Adding an electric motor to a bicycle can vastly expand its range and utility. It can also open up legal loopholes for a whole new type of “bike-shaped objects:” vehicles that resemble bicycles while powering their users faster than any human can go. On this page, you'll find resources on electric bikes and their legal status. 

Electric Bikes and the Law

On this 2014 Alliance for Biking & Walking webinar, we heard from three different speakers who provided diverse perspectives and some in-the-trenches anecdotes of the current battle to win fair legislation for electric bikes.

Electric Bikes and the Law (Dropbox, PDF)
The Legal Limbo of Electric Bikes (and What Advocates Are Doing About It) (URL)
Video: Electric Bikes and the Law (URL)