I'm officially grandfathering my eBike as of today. Sorry Feds, see you on the road!

they don't care about any safety...all they care about is extracting money from the e bike rider

USE ELECTRIC VEHICLES! They said. (People used electric vehicles) I’M BANNING ELECTRIC BIKES

From what I’ve seen while riding my e-bike is that car/truck drivers are driving distracted much of the time. They are the danger on the road, not me

I'm a lifelong cyclist, and my career was as a car mechanic. My main concern would be that legislation would do to e-bikes what it did to cars. Which is to say - there are no affordable cars being made today; they are essentially illegal. You have to have ABS, and TPMS, and airbags, and all kinds of safety devices which are a good idea, but which run the weight and cost of vehicles way up. Bicycling has always been very simple and basic, and adding a motor to a simple and basic bicycle should remain an option. Legislation could easily make e-bikes unaffordable and heavy and complex, and unpleasant and out of reach for people who could really benefit from them.

Why can’t the government leave shit alone

I’m 6’2” and was 367 lbs. I started cycling on an ebike at 330 and have lost down to 210 and now love tooling around on my gravel bike and ebike.

They see people starting to get ahead (ie saving on vehicle/transportation expenses, gaining independence, getting healthier, etc) and then comes the crackdown. Anything that sidesteps the current system of wealth extraction, or improves your quality of life in any way, is due for a crackdown. Sounds crazy, but when you view things through this lens, things stop being surprising and start making sense.

Imagine having giant metal cages going 30mph right next to pedestrians and be worried about little e bikes

Government... 'I smell money!'

If cars were invented today they would be outlawed immediately.

It's not the ebike. it's the people riding them.

My wife and I took a vacation to gulf shores a couple years ago and rented e-bikes while there. We had a blast! I immediately bought my wife an e-bike when we got home so she can join me on rides. Recently I bought one for myself so I can can do the 20 miles round trip commute to work in the 100* Texas heat w/out killing myself in the process. I’m fortunate enough to have bike trails that run almost from doorstep to doorstep. Then a month ago, I purchased a couple e-bikes for my parents and they have been using them daily!

My biggest concern is the government forcing registration, insurance, and licensing for ebikes. In New Jersey they secretly passed a law last year that says class 3 ebikes must require insurance and registration. Class 1 and 2 don't.

My knees are shot, I can only pedal a bicycle 2 miles at most before my knees swell up more than I can bare. I converted my standard bicycle into an Ebike. It gets me out of the house and off social media. Ebikes are a benefit to our society not a detriment. Ebikes are not a problem, and thus, should not be regulated in any way, shape or form.

I was on a walker because of my weight and sitting all the time. A few months after getting my E Bike I have gained full mobility and every day I get stronger.

Just a thought, are these the same law makers, that can’t find the time to make citizen voter ID mandatory?

America needs more bike/eBike infrastructure. :)

Restrict my speed on an ebike, go ahead. I won't comply. The people have a duty to oppose tyranny.

I’m a 55+, diabetic that just got multiple heart stents. I need an Electric Mountain Bike with a higher powered motor to help me get in shape to prolong my life. I also need a throttle control if I need to return if BG rate is dropping and heart rate rising. I also ride on streets and highways to get to trails. I’ve all ready lowered my A1C and increased my strength and stamina to reduce heart med. Have govern how load cicadas are allowed and leave e-bikes alone.

I am following this key, Biscayne nonsense very closely. The state of Florida has declared that low speed ebikes have the same rights as regular bicycles. This village has banned them from public roads. 100% illegal to do. They do have the right to restrict them from sidewalks and bike paths, public roads, nada. I’ve spoken with the police department and have several calls into their village attorney, but they have not been returned. This is the definition of a tyrannical government. They are doing this knowing full well it is illegal, but they don’t care as long as I can get away with it. Thank you for spreading this message. I said well over a year ago these fast bikes if they continue to call them ebikes will be causing a problem for everyone. And here we are. A better solution would’ve been back then to call them and eCycle, etc.. good job on the video. I will be having my next update posted in the next two weeks.

Various people already stated it. It's just another thing local states can tax. Most part, the whole concept of licensing is enforced tax.

France here. I believe the more and tougher rules will only stimulate outlaws creativity to bypass them...

Don’t regulate the speed on my bike. Regulate the speed limit on the road. Let me accept the risk. I do everyday in my car and motorcycle.

THERE’S NO NEED TO STOP THE NEED FOR SPEED CAP. We already have speed limits on roads.

I live in Toronto Canada, we already have rules and regulations that are unenforced but the push for more rules are on the way thanks to bad actors (lets be real its the gig economy riders.) Certain transit agencies now enforce size limits require battery certification. City is trying to force helmets on all e-bikes (which is fair but unenforceable long story for that) . Class 2 and above have never been allowed in dedicated (guarded bike lanes) though is never enforced. Sadly though the bad actors, riding while staring on their phones and hitting pedestrians. Going up to 60kph in dedicated bike lanes and causing collisions and riding oversized bikes on sidewalks are going to ruin it for us cycle commuters. If your interested in our unenforced regulations I can give you a breakdown.

