Written by Megan Ramey, who manages the Safe Routes to School program for Hood River County School District.
Last Wednesday I hosted an e-bike ride with policymakers and elected officials from the Hood River region with one clear goal: to find an Oregon legislator willing to champion a bill that will eliminate Oregon’s age restriction for Class 1 e-bikes (the type that don’t have a throttle and require riders to pedal) in the 2026 short session.
As a mom of a 16-year-old who’s been “illegally” riding a Class 1 e-bike for four years, I can attest to their transformative power. My daughter (in photo, right) has never been stopped by the police. She has, however, gained independence, mobility, and confidence — and shows no interest in getting a driver’s license. She’s part of a growing movement of 10-15 year olds hopping on e-bikes — the second largest age group, just behind baby boomers. Why? They’re too young to drive, but they crave freedom.
E-bikes sell themselves to kids. They’re fun, fast enough to be empowering, and are a sustainable alternative to car rides. The more t(w)eens who ride, the more empathetic, alert, and bike-aware they’ll be as future drivers.
Unfortunately, my 2022 Dawn of the Throttle Kids article has proven prophetic. Because Class 2 throttle bikes and e-motos are cheaper, that’s what parents buy. Many are modified beyond legal limits, blurring the lines between bike and motorbike. In Hood River, some youth zip along sidewalks on these throttled machines, alarming pedestrians and drivers alike. The backlash led our local police to announce in August that they would begin citing under-16 riders for violation of ORS 814.512 — a statute that actually applies to e-scooters, not e-bikes.
This call for enforcement (and its response) highlights a real problem: Oregon law treats a Class 1 e-bike — a traditional bike with a modest boost — like a car. Because under-16s are barred from riding them, schools can’t even legally provide education to the age group most eager to learn.
The ride with policymakers I led last week was designed to change that. Joining me were State Representative Jeff Helfrich and electeds and staff from City of Hood River, County of Hood River, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, Hood River Parks & Recreation, CAT Transit, Cycle Oregon, The Environmental Center, Oregon Micromobility Network, Port of Hood River, Thomas Coon Newton & Frost law firm, Sol Rides E-bike Tours, and local mothers of e-bike riding teens.
We rode up steep State Street to Hood River Middle School — ground zero for the youth e-bike issue — then down to the hazardous 13th and May intersection, which is a top Safe Routes to School priority connecting two schools. We discussed infrastructure gaps, jurisdictional barriers, and the opportunity for an ODOT transfer to allow protected bike lanes through The Heights.
After Rep. Helfrich (one of only two Republicans who supported HB 3626, which would’ve lowered the age limit) departed, our group continued across the Historic Columbia River Highway to the Twin Tunnels Trail — what I call “the best under-10-mile bike ride in America.”
At the finish, we heard from two mothers whose stories say it all. Nicole Goode, a teacher at Hood River Valley High School, described how her son’s e-bike has given him independence since age 10, teaching him resilience and navigation skills that are already shaping his adulthood. Jess McGimsey, a mother from Mosier, spoke about her 13-year-old who saved up for an e-bike only to learn he couldn’t legally ride it. “I fully support Class 1 e-bikes for all ages,” she said. “They build confidence and relieve parents from constant chauffeuring.”
That same morning, I presented on best practices in e-bike education at the National Safe Routes to School Summit. The day left me with two truths: 1) We don’t have a youth e-bike problem — we have a youth e-moto problem. And 2) Class 1 e-bikes offer one of the greatest opportunities for a generation of t(w)eens to escape screens and anxiety through free-range mobility that fosters independence and joy.
We have a great example to follow. Marin County has been the national leader in Safe Routes to School and their new law allows all ages on Class 1 e-bikes, while restricting class 2 and 3 e-bikes to 16 years old (watch their PSA below).
It’s overdue for Oregon to honor its proud bike heritage — one that fosters resiliency, health, and mobility choice — and extend it to our youth, who arguably need it now more than ever.
— Megan Ramey is the Safe Routes to School Manager for Hood River County School District and the founder of Bikabout, which now hosts an E-bike Guide for Teens and Families.