E-bike riders beware: Cube is recalling a certain e-bike that can lead to very serious problems for the rider. The problem does not concern the hardware, but rather the software of the e-bike.
The danger comes from the possible legal and financial issues, less from personal injuries.
With more than 25km/h, depending on region/country, it’s no longer a bicycle, but a motorised vehicle. Requiring a driver’s licence and insurance.
It could be driving without license. Or having one, could lead to insurance issues and thereby problems for the driver’s license due to driving an uninsured vehicle. Which again can lead to dramatic financial problems, if you have an accident and no insurance pays. So you’d be stuck with all costs out of your own pocket.
All from that tiny error in the software with having the wrong tire size programmed.
Cube is a German company, and one of the largest bike manufacturers. Their bikes are ubiquitous here.
And German vehicle regulations are extremely strict. It‘s only an e-bike if it’s limited to 25 km/h, anything above is a „light motor bike“, which indeed needs a registration and a license.
Driving a vehicle without those is a misdemeanour* in Germany.
And I assume Cube did everything to reach out to all owners directly, so Police will assume you know those bikes are illegal.
Edit: * Technically. I mean, most likely they’ll just find you and impound the bike. But if they want to fuck you up about this, they totally can.
The danger comes from the possible legal and financial issues, less from personal injuries.
With more than 25km/h, depending on region/country, it’s no longer a bicycle, but a motorised vehicle. Requiring a driver’s licence and insurance.
It could be driving without license. Or having one, could lead to insurance issues and thereby problems for the driver’s license due to driving an uninsured vehicle. Which again can lead to dramatic financial problems, if you have an accident and no insurance pays. So you’d be stuck with all costs out of your own pocket.
All from that tiny error in the software with having the wrong tire size programmed.
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Legally and financially dangerous: Fines and charges suck!
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Yeah, this is really no joke.
Cube is a German company, and one of the largest bike manufacturers. Their bikes are ubiquitous here.
And German vehicle regulations are extremely strict. It‘s only an e-bike if it’s limited to 25 km/h, anything above is a „light motor bike“, which indeed needs a registration and a license.
Driving a vehicle without those is a misdemeanour* in Germany.
And I assume Cube did everything to reach out to all owners directly, so Police will assume you know those bikes are illegal.
Edit: * Technically. I mean, most likely they’ll just find you and impound the bike. But if they want to fuck you up about this, they totally can.