× Expand David Michael Miller Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway (center) leads the inaugural ride around the Capitol Square following BCycle’s official electric bike launch on June 18.

When Trek Bicycle announced recently it was replacing its entire Madison fleet of red BCycles with 300 new pedal-assist, electric bikes, it wasn’t on a whim.

E-bikes — which employ a small rechargeable electric motor to help riders pedal along with less effort — are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. bike market. They already account for over 50 percent of new bike sales in Europe and Asia so it’s not a stretch to think e-bikes might eventually evolve into the dominant means of two-wheeled transportation worldwide.

But as with any disruptive technology, the laws on the books are often behind the times. For example, Wisconsin statutes currently classify e-bikes as “motor bicycles,” those old-fashioned clunkers outfitted with a gasoline motor. That means e-bikes are technically banned from bicycle-pedestrian trails and operators are required to carry a valid driver’s license — although there’s no record of any e-bike rider being cited.

Now in an effort to bring state law in line with reality the Legislature is poised to approve a bill specifically recognizing and regulating electric bikes. The bill, which enjoys broad bipartisan support, would treat e-bikes like traditional bicycles in all cases while also giving local governments the ability to set rules regarding things like parking or rentals.

“We clearly needed to update our regulations to be in line with where the industry is headed,” says the bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Mike Rohrkaste (R-Neenah), noting that Wisconsin-based companies like Trek and Harley-Davidson are backing the legislation which has been working its way through the statehouse and appears headed for signing by Gov. Tony Evers.

The Wisconsin law would basically codify an electric bicycle as “a bicycle that is equipped with fully operative pedals for propulsion by human power and an electric motor of less than 750 watts,” according to an analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

It would bring electric bicycles under the same rules of the road as other bicycles and afford them the same responsibilities and privileges — meaning they would be allowed on paved bike paths, gravel state trails or off-road single track.

“The key thing here is that it will allow the Crazy Lenny’s of the world to do their thing and be in the clear,” says former Fitchburg Mayor Steve Arnold, now serving as board secretary of the Wisconsin Bike Fed.

New electric bicycles cost on average $2,000 to $3,000 versus $1,000 or less for a traditional commuter bicycle. The industry is hoping they will appeal both to serious cyclists and those looking to replace short trips typically made by car.

While Lenny Mattioli, owner of Crazy Lenny’s E-Bikes, did not get involved in the lobbying personally, the retailer’s marketing consultant is glad to see the legislation is finally moving forward after several years of languishing in committee.

“Anything that helps people understand what e-bikes are and what they aren’t is a good thing,” says John Warriner.

The Wisconsin law also would require manufacturers or distributors of e-bikes to affix a label containing the classification number, the speed at which the motor cuts out and the wattage of the motor.

Arnold admits he’s heard the grumbling from the traditional human-powered bicycling crowd about the impact of e-bikes on trails or bikeways but isn’t convinced the new law is going to open a Pandora’s box of problems. He notes the bill does not provide the ability to set speed limits, a policy the Bike Fed supports.

“Nobody seems to care how fast anyone goes on a bike right now as long as they are being safe,” he says.

Renee Callaway, pedestrian-bicycle administrator for the city of Madison, says she has also heard some complaints about e-bike users on bike paths, but not any more than about riders going too fast on regular bikes.

“It’s more about the behavior than the type of bike,” she says. “The same issues have already existed.”

Legislators in other states have also been moving to update their laws regarding e-bikes. So far about 30 states have made changes based on the new technologies.

According to a bicycle industry analysis e-bike sales increased 83 percent between 2017 and May of 2018, with e-bikes now making up over 10 percent of overall bike sales in the U.S.

Asian and European e-bike markets are even more robust and manufacturers like Waterloo-based Trek are looking to expand e-bike sales. Trek’s BCycle, which has been operating in Madison since 2011, runs bike share systems in over 40 cities nationwide.

Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson has jumped into the market, recently acquiring electric bike maker StaCyc, with hopes of boosting lagging sales for its motorcycles.

Rep. Rohrkaste counts himself an avid bicyclist and while he doesn’t yet own an e-bike he can definitely see the attraction both for riders and Wisconsin businesses.

“There are lots of possibilities, with companies offering ride shares for their employees,” he says. “It’s also a way for older people to stay active or even get back on the bike.”