Illegal e-bikes driving hospital injury surge, families warn
Sydney Children's Hospital is seeing a worrying increase in serious e-bike injuries. Many involve high-speed devices.
A 14-year-old's foot nearly severed in a chain. Toddlers hospitalised with broken bones struck on shared paths.
Sydney Children's Hospital is seeing a sharp rise in serious e-bike injuries. Severe injuries can be life-threatening.
They can also be permanent. Illegal e-bikes and heavily modified machines are the problem.
They go faster than the legal limit of 25km/h. They also use more than 250 watts of power, which is the legal limit by early 2029.
Police have removed 58 non-compliant bikes. They crushed 22 since August.
But experts say this barely dents the problem. In NSW, buying and selling illegal e-bikes remains legal.
Only riding them is banned. Experts want stricter rules on importing and selling them.
- 25km/h
- Legal maximum speed
- 250 watts
- Legal power limit (by early 2029)
- 22 since August
- Bikes crushed by police
- 58
- Non-compliant bikes removed
Why it mattersTeenagers using illegal e-bikes face severe, permanent injuries. Modified devices are easy to buy and change. This creates a large unregulated fleet in neighbourhoods.
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