Bridgewater Police Issue Guidance On Electric Bikes, Scooters

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Law enforcement officials are reminding residents of the dangers and laws regarding electric bikes, or e-bikes, which have gained popularity in recent years.

"Recently, the Bridgewater Police Department has observed more and more E-bikes on our roadways," said police on Wednesday.

Certain E-bikes are permitted to operate on roadways and are treated the same as a regular bicycle.

"However, most of the E-bikes we are observing do not qualify, are classified as 'motorized scooters,' and are not authorized to be used on public roadways," said police.

To determine if residents are operating an authorized E-bike and legally allowed to be on a public street, police asked riders to check to see if it has pedals and does not travel faster than 28 MPH.

Class one bikes are pedal-assist, meaning the motor only activates when you pedal. There is no throttle on the bike, and the motor doesn’t allow the rider to exceed 20 miles per hour. These are allowed on most bike paths, residential roads, and multi-use trails.

Class two bikes have pedal assist and a throttle, allowing for acceleration without pedaling. These e-bikes also max out around 20 mph and are allowed on most paths, roads, and trails.

Class three bikes have pedal assist, no throttle, and max out around 28 mph. Helmets are required for all riders of a class three e-bike, and these are typically only allowed on roadways or with traffic. They must be registered and insured.

Motorized bicycles that exceed 20 mph must comply with state regulations. The state law requires a minimum age of 15 to operate, and operators must pass a written road test from the Motor Vehicle Commission to obtain a motorized bicycle license.

If someone is riding a standard bicycle or operating an authorized E-bike, they are still required to obey all NJ traffic laws.

Police said that if they encounter an illegal "motorized scooter," the operator may be issued a traffic summons, and the scooter will be towed and impounded.

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