Hey guys. This is a post about nothing. I generally just want to see what cool accessories and customizations people have made with their bikes. That’s it that’s all. Here is a pic of my bike the other night. There is an insta360 on the back. A few added Unit 1 lights in the front and the back as well as two blinkers.

This thing is beefy. Definitely going to put on a smaller seat (it's ridiculously huge) and some aluminum pedals. Can't wait to get out on this thing!

We rode for the first time on dirt trails this weekend. Do I need to do anything to make sure my chain stays in good shape? Should I clean it, blow it, oil it?

My wife and I want eBikes to cruise the parks when we travel. We hike the dirt trails and walk the roads some but I would rather bike to the pier or the store instead of taking the truck. Bathroom/shower trips would be so much easier.

We met our local Velotric Dealer at an art festival a few weeks ago. The Fold1 plus is just about sized right to ride down the center of our little T@B320. What's your opinion of the Fold for on road camping? Or eBikes for camping in general?

I'm looking for input on ideas for my next bike. I usually ride 7-15 mile mainly flat-ish paved bike paths with occasional long steep hills IE 5% grade for up to 1/2 mile (When I go down to the river area). Love my 35lb townie 21d (factory front suspension, suntour ncx and better saddle) but would prefer e-assist on those occasional steep hills. Me: 5-7 150lb 69M 29" inseam. Also have a Lectric Xpress 750 super powerful and comfortable (with suntour suspension seatpost and better saddle) but rarely ride it as 66lbs is not ideal and I prefer peddling with zero assist.

Here's some ideas I'm considering:

39lb velotric tempo mid step with breeze handle bars, suspension seat post and comfortmax seat.

48lb velotric breeze with suspension seat post and comfortmax seat

44lb townie go 7d, (the flat foot frame geometry works well for comfort and safety, but 250 watt and no throttle not ideal).

57lb townie go S, (the flat foot frame geometry works well for comfort and safety, and 500 watt w.throttle is good, but 57lbs is not ideal also more expensive than the velotric bikes.

E-bike laws in the U.S. are getting more complicated—not less.

We’ve updated our 2026 state-by-state e-bike law guide to reflect recent changes involving e-bike classifications, licensing, registration, helmets, age limits, sidewalk access, and trail use.

The biggest source of confusion is that federal rules mainly define what qualifies as a low-speed electric bicycle for product-safety purposes, while states and local governments decide how and where it can be ridden.

That means your bike may be legal to sell nationwide but still face different rules regarding licensing, helmets, sidewalks, trails, age limits, throttles, and speed modifications.

Here’s a practical overview of the rules as of August 2026.

The three common e-bike classes

Class	How the motor works	Typical assistance limit
Class 1	Pedal assist only	20 mph
Class 2	Can propel the bike using a throttle	20 mph
Class 3	Pedal assist only	28 mph

This system is now used by most states, but the definitions aren’t identical everywhere. Massachusetts currently recognizes only Classes 1 and 2, while several other states use their own categories.

Do you need a license?

Usually, no—as long as the bike meets your state’s legal definition of an e-bike.

Two notable exceptions are:

• New Jersey: Riders generally need either an e-bike license or a valid driver’s license. Registration is also required.
• Alaska: E-bikes remain within the state’s motor-driven-cycle framework, so an operator’s license is required.

If a bike exceeds the permitted speed or power limit, lacks usable pedals, or has been modified beyond its legal classification, it may be treated as a moped or motorcycle instead.

Registration and insurance

Most states don’t require registration or motor vehicle insurance for properly classified e-bikes.

Important exceptions include:

• Hawaii: E-bike registration is required.
• New Jersey: Registration is required for covered e-bikes. Insurance is required for vehicles classified as motorized bicycles, but not for qualifying low-speed electric bicycles.

Helmet and age rules

There is no universal national rule.

Some states require helmets for all e-bike riders. Others require them only for minors or Class 3 riders.

Examples:

• California: Class 3 operators must be at least 16, and Class 3 riders and passengers must wear helmets.
• Connecticut: Riders and passengers on electric bicycles must wear protective headgear.
• New Jersey: Helmets are required for e-bike riders.
• Washington: Riders under 16 cannot operate a Class 3 e-bike.
• Hawaii: Riders under 18 fall under the state’s updated youth helmet rule.

