A new UK e-bike safety trust mark has launched after polling found that 84% of Britons were not confident they could distinguish a road-legal e-bike from an illegally modified machine.

The E-Bike Positive trust mark brings verified e-bike brands and approved retailers together under one consumer-facing scheme. It is intended to help buyers identify e-bikes that have been properly safety-tested, comply with UK rules and are supplied by responsible businesses.

The scheme has been launched by the Bicycle Association and Association of Cycle Traders, the two industry bodies that took joint control of E-Bike Positive at the beginning of 2026.

At launch, it includes 33 verified brands and more than 600 participating stores, including major retailers and hundreds of independent bike shops.

Most people do not know the UK e-bike speed limit

The scale of the confusion was highlighted by YouGov polling commissioned for the launch.

Only 16% of respondents correctly identified 15.5mph as the speed at which the motor on a standard UK road-legal e-bike must stop providing assistance. Nearly half, 48%, said a recognised safety trust mark would make them more confident that an e-bike was safe and legal, while 40% said it could influence which brand or retailer they chose.

The survey questioned 2,095 UK adults between 3 and 6 July 2026, with the results weighted to represent the adult UK population.

The findings matter because the term “e-bike” is now used for a huge range of machines. Some are conventional pedal-assist bikes built to meet UK Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle rules. Others have powerful throttles, unrestricted motors or modifications that move them into an entirely different legal category.

Our UK eMTB law explained guide covers that distinction in more detail.

What does the E-Bike Positive trust mark mean?

E-bike brands cannot simply add the mark to their products.

To become an E-Bike Positive verified brand, the business must undergo an independent audit covering its safety procedures, quality-management systems and regulatory compliance. The process also checks that its e-bikes are road legal, properly safety-tested and designed to resist tampering.

Approved retailers must make a series of commitments covering the bikes they sell and the workshop services they provide.

These include selling and repairing only road-legal e-bikes, following manufacturer instructions when carrying out repairs or modifications, and supplying compatible batteries and chargers from trusted sources.

Participating workshops must also refuse work when they cannot guarantee that the resulting e-bike will be safe and road legal.

Consumers can use the E-Bike Positive register to search for verified brands and approved retailers.

Why this matters to eMTB riders

Illegal e-bike use is often discussed as an urban transport problem, particularly in relation to delivery riders and throttle-controlled machines. However, legal status matters just as much for electric mountain bikes.

A UK-legal eMTB is normally treated as a pedal cycle. Its motor must have a maximum continuous-rated output of no more than 250W, and motor assistance must stop at 15.5mph.

That status allows it to be used wherever ordinary bicycles are permitted, subject to the normal access rules. This can include roads, cycle routes, bridleways, forest roads and authorised mountain bike trails.

An eMTB that has been derestricted or does not comply with EAPC requirements may instead be treated as a motor vehicle. That brings requirements involving registration, insurance, licensing and an approved helmet, while also removing access to cycle tracks and many of the places where mountain bikes are normally ridden.

This is why the argument over legal e-bikes is also an argument about protecting trail access.

Battery safety is part of the scheme

The trust mark does not concentrate solely on speed and motor power.

Approved retailers must supply properly tested batteries and chargers that are documented as compatible with the bike. They must also provide the relevant instructions and safety information.

That is an important distinction. Reputable e-bikes with integrated, correctly supported electrical systems should not be treated in the same way as machines fitted with unknown batteries, mismatched chargers or poorly documented conversion kits.

The YouGov survey found that 69% of respondents recognised the fire risk associated with using an incorrect charger. However, 30% still believed all e-bikes were equally prone to fire, showing how incidents involving unsafe products can damage confidence in the entire category.

Our guide to eMTB motors and batteries explains what riders should look for when comparing motor systems, batteries, chargers and aftersales support.

The campaign has moved beyond awareness

E-Bike Positive was already operating before the launch of the trust mark. In January, we reported how the E-Bike Positive campaign moved into Bicycle Association and ACT stewardship.

The new verification system represents a meaningful next step. Instead of simply encouraging people to buy from a reputable business, it gives consumers a register of companies that have made defined commitments and, in the case of brands, completed an independent audit.

There is still a need for care when interpreting it. A company’s absence from the register should not automatically be taken as proof that its products are unsafe or illegal. It means only that it has not been verified through this particular scheme.

The value of the E-Bike Positive trust mark will ultimately depend on its standards remaining rigorous, its retailer commitments being enforced and its public register being kept current.

For buyers who are unsure where to start, however, it creates a much clearer route towards a properly supported and UK-legal e-bike.