The New Jersey rules for E-bikes

In light of the fatal accident on Route 37 this week involving an e-bike, and another last week in Burlington, plenty of people had questions about what the rules are. We talked about it on the air on Thursday and people had a lot of opinions and questions.

You've probably seen more and more of these things in the last few years. As of May 2019, laws were put in place in New Jersey to allow you to operate e-bikes.

Maybe you've thought of getting one but are not sure of the rules. The rules are pretty simple but a little more detailed than just riding a regular bicycle. There are three classes of e-bikes.

The first is a Class 1. This bike is equipped with a motor that assists the rider when they are peddling but that ceases to provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph.

The second is class 2 e-bikes are equipped with a throttle-actuated motor, and that ceases to provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph.

The third category is a Class 3 e-bike. They are defined as motorized bicycles and are subject to more stringent rules. Riders of motorized bikes must be at least 15 years old and riders must wear a helmet.

Motorized bicycle riders must carry an operator’s license and are subject to registration and insurance requirements. Class 1 and class 2 e-bikes have similar rules to riding a regular bicycle.

All riders of e-bikes must wear a helmet and must ride on the right side of the road.
They are prohibited from interstates, four-lane highways divided by a grass or concrete median and highways with a speed limit over 50 mph.

You can operate an e-bike on bike paths but must yield to pedestrians and are not allowed on sidewalks. I have seen plenty of them on the AC boardwalk, especially early in the morning. This summer should see an explosion of usage of these things.

The problem is that they are much faster than even the speediest regular bike riders and there is no sound to warn you they're coming up behind you. They are required to have a light on front and back, brakes strong enough to produce a skid on dry pavement and a horn or bell, but no whistles or sirens.

E-bike sales have been steadily growing. And e-bikes are far outpacing electric car sales. The average price of an e-bike is about $2,000. Entry-level electric bikes are about $1,000. High-end e-bikes can cost $6,000 or more. If you're thinking of getting one, do your research and good luck!

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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