The increasing prevalence of e-bikes — and the accidents that can come with them — can leave people wondering if it is legal for children to ride them.
For adults who have seen kids zip past them on trails or collide into people or objects, it's not just a curiosity. Children's Hospital of Colorado has noted that standard bicycle helmets are only designed to protect in crashes up to about 15 mph, much slower than e-bikes top out at.
In fact, traumatic injuries treated at Children's flagship hospital on the Anschutz Campus in Aurora related to e-bikes increased 184% between 2024 and 2025.
Colorado is a lenient state compared to New York, which prohibits kids from riding any e-bikes before age 16, but it is stricter than Texas, which lets kids as young as 15 ride the fastest class of e-bikes.
An e-bike is designed like a traditional, non-electric bicycle but has a battery and motor to help you pedal, according to outdoor retailer REI. The design is intended to help you to ride further and with more power — and often lets people ride faster than they could just by pedaling.
There are three classes of e-bikes spelled out in Colorado law, largely defined by how the motor works and at what speeds the motor stops.
Class 1: provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, motor ceases at 20 mph
Class 2: provides assistance regardless of whether the rider is pedaling, and the motor ceases at 20 mph
Class 3: provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, the motor ceases at 28 mph, and must have a speedometer
State law requires operators of Class 3 e-bikes to be at least 16 years old, with anyone under 18 wearing a helmet. The law does not restrict use of Class 1 or Class 2 bikes.
Anything with a bicycle-like design and an electric motor that does not fit into one of those classes should be classified as an electric moped, electric motorcycle or e-moto, according to Bicycle Colorado. Those can go much faster and fall under separate laws limiting their use to licensed and insured drivers. Some electric vehicles capable of higher speeds may not even be legal to drive on public roads if they lack features such as reflectors, headlights and brakes.
And while state law sets minimum standards for e-bike usage, communities can further restrict them. Castle Rock, Greenwood Village and Windsor, for example, all ban Class 3 e-bikes from public sidewalks, paths or trails.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that children age 9 through 12 should not operate anything that moves faster than 10 mph, according to HealthyChildren.org.
In many cases, starting on an e-bike comes down to a parent's judgment of how well a child rides a traditional non-motorized bike and how safe, mature and responsible the teens are, according to the site.
If your child is ready for an e-bike, HealthyChildren.org recommends starting younger teens with a Class 1 e-bike, while teens 16 and older could possibly start with a Class 2. The site also recommends directing the teen to an e-bike safety class.
Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network, with an emphasis on consumer finance, legal issues and state laws.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Is it legal for kids to ride e-bikes in Colorado?