rochelle on France’s west coast, has more than 70 miles of cycle paths. In summer, about 6,000 bikes a day pass through some parts, many ridden by children.

After a number of accidents, Mr Quillet said souped-up e-bikes should be banned from cycle paths.

“At these speeds, they should come under regulations for mopeds, or even motorbikes,” he said. “Not everyone is fully in control of their bike, even less so when it’s souped up.”

Mother-of-three Anne, 43, who holidays on the island with her family, said: “Cycle paths here are really congested. Some stop to take photos and there are kids who wobble and zigzag because they’re learning to ride, so you need to be alert all the time.

“And now we’ve got to contend with hot rod e-bikes hurtling along at high speed. It’s really dangerous.”

The problem is not confined to the Île de Ré, and the warnings come after a survey showed few cyclists in France know the highway code as it applies to bikes. Only six per cent of respondents answered all questions correctly in a survey for the French Road Safety Association.

Nearly 3,500 people died on French roads last year, compared to 1,710 in the UK, which has about the same population and number of cars.

A recent move to lower the speed limit on secondary single-carriageway roads from 90kph to 80kph (50mph) sparked widespread protests.