Age restrictions are often class-specific, so a rule saying “minimum age 16” may apply only to Class 3—not every e-bike.

Sidewalks, bike paths, and trails

This is probably the least consistent part of U.S. e-bike law.

• Massachusetts: E-bikes may not be operated on sidewalks.
• Hawaii: E-bikes may generally use sidewalks at up to 10 mph, except in business districts or where local rules prohibit them.
• Washington: Class 3 e-bikes are generally prohibited on sidewalks, with limited exceptions.
• California: Sidewalk rules are largely determined by cities and counties.

Bike-path access can also depend on the class. Class 1 and Class 2 bikes are usually given broader access than Class 3 bikes, while natural-surface trail rules are often set by individual parks or land managers.

A legal e-bike is not automatically legal on every bicycle trail.

Notable 2026 changes

Several states changed or clarified their rules this year:

• California: New battery-testing and labeling requirements became operative, and e-bikes now need a qualifying rear reflector or red light during all hours.
• New Jersey: Introduced licensing and registration requirements and separated low-speed electric bicycles from motorized bicycles.
• Hawaii: Adopted Class 1, 2, and 3 definitions while updating youth, helmet, and sidewalk rules.
• Tennessee: Riders under 16 may no longer operate Class 3 e-bikes on streets or highways.
• Washington: Vehicles capable of exceeding 20 mph on motor power alone—or designed to be easily unlocked beyond legal limits—may fall outside the e-bike definition.
• North Carolina: A new three-class system takes effect on December 1, 2026.
• Oregon: New age and helmet provisions have been enacted but don’t become operative until January 1, 2027.

Be careful with “unlocking” an e-bike

Removing a speed limiter or changing the motor configuration can change the bike’s legal classification.

A bike doesn’t necessarily remain an e-bike just because it has pedals or was originally sold as one. Once it falls outside your state’s definition, licensing, registration, insurance, equipment, and access rules may all change.

The practical takeaway

Before riding somewhere new, check four things:

1. What class is the bike in its current configuration?
2. Does the state impose an age, helmet, license, or registration requirement?
3. Does the city have separate sidewalk or bike-path rules?
4. Does the specific park or trail permit that e-bike class?

I’d be interested to hear how these rules work in practice where you live. Are they clearly enforced, mostly ignored, or different from one city or trail system to the next?

Headed off to PreK in our new GoMad! Love hearing the kiddo scream yee-haw as we’re headed down the Atlanta Beltline on our way to school.

The installation instructions for the Velotric Tempo's OEM Fender & Rack are laughably bad. The "instructions" is just a video with limited details, cuts that leave out any potentially useful information and the comments of said video are filled to the brim with people complaining about the instructions. I may have got unlucky or be doing something horribly wrong, but if you somehow manage to follow the instructions for installing the fender, the back one still does not fit on the wheel properly at all.

The only review on the fender on their website is a "5-star" review that only says "Rubs a little- pretty snug". Paying 80 bucks for 2 pieces of flimsy plastic that don't even fit properly on the only bike that they're built for is a joke. Their own description even brags about just how perfectly it fits:

> Engineered exclusively for the Velotric Tempo, this fender is optimized for fit precision

and

> Designed to align perfectly with the Tempo’s wheel and frame geometry

I have attempted to leave a review on the fender on Velotric's website warning others off of this horrid product with even worse support, but they seem to not approve of having my complaints on their website.

Sorry for the rant, but the entire experience around this product has really ruined my day. I have the rack as well, it seems well built but I am going to installing it for the time period - the installation instructions for that are in the exact same video as for the fender.

I’ve put a help ticket in w Velotric but would love some insight while I wait. I ordered it online and assembled it at home, but I’m pretty handy and I followed the instructions diligently. Is my motor defective? Did I do something wrong? Chain is on correctly, rolls fine with a backwards pedal, but won’t move with forward peddling.

Update: Y’all were right. The fender was rubbing the wheel. I feel so silly but I’m glad it was an easy fix. Thanks again for your helpful advice!