08/24/2026
Parents, please do not buy e-bikes for kids. Recently NBC Nightly News did a feature on the increasing numbers of fatalities and serious injuries kids are experiencing with electric scooters and e-bikes. We sell e-bikes in the bike shop and service many more bought online and there are simply no e-bikes available that are safe for kids.
The human skull has developed over time to protect us from moving at the speed our legs can propel us. Typical bicycle helmets are designed to protect us from speeds that a human powered bicycle can travel which is around 10 to 12 miles per hour comfortably.
Almost all e-bikes purchased online are class 2 or class 3 meaning they can be used with a throttle only (no pedaling required) and can go up to 28 miles per hour. In our experience at the bike shop most e-bikes bought online are lower end products with inferior stopping ability adding to the risk of death or injuries.
We will not sell e-bikes to minors nor will we sell an e-bike to an adult if we know it’s being purchased for a minor. We do service e-bikes – even those we know are used by minors - as refusing to service them would only ensure that they continue to be ridden with major safety issues unaddressed.
Most e-bikes and e-scooters can quickly reach top speeds of 28 miles per hour. As an automobile driver 28 MPH may seem pretty slow but if you’re considering buying your kid a machine that will move them through our streets at 28 MPH first sit on the hood of your car and let someone drive you down Atlantic Ave at 28 MPH. Even a helmet would not cause you to feel safe on the hood of a car at 28MPH.
I’m hoping for the day when a company develops an e-bike that can only travel at the speed that a kid would typically ride a regular bicycle (about 5-7 miles per hour). Even then I’d still preach that kids need to be experiencing the joy and satisfaction of moving around under their own power.
Again, please don’t buy e-bikes for kids (17 and under). If you choose to ignore this advice at least insure that they know the rules of the road and wear an appropriate helmet at all times.