E-Bike Rules in Great Falls – Is Yours Legal to Use in the City?

The trend of "going green" with an e-bike isn't really a trend at all in my opinion.  The thought has been around for years, even when I was a kid in Montana back in the "late 1900's" as my grandson says.

via GIPHY

And honestly, who doesn't need a little exercise to keep fit.  I know my doctor has mentioned it more and more as I make the annual trip around the Sun.  So, the thought of riding a bicycle to work has crossed my mind.  Have you been tossing around getting one like I have?

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E-Bike Rules in Great Falls - Is Yours Legal to Use in the City?

If you have been considering getting back into bicycling, one of the most popular that I notice across Great Falls is the e-bike.  E-bikes are those that offer pedals with a motor assist capability, which if I am being honest here again, I am a big fan of.

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But you might have also noticed a bike or two on roads or even a sidewalk that don't appear to have pedals.  Or people sweating like me riding on them.  This is where the Great Falls Police Department says the problem lies.  E-bike vs. the electric motorcycle.

a bicycle with red rims parked on a dirt road

There is a huge difference, and Montana law makes it pretty easy to tell them apart.

Know Before You Buy When It Comes to E-Bikes and Electric Motorcycles

If the daily drive is costing you and you are in the market for an e-bike, be sure to follow two simple rules when it comes to wanting to ride on the sidewalk vs. the street.  The GFPD broke it down this way:

• Does it have pedals that can propel the vehicle under human power?
• Does it top out at 20 MPH for a 170 lb person on a flat surface?

man in black jacket riding on white and black bicycle

And, if you asked yourself those questions and answered no to either of them, their explanation was even more to the point:

the vehicle is a motorcycle (per MCA) and it is not legal to be driven on Montana roadways, no matter what the manufacturer's box/label says, or what your buddy told you.

Yep, pretty simple.