ebikes

A new bipartisan bill introduced in Congress could finally establish a long-missing federal framework for regulating electric bikes and similar micromobility devices in the US.

I’m very much among those who believe “the correct number of e-bikes to have is N+1”. But I’m also a realist (and one who knows that happy wife equals happy life), and so I recognize that we often have to make do with the bike we have. And it was in that vein that I thought it’d be fun to take a city-focused electric bicycle on an off-road trip to see how it would handle. I wanted to show, or perhaps just prove to myself, that my everyday beater city e-bike could perform where you might think a dedicated electric mountain bike or fat tire e-bike would be a necessity.

And if I’m being completely honest with myself, I wound up in a bit over my head. But all is well that ends well, and here I am the next day, slightly sore, but still able to type it out.

Many states across the US have spent the last several years promoting electric bikes as a climate solution. California, one of the leaders in e-bike adoption in the US, has funded rebate programs, invested in bike infrastructure, and championed e-bikes as a way to reduce car trips and cut emissions. At the same time, however, another trend has emerged: a sharp increase in youth ridership – and with it, a growing number of complaints about unsafe riding.

Now, some lawmakers in states with high e-bike usage are proposing something that would have sounded unthinkable just a few years ago: license plates for e-bikes.

Spend enough time in the e-bike world, and you’ll start to notice something strange: a huge amount of how we regulate micromobility comes down to one simple question – does it have pedals? That might have made sense a decade ago, but today it’s starting to look increasingly outdated.

And to be clear, this isn’t about whether having pedals is a requisite for being considered an electric bicycle. It surely is. Rather, I think the bigger question here is this: Should it even matter?

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a stark warning to riders of the Ridstar Q20 and Q20 Pro electric bikes, urging owners to stop using them immediately due to a serious fire risk. But in a troubling twist, the manufacturer has refused to cooperate with a recall.

SUPER73 is back with a major shake-up to its lineup. The Southern California-based electric bike brand has just unveiled its all-new A-Series, a collection of redesigned models that signal a shift toward more practical, commuter-friendly machines while still leaning into the company’s signature moto-inspired styling.

Velotric is taking a notable step into the growing lightweight e-bike segment with the launch of its new Tempo, a city-focused electric bike designed to feel much closer to a traditional bicycle than most of today’s heavier commuter models.

Aventon has just unveiled its latest electric mountain bike, the new Current, bringing a full-suspension eMTB platform to the company’s lineup that blends trail-ready performance with the connected tech features Aventon has been steadily building into its bikes. Continuing with Aventon’s modus operandi for the last few years, the Current offers an increasingly refined level of off-road riding, yet at a price that undercuts the bigger established bike shop brands.

A Southern California school district is considering a controversial new rule that could significantly limit how students get to school. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District, which serves Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, is weighing a proposal that would ban most students from riding electric bicycles to school.

Whenever gas prices spike, the same advice tends to dominate the conversation: “Just buy an electric car.”

And to be fair, that advice isn’t wrong. Electric cars can dramatically reduce the cost of fueling your transportation, and for drivers who already need a car every day, switching from gasoline to electricity can be a smart financial move. A large-scale shift to EVs is also our best bet for energy independence, so global strife has less impact on our wallets. But that argument, despite its merits, ignores the fact that most people can’t simply buy a new car to replace their existing gasoline-powered vehicle.

“Juiced is back, baby” says the revamped Juiced Bikes website. It also shows us our first glimpse of what are set to become the new e-bike models that will help the re-animated electric bike maker launch its much-awaited comeback tour.

Rad Power Bikes’ new ownership says the brand is about to be reborn after being bought out of bankruptcy – and part of that rebirth includes building e-bikes in the United States.

But if that sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve heard similar promises before. And while the idea of American-made e-bikes is appealing, the reality of the industry makes it far more complicated than it sounds.

Rad Power Bikes, once the dominant force in North America’s direct-to-consumer e-bike boom, has officially found a new home. Life Electric Vehicles Holdings (Life EV) announced this week that it has completed a court-approved acquisition of Rad Power Bikes’ brand, intellectual property, inventory, and certain operating assets.

A Southern California father is facing felony charges after his 12-year-old son was critically injured while riding a modified electric motorbike, a case that prosecutors say highlights the growing legal consequences for parents when children ride high-powered electric two-wheelers illegally.

Electric bike maker Heybike has just officially unveiled its latest model, the Venus, a lightweight commuter-focused e-bike designed to bridge the gap between practical urban transportation and relaxed recreational riding. The new model launches with a starting MSRP of $1,499 and brings together a relatively powerful drivetrain, long-range claims, and a lighter frame package aimed at everyday riders. 

Engwe, a popular maker of several different styles of electric bicycles, has just launched what appears to be its boldest and most powerful electric two-wheeler yet, the M20 3.0.

Florida’s proposed 10 mph e-bike speed limit law is moving forward, and unlike many recent attempts at regulating electric bikes, this one may actually thread the needle.

Electric bike maker Tenways has filed for a main board listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, marking a significant milestone for one of Europe’s fastest-growing commuter e-bike brands.

Nearly 20,000 electric bicycles are being recalled in the US after a defect was discovered that could cause the rear wheel to separate from the bike, posing a crash risk.

When most people think about America’s best-selling budget electric bike, they probably picture affordability, practicality, and maybe a folding frame that fits in the trunk of a car. What they probably don’t picture is a former high-performance mountain bike racer hammering through the Arizona desert.

But that’s exactly part of the story behind Lectric eBikes and its wildly popular Lectric XP lineup.

China is tightening oversight of its massive electric bicycle industry with a new reform that will require mandatory product traceability markings on electric bikes and several of their major related components.