Guides
Guides
How to buy, ride, and keep an ebike that earns its keep.
How to Clean an E-Bike Without Damaging It
Bosch's maintenance page says remove the battery and the display, then never use a steam jet or a high-pressure cleaner, because water can enter the drive. A garden hose is a different machine. IPX5, the rating on some hubs, is a 6.3 mm test jet at about 30 kPa, which is about 4.4 psi. A washer advertised at 2,000 psi is about 13,800 kPa. That is roughly 460 times the test pressure. Dry the contacts before the pack goes back, and keep chain lube off the rotor. This desk did not wash a bike for this page.
OCT 30, 2026
E-Bike Laws in the United States: The Federal Line, Then the State
15 U.S.C. § 2085 wants pedals, a motor of less than 750 watts, and under 20 mph on the motor alone with a 170-pound rider. States then write class, helmet, and age rules. Not legal advice. The September map is still up.
OCT 21, 2026
Florida E-Bike Laws: Less Than 750 Watts, Helmet Under 16
Florida § 316.003(23), opened 21 October 2026: pedals, a seat, less than 750 watts, classes at 20, 20, and 28. No license. Helmet under 16. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
California E-Bike Laws: 750 Watts, Class 3 Helmet, Age 16
California Vehicle Code § 312.5 and § 21213, opened 21 October 2026. The motor does not exceed 750 watts. Class 3 needs a helmet at any age. Under 16 may not operate one.
OCT 21, 2026
Texas E-Bike Laws: The September Row, and a Page That Did Not Load
Texas Transportation Code chapter 664 did not return on 21 October 2026. The September map still prints three classes, no license, no helmet, and class 3 at age 15.
OCT 21, 2026
New York E-Bike Laws: Class Three Is 25 mph, and It Is a Throttle
New York § 102-c, opened 21 October 2026: class three is 25 mph, may propel itself, and only in a city of one million or more. A helmet fight is 14 versus 18.
OCT 21, 2026
Alabama E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Alabama’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Alaska E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Alaska’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: No e-bike statute. License: Unsettled: no e-bike statute. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Arizona E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Arizona’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Arkansas E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Arkansas’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Colorado E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Colorado’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None statewide; a city or county may require registration. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Connecticut E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Connecticut’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Delaware E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Delaware’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Georgia E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Georgia’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Hawaii E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Hawaii’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: Registration, printed by Redtail as $30 once. No license on that row. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Idaho E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Idaho’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Illinois E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Illinois’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None statewide; a town may register or license until 1 January 2027. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Indiana E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Indiana’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Iowa E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Iowa’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Kansas E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Kansas’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Kentucky E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Kentucky’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: No e-bike statute. License: None, because there is no e-bike statute on the table. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Louisiana E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Louisiana’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Maine E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Maine’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Maryland E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Maryland’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Massachusetts E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Massachusetts’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 2 classes. No Class 3 on this row. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Michigan E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Michigan’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Minnesota E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Minnesota’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes plus a multiple-mode category. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Mississippi E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Mississippi’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Missouri E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Missouri’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Montana E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Montana’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 1 definition, 20 mph. License: None statewide. Nine towns license bicycles, on this table. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Nebraska E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Nebraska’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Nevada E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Nevada’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
New Hampshire E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
New Hampshire’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
New Jersey E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
New Jersey: Redtail’s 6 October 2026 table, not a statute this desk opened. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
New Mexico E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
New Mexico’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
North Carolina E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
North Carolina’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 1 definition at 20 mph. 3 classes from 1 December 2026. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
North Dakota E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
North Dakota’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Ohio E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Ohio’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Oklahoma E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Oklahoma’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Oregon E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Oregon’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Pennsylvania E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Pennsylvania’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 1 definition, 20 mph. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Rhode Island E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Rhode Island’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes over a 2 hp motor cap. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
South Carolina E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
South Carolina’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 1 definition, 20 mph. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
South Dakota E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
South Dakota’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Tennessee E-Bike Laws: The 6 October Directory Row
Tennessee’s row is Redtail Ebikes, 6 October 2026, not a statute this desk opened. Classes: 3 classes. License: None. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Utah E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
Utah has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Vermont E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
Vermont has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Virginia E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
Virginia has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Washington E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
Washington has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
West Virginia E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
West Virginia has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Wisconsin E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
Wisconsin has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Wyoming E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
Wyoming has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
District of Columbia E-Bike Laws: No Row on This Desk
District of Columbia has no statute reading and no complete directory row on this desk. The extract was cut off. This page does not invent one. Not legal advice.
OCT 21, 2026
Electric Mountain Bikes: Gen 5 CX Is 120 Nm. Gen 4 Stays 85.
