Can My Child Ride An Ebike?

Electric bikes are all the rage and for good reason. While most are designed for teenagers and adults, there are models on the market that have been made specifically for children, whether you’re looking for an electric gravel bike, an electric mountain bike, or anything in between. They’re safe, controllable and can be a great way to keep your child up to speed when the family takes their bikes out for a long ride. With the rapid switch from carbon to electric and solar-powered transportation, more families are opting to cycle around town and even have car-free weekends. This eases the stress of air pollution on the environment and gives you plenty of exercise in the process.

In the United States, however, children under 16 are not permitted to operate an electric bicycle. Although your younger child and possibly preteen might beg you to ride one, it’s illegal to allow anyone below 16 to do so. If your child is below the age limit, you can get them excited for the prospect of getting their own ebike when they’re old enough. In the interim, you can teach them ways to always ride responsibly by wearing a helmet, following the rules of the road and being aware of their surroundings. Refer the Bike Size Chart before purchasing a bike for your child.

Benefits of Electric Bikes for Teens

If your child meets the legal requirements, you might wonder whether an ebike is worth the cost. Most are in the range between $700 to over $1,000. If your teen isn’t even going to be putting in most of the work to pedal, does it post any major benefit to them? The answer is a resounding yes.

For starters, ebikes get teens out of the house and outdoors. For many parents, it’s an immense challenge encouraging their child to do any hobby that isn’t related to some electronic device. From the bottomless well of TikTok videos to online video games, kids these days are practically submerged in the digital world with little to no interest in getting out and connecting with nature.

Your teen might not be excited about the prospect of pedaling their way up a trail, but if you add an ebike into the mix, they’re likely to be more enthusiastic. As a family, you can cover more ground, explore new places and spend more time connecting with one another offline. This is critical not only to your teen’s wellbeing but the entire family’s mental health.

Fitness Isn’t Diminished

Some mistakenly think that riding an electric bicycle means they won’t get a solid workout. This isn’t at all true, as ebikes are just as good as traditional bikes, so you can burn just as many calories and strengthen your leg muscles just as well by riding one over a traditional model. As a sustainable form of transportation, it also encourages greater activity for the sake of environmental conversation. Gen Z is especially conscious about how their actions will impact the world in the future. If your teen wants to know what they can do to make a difference, let them know that riding an ebike is just as good for their body as it is for the planet.