Members of the Wabash River Cycle Club can ride Class 1 and Class 3 bicycles with electric assist motors on all club rides. Class 2 (throttle control) electric bicycles are not allowed on any club rides, due to the club’s insurance policy limitations. However, a rider may disconnect the throttle of a Class 2 bike and participate in the ride.
Ride leaders are not responsible for determining whether a rider is using an E-Bike or what class of E-Bike a rider may be using. It is the E-Bike rider's responsibility to know and obey the relevant laws.
E-Bike riders must observe and follow WRCC rules and policies regarding ride safety and etiquette. Similar to conventional cyclists that participate in group rides, ride leaders have the authority to speak with any rider of an E-Bike if, in their judgment, they feel that rider is compromising the safety of others on the ride. This includes making them aware of what they are doing incorrectly or requesting that the E-Bike rider maintain a position at the back of the group ride to ensure the safety of others.
A rider with an E-Bike should ride with the same pace rides they would ride without an E-Bike. It is unsafe to use an E-Bike to ride two or more levels beyond your ability with a regular bike. Riders of E-Bikes are expected to recognize and respect that there is a correlation between ride speed, rider experience, and rider skills that contributes to, or conversely, can undermine the safety of all riders in the group.
Etiquette:
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An E-Bike rider should ride to support and maintain the pace of the other riders.
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It is considered bad form for an E-Bike rider to aggressively pass regular bike riders when proceeding up grades or in noticeably adverse wind conditions.
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An E-Bike rider should be certain they have sufficient battery reserve for the ride they have chosen (fully charged battery and spare if needed). It is not the Ride Leader’s responsibility to ensure that the E-Bike rider is safely returned to the start point should they run out of battery.
The League of American Bicyclists offers these additional tips: E-bikes can help a rider haul more weight, extend a trip, travel faster, and go more places. Riders should practice safe bicycling practices while riding an E-Bike. For most riders, an E-Bike will likely be heavier than a standard bike which can create longer stopping distances and make it more difficult to balance when stopping. It is important to practice with any new bike to feel confident starting, stopping, and maneuvering.
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