You may have seen the news this week out of St. Thomas. Police there wrapped up an e-bike and e-scooter safety initiative that started in September, laying 16 charges and handing out 7 warnings. Five of those charges were for riders not wearing a helmet, eight were for other e-bike infractions under the Highway Traffic Act, and three were for municipal bylaw violations.
A few of you have already asked us the obvious question: is my bike legal? If you bought a Tern or a Gazelle from us, the answer is yes. Here’s why.
Why your Tern or Gazelle is already compliant
In Ontario, an e-bike (officially a “power-assisted bicycle”) is covered by the Highway Traffic Act and Ontario Regulation 369/09. Here’s how your bike lines up with the rules:
- Working pedals, and the motor only helps when you pedal. Our Tern and Gazelle e-bikes are pedal-assist with no throttle. A bike with removed or disabled pedals doesn’t count as an e-bike in Ontario.
- A motor well under the 500 watt limit. They use mid-drive motors from Bosch or Shimano rated at 250 watts, half of what Ontario allows.
- Assistance that stops at 32 km/h. Bikes sold in Canada are set at the factory so the motor stops helping at 32 km/h, which is exactly Ontario’s limit. You can still coast faster down a hill, but the motor won’t push you past it.
- Well under the 120 kg weight limit. Even our cargo bikes, battery included, weigh a fraction of that.
- Two independent brakes. Ontario requires separate brakes on each wheel, strong enough to stop the bike from 30 km/h within 9 metres. Your bike has separate front and rear brakes built for the weight and speed of an e-bike.
One caveat: your bike stays compliant as long as it stays the way it left our shop. Speed “unlocks,” tuning chips or motor swaps that let it go past 500 watts or 32 km/h turn it into a motor vehicle in the eyes of the law, which means licence, plates and insurance. If anyone offers to unlock your bike, please don’t.
The other half is the rider
- Adults need a helmet too. This is the one that surprises people. On a regular bicycle, Ontario only requires helmets for riders under 18. On an e-bike, every rider needs an approved bicycle or motorcycle helmet, no matter their age. Five of the St. Thomas charges were for this alone.
- You must be 16 or older to ride an e-bike in Ontario.
- Same rules of the road as any cyclist. Stop for signs and lights, signal your turns, and check local bylaws, since some cities limit where e-bikes can ride on paths and trails.
- Lights and a bell. Like any bicycle, you need a bell or horn, plus lights after dark. Every e-bike we sell comes with front and rear lights wired to the battery, so you are covered there. If yours is missing a bell, stop by and we’ll sort you out.
What about Ontario’s proposed new rules?
In April, the Ministry of Transportation proposed splitting e-bikes into two classes. Both keep the same 500 watt and 32 km/h limits, and pedal-assist bikes under 55 kg would fall into Class 1. The proposal isn’t law yet, and the province plans a 12-month education period before any enforcement. Our Tern and Gazelle bikes are pedal-assist and well under 55 kg, so they fit the proposed Class 1 as well.
Not sure about your bike, or need a helmet fitted? Come see us at 320 Thames St. Grab a coffee while we take a look.
— Andrew