Manitou Springs, CO Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)
Key Facts
- Local rule
- § 10.04.020(35), MTC § 1412(14)
- Class 1/2/3 e-bikes
- Barred from city bike/pedestrian paths
- Exception
- Class 1 permitted on Creek Walk Trail
- E-bike definition cap
- 750-watt motor, operable pedals (§10.04.020(41))
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 1221, October 19, 2021
Summary
Manitou Springs bans Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 electrical assisted bicycles from every bike and pedestrian path in the city, with one carve-out: Class 1 e-bikes may still use the Creek Walk Trail. The city also caps what counts as an electrical assisted bicycle at a 750-watt motor with fully operable pedals.
35.In Section 1412 ... subsection (14) is replaced to read "Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 electrical assisted bicycles are prohibited on bike and pedestrian paths within the city, except that Class 1 electrical assisted bicycles are permitted on the Creek Walk Trail." ... 41.The definition of "Electrical Assisted Bicycle" in Section 28.5 of the Definitions Section in the Appendices is modified to read as follows: "Electrical assisted bicycle" means a vehicle having two or three wheels, fully operable pedals, and an electric motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power."
Full Breakdown
020(35) rewrites subsection (14) of the adopted Model Traffic Code Section 1412 to read that Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 electrical assisted bicycles are prohibited on bike and pedestrian paths within the city, carving out a single exception: Class 1 electrical assisted bicycles may still use the Creek Walk Trail. 020(41) to define an electrical assisted bicycle as a vehicle with two or three wheels, fully operable pedals, and an electric motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts. That wattage-and-pedal definition, not the class number alone, decides whether a given machine even counts as a regulated e-bike rather than an unregulated bicycle or a motor vehicle.
The prohibition applies specifically to the city's bike and pedestrian paths; it does not by its terms restrict e-bike use on ordinary streets, which remain governed by the Model Traffic Code's general bicycle rules. The amendments were adopted by Ordinance No. 1221 on October 19, 2021, and the surrounding chapter carrying them was most recently amended by Ordinance No. 0625 on May 20, 2025.
Violations & Fines
Riding a Class 2 or Class 3 e-bike, or any Class 3 machine at all, on a prohibited city path violates Manitou Springs Municipal Code § 10.04.030, the general violation section for the Model Traffic Code chapter, which carries a fine of up to two thousand six hundred fifty dollars per conviction. Each ride on a restricted path is a separately citable offense enforced by Manitou Springs Police.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ride any e-bike on Manitou Springs' bike and pedestrian paths?
What makes a bike an 'electrical assisted bicycle' under Manitou Springs' code?
Are e-bikes allowed on regular Manitou Springs streets?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manitou Springs
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E-Bike Classes in Nearby Cities
How other cities in El Paso County handle e-bike classes.