Advocates Push New York Lawmakers To Legalize E-Bikes

New York State legislators are again being urged to legalize pedal-assist electric bicycles before the current session ends.

A coalition supporting the expansion of electric bicycle use in New York held a product demonstration Wednesday at Empire State Plaza in Albany, and dozens of people, including some lawmakers, took the bikes for a spin.

Each state has its own rules on the bikes, and in upstate New York they're still not classified. That makes them illegal to ride on public roads.

Senator Martin Malavé Dilan, of the 18th District, is a ranking member of the Senate Transportation Committee and co-sponsor of a bill to make Class 1 e-bikes legal. The Democrat says the state is missing the benefits of something that's widely embraced and has impacted communities worldwide. He calls legalizing the bikes a "no-brainer."