NYC amending existing rule to allow pedal-assist bikes

Chris Nolte said:
Very exciting news here! We would have preferred a 3 class change, but this definitely welcomed after all of the ambiguity here in NYC. Thanks for posting this! I've been getting calls and emails all afternoon around this.
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It must be personally gratifying to you, given the effort you've made to affect change with this issue. Congratulations to you and your city.
 
J.R. said:
New York Business Journal today: New York City’s Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) will begin the process of amending an existing rule to allow for the use of pedal-assist bikes in the City of New York.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bi...k-dot-to-allow-pedal-assist-bicycles.amp.html
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After years of conflicting statements from multiple NYC ‘authorities’, this is a surprising and most welcome press release.

It’s just so ironic to have NYC lead something progressive when so many NYS bills in Albany are written to carve out an exception for NYC.
 
Update

NYC amended law is very narrow. I understood pedal assist bikes would be allowed, but still illegal are any ebikes that didn't come from a manufacturer with pedal assist only.

Illegal ebikes include:
  • Any ebike that included a throttle from the factory.
  • Any ebike that had pedal assist with throttle, even with throttle removed or disabled.
  • Any ebike converted to pedal assist.
  • Any kit ebike, converted bike.
I'm not sure how a cop is supposed to discriminate some of these differences, but it's still likely to cause some anxiety for some ebike owners. It will also make one ebiker a criminal and the one next to him in the bike lane a law abiding citizen. Both riding assisted.

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2018/05/29/delivery-workers-implore-dot-for-sensible-e-bike-rules/
 
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J.R. said:
Illegal ebikes include:
  • Any ebike that included a throttle from the factory.
  • Any ebike that had pedal assist with throttle, even with throttle removed or disabled.
  • Any ebike converted to pedal assist.
  • Any kit ebike, converted bike.
Click to expand...

Deeply unfair as most strictly interpreted this would preclude riding any Class 2 or Class 2 capable ebike including the Super 73, despite Casey Neistat's protestations to the contrary, Boomer Cruisers from Pedego or Raleigh/Izip regardless of whether the throttle is fitted, and upright e-trikes for the elderly or disabled most of which are speed limited to 10 or 15mph but need a throttle to get 85-125lb of trike moving. It is this type of regulation that leads to stupid decisions for corporate liability BS reasons like Trek disabling 4mph walk assist on all their ebikes when NYC permits 4mph electric disability scooters.
 
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Dewey said:
Deeply unfair as most strictly interpreted this would preclude riding any Class 2 or Class 2 capable ebike including the Super 73, despite Casey Neistat's protestations to the contrary, Boomer Cruisers from Pedego or Raleigh/Izip regardless of whether the throttle is fitted, and upright e-trikes for the elderly or disabled most of which are speed limited to 10 or 15mph but need a throttle to get 85-125lb of trike moving. It is this type of regulation that leads to stupid decisions for corporate liability BS reasons like Trek disabling 4mph walk assist on all their ebikes when NYC permits 4mph electric disability scooters.
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I am a big proponent of good pedal assist. It's really a pleasure to ride in PAS, just like a normal bike, I just pedal and the bike does the rest. I did start with a throttle based bike, that's legal in PA, simple law here: 750 watts, 20 mph, throttle and/or PAS.

Last September the county parks here enacted new rules that made throttles illegal, so I'm glad I have and like my PAS bike. Those rules banning throttles are becoming the norm. Trails like the G.A.P. and others ban throttles. South of PA into Maryland, throttles banned. But different than NYC, you can convert to PAS and still ride your bike.

It's the silliest thing to ban any ebike that didn't come from a factory as class 1. 'Show us your papers!' Class 2 bikes probably outnumber class 1 bikes in NYC 10 to 1. People will still ride the bikes they own, but owners will always have the thought in the back of their mind - is today the day my bike gets confiscated.
 
J.R. said:
Trails like the G.A.P. and others ban throttles.
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The ATA's ebike policy permits Class 1 up to 15mph so I could ride the G.A.P. with my BBS01 provided I remove the throttle and cap the speed limit which is fine with me, I wish the National Park Service, Forest Service, and regional Parks & Rec agencies, would revisit their bans on ebikes at least on the paved portions of rail trails like the C&O and W&OD as often those run through suburban areas before turning into gravel or dirt paths further out into the countryside. I appreciate sometimes they make exceptions for disabled persons on some trails after consultation.
 
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The option is to use regular bikes. They’d get less than half of all deliveries completed. These guys would show up out of breath and exhaling all over your package and maybe you. Would you like some Covid with your fries?

Maybe in return for the ebike consideration, these guys would ride more respectfully in the future.
Hope springs eternal.
 
Disgusting... incredibly poor public policy.

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