10/01/2026
Yesterday, the City Council held a marathon, three-committee hearing on e-bikes, e-scooters, and illegal high-speed devices with a record number of bills heard at a single hearing and testimony stretching past 8 p.m.
Low-speed and pedal-assist e-bikes are legal, regulated, and speed-limited. Thousands of New Yorkers rely on them every day.
But illegal high-speed devices are a different and serious problem. Theyāre already illegal to ride on our streets and in our bike lanes, yet retailers continue to market and sell them to New Yorkers.
Just two months ago, only a block from City Hall, a 17-year-old boy was killed while riding one of these illegal high-speed devices. New Yorkers should not be sold dangerous devices under the impression that theyāre safe, legal e-bikes. If we want to address the real dangers on our streets, we need a multi-pronged, comprehensive approach that puts the onus on the businesses, NOT individuals:
1ļøā£ Stop illegal high-speed devices at the point of sale.
2ļøā£ Hold delivery app companies accountable.
3ļøā£ Phase out the fastest currently legal e-bikes.
We can protect the New Yorkers who rely on safe, low-speed e-bikes and get dangerous illegal devices off our streets. For Roz and for all of us, we need to do both.
