Allentown, PA Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)

Chapter 177, adopted by City Council on April 2, 2025 under Ordinance No. 16113, replaced Allentown's older 'Bicycles' chapter and renamed it 'Pedalcycles' to fold electric-assist bikes into the same legal category as ordinary pedal bikes. Section 177-1 sets the boundary: a 'pedalcycle with electric assist' must weigh no more than 100 pounds, run on two or three wheels bigger than 11 inches in diameter, carry a motor rated at 750 watts or less, keep working pedals, and top out at 20 mph on a level surface under motor power alone.

A rider must be at least 16 years old to operate one; the section does not split e-bikes into lower tiers, so Allentown treats every qualifying e-bike as one pedalcycle category rather than separate classes. Because § 177-1 folds e-bikes into the broader 'pedalcycle' definition, every other rule in Chapter 177 that applies to bicycles applies equally to e-bikes: § 177-3 requires pedalcycles to keep to the right-hand lane or curb except when passing, turning, or riding a substandard-width roadway, and § 177-4 lets a pedalcycle use the shoulder or ride two abreast on paths set aside for exclusive pedalcycle use.

Section 177-6 still requires a front white lamp, rear red reflector, and brakes able to stop from 15 mph within 15 feet for after-dark riding, specs an e-bike must meet just like a standard bicycle. B bars them from knowingly letting a minor operate a pedalcycle, including an electric-assist one, in violation of the chapter.