Most cars will do over 100mph and have insane horsepower. Why are there no regulations on how fast manufacturers make cars. Ebikes Have 1-2 horsepower , We need to be safe in traffic and a 20 mph ebike is dangerous I think the 28 mph is fine, lose the class system that only confuses people , and if you put a throttle on an ebike guess what you have? Ya an ebike with a throttle and not a motorcycle

Thanks for doing this. I agree that having speed limits for e-bikes on roads and trails makes more sense than putting limits on e-bike speeds. I also agree that we need more people to get outside on any kind of bike vs. being condemned to screen prisons inside etc. At the same time, I do think e-bikes should have more laws to govern how they are made and classified. When an e-bike can go over 28 mph, a regular bike helmet is no longer good enough. Riding without rear-view mirrors also becomes dangerous at higher speeds. Bells and horns also start to become more necessary at higher speeds. I live in a dense city, Philadelphia, PA, with infamously lousy drivers. I have had an e-bike for about nine years (roughly 3,000 miles per year, mostly commuting and running errands). Perhaps higher speed e-bikes should have different helmets and mirrors as well as integrated lights to be seen and bells or horns etc. I have been run into a ditch by an aggressive car driver one time. I was also in a serious crash with a cyclist who wasn't paying attention and turned left straight into me, causing us both to hit the pavement and suffer lots of damage. If that cyclist had had a mirror, or if he had been listening when I said loudly that I was passing on his left, he would have known to not turn left at exactly that wrong moment. Most cyclists travel at much higher speeds than I ever would want to. From my point of view, those Gigantically Egotistical Road-Bikers-In-Lycra are far more dangerous than any e-bike riders I have seen because they don't think anyone else matters. They often pass with no warning at all. They cut other people off in traffic.

I'm a 73 year old disabled senior I'm pretty much confined to my recliner in front of a tv and as much as I love KZfaq I hate just sitting here so when I got a chance to try an ebike I bought it especially since it was severely damaged but repairable , I had already worked on this battery and knew it was as good as new so my worked completely changed .I only live .8 miles from our Saladou creek greenway and being a 26" Exotic it stands out really good . I was already building backup power supplies for my ham radio friends from recycled lithium 18650 cells so put together a 4 series cell pack for a 12v light system then got a super bright LED strobe for the back and extra reflectors all around an hit the trails.This trail is 20 miles long , normally I ride 10 miles a day everyday and love it but there is no way I can actually peddle this monster fat tire bike without battery power so always have cell phone and ham 2way radio on it , second time out I got a flat on the back tire so bought liners and a gallon of slime to fix that , thank goodness that flat didn't show till a hour after I had gotten back home.. Now I've installed saddle bags with homemade 36v 25ah batteries giving me 65 miles range without peddling even though I do peddle slowly for exercises. I have ridden from one end to the other , a 40 mile ride twice now and after 15 months I've ridden 2630 miles on this ebike 99.9% off road and when on the road I try to not exceed 20/23 mph which is maximum for this setup so with high prices of gas I find a fantastic savings in fuel cost even enough to get a trailer for my bike an get groceries with it I find I need to be able ride 30 mph on the road to avoid holding up traffic but after planing my trips at low traffic times I can manage. So the only laws they need is to enforce the ones they already have , maybe require brake lights an turn signals on e-mail bikes for everyones safety but were doing fine otherwise.

I first had a three wheel recumbent trike but as I aged I wanted some assistance so I converted to a hub motor. I since have owned 3 fat wheeled, heavy, class 3 e-bikes. I’ve never been more pleased. Yes they are heavy and somewhat cumbersome but I enjoy the hell out of them. One has full suspension which I use in off road situations, the other one has only front suspension but is nice because it makes my eyes water, even with glasses on. At 81 it beats sitting at home watching TV and getting fat.

A place to start is by eliminating use of the word "eBike" by the entire industry - manufacturers, owners, content creators, legislators, and everyone, period. We need to banish that term from our vernacular because it's too broad and instead use "eBicycle" and "eMotorcycle". There is a fine line in there somewhere between the two, and I don't claim to know exactly where it is, but clearly slapping pedals onto an eMotorcycle does not turn it into an eBicycle anymore than putting pedals on a motorcycle turns it into a bicycle. The eMotorcycle manufacturers are going to hate this, but it's necessary - they are the cause of this regulation, not eBicycles.

I have only one question, when has government regulation of a new technology EVER made it better? The only rules they should enforce is the ones already there on the road.

Great video! Thank you. We are in a critical moment right now. I feel the CPSC has good rules, 20 is plenty! 28 is great. 750 watts is right. The danger, as I see it over twenty years, is out of class high powered light electric motorcycles pretending to be “E-Bikes”. Let the motorcycle folks get their bikes legal too, with VIN numbers, DOT brakes and such. True legal class 1,2 and 3 e bikes are fine! Josh K.

Personally I would absolutely love to see regulations placed upon the federal and local governments, it seems that they know no boundaries and there is nothing they consider off limits to their intrusions in our lives.

The resistance to e-bikes echoes the initial backlash against snowboards. Just as snowboarding faced criticism from skiers (akin to the government) and eventually became an Olympic sport, there is hope that e-bikes will prevail. As a 64-year-old with a heart condition, I have my cardiologist's full support to ride an e-bike.

