MA Congress Considers Legislation To Reclassify E-Bikes

The Massachusetts state legislator is working on new legislation that would reclassify e-bikes as bikes instead of mopeds making them permissible on bike paths.

The proposed legislation would take increasingly popular e-bike transportation and give them a legal designation more in line with the 46 other states in the country that classify e-bikes as bicycles.

The legislation would classify e-bikes into categories based on their design and top speeds. E-bike commuters are hoping for the legislation to be passed soon as it will make it legal to ride e-bikes on bike lanes.

E-bikes are separated into three classes. Class 1 e-bikes have motors that work only when the rider is pedaling. Class 2 e-bikes are bikes with a throttle motor that don’t require pedaling and they stop helping at 20 mph. Class 3 e-bikes assist a rider only when pedaling and stop helping at 28 mph.

If passed into law the bill could lead to other opportunities for e-bikes such as bike-share systems which can not include e-bikes with their current moped designation.