HB 17-1151, new Colorado legislation concerning the regulation of electric assisted bicycles (e-bikes) took effect August 9, 2017.
This new law defines classes of electrical assisted bicycles and states:
A person may ride a class 1 or class 2 electrical assisted bicycle (e-bikes with a top speed of 20 mph) on a bike or pedestrian path where bicycles are authorized to travel.
The bill also redefines Class 1 and 2 e-bikes as no longer being motor vehicles under state law, but affirms:
A local authority may prohibit the operations of a class 1 or class 2 electrical assisted bicycle on a bike or pedestrian path under its jurisdiction.
E-bikes are currently prohibited on the Summit County Recpath System, except for use by persons with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Summit County Board of County Commissioners has tasked the Open Space and Trails Department with gathering more information about e-bikes to determine if this use might be appropriate on sections of the Recpath. Our Commissioners have indicated that the status of regulations regarding e-bikes in other jurisdictions is critical to their decision-making process. We hope that you can assist us in gathering this information. Please fill out the survey below.
Also, please let us know if you would like to know the results of this survey, and we would be happy to share them with you.