Electric bicycles on Akron-area trails raise safety concerns for walkers, slower cyclists

Whether electric bikes, also known as e-bikes, are zipping by on Summit Metro Parks’ multipurpose trails, barely missing walkers on the 93-mile-long Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail or speeding down bike lanes throughout Akron, area residents are raising safety concerns about these motorized bicycles. 

As e-bikes have become more popular, said Lindsay Smith, chief of marketing and communications at Summit Metro Parks, questions are mounting around how fast the bikes travel and what trail etiquette should look like.  

“Instead of speed limits, what we have always suggested is that people observe safe behavior and follow trail etiquette,” Smith said. “This has kind of changed. The conversation has intensified with the introduction of e-bikes because they can go faster than most just simply propelled-with-pedal bikes.”

Akron Documenters Rebecca Ritterspach and Mike Klein discovered this story at the Aug. 11 Summit Metro Park Board of Park Commissioners meeting.

A group of walkers at the Parkway Jogging Trail in Sand Run Metro Park described experiences where e-bikes sped past while they were on walks with pets. Another walker suggested that there should be speed limit signs on the bike-permitted trails, since he said riders do not practice trail etiquette. 

“Nobody follows the speed limit,” said Gary Post, a resident of Bath Township. “I was talking to one of the park guys and they said the speed limit is 15 miles per hour. You’ll be down there walking, we walk, and they’ll come ripping by you.” 

“They might say ‘passing,’ but by the time they say it, they’re going by you.” 

Local bike groups such as Yeti Squad’s Sunday riders from Dirty River Bicycle Works encourage cyclists to use trail etiquette even when not riding with the group. Ben Grom, customer service concierge at Dirty River, said he emphasizes communication between riders before, during and after miles-long rides. 

What are the regulations and requirements for electric bikes?

E-bikes — bicycles equipped with a rechargeable battery that powers an electric motor that propel the bike — must follow regulations on their use that are laid out in the Ohio Revised Code. 

E-bikes are labeled as class 1, 2 or 3 depending on their characteristics, including the maximum speed it is capable of. Class labels, along with the top speed, must be displayed clearly on the bike. 

There are no age restrictions for class 1 and 2 e-bike riders, but class 3 e-bike riders must be at least 16 years old. No driver’s license is required for electric bike riders, since e-bikes typically fall under the state’s classification for regular bicycles, rather than motorized vehicles.

What are the classes and characteristics of each type of electric bike?

• Class 1 has fully operable pedals and an electric motor that will only assist the rider below speeds of 20 miles per hour. The motor will only activate when the rider is pedaling.
• Class 2 has pedals and an electric motor that will only assist the rider below speeds of 20 miles per hour. The motor will activate whether the rider is pedaling or not. 
• Class 3 has fully operable pedals and an electric motor that will only assist the rider below speeds of 28 miles per hour. The motor will only activate when the rider is pedaling.

On Ohio Department of Natural Resources property, all three classes of e-bike are typically allowed on ODNR roads, the same as regular bicycles.

Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed on paved or gravel trails, also known as hard surface trail or shared-use paths, specifically intended to accommodate bicycles.

Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on natural surface trails where bicycles are allowed. E-bikes are not permitted at Scioto Trail State Forest.

Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on all-purpose vehicle (APV) trails.

Portage Lakes State Park and Wingfoot Lake State Park are owned by the ODNR and only allow up to class 2 e-bikes. 

Some Summit Metro Parks trails only allow class 1 and 2 e-bikes. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are permitted on the Ohio & Erie Towpath Trail as well as sections of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Trail etiquette is for ‘everybody’

Hikers and bikers are both expected to apply trail etiquette while on local trails, Grom said, which includes: communicating when going around a walker; walkers being aware of their surroundings; and checking directional signage.

“I always make sure that everybody we’re riding with is just friendly to everybody,” Grom said.

In response to feedback that raised concerns about the difficulties of sharing multipurpose trails as a runner, walker, or family with e-bikes that are going fast and not giving a signal, SMP’s police purchased three of their own e-bikes to patrol and intercept unsafe behavior, Smith said. 

There is no formal speed limit in Summit Metro Parks because, currently, there are not enough staff to monitor speed in each of its 16 parks. Other protocols Summit Metro Parks is considering to help manage e-bikes include increasing patrols, public education and giving away free bike bells to alert trail users.

To report incidents or situations on a multipurpose trail, Smith suggested contacting the Summit Metro Parks Police Department and describing the incident in real time to an officer. 

The department can be reached at 330-475-0029.