Are e-bikes faster than conventional bicycles?

Over the last couple years, electric bicycles (e-bikes) have been gaining momentum. E-bikes may play an important role in addressing cities’ transportation and public health problems by getting more people out of cars and onto bicycles. But as thenumber of users increase, so too will potential conflicts (actual or perceived) with other road users, causing policy questions to arise.

The current state of e-bikes regulation varies dramatically across state and local jurisdictions, causing confusion. The confusion stems from the wide variety of devices and technologies on the market, perceived overlap of legal entities’ jurisdiction over the device, outdated or absent laws and regulations, and inconsistency of terms used to describe e-bikes. This confusion creates uncertainty for manufacturers and dealers and makes riders wary of embracing e-bikes.

One of the biggest concerns people have about e-bikes and their use, especially on shared-use paths, is speed.  Currently, theConsumer Product Safety Act defines an e-bike as having a maximum speed of 20 mph when powered solely by a motor. Given the design specifications of an e-bike, do people tend to ride faster on an e-bike? If so, how much faster than on a conventional bicycle? Are e-bikes fast enough to cause concern or problems on bike facilities?

First, we need to look at the speeds of conventional bicycles. Opiela et al. measured the speeds of bicycles on various bike facilities and found the average speeds ranged around 12-15 mph and maximum speeds reached 24-25 mph (Table 1. The 2012 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities suggests speed performance criteria for bike facilities: 8-15 mph paved level terrain; 20-30+ mph for downhills; 5-12 mph for uphills; and a 15 mph average operational speed.