Stand up for yourself do not let them regulate anything they are not your bosses

I mostly agree. I dont think that there needs to be regulations placed on manufacturers. They do need some laws, and by extension law enforcement, regulating use. See 10 year kids buzzing at nearly 28mph weaving dangerously through traffic to school is not a good thing. Nor is it seeing pedestrians or hikers narrowly missed on a path by a class 3 bike. There's definitely room for improvement.

Current federal laws for E-Bikes on the street seem to be adequate. If a bike can go over 30 mph it should be classified as a motorcycle, with appropriate rules. What needs to be changed are rules for all bikes on sidewalks and foot paths. Riding any bike over 20mph on pedestrian walkways needs to be addressed.

Earlier this month US DOT released statistics that over 7500 pedestrians were killed in 2022. Perhaps we should implant speed limiters and other safety devices in people who are out walking? Also, something not mentioned is enforcement discrimination… Here in Seattle Washington helmet laws were revoked. Years of statistics proved that helmet laws were Weaponized against minority and homeless populations. I am definitely pro helmet, yet I am anti-discrimination.

i use an ebike literally everyday. it is my main source of transportation, and enables me to get groceries and food in the first place. i dont have a car or a driver's license, and am basically "blind" without my glasses so i wouldn't be able to drive saftely due to being a hazard not only to myself but others on the road. I much prefer ebikes to cars anyway: a lot safer and funner to ride than a car, along with the decreased risk of injury and danger due to not going that fast relative to cars but also not being in a powerful huge metal box with others in huge metal boxes (cars i mean, haha..) distracted on their phones and impatient and who knows what else. i use my ebike to get around, i need it to ride to work among many other things. while i hope regulation does help stop the reckless riders (if that's even possible, i dont know), i desperately hope they dont get outright banned. that's not fair to anyone.

I agree wholeheartedly. Placing regulations for e-bikes that neither cars nor motorcycles have is ludicrous. And of course, safety should always be a number one priority, so protective gear is something everyone should use. Anything that would make you more visible during the night is also a plus (I have reflective spokes on my e-bike). I have a a bike which “I” can regulate and limit the speed for. I never go higher than 25, except for when there’s a hill that definitely needs more of a “boost”. Limiting e-bikes would actually increase casualties, since there are roads, trails, and inclines where being fast is necessary. If they’re going to limit my bike, then they should make more bicycle exclusive lanes.

You hit the nail on the head when it comes to limiting the power of an ebike. I am 70, have two messed up hips and have gained 60 pounds. I am getting an ebike for the exercise, and I know I need at least a 500 watt motor if not a 750. There is no "one size fits all in ebikes," and we don't put limits on hp in autos. thanks for the video.

Wanted to add this question(s) for everyone/anyone. Is there enough data to show how fast the riders were going? Who else was involved (such as a car)? How many of said riders were following the rules of the road? How many were on a classed ebike vs a non-classed (high powered) ebike? These are all things that are important if we are to put in place proper regulations.

I agree with the current loosely ran regulation of 28mph. Company that push those boundaries are part of the issue , going 55 on a “legal bicycle “ is questionable. I do city commuting on a fat tire e-bike and 30 is good enough. Anything higher would be nice but may be an overkill .

I just bought an Aventon Level.2 last month, and it’s game changing for getting me out of the house. I live in hilly Pittsburgh, so regular bikes are no fun. I like the current 3 class designations (they could use some tweaking) but overall I don’t think we need more regulation. The one exception is that I do think we need more regulation on ebike battery safety so cheap batteries catching fire don’t ruin an important industry. I am also a proponent of companies introducing lithium iron phosphate versions of their batteries that might have a slight ‘cost’ in range, but are really safe from fire compared to standard lithium batteries.

As a new e-bike rider, bum knees, messed up ankle from a MC accident, a stent and just a few years younger than what's his name in the White House, my e-bike lets me go on other than flat roads or even to my local grocery store that has a heck of a grade on the road to it. I still get a nice workout but far less strain on my body. It sure that the Nanny State is really required to protect us from ourselves.

The best argument against federal regulations is that most of the states already have limitations. In my state, ebikes are capped at 2hp or 1500 watts. 1500 watts is more than enough power for most people. The speed issue isn't that much of an issue because energy use goes up exponentially with speed. A bike that has 20 miles of range at 15mph pedal assist might have 4 at 35mph throttle only. It is absolutely dramatic. The faster you go, means dramatically reduced range. The difference is so dramatic that they become useless. The one area I would like to see regulation is on the batteries. There is so much cost cutting and lying going on. The problem is, the supply chains are so bad that even if a manufacturer wants to use name brand cells, there is just no guarantee the ones they buy aren't counterfeit.

...I walked passed a sign on a waterfront trail here that had a posted speed limit of 1 kilometer per hour, which is about 0.6 miles per hour...

I think that showing a bar graph that shows an increase in injuries in that manner is just alarmist. It's dishonest to show injury figures without normalizing them to the growth rate of the activity. This is a pretty good clue that if you looked at the injuries per thousand miles of riding, it wouldn't look nearly as bad. This kind of statistics are so bad, even if the actual injury rate had decreased, it would still look bad. Even though it's not.

