Trek has set self-imposed speed restrictions on its electric bikes in the US, citing the need to control speeds both on-road and off-road.
These limits are needed to improve safety, protect access and avoid a backlash against electric bike use, according to Trek.
The brand is now calling on other ebike makers to follow suit.
Trek’s speed restrictions apply most directly to its electric mountain bikes, where it will only sell Class 1 electric bikes. These are speed restricted to 20mph and do not have a throttle-operation option.
Explaining the decision, Trek’s president John Burke says: “As an industry, we’ve worked for decades to earn access to trails and bike paths. We’d rather lead with responsibility today than explain tomorrow why riders lost access to the places they love and to a sport that makes the world a better place.”
Trek claims faster eMTBs can lead to greater conflicts between trail users and increased pressure for new restrictions. It points out that more than 17,000 additional miles of MTB trails were opened to eMTBs in the US in 2025 and fears that the introduction of ever-more powerful and faster eMTBs could ultimately restrict trail access both for ebike users and riders of conventional MTBs.
We've previously suggested a cap should be placed on the trend for ever more powerful ebikes, while respected MTB figure Hans Rey has mooted restricting eMTBs to 20mph throttle-free assistance with a maximum 750 watts peak power.
While Trek is limiting its eMTBs to Class 1 support, for on-pavement use (i.e. on metalled roads and bike tracks), alongside Class 1 ebikes speed limited at 20mph, it will continue to sell faster Class 3 ebikes, which are speed limited at 28mph, with throttle assistance up to 20mph.
Trek says it believes ebikes that provide throttle assistance beyond 20mph or that can travel faster than 28mph should not be allowed on bike paths and should be placed in a separate regulatory category.
Different in Europe
In the UK and Europe, similar speed limits are already in force, notwithstanding the food delivery riders who whizz past without pedalling.
Electric bikes are speed limited in these countries to 25km/h (15.5mph) and can only provide assistance when the rider is pedalling. Anything else is classed as an electric moped, needs to be registered, taxed and insured and the rider needs to hold a licence and be wearing a motorbike-style helmet.
The EU has given the cycle industry until 2027 to redefine and tighten up electric bike standards as part of a bloc-wide overhaul of vehicle regulations.
UK police forces have been cracking down on illegal electric bikes recently, with several using devices to check ebikes can’t travel at over 25km/h. Throttle-controlled ebikes and non-compliant ebikes have been seized and crushed.
Back in the US, at the start of 2026, New Jersey passed a law that required all electric bikes to be licensed, registered and insured, regardless of assistance class, a restriction that Trek's new measures may help avoid other US states implementing.
