Regulations that penalize experienced cyclists
In France, a bicycle’s electric assistance must automatically switch off at 25 km/h. This limit, set by European Directive 2002/24/EC, enables electric bikes to remain in the “cycle” category and avoid classification as mopeds. A regular sports cyclist already travels at between 28 and 30 km/h on a conventional bike. When he switches to an electrically-assisted bike for his daily commute, he finds himself restricted to a speed lower than his natural pace. The result is counter-intuitive: the electric bike slows him down compared to his muscle bike.
This situation creates a frustration that slows down adoption. Regular cyclists, who are a natural target for the electrification of their journeys, come up against a limitation that doesn’t correspond to their real needs. For these users, electric assistance should enable them to maintain their usual speed without the physical effort, not slow them down.
The specific challenge of suburban and rural areas
The ADEME study points out that 36% of the population lives less than 4 km from essential facilities, but this proportion is much lower in suburban and rural areas. In these areas, distances are longer and cycling infrastructure is often less developed.
Dangerous areas such as climbs or sections with heavy traffic sometimes require you to maintain sufficient speed for safety. Dragging yourself up a hill at 18 km/h, grazed by cars travelling at 50 or 70 km/h, represents
a real risk. In such situations, maintaining a speed of 30 to 32 km/h enables the cyclist to move more naturally into traffic and pass through high-risk areas more quickly. A government survey on personal mobility in 2019 reveals that 54% of French people travel less than 10 km between home and work. These distances are perfectly suited to electric bikes, but not necessarily within the current limits for suburban journeys where cohabitation with motorized vehicles is unavoidable.
The speedbike alternative: an inaccessible solution
Faced with this limitation, some cyclists are turning to speedbikes, electric bicycles capable of speeds of up to 45 km/h. But this option is not a democratizing solution. Speedbikes fall into the category of mopeds, and are subject to restrictive regulations.
Firstly, price is a major obstacle. A speedbike costs between 2,500 and 7,000 euros, compared with 1,000 to 3,000 euros for a conventional electric bike. Then there are the registration fees (50 to 60 euros) and compulsory insurance (between 50 and 150 euros a year, or even up to 600 euros depending on your profile).
Secondly, there are numerous restrictions on use: you must wear an ECE2205-approved helmet (like a motorcycle helmet), motorcycle-approved gloves, you can’t ride on cycle paths, and you must use the roadway even when a cycle path exists. Speedbikes are also prohibited from riding against the flow of traffic on one-way streets with a 30 km/h speed limit, a privilege reserved for conventional bicycles.
Speedbikes are not eligible for government or local authority subsidies. All these constraints mean that speedbikes are reserved for a niche audience, not a tool for democratizing active mobility.
The Quebec example: 32 km/h without a problem
In Quebec and all other Canadian provinces, the maximum speed for e-bikes is set at 32 km/h, with motor power limited to 500 watts. These regulations impose age restrictions: a minimum of 18 years old to drive an electric bicycle, or 14 years old with a class 6D license authorizing the driving of a moped.
Helmets must be worn, but these are standard bicycle helmets, not motorcycle helmets. E-bikes can be used on public roads, except on freeways and their access roads. No registration is required.
In the USA, the limit varies from state to state, but is generally around 32 km/h (20 mph). No major safety problems have been reported with these higher limits. On the contrary, some observers note that this speed allows better integration into road traffic, reducing dangerous situations caused by too great a speed differential with motorized vehicles.
The case for regulatory change
There are several arguments in favor of raising the French speed limit to 32 km/h, as in Quebec. This speed represents an appropriate compromise: sufficient to meet the real needs of cyclists on suburban and rural routes, but not so excessive as to create dangers on urban cycle paths.
The idea is not to systematically ride at 32 km/h on a downtown bike path. As Suzanne Lareau, President and CEO of Vélo Québec, points out, “when you exceed 25 km/h, I think you should go to the street”. The principle is simple: trust cyclists to adapt their speed to the environment, just as we do for motorists, who go from 30 to 130 km/h depending on the zone.
The technology already exists. Electrification kits and electric and electric bikes can technically assist up to 32 km/h without major design modifications. The idea is not to create oversized vehicles requiring special brakes or safety equipment, but simply to raise the assistance limit slightly.
A brake on the decarbonization of transport
The national objective is clear: to increase the modal share of bicycles from 3% to 12% by 2030. To achieve this, we need to win over new target groups, particularly in suburban and rural areas where there is considerable potential for progress. The current 25 km/h speed limit is an obstacle to achieving this goal.
Bicycle electrification professionals regularly observe this frustration. The first question from suburban customers concerns maximum speed. When the answer is “25 km/h”, enthusiasm falls. These customers know that they need more for their actual journeys, especially on dangerous stretches where they have to cohabit with fast vehicles.
The issue goes beyond mere comfort. It’s about
removing a regulatory barrier that prevents electric bikes from becoming a credible alternative to the car for a significant proportion of the population.
The ADEME study shows that the potential exists. International experience proves that
32 km/h is a safe and appropriate speed. What’s missing is the
political will to change French regulations.
Conclusion: towards a 32 km/h limit?
The 25 km/h limit was set at a time when electric bikes were still marginal. Today, with
738,454 electrically-assisted bicycles sold in France in 2022, the market has changed dimension. Uses have diversified, needs have become clearer.
Raising the limit to 32 km/h would meet the needs identified by ADEME: extending the range of travel and conquering suburban and rural areas. This change would not require the creation of a new vehicle category with heavy administrative constraints, but simply the adaptation of existing regulations.
Electric bicycles can transform suburban and rural areas. Provided we stop artificially restricting it to a speed that is ill-suited to the realities of these areas.
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