Third party evaluation would be great, like UL testing for electronic equipment. As a consumer, I have no real way to judge things like battery quality, brake reliability, etc. I’ve also observed young riders being very dangerous, riding extremely fast where there are pedestrians. I’d like to see no throttle (class 1 only) for kids, until they have a driver’s license. Lastly, I do think there’s a threshold where e-bikes become classified as motorcycles, and a motorcycle license is required. Motorized vehicle rules change when displacement passes 50ccs. I don’t know what the threshold is, but it’s totally reasonable to expect people to know the rules of the road and how to control their vehicles.

I used to hear it said often that 90% of motorcycle riders are involved in a road wreck in the first 20 years, and give up riding during the 20 years. Maybe it is true. Riding a bike as safely as I could, defensively indeed, I still got knocked off twice by drivers NOT paying attention. I witnessed a perfect example of an e-bike messing up and tricking the car driver so that he got hit - his impulsive choice and his ACCELERATION put him in front of the properly ACCELERATING car. There are 1000's of dangerous scenarios we could discuss. We don't ban bathtubs yet. I can site a few drownings within two degrees. The one big reason I don't yet have an e-bike is the danger from other actors, and the lesser reason is I can make enough mistakes on my own. Something is gonna hurt me and then the healing period is the big doubtful next area. But I never got hurt in cars, and I have hit stuff a few times or been hit. Fed regs are probably needed. What speed is then fair? I say 30, 32, is PLENTY, but no more. Next, what power? Not so important. A direct drive that can pull tough hills is proper power to settle for - but then it is a fast bike - like 40 MPH. This is a tough question then, WHERE can we safely let these bikes exceed 32-MPH? The compromise might be the geared motor, settle for 32-MPH max. The rate of fatalities for 32-MPH bikes is going to be MUCH higher than for 26-MPH bikes. So maybe we settle for 26-MPH bikes that can pull any hill my 4x4 can pull. If I'm an adrenaline junkie, thrill glorifier, etc., 26-MPH is torture. But the amount of lives to be saved takes greater importance. I say, 27-MPH or more - you get a real motorcycle. But let me safely push my luck SOMEWHERE (certain corridors) with the superior direct-drive at 40-MPH. Heck, my bicycle goes downhill at 40-MPH or more (and I hate this risk). Others just don't care - this is the problem for society and WE MUST PROTECT innocent society. We must limit state liability in all directions.

I see this current trend of trying to regulate E bikes as a knee jerk reaction. In the case of Key Biscayne wasn't the ebike rider that killed the lady a 12 year old kid? If that was legal in Florida then the State has to take some responsibility for allowing someone so young to ride E bikes on the road. The other aspect of this story is that the lady that died was also not wearing a helmet. Whether that was a contributing factor, I don't know but it just goes to show you in most accidents, it isn't always one factor alone that caused the injury or death. You can regulate the hell out of E bikes but until proper infrastructure is put in place for ALL users of our roads, I don't see new regs making much of a difference.

A few comments from an avid cyclist, mechanic/engineer: Quality mechanical disc brakes work fine. Hydros offer a marginal increase in clamping power. From there it comes more down to the weight of the object in motion and the friction between the tires and surface. I've run old fashioned cantilevers on a tandem bike - and they work incredibly well. Total weight of riders and bike ~ 315lbs. I've also used mechanical brakes on a 4000' downhill in Telluride, CO. Biggest problem there was overheating. Not the clamping force or pad / rotor friction. Three-wheeled bikes: Delta, not so great. Tadpole: far more stable 28 mph.. things are leaning towards dangerous. I'm sure we all know F=ma. A 250 lbs object @ 28 mph, with a half second acceleration (very slow BTW) to zero results in a collision that's like getting hit by ~1300 lbs. If we take a regular bike (30 lbs lighter) and lower the velocity to 20 the impact force is closer to 800 lbs. For reference, a 900 lbs punch can break a femur. The idea that users will self-regulate is naïve. Consider what we already see here on KZfaq with users on bike paths Restricted acceleration / wattage - see F=ma. Also see Tesla Cybertruck (that you too, reference ;)). I really don't think something that large & fast should be in the hands of about 80% of the population. Already banned in the EU because they focus on physics / facts. Not feelings. Additional reference: I run a 500W ebike laden with a chainsaw and lots of hand tools up 20% grades off road. The bike doesn't stall out (80Nm) You raise an interesting issue with your daughter that runs parallel to my thoughts on e-bikes: Many users come into e-bikes without prior handling experience. Admittedly, I see a lot of these users being risk-averse when I'm out and about. Speed limits - tough call. Almost everyone right now on an ebike is tiptoeing around pedestrians on shared use paths. That's because they don't want to get banned or draw attention. Additionally, until the day that cars can be used on multi-use paths - you are not allowed to make that comparison. Makes no damn sense. 14:21 - Dude. Did you even read the clip? 3,538 was in 2017. It increased to 24,335 in 2022. You're off by 20,797. Your closing statement is true - Ebikes are overall a very good thing. That said, I do believe some manufacturing restrictions are prudent. And they already exist. The biggest threat is class 3 bikes being used where the elderly, children and dogs wander (multi-use paths) outside of that - no issues.

