JON GERARDI/Sun-Gazette Shown is a pedal-assist bike designated Class 1 at the Bicycle Center in South Williamsport, which carries numerous models like this and others.

In recent years and even in the past months, pedal-assist bikes — or e-bikes — have been gaining popularity, and Bicycle Center owner Rick DeVito has seen it first hand. He’s seen various people show interest in e-bikes and want them for either rail trail riding, riding on certain trails where allowed, or casual riding.

And that interest and popularity has led to a lot of them being sold out into the summer months of 2023.

“It’s not going to gain in popularity, it already is (popular),” DeVito said. “People very quickly are finding out that ‘I need this for what I want to do and not this.’ … What I see is this is the dominant product for what we’re going to be using it for here in the United States.”

“Ours are meant to last years and years and years,” DeVito added. “Just like a good bike would.”

E-bikes help outdoor enthusiasts on multiple fronts, from casual trail riding to those who want to take it into the woods. However, the Pennsylvania Game Commission does not currently permit e-bikes on state game lands. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website, “under current regulation, it is unlawful to use or operate any type of e-bike on State game lands, unless used by individuals with mobility disabilities.”

The Pennsylvania Game Commission board rejected a motion in 2020 which would have allowed Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles by a vote of 5-3. However, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources permits Class 1 e-bikes on approved mountain bike trails on property managed by DCNR. Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes are not allowed on trails or roads. According to the DCNR website, e-bikes — also known as pedal assisted bikes — are allowed on trails already open to traditional bicycle usage as long as users follow guidelines consistent with the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code that e-bikes weigh no more than 100 pounds, don’t exceed 20 miles per hour using the motor, have motors that do not exceed 750 watts and have fully functional, operable pedals.

In addition, DCNR states as well on its website that state forest roads and trail that are not open to biking, which would prohibit e-bikes, includes natural areas, designated hiking trails and trails or roads specifically marked closed to biking. Other lands open to the public in Pennsylvania, according to DCNR’s website such as federal lands, local parks, game lands and preserves, have different requirements related to e-bikes.

E-bikes though, according to DeVito, offer a lot to many individuals who want to experience the outdoors.

“It covers a very broad spectrum of people’s interest. All of a sudden they start picking things up. Most of people that I’m getting that are coming through the door, I’d say 90% of them are already aware, they may not know it all about the Class 1, 2 3 designation, but they’re aware of it enough they want to check it out before they invest.”

“That’s the best thing that anybody can do” DeVito said. “The last thing you want to do is load up your brand new bikes, go up to the rail trail, and run into a forest ranger before you even get it off the rack.”

DeVito noted that at the Bicycle Center, the bikes range in price starting at $3,200 to well above $12,000 depending on what type an individual is looking for. Pedal assist bikes are what most individuals will want to use, as throttle assist are illegal on many trails and pathways.

“In Pennsylvania, anything that you’re going to be riding, you want to make sure that it is pedal assist and not throttle operated. Anything that has a throttle on it (you can’t use),” DeVito said.

The Class 1, 2 and 3 designations are mostly determined by the motor wattage. The Class 1 bikes that the Bicycle Center offers are 250-watt motors.

Manufacturers currently make numerous different e-bikes for different individuals interests. There’s casual recreational bikes, performance-oriented bikes, sport-fitness bikes and mountain/trail bikes.

“That’s basically the same as a standard bike. They’re building one in every genre, if you would, every interest level. If you wanted to go hardcore mountain biking, there it is,” DeVito said. “Same exact technology frame wise and shock wise as our standard bikes, with the addition of the motor. They make a hard tail that would look just the same, except it would have (a larger) sized tube and the motor assembly down at the bottom. … The higher-end manufactures are building pretty much to everybody’s interest right now.”