EXPLAINS WHAT RIDERS NEED TO KNOW. E-BIKES ARE SO POPULAR NOW, A MODERN TWIST TO TRANSPORTATION. IT JUST MAKES YOUR LIFE SO MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU’RE. WHEN YOU’RE RIDING A BIKE, YOU CAN GET ALL THE JOY OUT OF RIDING A BIKE WITH AN E-BIKE. ELECTRIC BIKES HAVE GROWN INTO A MULTIBILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. IT’S ALMOST LIKE BMX DAYS BACK AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OR SKATING, YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST ANOTHER GREAT OUTDOOR ACTIVITY FOR THEM TO DO AS LONG AS THEY’RE SAFE AND LEGAL. BUT NOT EVERYTHING ON THE MARKET IS LEGAL TO RIDE IN CALIFORNIA. HAVING CONSUMERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY’RE BUYING. IF YOU GO ON AMAZON AND YOU SEARCH E-BIKE, YOU’RE GOING TO GET AN ILLEGAL DEVICE. TODAY. KENDRA RAMSEY IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA BICYCLE COALITION, AN ADVOCACY GROUP FOCUSED ON ENSURING SAFER STREETS. FOLKS GO TO A STORE OR THEY GO ON AMAZON. THEY SEE SOMETHING BEING SOLD AS AN E-BIKE, AND THEY BUY IT AND THEY THINK, OH, I’M BUYING THIS AT A STORE. THIS IS GREAT. IT’S AFFORDABLE. IT’LL GET ME TO WORK, IT’LL GET ME TO SCHOOL. AND THAT’S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. AND THAT’S REALLY THE ISSUE THAT’S BEING TRIED TO SOLVE HERE. ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA CRACKING DOWN ON SELLERS THAT MODIFY E-BIKES TO BE FASTER OR MORE POWERFUL. THE ENFORCEMENT IS IMPORTANT. IT’S ON OUR RADAR SOMETIMES WITH GUIDANCE, LIKE THERE ARE OFTEN BUSINESSES THAT ARE JUST NOT SURE OR UNCLEAR. AND THE GUIDANCE. IN CALIFORNIA, THERE ARE THREE CLASSES OF E-BIKES. THE FIRST PROVIDES ASSISTANCE WHILE PEDALING AND GOES UP TO 20MPH. THE SECOND HAS A THROTTLE THAT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE UP TO 20MPH, AND THE THIRD PROVIDES ASSISTANCE UP TO 28MPH. BUT FOR THAT ONE, YOU MUST BE 16 YEARS OR OLDER. RESEARCHERS WITH THE MINETA TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE ANALYZED DATA FROM MARIN AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES AND FOUND 88% OF E-BIKES OUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOLS WERE NOT LEGAL E-BIKES, HAVING SELLERS HAVE PENALTIES IF THEY’RE SELLING SOMETHING THAT’S NOT AN E-BIKE, BUT LABELING IT AN E-BIKE AND HAVE THESE OTHER DEVICES ACTUALLY HAVE REGULATIONS TO BE REGISTERED AND REQUIRE LICENSES IF THEY MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT MY ORGANIZATION, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER ROAD SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS, ARE SEEKING TO DO. CAL BIKE IS CO-SPONSORING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CRACK DOWN ON WHAT CAN BE LABELED AS AN E-BIKE. THIS A PRETTY BIG SAFETY ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS ONE IS A USED BIKE WHICH HAS BEEN MODIFIED. IT DOESN’T HAVE PEDALS ANYMORE. THIS ISN’T STREET LEGAL ANYMORE. WE TRY TO EDUCATE THEM AS BEST WE CAN FOR CALIFORNIA POLITICS. 360. I’M CECIL HANNIBAL. AS CECIL MENTIONED, CAL BIKE IS CO-SPONSORING SB 1167. THAT PROPOSAL WOULD AMEND THE TYPES OF VEHICLES THAT CANNOT BE ADVERTISED, SOLD OR LABELED AS E-BIKES. LAWMAKERS IN THE STATE SENAT
California lawmakers aim to crack down on illegal e-bikes to improve safety | CA Politics 360
Not all e-bikes on the market comply with California regulations
Updated: 8:25 AM PDT May 3, 2026
California lawmakers and advocacy groups are working to address the safety concerns surrounding illegal e-bikes as their popularity continues to grow, especially among teens. Electric bikes have become a multibillion-dollar industry, offering riders convenience and enjoyment. “It makes your life so much easier. When you are riding a bike, you can get all the joy out of riding a bike with an e-bike,” said David Hall of Bikes and Riders Bike Shop. However, not all e-bikes on the market comply with California regulations. Kendra Ramsey, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition, explained the challenges consumers face. “Folks go to a store, or they go on Amazon, they see something being sold as an e-bike and they buy it. They think, ‘Oh, I am buying this at a store. This is great. It’s affordable, it will get me to work, it will get me to school.’ That’s not always the case. That’s really the issue that’s being tried to solve here,” Ramsey said. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking action against sellers who modify e-bikes to make them faster or more powerful. His office issued a consumer alert in early April.”We wanted to provide some guidance and clarity around what’s an e-bike and what’s not. An e-bike is not a motorcycle. An e-bike is not a scooter. This is about safety, about health, about consumer protection,” Bonta said. California law categorizes e-bikes into three classes:Class one provides assistance while pedaling and goes up to 20 miles per hourClass two has a throttle but stops assistance at 20 miles per hour Class three stops assistance at 28 miles per hour and requires riders to be 16 or olderBonta emphasized the importance of enforcement.”The enforcement is important. It’s on our radar. Sometimes, with guidance, there are often businesses that are just not sure, or unclear in the guidance,” he said. Research conducted by the Mineta Transportation Institute analyzed data from Marin and San Mateo counties and found that 88% of e-bikes outside schools were not legal e-bikes. “Having sellers have penalties if they are selling something that’s not an e-bike, but labeling it an e-bike, and have these other devices actually have regulations to be registered and require licenses if they meet certain criteria, and that’s something my organization, along with several other road safety organizations are seeking to do,” Ramsey said. Cal Bike is co-sponsoring SB 1167, which would amend the type of vehicles that can’t be advertised, sold or labeled as an e-bike. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
California lawmakers and advocacy groups are working to address the safety concerns surrounding illegal e-bikes as their popularity continues to grow, especially among teens.
Electric bikes have become a multibillion-dollar industry, offering riders convenience and enjoyment.
“It makes your life so much easier. When you are riding a bike, you can get all the joy out of riding a bike with an e-bike,” said David Hall of Bikes and Riders Bike Shop.
However, not all e-bikes on the market comply with California regulations.
Kendra Ramsey, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition, explained the challenges consumers face.
“Folks go to a store, or they go on Amazon, they see something being sold as an e-bike and they buy it. They think, ‘Oh, I am buying this at a store. This is great. It’s affordable, it will get me to work, it will get me to school.’ That’s not always the case. That’s really the issue that’s being tried to solve here,” Ramsey said.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking action against sellers who modify e-bikes to make them faster or more powerful. His office issued a consumer alert in early April.
“We wanted to provide some guidance and clarity around what’s an e-bike and what’s not. An e-bike is not a motorcycle. An e-bike is not a scooter. This is about safety, about health, about consumer protection,” Bonta said.
California law categorizes e-bikes into three classes:
Class one provides assistance while pedaling and goes up to 20 miles per hourClass two has a throttle but stops assistance at 20 miles per hour Class three stops assistance at 28 miles per hour and requires riders to be 16 or older
Bonta emphasized the importance of enforcement.
“The enforcement is important. It’s on our radar. Sometimes, with guidance, there are often businesses that are just not sure, or unclear in the guidance,” he said.
Research conducted by the Mineta Transportation Institute analyzed data from Marin and San Mateo counties and found that 88% of e-bikes outside schools were not legal e-bikes.
“Having sellers have penalties if they are selling something that’s not an e-bike, but labeling it an e-bike, and have these other devices actually have regulations to be registered and require licenses if they meet certain criteria, and that’s something my organization, along with several other road safety organizations are seeking to do,” Ramsey said.
Cal Bike is co-sponsoring SB 1167, which would amend the type of vehicles that can’t be advertised, sold or labeled as an e-bike.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel