Springfield, OH Mobility & Curb Rules: E-Bike Classes (2026)

Section 301.04(c) defines a Class 1 electric bicycle as one whose motor assists only while pedaling and cuts off at 20 mph; Class 2 assists without pedaling but also stops at 20 mph; Class 3 assists only while pedaling but continues to 28 mph. Section 373.16(a) then permits Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles on any path set aside exclusively for bicycles or on a shared-use path unless the City prohibits it by resolution or rule, but bars Class 3 e-bikes from those same paths unless the path runs within or adjacent to a highway or the City specifically authorizes Class 3 use there.

All three classes are barred from paths intended primarily for mountain biking, hiking, equestrian use, or other historically nonmotorized single-track or natural-surface trails, again absent specific City authorization; an exception covers law enforcement officers using an e-bike on duty. Section 373.16(b) additionally bars anyone under sixteen from operating a Class 3 e-bike (though a minor may ride as a passenger on one built for passengers) and requires every Class 3 operator and passenger to wear a CPSC- or ASTM-standard protective helmet. Section 373.01 folds electric bicycles into the Traffic Code generally, so a rider can be cited the same way a motor vehicle operator would be, though a bicycle or e-bike violation carries no driver's-license points.