Bosch’s 2026 upgrade sheet takes the Performance Line CX Gen 5 from a factory 85 newton-meters and 600 watts to 120 newton-meters and 750 watts. The Gen 4 CX stays at 85 and 600. The SX stays at 60 newton-meters, and older SX bikes were 55 until an update. A 600 percent assist figure applies only up to 15 km/h. A trail post is not a motor spec.
OCT 15, 2026
How to Charge an E-Bike Battery: 62 of 106 Fires Started Plugged In
CPSC staff, in the June 2026 proposal, found fire in 106 of 145 e-bike investigations. Sixty-two of those 106 started while the bike was charging. Sixty-two divided by 106 is 0.58. Of 19 e-bike fire deaths, only 2 were filed as while charging. Be in the room. Use the brick that came with the bike. Unplug it when it is done. Do not sleep on it.
OCT 12, 2026
E-Bike Helmets: 6.2 Meters per Second Is Not 28 mph
A CPSC bicycle helmet’s flat-anvil drop is 6.2 meters per second, about 13.9 mph. The Dutch e-bike standard, NTA 8776, is 6.5 meters per second, about 14.6. Squared, that gap is about 10 percent more energy, not a different sport. Class 3 still assists to 28 mph. A DOT motorcycle helmet is a third test, and the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute says the Dutch lid is not that one.
OCT 11, 2026
E-Bike Battery Gauges: 0% Still Runs the Light
Bosch says a flashing 0% has stopped the motor and left power for the light. Ride1Up, on a page last changed 13 February 2024, prints two different five-number charts for a 48-volt pack and does not say which number is one bar. A percent built from voltage is not watt-hours left. This desk did not meter a ride.
OCT 11, 2026
Cargo E-Bikes: 200 Kilograms Is Not 381 Pounds
A Tern GSD is 200 kilograms gross, rider plus bike plus cargo. Times 2.2, that is 440 pounds. Wirecutter, in July 2026, said 381 pounds in all. A rider’s film says 400. A front box, a compact longtail, and a trike are not that number, and none of them is a car.
OCT 10, 2026
E-Bike Tires: The Size on the Sidewall, Not the Pretty Name
A 29er and a 700c share a 622-millimeter bead and are not the same tire. Four inches is about 102 millimeters. Pressure is the range printed on that casing. Schwalbe’s E-50 mark is a European approval for machines up to 50 km/h, not a US class sticker.
OCT 7, 2026
E-Bike Troubleshooting Guide
A dead e-bike is usually the pack, a brake lever held in, or a loose plug. Check those before a new motor. Heat, swelling, or a burnt smell means stop.
OCT 4, 2026
E-Bike Range: How Far Can You Actually Ride?
A brochure mile is not a loop. On the Lectric XP4’s 500 watt-hour pack, the claim is 50 miles and Outdoor Gear Lab’s throttle loop was 19.1. Five hundred divided by 19.1 is about 26.2 watt-hours a mile. Do not average that with an Eco ride.
OCT 3, 2026
E-Bike Motors: The Complete Guide
A hub turns the wheel and ignores the gears. A mid-drive turns the chainring and uses them. Nominal watts are not peak watts. Newton-meters at the axle are not newton-meters at the crank.
OCT 2, 2026
E-Bike Batteries: Everything You Need to Know
The tank is volts times amp-hours. A label that also prints watt-hours is a second sentence. UL 2849 is the bike. UL 2271 is the pack. The charger has to match the series count.
SEP 30, 2026
Hub Motor Torque: Why 45 Nm Is Not 65
Newton-meters at a hub are measured at the axle. Newton-meters at a mid-drive are measured at the crank, then multiplied by the gear. Bosch’s 45-equals-65 line is a feel claim.
SEP 27, 2026
E-Bike Brakes: Complete Guide
Hydraulics once bike plus rider is about 250 lb or the speed is 20. Rotors step 160, 180, 203. Two pistons on a commuter. Four and a bigger disc on cargo, e-MTB, and e-motos. A bleed is a shop job.
SEP 26, 2026
GPS Trackers for E-Bikes: Complete Guide
An AirTag is Bluetooth on someone else’s iPhone. A GPS tracker has its own cell radio and a plan. Aventon’s 4G is eight years on a compatible bike. None of them is a lock.
SEP 26, 2026
Can You Ride an E-Bike on the Sidewalk?
In Florida, an e-bike may use a sidewalk unless the city says no. You must yield and signal before you pass. Jacksonville just set 15 mph on sidewalks and shared paths. Other states write the opposite default.