13:11 Thats awesome!! I had an accident where my wheel locked up while going down a hill, so I understand the use of it! although, it was a coaster brake so it's not like I could get my own kit.

Preemptively regulating and restricting yourself out of fear that someone else will is so ludicrously stupid. This just shows how domesticated you have become to want an authority to control you. Cognitive dissonance your way out of that one.

Hey Mikey G. Good to see your still on the KZfaq after leaving your EV car gig. Thanks for getting people involved. I think this won't be the last time we have to relitigate e-bikes, as I believe these will dominate transportation in the distant future. I've ridden e-bikes for transportation since 2015 including 750W and 1000W bikes, MTB, cargo, and recumbent trike all of which exceed 20 and 28 mph. Bicycle people attempting to regulate e-bikes are often not seeing the opportunity to use e-bikes for long distance commuting at speed.

If we are going to educate the law makers so they can make better laws, we need to be sure we are educated ourselves. The wattage rating of e-bike motors IS NOT the motor's mechanical output power rating. It is a *maximum safe power input* limit. A 750 watt motor (normally 1 horsepower) can be overdriven by a 2000 watt capable controller to about 3 horsepower (to the detriment of the motor), while a 2000 watt motor's mechanical output (normally 3 horsepower) will be restricted to 1 horsepower by a 750 watt output controller resulting in an exceptionally long life of the motor because it's only operating at 28% of it's capable power. The laws restricting the wattage of the motor (usually 750 watts in most US states) are restricting the wrong part of the system.

You forgot one reason for the anticipated regulations: It provides more jobs for safety regulators. You don't want those people out on the streets or sitting at a desk doing nothing, do you? Mind you, I don't have an e-bike. I ride regular bicycles and the more I've looked at turning one of them into an e-bike, the less enthusiastic I get about the idea. I'm getting old, though, and maybe somebody I'll wish I had one in order to be able to get anywhere on a bicycle. And maybe some regulations will be necessary at some point. The NPS regulates them inside National Parks, and other local regulators do that, too. Manufacturing regulations are a different thing, but at this point I don't think it's possible for anyone to know what regulations would be worth the cost.

I’m a truck driver and they already govern our vehicles most large trucking companies are governed at 62 to 68 mph. Which entire really really pisses off the car drivers around us and makes them behave dangerously. I wish they would regulate and govern the car drivers Like their proposing to put speed limit on all big trucks even on operators but by that same token, I don’t think they should regulate the bikes so much but maybe have a max set speed of 25 miles an hour because that’s what most bike lanes are there’s always a few bad apples that are on 40 or 50 mile an hour dual motor 3000 W E bike that wants to tear up the pedestrian pathways and ruin it for the rest of us Those are the ones they should be going after not your average Joe that’s doing 20 to 25 max in the bike lane being safe and courteous to other drivers and cyclist

There definitely should be speed and power and weight restrictions placed on CARS for both environmental and safety concerns. For e-bikes, the most important regulation should be in three areas: 1. Vsibility, lighting that is sufficiently bright and doesn't blind oncoming cyclists, drivers, or pedestrians, and adequate side and rear illuminaton as well as reflective elements. 2. Battery safety to miniimize fire risks. 3. Sufficient braking power, though for light Class 1 e-bikes, mechanical disks are likely more than sufficient. I really think that sensible regulation would be a good thing, a consumer shouldn't have to spend that much time doing research to find a bike with a safe electrrical system, decent lighting, and reliable braking. Those things should be a given.

My main concern is riders on electric dirt bikes like the surrons who are riding on walking paths and bicycle trails. They are causing the same problem as riders on gas dirt bikes and atvs. Where they are riding fast on trails and pushing people off the trails and putting the public at risk. They are making the ebike community look bad and causing the public and politicians to rethink the ebike laws.

I'm 74 and ebike riding is the only exercise my joints will take. I ride a 1000 watt motor that is about right for the weight of the bike, especially on hills. Speed is the issue and if riders can't respect speed laws on trails, etc. then that's where enforcement should be in place. I do ride on roads to get to trails and the top speed of my ebike at about 32mph is essential in keeping safe. It's extremely important to me to have this freedom.

In Europe the ebike laws are 250 watt max and a top speed of 15.5 mph and you have to pedal to make them go along, no accelerator. Some countries have unilaterally experimented with raising the power output and there has been a subsequent rise in pedestrian accidents so they went back to the 250 watt standard. There is a significant rise in pedestrian accidents since ebikes have been become more common. In England Parliament is having a consultation on raising the power output to 500 watts with an accelerator to make the transport for older riders with infirmities more practical, you can also have a trailer for shopping etc. In England they have realised the benefits of allowing more powerful ebikes as they are seriously clamping down on cars because our roads can be very narrow and we just don't have the parking available in old medieval towns plus the maximum speed in many places is now 20 mph. There are already a lot of people using overpowered ebikes and the police turn a blind eye. I have an electric 250 watt bike but have stopped using it for a normal push bike. I need the exercise and the distance is limited to about ten miles.

