Death Publicity about CHEAP eBikes

“It’s the Wild West for e-bikes", said Dave Nghiem, the manager at College Park Bicycles in Maryland.

Consumer Reports warns about CHEAP ebike causing death due to fires.

Nghiem and other bike mechanics said the problems are not confined to one brand, but apply to many models of relatively inexpensive road e-bikes designed for recreation and commuting. These bikes typically retail for less than $2,000 and usually are sold directly to consumers, not through a bike shop. They make up the bulk of e-bike sales.

Consumer Products add that some companies that make low-quality e-bikes and batteries are subject to very little oversight. They are finding loopholes to sell their products on e-commerce sites like Amazon

A child’s death prompts questions about brake safety on e-bikes.

The death of 12-year-old Molly Steinsapir prompted an outpouring of grief on social media. Now the focus is on the overall safety of some electric bikes, especially for children.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/02/13/electric-bike-brakes-ebike-safety-molly-steinsapir/

According to the article by Bicycling, this story began with two preteen girls on a bicycle—to be specific, since it matters, on an electric bike made by the ascendant Rad Power Bikes. In January 2021, an 11-year-old named Eme Green was piloting the e-bike, and her friend Molly Steinsapir, 12, was nestled behind her on a cushioned seat intended for a second passenger.

They turned that 65-pound e-bike downhill and a terror unfolded. Eme could not stop the RadRunner, and the two girls crashed at high speed near the bottom of the steepest stretch of Enchanted Way. Molly, who was wearing a bike helmet, hit the pavement hard and lost consciousness.She never woke up.

According to the Steinsapirs’ lawsuit, the bike “began to shake and wobble” when Molly’s friend applied the brakes. The complaint claims the bicycle’s brakes, a type known as mechanical disc brakes, were inadequate to the demands of handling and stopping the bike and contributed to the accident.

WTVF (2/26/21) NASHVILLE REPORTS — Maybe you’ve seen those new battery-powered bikes called electric or e-bikes. But there's something you need to be aware of if you've got one.

https://www.newschannel5.com/money/consumer/consumer-reports/consumer-reports-how-to-prevent-an-electric-bike-fire 

If you've got an CHEAP e-bike, you should know that there have been a growing number of fires — some of them fatal — caused by its batteries.

"When the lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes are poorly made, overused, overcharged or used with the wrong charger, they can cause fires — and those fires can be very violent and difficult to put out," said Ben Preston with Consumer Reports. There have been a growing number of fires — some of them fatal.

With very little oversight, some companies that make low-quality e-bikes and batteries are finding loopholes to sell their products on e-commerce sites like Amazon. A quick Amazon search shows dozens of e-bikes under $800 — which is not a coincidence.