Currently, the use of electric bikes is allowed in urban environments and they are classified as a conventional bike. No license is required. Electric bikes are allowed on almost all motorized trails or ORVs in the West and not in areas closed to motorized use in the state. However, as mentioned above, any county in any state can make changes to this rule if authorized officials choose to do so. Perhaps if a group of people ask to open a certain non-motorized path for e-bikes, they will have to go through the office at the local level to make the exception. It is not easy because there is a process of paperwork and « studies », including the review of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) where they do an environmental impact assessment and other analyses before the road is opened. Electric bikes have an electric motor and battery that drive the rider directly or by helping him pedal. Kristi Ponozzo, director of Helena Parks, Recreation and Open Lands, said the city doesn`t currently have a specific policy for it, but she has heard the public say it`s time to develop one. Missoula Senator Diane Sands asked Weiss if lawmakers should be more proactive in regulating e-bikes across the state or simply clean up some of the more vague wording of the 2015 bill. Jewett expressed concern about the safety effects of increased speed on trails, the possibility that heavier e-bikes could cause more damage to the country and the impact of greater overcrowding. He said he was open to public debate, but the Commission had to start applying the existing regulation against motorised transport. No licensing or registration requirements are required. However, cyclists under the age of eighteen must wear a helmet.
Electric bikes can be driven on roads, bike paths, and even trails in state parks. UTAH electric bikes are regulated like bicycles. The same road traffic rules apply to electric bikes and bicycles. Electric bikes are not subject to licensing or registration. Utah currently refers to three classes of electric bikes and distinguishes low-speed electric bikes that reach motor speeds of up to 20 mph from higher-speed pedelecs that have motors that support up to 28 miles per hour. In general, any natural surface path open to motorized vehicles is also open to electric bikes. Utah State Parks allow electric bikes on non-motorized trails open to bicycles. Electric bicycles are considered motorized vehicles in the federal state. Some in Missoula feared that fast and quiet e-bikes would be dangerous for pedestrians, while others argued that e-bikes would allow more people to get around without a car.
Barry said his company only sells Type 1 electric bikes and he would support allowing those bikes on trails — but not the other two guys he said are more similar to a motorcycle or off-road motorcycle. There are a few things that the bike needs to be equipped with so that the cyclist can ride safely. Montana law requires bicycles to be equipped with functional brakes, a white headlight visible from five hundred feet away when it comes to dark, reflective equipment visible on at least three hundred feet, and a red reflector or taillight. Montana also stipulates that colorless or amber pedal reflectors must be installed. HELENA – Helena city leaders are addressing the issue of where e-bikes or e-bikes should be allowed in the city – and in particular whether they are allowed to ride on trails in open ground. Barry said the latest Type 1 electric bikes aren`t significantly heavier, faster or noisier than other bikes. He believes that city leaders can find ways to limit the impact. The BLM opened a 60-day comment period during which it received 24,000 comments from the public at the end of 2020, helping to guide the direction of this new order.
The BLM reported that there were many comments supporting the proposed rule, with some calling for more opportunities for people to ride e-bikes on public lands and for e-bikes to be treated by land managers in the same way as traditional non-motorized bikes. Under current regulations, e-bikes are managed as VROs and may be approved on roads and trails located in areas designated as « open » or « restricted » for the use of VROs in applicable land use plans based on site-specific considerations. At present, e-bikes are not allowed in areas where land use plans have been closed for the use of PHEVs, some of which include roads and trails accessible to traditional non-motorized bicycles. Since this rule gives officers the opportunity to make a decision that excludes Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes from the definition of VROs, the final regulations could facilitate the use of e-bikes on roads and trails in areas closed to the use of PHEVs and help the BLM achieve its goal of providing better access to public lands. especially for people with disabilities. This new regulation will provide authorized signatories with more flexibility in managing e-bikes in the future and provide an additional opportunity to achieve greater consistency with neighboring land managers and other state and federal agencies. The city`s upcoming discussions could also include electric scooters. As they are also two-wheeled vehicles equipped with electric motors, they can fall under the same rules as electric bikes. The national company Bird said it was interested in placing rental scooters in downtown Helena. The year 2020 has been a turning point for the regulation of electric bikes and in particular for how they are classified and where they can be used.
The aim of this directive is to expand leisure opportunities and change the current regulation of electric bikes due to its growing popularity. The big debacle, of course, is whether e-bikes should be allowed on roads and paths where only non-motorized use is allowed. The purpose of this is to alleviate confusion and inconsistencies with the current situation that each state has for its public lands. « I`d hate to see this topic evolve into a matter of `yes, e-bikes,` `No electric bikes,` » Jewett said. I think there are suitable places for e-bikes, and many communities have found these places suitable, but they are simply not suitable to have in our South Hills that are not motorized at the moment. Montana classifies an electric bike as an electric bike as long as the bike has a top speed of 20 mph. The same rules apply to these bicycles as to human-powered bicycles. Electric bikes are not subject to licensing or registration.
In general, any natural surface path open to motorized vehicles is also open to electric bikes. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks currently has no policy. Contact the department for use on state land in your area. The upcoming public process will cover possible regulations for e-bikes throughout the city, including in built-up parks and paved trails like the Centennial Trail.