I'm with you on no power limits, not just because heavier riders don't want to be limited to a lower speed than lighter riders, but also because one of the main things that keep people off of bicycles is TERRAIN. If you live in an area that has a lot of hills, or even just one hill between your house and your work, more power means fewer places you're still not going to want to ride every day. I have to disagree with you though, about brakes. It wasn't that long ago that disc brakes on bicycles weren't even a thing, much less hydraulic disc brakes. And maybe on the $1000 and up ebikes, the extra expense of hydraulic brakes wouldn't be a big deal, but when you are looking for an under-$500 ebike, having this extra expense on a bike that is speed-limited to less than 20 MPH just doesn't make sense. Maybe on the class 3 bikes.

Everything you say makes total sense. I really hope that I won't some day be penalized for owning a pedal ebike that has been equipped from the factory with a Pitbull avoidance system. (the ability to narrowly escape a dog attack). Or the capability to power up any steep grade against the wind and actually make it over the top. I fear that those in charge of making the rules have Never even been on an ebike, and all the rest of us will suffer ! I'm with you. Just like the roads we drive on, simply post a speed limit for that trail. And always wear a helmet.

I'd be mostly fine with leaving it a lone. But I do notice that what used to be mostly pedal assist bikes on the bike lane have been replaced by 1000 watt monsters with gigantic knobby tires and 150 lb cargo bikes doing like 25 mph.

Very informal video! Also good choice of music for background, it’s from Tekken 4 the Airport Stage Theme. 🤣

Most of the trikes you showed, are (quite rightly) "tadpole" trikes that put two wheels up front & are _much_ safer than delta style trikes, under braking & while descending & at high speeds. Delta trikes can be _OK,_ but tadpole trikes are _great_ by comparison. Main thing I see missing from ebikes: M6 bosses to mount racks at the front & rear of the frame (even 8 or 10 pounds on a fork or bar bags, has a terrible effect on handling; whereas a frame-mounted rack handles like a champ).

The problem is that we live in a society that mortally fears change, and any isolated incident involving new technology will be over reacted to in the extreme.

Scooters with an engine of 49/50 cc are generally regulated to 28mph. If regulation is going to kick in for e-bikes, it should follow a comparative format for power/speed.

Good analysis. But i would say there should be consideration given to regulating ebikes intended for children. I think there would absolutely be a market for high speed (relative to a child) ebikes just as there are off road motorcycles for kids that go even faster. Not saying ban them, but there is room for ensuring we somewhat curb reckless decisions and outcomes made by some parents.

I agree with almost all of this except two points, the one about three wheels, and the one about speed. My points below. 3 wheels: It's not 100% true that the only people riding three wheeled e-bikes are elderly or disabled. If that was the case I would agree with you. I am from an area that has extremely extensive bike infrastructure where you can get almost anywhere in the city on bike lanes. I often commute by bike to work or other places and find it faster than driving at times just due to traffic. The problem is that this fact has caused people to really push the limits of what an e-bike is. Urban arrow makes these bikes that are absolutely massive as storage capacity goes. I have seen delivery drivers with three-wheeled e-bikes with full blown closed compartments maybe 5 ft by 4 ft by itself. People are realizing the economic and convenience of e-bikes and are starting to use them outside of what was intended when these bike lanes were built. The bike can't take up so much room that it kills the efficiency of the bike lane and it shouldn't be so heavy that it's dangerous to have it in such close proximity with kids, dogs, totally people walking, the infrastructure isn't designed for it. I'm not against it being in existence but it needs to be on the roads with the cars which it is more similar to than bikes once they get to a certain point. This ties into the second point about speed: Bike infrastructure is generally built to be safe assuming bikes hit a maximum of 15 to 20 mph. He likes that can hit 30 mph and hold it steady we're not in existence when they built all of this. Even as an avid cyclist I can tell you it is unfair to drivers to have an intersection where the bike lane has the right of way and expect drivers to notice bikes moving that fast, it hasn't been the case for the last 150 years, people don't understand it, they can't comprehend in their head. When they see a bike they expect it to be moving a maximum of 20 miles per hour. So it's dangerous considering the way like infrastructure is currently configured. I go back to my previous point where I'm not against these being manufactured but once again I need to be on the roads after a certain speed, they pose a danger to other users of the bike lane as well as liability of other drivers.

I live in the Netherlands. EU limit is 25km/hour. I wish it would be 28 km/hour. Usual non-electric bike can easily go 35-40 km/hour

For one, multiple supreme courts in the U.S. have ruled through the past that all people have the right to use the roads with automobiles to travel from one place to another, which would include bikes with motors. Second, limiting ebikes with speed restrictions can potentially make them more dangerous simply because it makes it more difficult to get away from danger, like a speeding car heading straight for you or even things like land slides, tornadoes, floods, falling debris, etc. which also brings me to another point, the right to keep oneself safe in their person and livelihood. All people have the right to keep themselves safe from any kind of harm and have the right to pursue a livelihood; if ebikes are restricted or even banned, some people may not be able to keep themselves safe in extreme conditions like some that I have mentioned already but also in extreme heat or cold simply because all they could afford was an ebike or may only have an ebike at their current disposal. To take away the right to use ones own property that could have kept them safe or able to travel to their place of work is an infringement upon ones right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I appreciate your video and the time you put into gathering the information. I find it necessary that the govt set boundaries on the misuse of products or manufacturer's quality of build. One has to think of the greater good of all vs the few. I'll state I am not a fan of said govt pushing regulations based on the few that abuse products, you said it perfectly in this video. I have three eBikes and will most likely get another in the future. It is the best way I found to get outside and enjoy what's left of our beautiful outdoors. Thanks again.

