A couple of teens ride e-bikes on the sidewalk on First Street in Pittsfield. Local police departments are cracking down on e-bike usage among teens, focusing on education and issuing citations if necessary. “It’s about preventing injuries, not discouraging riding,” Dalton Police Chief Deanna Strout said.
A cyclist on an e-bike waits with traffic at the Route 8/9 intersection at Allendale in Pittsfield. For Class 1 and 2 e-bikes that do not exceed 20 miles per hour, no license or registration is required, and a helmet is required only for people under age 17.
A couple ride e-bikes on Main Street in Williamstown. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling.
A cyclist rides an e-bike on Spring Street in Williamstown. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling. It’s a form of transportation that is gaining in popularity across busy roadways in the Berkshires, and one that has public safety officials like Strout concerned for the safety of not only those operating the motorized bikes, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
An e-bike rides in the bike lane on North Street in Pittsfield. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling. It’s a form of transportation that is gaining in popularity across busy roadways in the Berkshires, and one that has public safety officials concerned for the safety of not only those operating the motorized bikes, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
A man rides an e-bike in the bike lane on North Street in Pittsfield. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling. It’s a form of transportation that is gaining in popularity across busy roadways in the Berkshires, and one that has public safety officials concerned for the safety of not only those operating the motorized bikes, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
Berkshire Bike and Board’s Co-owner Dave Clark, pictured in 2025 at their Pittsfield store. Berkshire Bike and Board offers e-bike rentals for $85 a day. Clark said the average price range for an e-bike is between $1,500-$15,000, but the ones they sell are between $1,500-$3,000.
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A couple of teens ride e-bikes on the sidewalk on First Street in Pittsfield. Local police departments are cracking down on e-bike usage among teens, focusing on education and issuing citations if necessary. “It’s about preventing injuries, not discouraging riding,” Dalton Police Chief Deanna Strout said.
DALTON — Dalton Police Chief Deanna Strout says she’s all for letting kids be kids, but when it comes to e-bikes, safety has to come first.
With reports of reckless riding and close calls increasing around town, Strout said the department is stepping up enforcement and reminding riders of the rules of the road.
“The speeds and the way they’re operating are unsafe, and we’re trying to avoid some type of a tragedy from happening because that’s our biggest fear,” Strout said in an interview with The Eagle on Monday. “It’s about preventing injuries, not discouraging riding.”
E-bikes have become increasingly common on Berkshire County roads, sidewalks and trails, bringing new transportation options but also new safety concerns. Police departments say they are fielding more complaints about dangerous riding and struggling to enforce laws that many officials believe have not kept pace with the technology, prompting a push for new statewide regulations that are working their way through the legislative process.
An e-bike rides in the bike lane on North Street in Pittsfield. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling. It’s a form of transportation that is gaining in popularity across busy roadways in the Berkshires, and one that has public safety officials concerned for the safety of not only those operating the motorized bikes, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
In Dalton, Strout said those concerns have already played out on local streets despite repeated efforts to educate riders and their parents.
Earlier this month, a child riding an e-bike collided with a motorcycle and left the scene, Strout said.
“That could have ended in a tragedy,” Strout said. “They’re riding in and out of traffic. They’re in the wrong direction … It’s just lots and lots of unsafe operation.”
The Dalton Police Department posted a public enforcement notice on its Facebook page last week, concerning the operation of electronic bicycles and electronic dirt bikes.
An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling. It’s a form of transportation that is gaining in popularity across busy roadways in the Berkshires, and one that has public safety officials like Strout concerned for the safety of not only those operating the motorized bikes, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
Nationally, more than 20,000 people are injured annually while riding e-bikes, with approximately 3,000 people requiring hospitalization — a number that is likely underreported, according to the American College of Surgeons.
Dalton police officers are actively enforcing Massachusetts laws governing electric bicycles, motorized scooters, dirt bikes and other electric-powered vehicles. Violations for adults and juveniles could result in civil citations and fines, vehicle impoundment and criminal complaints or arrests when applicable.
“Whatever [officers] can do, they will,” Strout said.
The department encourages families to familiarize themselves with Massachusetts laws before operating any electric-powered vehicle.
Other police departments in the Berkshires are addressing e-bike issues, including Adams and Pittsfield. In a Facebook post on May 25, the Adams Police Department highlighted the e-bike laws and advised parents to familiarize themselves with the requirements.
Adams Acting Police Chief Timothy Sorrell said that the department has seen a rise in e-bike usage in town.
