Mayor Eric Adams announced that New York City will enforce a 15 mph speed limit for e-bikes, e-scooters, and pedal-assist commercial bicycles starting October 24. The rule, finalized in the City Record, matches the existing limit for stand-up e-scooters and follows international standards, including the European Union’s 15 mph restriction for bike lanes.
Mayor Adams emphasized that the speed limit is intended to enhance safety while keeping the city moving. He noted that as more New Yorkers rely on e-bikes and e-scooters for transportation, the city needed to “set clear, consistent rules to address this issue and protect everyone.”
E-bikes are currently permitted to travel at speeds ranging from 20 to 25 mph, depending on their class. Citywide reports indicate 623 collisions involving e-bikes so far this year, compared with 455 during the same period in 2024. Despite the increase, e-bikes account for a small portion of total crashes, which include more than 12,700 involving cars and over 3,200 involving traditional bicycles.
DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez highlighted the city’s efforts to improve cycling safety, emphasizing that the expansion of protected bike lanes and educational initiatives make it “safer and easier than ever for the record number of New Yorkers choosing cycling.”
Earlier this year, the Adams administration established the Department of Sustainable Delivery to address safety concerns associated with app-based deliveries. The department, staffed with analysts and peace officers, works to improve traffic safety and hold delivery companies accountable for reckless behavior. The city is urging the City Council to pass legislation regulating delivery apps, which the administration claims encourage unsafe riding practices.
Riders now have just over a month to adjust to the new limit, which has already been applied to electric Citi Bikes following a policy push by the city in June. Officials said enforcement strategies will be communicated closer to the rule’s effective date.