28th Amendment: Congress shall make no law regulating bicycles. 5:22 That's a dope looking helmet. 12:01 Classic libertarian here, but you probably knew that from earlier in this comment.

why is a good pair of mechanical disc brakes not good anymore? paired with some 200mm or larger rotor front and aft is more than enough to stop you from 35mph on a 100lbs custom made ebike with a 240lbs rider down hill. even strong enough to throw you over the handlebars. those 50mph bikes will need moped brakes and tires thats for sure specially the tires coz you simply dont have enough grip to stop you or traction when your powered. these things got tons of torque after all. but those things are pretty much are mopeds already.

NOTHING is scarier that riding on a narrow bike trail with a normal bike, only to be passed in either direction by a 300 pound person zooming along at 30mph on an ebike. NO ONE should be allowed to move faster than than can peddle.

Are pedal-assist bicycles like the Trek Allant Plus S7 included in these regulations?

According to Google, automotive workers make up 1.3% of workers in the US (in 2022), that is about 4,364,800 workers. If enough people start ditching their cars in favor of E-bikes, then that's the automotive industry's ass. Personally, I think having more bikes, and more bike friendly cities would be awesome; more bikes could encourage more people to explore their neighborhoods and cities/towns, and more exploration might help out a lot of small business; and more bikes means less pollution. But on the flip side, even if more people started buying E-bikes, people still need cars. Parents might not feel comfy riding with their kids, or they might have too many people for taking an E-bike to make sense. When I started writing this comment, I was all "Big car doesn't want us to ride our bikes!" But now I see that it's a lot more complicated than that.

If they want people out of their car then increase the speed aloud so you can keep up with traffic on city streets and not get run over by cars flying by them. I want one to leave my truck at home. But I got 30 k each way I’m not getting out of my truck if I’m stuck at 30kph not happening make it 50kph and I’m biking to work tomorrow

under federal law, a bicycle is a bicycle. zero state laws apply. any law regarding wattage displacement or top speed is null and void. what's wrong with mechanical disk brakes?🍻

The only restrictions i think make seems is the assembly of the motor and the assembly of the brakes. I think for safety of the consumer this 2 should be done professionally. Classification of different version and safety measure for those classes is important. One difference is rules for built riding isn't clear for all riders. Linscensure for specific classes makes sense to me.. not sure if that's already a thing on regular bikes??

I recently switched from a road bike to a Specialized Turbo Vado step through after a seizure in my leg affected my standing balance. I am able to get on and get going again. If told I can't use it I will throw the ADA law at them by saying my e-bike is a "Reasonable Accommodation" for my mobility.

thoughts on the roadrunner v2 and using it on trails to say get to work?

The parents of the children need regulation [and the children] In my area, some of the kids [and many adults ] ride with almost no safety gear, shorts, tank tops, no gloves, and sandals ride at high speed on sidewalks, ride against traffic, ride double on bikes for solo use only , wheelie and do stoppies in crosswalks , and the most common for E bikes [and conventional bikes ]RUN red lights. I have been riding motorcycles for 55 yrs. I hit the pavement yrs ago and was not wearing safety gear [ not much available in 1970] and sustained serious road rash. What will change the riding habits , Is when crashes occur, and injury follows, and lessons should be learned. Education first! If education does not work, some form of regulation should be implemented.

Hi everyone, I'm 51 years old, and we are not getting younger 😅 but the truth is that ebikes help a lot of people, from starting to exercise, getting to more places because you got that extra help with your ebike, where live, if you don't have a car and drive you or get the Bus you don't get anywhere, everything is far, I drive my bike 50 min only to get to Publix and when I was almost home I was dying, barely cut pedal, that way I buy a ebike and now I go and com back without dying doing my exercise, ebike are not the problem, is the people who don't know how to use it properly 😊

instead of wattage restriction have speed limitation so without a licence you can go 25km/h but with a moped licence you can go up to 50 km/h

Ironic how the government can’t seem to do anything meaningful but can spend time and money (money they borrowed or taxed) to do things no one asked for. The government has become a huge insurance company that happens to own a Navy.

Very helpful in getting the mass of myself and the bike in motion while crossing an intersection and get clear quickly. Not to mention against wind and up hills.

Ban social media, not ebikes!

There should not be any power or acceleration limits on ebikes. This is absolutely insane. You can buy a 1000 horsepower car today for under 100 grand. You can buy an electric car that can hit 60mph in less than 2 seconds. What you have and what you do are 2 different things. You need power to climb hills. It is just that simple. If you want to limit the top speed, that might be reasonable. But limiting power is just a terrible idea. The UK limits power to 250 watts. There are many hills in my area that require far more than 200 watts to climb.