A man rides an e-bike in the bike lane on North Street in Pittsfield. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling. It’s a form of transportation that is gaining in popularity across busy roadways in the Berkshires, and one that has public safety officials concerned for the safety of not only those operating the motorized bikes, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
The department has had a few incidents recently involving teens riding in and out of the road as well as in the bike paths. Sorrell added that the bulk of the complaints are from the “motoring public.”
“A lot of it has to do with ignorance to the laws,” he said of riders using e-bikes improperly.
The department hasn’t written any tickets, Sorrell said, adding that they are focused on educating riders. The department is issuing warnings on the first offense, but if caught a second time, riders will be issued a ticket, Sorrell said.
In Pittsfield, a May 12 crash involving two e-dirt bikes and another motor vehicle highlighted the dangers of letting teens and children ride without understanding the laws.
According to the Pittsfield Police Department, the investigation into the crash, which occurred at the intersection of North Street and Pontoosuc Avenue, determined that two 13-year-old kids were operating the dirt bikes on the incorrect side of the road, and witnesses said they were swerving “in and out of traffic.”
The juveniles did not possess a valid driver’s license, and the bikes were not insured or registered and were subsequently seized and secured at the police station, according to police. The department highlighted that letting young children operate e-bikes creates a “public safety issue.”
“Parents need to discuss the rules of the roads with their kids and also understand that if they are knowingly allowing their children to operate illegally (not having a license/permit when required) there is the potential that they too could face charges,” Pittsfield Police Chief Marc Maddalena wrote in an email to The Eagle on Thursday.
Maddalena also said that the department has seen an increase in e-bike usage and received numerous complaints regarding reckless operation.
He added that the department is trying to enforce e-bike laws to the best of its ability.
“What is clear [is] e-motorcycles, e-bikes without pedals, are illegal and we have confiscated several of those,” Maddalena said.
Despite apprehension and some negative press, Dave Clark, co-owner of Berkshire Bike and Board, said that e-bikes remain the most popular bike that the business sells. The business has four locations, including two in the Berkshires.
Clark, who is currently operating the Hudson, N.Y., location, said that the increased apprehension around e-bikes stems from confusion about the laws.
Berkshire Bike and Board’s Co-owner Dave Clark, pictured in 2025 at their Pittsfield store. Berkshire Bike and Board offers e-bike rentals for $85 a day. Clark said the average price range for an e-bike is between $1,500-$15,000, but the ones they sell are between $1,500-$3,000.
“[Customers are] coming in more [questioning] about what the legality of the bike is, which we haven’t seen much of that in the past,” Clark said, adding that the business stands behind everything it sells.
He also mentioned that there is confusion around electric motorcycles, which Berkshire Bike and Board does not sell. The business strictly sells e-bikes.
“A lot of these bikes that are getting negative press are electric motorcycles that are above the 750-watt limit,” Clark said. “They’re kind of in that outside zone of not really a bicycle, and we do not support that market.”
Clark added that he is seeing parents come into the store looking for e-bikes for their kids, and often times it’s for an electric motorcycle. He also acknowledged that there are some “bad apples” regarding kids negatively using e-bikes, which has led to a negative perception.
“There is a lot of negative press that we’re dealing with at this moment,” Clark said, adding that the business has had residents come in and complain about people riding them in the road.
A cyclist on an e-bike waits with traffic at the Route 8/9 intersection at Allendale in Pittsfield. For Class 1 and 2 e-bikes that do not exceed 20 miles per hour, no license or registration is required, and a helmet is required only for people under age 17.
Berkshire Bike and Board has not seen a dip in sales as a result, Clark said, adding that they have to explain a lot more and be more educated.
“We have to tell our customers that these bikes we’re selling are not the bikes that most of these kids are riding around and wheeling down North Street,” Clark said. “We’re trying to disassociate [ourselves] from those people as much as possible.”
Berkshire Bike and Board offers e-bike rentals for $85 a day. Clark said the average price range for an e-bike is between $1,500-$15,000, but the ones they sell are between $1,500-$3,000.
Clark also highlighted the benefits of e-bikes for people, most notably in exercise and transportation. He said that it’s important to educate the consumer that they can get exercise and “enjoy cycling.”
Following a crash involving an e-bike last summer, Strout was looking for legal guidance on how to handle e-bikes and received a legal advisory from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. The Dalton Police Department used the advisory to create an informational guide on the laws and classifications of e-bikes in a Facebook post in August 2025.
