Trek is voluntarily limiting e-bikes: Are e-MTBs becoming dangerously fast and powerful?

When an industry giant voluntarily puts the brakes on, it’s quite remarkable. Trek Bicycle, one of the world’s largest and best-known bicycle manufacturers, has announced that it will subject its own e-bikes on the US market to self-imposed speed limits in future. The message is clear: before the legislator steps in, Trek wants to lead by example – and is inviting the entire cycling industry to follow suit.

Specifically, all Trek electric mountain bikes in the US are to be sold exclusively as so-called Class 1 bikes in future. This means: maximum pedal assistance up to 20 mph (around 32 km/h) and no throttle. For e-bikes used on tarmac and shared paths, the following applies: throttle assistance up to a maximum of 20 mph, and pedal assistance up to 20 or 28 mph, depending on the model.

US context: A different set of rules

To put the initiative into context, it is important to take a look at the US regulatory landscape – as it differs significantly from European standards.

There is no uniform federal law governing e-bikes in the USA. Instead, individual states regulate the use of electric bikes independently, which has led to a patchwork of differing regulations. The widely used three-class system distinguishes between:

• Class 1: Pedal assistance up to 20 mph, no throttle
• Class 2: Pedal assistance up to 20 mph, throttle up to 20 mph
• Class 3: Pedal assistance up to 28 mph; throttle use permitted in some cases

Crucially, significantly faster and more powerful e-bikes are also available on the US market, which far exceed these class limits. To date, there are no standardised regulations in the US that consistently keep such vehicles off cycle paths or single tracks. This is precisely where Trek’s initiative comes in.

Trail access at stake

Behind the dry statistics on kilometres per hour lies a very real concern: the looming loss of trail access for all cyclists. In 2025, more than 17,000 miles of new mountain bike trails were opened to e-bikes in the US – the result of decades of lobbying by associations, landowners, volunteers and local communities. According to Trek, this hard-won access is at risk when ever-faster and more powerful electric bikes share the same trails as traditional mountain bikers and walkers.

“As an industry, we have spent decades working to earn access to trails and cycle paths,” says Trek President John Burke. “We would rather take responsibility today than have to explain tomorrow why riders have lost access to the places they love.” The logic behind this is clear: If e-bikes increasingly resemble motorbikes – and behave like them too – tolerance for their presence on non-motorised paths will dwindle. This risks blanket bans, which would ultimately affect standard pedelecs and conventional mountain bikes as well.

What are the rules in the EU – and why are we (for the time being) not affected?

For cyclists in Germany and the rest of the European Union, the Trek initiative has no immediate impact. Within the EU, the legal framework for so-called pedelecs is already much more clearly defined, and the voluntary speed limit must in any case be exceeded by law in the EU. According to the European standard EN 15194, an electric bicycle is defined as such if:

• the motor only provides assistance when pedalling (there is no throttle in the strict sense),
• support with 25 km/h is limited,
• engine power 250 watts rated continuous power does not exceed.

Vehicles that exceed these limits are not legally classified as bicycles, but as light motorcycles or mopeds – with the corresponding registration, insurance and driving licence requirements. The classification as a ‘speed pedelec’ (S-pedelec) applies to assistance up to 45 km/h, but already requires a number plate and insurance.

Europe therefore has a regulatory edge over the US in many respects. The uncontrolled proliferation of ultra-speed e-bikes, which Trek is tackling in the US, is structurally curbed by the EU regulatory framework.

But the direction of the blow is relevant – for Europe too

Nevertheless, it would be premature to dismiss the Trek initiative as a purely American issue. For in Europe, too, a creeping trend can be observed that gives cause for concern. More and more high-powered e-MTBs are appearing on trails, exploiting grey areas in the classification system. And in some countries, calls for stricter controls – or even a general ban on e-bikes on certain routes – are already growing.

Trek’s core message is therefore universal: voluntary commitment today can prevent compulsory regulation tomorrow. This logic applies just as much to the Alpine region as it does to the Rocky Mountains. Should the trend towards ever more powerful and faster e-bikes continue in Europe too, political pressure could mount to tighten existing standards or to re-regulate access to trails and paths. In that case, an industry-wide voluntary commitment modelled on Trek’s approach would be a possible means of protecting cycling culture – without having to wait for government intervention.

“Trek’s mission is to change the world by getting more people on bikes,” says Burke. “E-bikes are a great way to encourage more people to cycle – but that’s only possible if people continue to have access to places to ride.”