SEP 24, 2026
Torque Sensor vs Cadence Sensor
A cadence sensor sees that the pedals are turning. A torque sensor sees how hard you push. That difference is the ride, the hill, and the pack. It is not the watt number.
SEP 23, 2026
What Is a Class 1, 2, and 3 E-Bike?
Class 1 is pedal-assist to 20. Class 2 adds a throttle to 20. Class 3 is pedal-assist to 28. A Tuttio is none of these. The sticker is not the trail.
SEP 23, 2026
What a Dih Drag Is, and Who Invented It
A dih drag is a steep wheelie where the rider slides off the seat until the hips scrape the pavement. Nobody has a documented inventor. The name is 2024 slang stuck on a 2026 e-moto clip.
SEP 22, 2026
What a Hand Drag Is
A hand drag is a stunt, not a race line: one gloved hand slides on the pavement through a turn. Racers keep both hands on the bars and touch a knee or a boot. A double hand drag takes both hands off.
SEP 22, 2026
The Complete Beginner’s Guide to E-Bikes
A bicycle with a motor, a battery, and a controller. Pedals still work. Class 1–3, hub vs mid, PAS vs throttle, real range, real prices. Then how to test-ride without buying a listing.
SEP 22, 2026
E-Biking in Fall 2026: Equinox Guide
Fall starts 8:05 p.m. EDT tonight. Nights lengthen. Lithium sags. Wet leaves are ice. Florida is still hurricane season. Lights, range, pads, and a kit that is not a catalog.
SEP 22, 2026
How to Buy an Ebike in 2026 Without Getting Burned
Class, UL, watts, and the shop that will bleed the brakes.
SEP 17, 2026
E-Bike Battery Fires: Risk, Causes & Prevention
CPSC counted 19 e-bike fire deaths in 13 incidents (2017–2024). NYC deaths fell after UL law, not because lithium got nicer. Matched charger, UL 2849, don’t block the exit.
SEP 15, 2026
How to Choose the Right E-Bike
Ride job first, then class, motor, watt-hours, and the shop that will still exist. Not peak watts. Not the 85-mile ad.
SEP 14, 2026
10 Commuter Ebikes Worth Shopping in 2026
Named bikes, real motors, and the jobs they actually do.
SEP 14, 2026
E-Bike Speed Limits
The motor cuts at 20 or 28. The path sign is often 15. NYC is 15 on the street. Pedaling faster is still a bicycle. Unlocking the app is not.
SEP 13, 2026
How to Test a Used Motor
Smell, spin, ohms, then halls. A Marketplace ‘strong motor’ is not a spec sheet. Walk away before you buy a rusted stator and a melted plug.
SEP 13, 2026
Advanced Controller Tuning
Phase amps are torque. Battery amps are the pack’s throat. Field weakening is extra RPM you pay for in heat. The app is not a dyno, and it is not a Class 2.
SEP 12, 2026
The Ebike Mods We Actually Like
Tires, lights, locks, sintered pads, pegs. Not a 72-volt Amazon controller on a Class 2. Two lists: bicycles that stay legal, and e-motos that get faster on purpose.
SEP 11, 2026
E-Bike Maintenance: The Complete Guide
Pre-ride to annual: chain, belt, brakes, tires, battery, torque, firmware. Mid-drives eat chains. Never pressure-wash the motor. At your own risk — a shop does bleeds and Bosch crates.
SEP 11, 2026
What's So Great About Sur-Ron Brakes
Four-piston 203 mm hydraulics and five-level regen on a 10 kW trail bike. Great versus a Tuttio. Not great versus a motorcycle. The aftermarket is the actual product.
SEP 10, 2026
Understanding E-Bike Power: Watts, Volts, Amps & Torque
Watts are power. Peak is a few seconds. Nominal is the legal number. Torque is the shove. Compare spec sheets on those four, not a 2000W Amazon title.
SEP 10, 2026
Understanding Volts, Amps, and Watt-Hours
Voltage is pressure. Amps are flow. Watt-hours are the tank. The hangtag that only says 750W is selling you one of those three.
SEP 9, 2026
Hub Motor vs Mid-Drive: Which Should You Buy?
Hub ignores the gears. Mid-drive uses them. Hills, cargo, range-per-Wh, chain bills, and the $1,500 line where the answer actually changes.
SEP 8, 2026
Cargo Ebikes That Can Replace a Car Trip
Tern GSD, Urban Arrow, Globe Haul, Aventon Abound — named, with payloads.
SEP 2, 2026
Folding Ebikes for Apartments, Trains, and Tiny Hallways
Brompton is small. Lectric XP4 is cheap. They are not the same product.
AUG 28, 2026