The case for ditching e-bike classes

Does this system benefit anyone?

Image courtesy of TheRoundUp.org

I've been riding electric bikes almost daily for about six years now. And there is something that always bothered me about these otherwise amazing forms of transportation.

It's the class system.

Yes, all electric bikes in the United States are required to fall within a somewhat arbitrary class system. The assumed goal of this system is to ensure that bikes operate as intended and within the safe limits of roadways and bike paths.

But how has this played out in practice? Hmm, I'd say it has been less than ideal from my perspective.

What exactly is the problem? Well, I'd venture to say that an overwhelming majority of e-bike riders in the United States have no idea which classification their bike falls into. I'll break it down here for clarity.

Class 1

This is a bike that can only be powered by a pedal-assist motor. There is no way to accelerate the vehicle without using your feet to pedal. The motor will in effect make the pedaling easier for you to avoid fatigue and maintain a consistent speed. That speed part is very important. A Class 1 e-bike will cut out its pedal assistance at 20 mph. Some bikes may cut out slightly sooner but somewhere between 18-20 mph is the standard. Of course, you could potentially exceed that 20 mph speed if you are going downhill or continue to pedal hard enough to propel the bike through the motor's limitation.

TLDR - Class 1 means 20mph top speed with no throttle. Gotta use your feet!

Class 2

This is arguably the most common and most confusing classification in the United States. A Class 2 bike also has a top speed of 20 mph. But unlike the Class 1 model, a Class 2 bike can have a throttle. That means that you can keep your feet still on the pedals and just twist or press a throttle button in order to make the bike go. You can also pedal and get some assistance if you'd prefer. Some Class 2 e-bikes have different modes for pedal assist or throttle. Others just use the throttle boost whenever its necessary like from a full stop or to pass a slower rider. The different settings of most Class 2 bikes are what make it so darn confusing. Many Class 2 bikes allow you to change the throttle settings or top speed restrictions. Which may turn your Class 2 bike into a...pseudo Class 3 bike.

TLDR - Class 2 means 20mph top speed, but you can use a throttle or choose not to! It could be like a little motorcycle or it could be identical to a Class 1 bike!

Class 3

A Class 3 bike by definition can not have a throttle. It should be fully propelled by a pedal-assisted motor much like a Class 1 bike. The big difference is that the Class 3 designation will allow the bike to reach a top speed of 28 mph. Depending on the model of your bike, it might still take a good deal of effort to reach that 28 mph speed. And without a throttle, you can't just shoot from 0-28 in no time at all. It is typically a pace that takes time to reach and effort to maintain.

TLDR - This is the big boy. You can hit a top speed of 28 mph on a Class 3 bike. You aren't allowed to have a throttle...and yet you might have one if you turned your Class 2 bike into a Class 3 bike via software. Make sense?

And there you have it. Those are the three e-bike classifications in the US. You probably have the same question I do. Why?

What is so special about 20 mph and 28 mph? Sure, there is some safety data out there about crashes at those speeds but it still feels pretty arbitrary. What about those bikes that allow you to set the top speed much higher than 28 mph? Are they still considered Class 3? Are they mopeds? Are they motorcycles? Are they scooters? Does anyone really care that much? Do they only care if their car/child/dog/non-electric bike comes in contact with your vehicle?

e-bike vs. cars

Image courtesy of TheDrive

I know it isn't the same to directly compare cars and e-bikes but it does help for this argument in my mind.

I've considered purchasing a cute little LSV as a second car for our family. Technically a "neighborhood vehicle" or "low speed vehicle" is considered an automobile that can only reach a top speed of 25 mph and are not permitted on roadways with speed limits exceeding 35 mph.

Those limitations are pretty restrictive. And while I love the efficiency and lower cost of a vehicle like that compared to a traditional car, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense for most people. Even if you only drive around a city with low speed limits 99 percent of the time, wouldn't you love it if your LSV could get on the freeway for even five minutes to get to the next town over more efficiently? Or in the case of San Francisco, wouldn’t you want to be able to get on any of the bridges to explore outside of the city?

I feel a similar way about these e-bike classifications. For what it's worth, I've owned bikes that fall into all three classifications. I see a reasonable argument for all of them. But it's a shame that I technically am not allowed to ride my Class 3 bike on certain trails or bike paths in California. It has no throttle. I very rarely exceed 20 mph unless I'm on a busy road where cars are whizzing by me at much faster speeds.

Now, the big question is about enforcement. Will anyone enforce these restrictions as long as you aren't causing any trouble and pedaling at a safe speed? No, probably not. There are bigger fish to fry out there. But it feels like more restrictions are coming for Class 3 e-bikes and its too bad. It's like buying a car that can go 150 mph. Are you ever going to go that fast? Most certainly not. But should you be penalized for that capability? No.

As someone who often covers a lot of ground with children and cargo in tow, it makes a lot of sense to go a few miles per hour faster if it's going to get my kid to school on time or get the groceries home before the frozen food melts. No, I'm not going to ride that fast on most of my days, but why shouldn't I have the ability to if I'm on a bike lane on a street with cars going nearly double my speed?

If the alternative is driving a car, it's in everyone's best interest to relax these classifications rather than frighten people. There are certainly times where I feel the Class 3 sticker on my e-bike feels like an unnecessary red flag.

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