The unique features of the electric bicycles are a plus- the folding of the bikes for easy storage and transport is amazing and improving. The bike folds, the handle bars and seats collapse, and the pedals even snap in. The improvements in light weighting while keeping durability and the integrity of the bike are also vastly improved. These bikes have been on a very effective diet losing 10 - 20 pounds over a short time period.
Where Can you Ride an Electric Bike?
While there seems to be debate on this issue of where to ride the e-bike, the more riders the more the resolution there seems to be of this issue. On a pretty regular basis I am reading news articles around the world about areas now allowing e-bikes on trails and motorways. In the US the issue was somewhat resolved by federal regulation defining certain electric bikes as bikes and going on to state that local jurisdiction can't regulate them different than bikes. I know some e-bikers that carry a copy of the regulation with them in the case that they are stopped by the local authority. The federal regulation defines an electric bike to be a bike if it has 2-3 wheels, pedals, less than 750 watts and less than 20 mph.
Even with this regulation on the federal level, local jurisdictions which have marked their trails with no motorized vehicles signs have been discussing e-bikes. These signs for the most part were to prohibit motorcycles and mopeds. The electric scooter, electric mobility scooter, and the electric bicycle were not really around and therefore, not part of that earlier discussion. Local jurisdictions are granting the scooters and bikes the right to share the trails.
Another concern is riding on streets while commuting to work, school or just out enjoying a ride. Again in the US if bikes are allowed electric bikes and scooters are allowed. As we all know the problem arises when cyclists want to be treated as pedestrians to use walkways and as vehicles to use motorways. Commonsense and safety of all users should prevail. One crazy rider ruins it for everyone so we must stay active and not allow local authorities to over-react to a few goofy riders. These riders will continue to ignore any new or old regulation any ways so why penalize the mass of riders following the rules?
Where to ride should not be a deterrent to purchasing an e-bike. There are miles of roads and paths open to the e-biker to enjoy and to use to commute.
Knowing facts about the improving technology and the growing trends of treating the e-bike the same as other bikes will help you become a better consumer and hopefully an advocate for the electric bicycles. These bicycles are the future of mainstream cycling in the US and we all need to be better educated and informed.
