New York City is holding a public hearing on Mayor Adams's controversial proposal to cap e-bike speed-limits at 15 mph. People can file a written comment until 5 p.m.

https://lemmy.world/post/32943819

New York City is holding a public hearing on Mayor Adams's controversial proposal to cap e-bike speed-limits at 15 mph. People can file a written comment until 5 p.m. 📢 - Lemmy.World

>New York City’s streets will become more dangerous with fewer people choosing to ride bicycles if Mayor Adams forges ahead with his 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes, a former top city transportation policy official warned. >More than 300 people have already voiced their thoughts on the city’s online comment page — largely in opposition — including Michael Replogle, a former Department of Transportation policy director for six years under Mayor Bill de Blasio and DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. >The speed cap will put cyclists in danger by forcibly slowing them down next to drivers in multi-ton SUVs and trucks, who cause virtually all traffic deaths and injuries, according to DOT data. >Motorists are to blame for virtually all traffic violence, but they will still be able to go up to 35 mph under Mayor Adams’s scheme – since speed cameras don’t issue violations until they exceed the city’s posted 25 mph speed limit by 10 mph. >Mayor Adams has peddled the lower speed limits arguing that the Vision Zero policy he inherited from his predecessor had focused on cars for “far too long,” despite car and truck drivers being responsible for 99.96 percent of reported traffic injuries [https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/06/10/now-do-cars-adams-and-council-push-for-e-bike-speed-limits-ignores-the-biggest-danger] https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/07/03/ex-dot-official-warns-nycs-counterproductive-e-bike-speed-limit-will-curb-biking-safety [https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/07/03/ex-dot-official-warns-nycs-counterproductive-e-bike-speed-limit-will-curb-biking-safety]

This feels like it’s purposefully designed to kneecap the adoption of e-bikes by rendering all class 1 and 2 e-bikes illegal and making it harder/more expensive to buy new ones because they have to have bespoke detuning for the NYC market.

IMO, it should be 20mph, but it’s a software limit. It’s nothing to “tune” it.

If you want to go faster, get a motorcycle license. The higher end ebikes are getting ridiculous. Their frames, tires, and brakes are not designed for the power and speed they can put down.

IMO, it should be 20mph, but it’s a software limit. It’s nothing to “tune” it.

You’re talking about vehicles that typically aren’t open source and don’t have a firmware update mechanism. There is no reason to expect they’re even possible to change without swapping out the entire controller.

People really need to stop buying those. The companies are parasites for reasons that go far beyond this.
The people who ride this bikes are usually immigrant delivery guys who have little to no cash and not many alternatives.
And they’ll be fucked when the company involved stops updating their app. It will happen sooner or later.
I don’t think most delivery guy ebikes have an app… They’re a battery-powered motor with a throttle, that’s about it. There are low-cost mechanics who specifically service the delivery guys, a lot of the motorized parts are custom rebuilds.
Like a Bafang? Because those controllers are completely customizable with open source tools. That’s how I built my ebike, and it can set custom assist limits.
Oh I dunno. But yes I imagine they’re decently customizable since they’re so simple.