I think bikes and other adult bicycles should have some sort of lighting system similar to what motorcycles are required to have. If they want to use the roads along with automobiles, they should be able to be seen and a to show their intentions and when they are braking and in all light conditions. I believe a one piece system that is built into a handlebars with brake lights and directionals operating by a thumb lever similar to what a motorcycle has.

Lots of jargon and these questions completely failed to hit the major issues: First and foremost is the “innocent” bystanders who are “dying” from getting blindsided by a bike/scooter doing 30 mph down a sidewalk. You could argue that it could happen with a human powered vehicle too but the differentiating factor is the length of time, or range, that the average person is willing to sustain that effort. When it’s your callaries burning, you will pick a place where accel/decel is minimized, like a bike lane. 2) is the issue of regulation and jurisdiction. Growing up in NY, it was pretty much well known that a motor of any kind changes everything (boat, car, bike, kite…) and needs some form of license plate and is met with a handbook and oversight. These two issues are really one: what vehicles belong in what lanes. For example: On the road, you need insurance and a plate; on the bike lane/path needs speed caps and rules, sidewalks ada only. Since people are generally ignorant to complex issues, we need rules of thumb awareness, oversight… 😢

A month late to the discussion, but having perused various KZfaq e-bike channels and reading Reddit as well as other places where the public can comment, there is an innate dislike for e-bikes and they are trying to come up with reasons why e-bikes should be banned or heavily regulated. There are three major misconceptions and sticking points that I have observed: 1- Class 2 throttles bikes. They don't like the fact that they can be ridden without pedaling. People are assuming that because it has a throttle, it goes dangerously fast. They need to be educated first, that these type of e-bikes can't go faster than 20mph, which a physically fit rider on a high quality regular bike can reach, and second, that there are people who need the ability to use a throttle. Some have posted here. 2- There is this misconception that e-bike riders are cheating, and e-bikes are dangerously fast and heavy. This needs to be refuted, two of the three classes have a max speed of 20 mph, and the third is 28, but pedal assist only. The misconception happens, because they lump dirt bike e-cycles like the Sur-Ron together with low-speed e-bikes. 3- Parents are getting their kids e-bikes and either are not supervising or are not training their kids on the proper use of e-bikes and bike riding etiquette. With regular bikes, this wasn't really that big of an issue, because the kids were not that strong, nor the bikes that capable. But with e-bikes, kids can ride fast and recklessly. What I had read, was that the CPSC is considering the European model, which is essentially class 1 bikes only, but limited to 15mph. Class 2 and 3 would either be eliminated, or be considered mopeds/scooters, and subject to licensing, registration and regulation. Unfortunately, during the first comment period, which closed the middle of May, there were not very many comments, and most of the comments were very anti-ebike.

There should be 2 classes of ebikes. Class 1 would be for those who are under 18yrs old. Lass 2 for adults. Class 1 would be speed restricted to 15mph. Peddle assist only. Could have throttle added and unlocked by dealer only if said minor is disabled. Class 2 should be able to hit speed of 40mph. Settings in the system can always be set by user to accommodate those who want it limited to a lower speed. The reason for 40mph imo is thatthe average driver travels 35 to 50 on most streets. The closer our speed is to theirs, the safer for the rider. The slower we are, the more likely the driver will try to pass unsafely past us. If anything, some regulations are good, however.... more infrastructure in cities for cyclists should be the priority. That would have a much better impact on everyone. Before we put too many restrictions on manufacturers and consumers, how about officers & the public get better training on cycling edicate and officers uphold the laws on those who grossly break them. Im referring to those in example who ride on the wrong side of the road against the flow of traffic, wearing all dark colors, no reflective markers, no lights, and/or it at night. That tends to be more of what causes the serious injuries/fatalities. We need to use commonsense just like with cars rather than being knee-jerk reactionary.

I just don’t like having to register it. Especially if you build it from scratch.

I've seen two of your videos, and they were both fantastic. I just ordered my first ebike (I'm a 63 year old lifelong (-10 yrs 😂) recreational bicyclist/ motorcyclist and have ordered my first ebike. I'm just trying to get my ass out of the house. I hope the government does as little as possible in this regard ofc, but, do they ever? Not in my lifetime.

Rules need rules and they need applicable regulations and every regulation needs a new government Department of the Furor to oversee, charge, tax, fee, and punish serfs who stray. Yes, exactly as the Constitution lays forth, right?

It's not only that speed limits regulate larger vehicles from being out of control. It's *also* that those are not welcome or legal where bicycles can go. If this was mentioned, I didn't hear it. An e-bike that can travel fast, at some point will effectively be "a motorcycle" legally welcome on any path, isn't that great? Wait -- no, mopeds and small-CC scooters are legally MPH limited _but welcome in more places than motorcycles_. Yay, an issue solved decades ago no one complains about today. If that analogy doesn't make sense, try riding any moped without the motor engaged faster than about 6mph --- you can't, because it has very short crank arms, and ONE gear only intended to help start the motor. (They are pedal-started motorbikes first and "bicycles" a very distant 2nd.) Where's the line in the sand? Want unregulated speed, but for some reason not motorcycle laws? (And with mandatory headlights, turn signals, horn ... MSF course, helmets.) What exactly is the ask here?? I''m not arguing for these new e-bike laws, but you're not articulating why they are not necessarily needed.