Officials ponder the place of electric bikes

Although this story was written about the Breckenridge Colorado Area, it is playing out all across the USA, Europe and Asia. As these types of vehicles become more popular, local governments are grappling with how to regulate their use to allow the public to use them without endangering others. It will be very interesting to see how these agencies and others handle the situation and also the public's reaction to the increased regulation. -Green Wheelin'

Local governments grapple with allowing electric assisted bikes on local rec paths
BY CADDIE NATH
SUMMIT DAILY NEWS,

Matt Monaghan on an electric bicycle last summer in Aspen. The bikes are growing in popularity, but governments are struggling with whether to allow them on the rec paths.
Aspen Times file photo

BRECKENRIDGE — Step aside, strollers, traditional bikes and Rollerblades. There's a new recreational vehicle in town. Electric-assisted bicycles — bikes equipped with small chargeable engines that kick in to assist riders as they pedal — are a rising trend with bicyclists and, in Summit County, with tourists. They're also presenting a bit of a dilemma for local governments trying to decide whether to allow the new contraptions on local recreation paths. The electric bikes are currently prohibited on rec paths, along with other motorized vehicles, but are legal on the
street.
Last summer, several retailers in the county began offering the electric bikes for rent. The bicycles' engines give riders a little extra steam as they pedal, but are governed to shut off if the vehicle is moving faster than 20 miles per hour. Champions of the bikes say they're just as safe, if a little heavier, than traditional bicycles. Read More