Massachusetts adopted a legal framework for e-bikes in the 2022 Transportation Bond Bill, which became law on Nov. 8, 2022. The state recognizes two classes of e-bikes — Class 1 and Class 2.
Class 1 is a low-speed electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance when the rider is pedaling and stops assisting when the bicycle reaches 20 mph. Class 2 is equipped with a throttle-actuated motor that can propel the bicycle without pedaling and stops assisting at 20 mph. Massachusetts does not define Class 3 e-bikes that are used in other jurisdictions, which are pedal-assist e-bikes that can reach up to 28 mph.
For Class 1 and 2 e-bikes that do not exceed 20 mph, no license or registration is required, and a helmet is required only for people under age 17. If an e-bike exceeds the Class 1 or 2 limits, a license and registration are required, and a helmet is required for all cyclists.
Last month, Gov. Maura Healey sent a proposal to the Senate that aims to regulate e-bikes, scooters and mopeds through a “speed-based framework.” The Senate referred the bill governing the use of so-called micromobility devices (S.3077) to the Committee on Transportation.
The Healey proposal aims to reduce congestion, make roads safer and “hold riders accountable,” her office said, by proposing a “first-in-the-nation, speed-based framework.”
A cyclist rides an e-bike on Spring Street in Williamstown. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling. It’s a form of transportation that is gaining in popularity across busy roadways in the Berkshires, and one that has public safety officials like Strout concerned for the safety of not only those operating the motorized bikes, but also other motorists and pedestrians.
“For example, lower-speed e-bikes would follow bike lane rules with helmet requirements and protections for riders under 16, while higher-speed devices like mopeds would be limited to riders age 16 and older and face stricter requirements, including registration, insurance and roadway restrictions,” according to a news release from the Healey administration.
Strout said that resident frustration has grown, and there is a sentiment that the department is not doing enough enforcement. She said that they don’t have the capabilities “to do much,” and that the state’s proposed legislation would help with enforcement.
“We share that frustration with our residents,” Strout said.
Maddalena said that any clarity would be “extremely beneficial” and that he hopes the legislation comes out soon and is “clear to enforce.” He added that there is a place for e-bikes in society, but that it’s now a situation where technology “moved faster than legislation.”
According to Healey’s administration, the bill restricts “higher-speed devices” from sidewalks, bike lanes, roadways and other “high-risk areas”; restricts modifications that increase speed beyond manufacturer limits; gives law enforcement authority to enforce rules and penalties; and improves crash data collection to track injuries and identify safety risks.
A couple ride e-bikes on Main Street in Williamstown. An electric bicycle — more commonly referred to as an e-bike — is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that can help assist with or replace pedaling.
Strout said that Healey’s proposed bill is a “pretty good first step,” and it would give departments a framework of “what we can do.” She added that she would also like to see the state have a course requirement before operating an e-bike.
“How do we expect them to operate within the rules of the road if they don’t know what they are?” Strout said. “Education is definitely the first step over enforcement to me because it’s not about enforcement, it’s about safety.”
Despite challenges, Strout remains committed to figuring out a safe way for e-bikes to be used in the community.
“We have to try,” she said. “I’ve never wanted to say, ‘Oh, it’s not going to work, so we’re not going to do it.’”
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Dylan Thompson can be reached at dthompson@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6105.
BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey sent a proposal to the Senate on Monday that aims to regulate e-bikes, scooters and mopeds through a “speed-based f…
Reporter
E-bikes have become increasingly common on Berkshire County roads, sidewalks and trails, bringing new transportation options but also new safety concerns. “The speeds and the way they’re operating are unsafe, and we’re trying to avoid some type of a tragedy from happening because that’s our biggest fear.”
Even without the United States men’s national team on the field, the spirit of the FIFA World Cup was alive at The Common on Friday as local families gathered for a Massachusetts Youth Soccer watch party.
Summer’s here, which means lazy days drifting on the lake — and the vengeful return of Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive plant that spreads aggressively throughout the city’s lakes.
Human Resource Director Ann Marie Carpenter announced that all Morningside teachers had been placed in new schools; that middle school teachers had been assigned, with most getting their first or second choice; and that paraprofessionals who wanted to return will have jobs awaiting them.
Nissan’s financing arm has sued Bella Nissan of Pittsfield, alleging the dealership owes more than $1.5 million in unpaid vehicle financing, lease obligations and other debt.
The City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to adopt a $232.8 million operating budget for fiscal year 2027, but only after a heated debate over whether the Council held the power to amend the mayor’s revised budget.
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