Minimum legal requirements for your bike

  • Safety and trafic rules

Any bike that is used on the public highway must be equipped in accordance with the law. Check what the minimum legal requirements are for:classic / city bikesracing / road bikes and mountain bikessmall-wheeled bikes (child’s bikes, folding bikes, mini bikes, …)

Classic / city bikes

  • A bell (audible from a distance of 20 m)
  • Two brakes (one at the front and one at the back)
  • Reflectors: a clear one at the front, a red one at the back (its illuminating surface must be clearly distinguishable from that of a red traffic light), yellow or orange ones on the pedals (they must be visible from both the front and the back of the bicycle), two yellow or orange double-sided reflectors placed symmetrically in the spokes of each wheel and/or a reflective sticker on each side of the tires.

Less than nothing

This equipment satisfies the minimum legal requirement. These requirements, however, do not necessarily ensure the safety and comfort of the cyclist!

Racing / road bikes and mountain bikes

  • A bell (audible from a distance of 20 m)
  • Two brakes (one at the front and one at the back)
  • Reflectors as for classic bikes, but in this case they are only compulsory if you are cycling at night-time or if visibility is reduced to less than 200 metres (except if the bike is equipped with one or two mudguards, in which case you must always have a clear reflector at the front and a red one at the back).

Small-wheeled bikes (child’s bikes, folding bikes, mini bikes, …)

  • A bell (audible from a distance of 20 m)
  • One break (minimum requirement)
  • Reflectors as for classic bikes, but in this case they are only compulsory if you are cycling at night-time or if visibility is reduced to less than 200 metres.