Police stress the importance of buying legal e-bikes for children and being aware of evolving power limits and common unsafe alterations.

Officials emphasize that safer, properly regulated e-bikes protect riders and the community, urging retailers, parents, and riders to uphold safety standards.

With Christmas gifting season, NSW authorities warn parents about buying safe, legal e-bikes amid rising popularity, noting about 600,000 NSW households own one, and highlighting evolving power limits and common unsafe modifications.

Authorities stress that e-bikes should function like bicycles, not motorbikes, and urge parents to check wattage stickers and discuss safety with their children; buy from reputable brands with proper safety documentation and avoid modified or chipped bikes, ensuring devices have EN 15194 certification and a maximum of 250W.

Texting, video calls, social media, or filming while riding are illegal; devices must be hands-free or secured in a bike-compatible holder.

Many bikes are being modified with more powerful motors or non-compliant parts, raising danger and the risk of hefty fines.

Regulatory reviews aim to close loopholes that allowed motorcycle-level devices to be sold as bicycles, with a redefinition of e-bikes in road rules.

NSW plans to reduce the maximum legal e-bike power from 500W to 250W to align with national standards, reversing a prior change that allowed more powerful, motorbike-like devices.

Current NSW law caps e-bike motors at 500W, with the lowering to 250W anticipated in coming months to align with other jurisdictions.

Riders under 16 may ride on the footpath with a supervising parent where allowed by local signs; otherwise, sidewalk riding may be prohibited and pedestrians have priority on shared paths.

Government guidance encourages helmet use, no passengers, adherence to designated bike paths and roads, and avoiding modifications to increase speed.

Legal e-bikes must have a motor that cuts off at 25 km/h and require pedaling when the bike is moving at 6 km/h; motor assistance should not be the main propulsion.

Fines for illegal e-bike use can reach hundreds of dollars, with penalties for riding converted bikes on public transport and for mobile phone use or lack of a proper helmet.

The NSW and Commonwealth governments plan to reinstate European EN 15194 safety standards for imported e-bikes to ensure safety stickers and proper documentation and to exclude low-quality, easily modified devices.