Nottinghamshire police have seized 112 illegal e-bikes in Nottingham city center as a dedicated crackdown expands to other parts of the county.
The use of e-bikes has been a growing problem within the area, and Nottinghamshire Police’s latest news release says its Operation Wrangel has resulted in 112 illegal bikes being removed from the city center since the operation was launched in November 2025.
Police say the offenses identified have included bikes modified to exceed the legal speed limit, vehicles capable of operating without pedal assistance, and riders using vehicles without the appropriate license or insurance where required.
The operation is now being extended beyond the city center, with neighborhood teams now in Mansfield, West Bridgford and Beeston.
A Bike Capable of 72 Mph
One of the most striking cases uncovered during the operation involved an e-bike that police found could reach 72 mph when tested. Please note, for context, the legal limit on a highway in the United Kingdom is 70 mph and e-bikes cannot exceed 15.5 mph.
The 72-mph bike was highlighted by police during an earlier update on the crackdown. Nottinghamshire Police reported in July that more than 60 vehicles had already been seized and more than 100 had been tested.
Officers are using a compact dynamometer to test the top speed of suspicious e-bikes and other two-wheeled vehicles. The technology allows officers to test a bike’s performance without relying solely on a road test.
Police previously explained how the equipment is being used as part of the crackdown in an update on the new testing technology.
By the latest figures, 283 two-wheeled vehicles have been assessed using the device, with fewer than a quarter found to be legally compliant.
Enforcement Alongside Education
Police say the operation is not solely focused on seizures. So far, officers have distributed 229 education packs, which would likely contain GOV.UK remainders of e-bike laws, and issued 19 warning letters to riders.
They have also provided road safety and crime prevention advice, including information about free bike-marking programs and bike maintenance. Riders using legal bikes have been given high-visibility jackets in some cases.
Police say some offenders brought before the courts have faced bills of more than £1,000, along with eight points on their driver’s license.
Operation Reclaim
Operation Wrangel forms part of the wider Operation Reclaim, a partnership operation targeting a range of problems affecting Nottingham city center.
According to Nottinghamshire Police’s Operation Reclaim update, published August 21, the wider operation addresses issues including antisocial behavior, drug dealing, rough sleeping, aggressive begging and retail crime.
Police have also linked some illegal e-bikes with criminal activity. In June, officers seized six illegal e-bikes around Old Market Square in a single day. In August, a separate incident saw a police officer dragged into a bus lane while attempting to stop the rider of a Sur-Ron bike in Nottingham city center.
A 24-year-old man was subsequently charged with dangerous driving, driving without a license, driving without insurance, failing to stop when required by police and common assault of an emergency worker. The details of that incident and the charges were reported by Nottinghamshire Police.