Mayor Adams announced late Wednesday he will be instituting a 15 mph speed limit on e-bikes citywide amid growing concern over safety on New York’s streets.
“I have heard, over and over again, from New Yorkers about how their safety — and the safety of their children — has been put at risk due to speeding e-bikes and e-scooters,” Adams said in a statement issued Wednesday evening, shortly after the Daily News reported the announcement was imminent.
“Today, our administration is saying enough is enough: We are implementing a new 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes and e-scooters that will make our streets safer.”
Multiple sources familiar with the matter had told The News that Adams had been planning an end-of-week announcement of an e-bike speed limit, engaging in multiple discussions on the topic with his senior staff.
The news caught Lyft — the rideshare giant that administers the Citi Bike fleet for the city — by surprise.
“City Hall has not reached out to Citi Bike regarding this proposal,” Patrick Knoth, Citi Bike’s General Manager, said in a statement to The News. “If this proposal is real, we would express deep concern.”
Adams spokeswoman Liz Garcia disputed Lyft’s statement, stating “Lyft was briefed by DOT and spoke multiple times to City Hall reps.”
Most legal e-bikes have been legally limited to a 20 mph top speed in NYC. Citi Bike’s rental e-bikes are slower, topping out at 18 mph as required by the city’s Department of Transportation — a top speed that will be reduced by 3 mph under Adams’ plan.
The fastest and most powerful e-bikes, known in the industry as “Class 3″ bikes, have been allowed to travel up to 25 mph on New York City’s streets and bike lanes.
City law does not require riders to wear helmets, unless an e-bike is being ridden for commercial purposes, like delivery work, or is on one of the faster “Class 3” machines.
MESSENGER
Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Daily News An e-bike deliveryman is pictured in Manhattan in 2023. (Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Daily News)
The move from Adams comes as his administration has made cracking down on bicycle enforcement a priority.
Last month, Adams’ NYPD began handing out criminal summonses to bike riders — both electric cyclists and pedal-powered ones — accused of running red lights or otherwise riding recklessly.
That move, a drastic change from the status quo of bike riders getting civil summonses for traffic infractions, has caused outrage from transit advocates and some City Council members, who note that penalties are less severe for running a red light in a car or truck.
Councilmember Robert Holden questioned how effective the move would be.
“We need real enforcement to address the growing crisis of illegal e-bikes, and I appreciate the steps being taken in that direction,” Holden siad. “But the truth is, without license plates, it’s nearly impossible to hold bad actors accountable.”
Speaking during his weekly press conference at City Hall on Tuesday, Adams suggested something needed to be done about bicycle speeds in the five boroughs.
“I don’t know if you have crossed over some of these bike lanes and seen how fast people are riding. It is out of control,” he told reporters. “I have not gone to one community board forum, one community senior forum, where they haven’t said over and over again for almost a year now: ‘Mayor, I need you to do something about this.’”
Traditional, non-motorized bicycles are still expected to follow the posted speed limit for cars and trucks — 25 mph on most streets, if your legs can get you there — but slower on some streets designated by the city DOT.
Originally Published: June 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM EDT
