E-Bikes Are Going Mainstream: Upway and E-Bike Sense Launch Free "Safe Start" Course to Help Riders Nationwide Know the Rules

• E-bikes now account for roughly 34% of U.S. bicycle sales revenue, across all retail, direct-to-consumer, and used marketplaces, according to PeopleForBikes' 2024 Impact Report. They are replacing car trips, reducing commute times, and providing affordable access to mobility.
  
  
  
  
• States and cities are acting to help buyers tell real e-bikes from look-alikes. California's SB 1167 will require a clear class and top-speed label on every e-bike sold, starting January 1, 2027. In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration sent cease-and-desist orders in August 2026 to 42 online retailers over devices marketed as e-bikes that don't meet the legal definition.
  
  
  
  
• In response, Upway and E-Bike Sense are launching Safe Start: a free, six-module course that helps riders anywhere in the U.S. buy a street-legal e-bike, know the rules, and ride with confidence. No purchase required.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- E-bikes are rapidly becoming a mainstream way to get around in the U.S. They now account for roughly 34% of U.S. bicycle sales revenue, across all retail, direct-to-consumer, and used marketplaces, according to PeopleForBikes' 2024 Impact Report, and they are replacing car trips, cutting commute times, and giving more people affordable access to mobility. They are also attracting new riders who have never traveled on two wheels.