1
Pedal assist · 20 mph
The motor assists only while the rider pedals and stops assistance at 20 mph. Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5
Definitions before verdicts
The three-class system, without the shorthand traps
Class 1, 2, and 3 are state-law categories, not the federal definition. The labels describe how the motor engages and when assistance stops—but the operating rules still come from the state where you ride. 15 U.S.C. § 2085 · Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5
01 / Federal baseline
CPSC starts with a product definition
Two or three wheels. Operable pedals. Under 750 watts. Under 20 mph on motor power alone in the statutory test.
That is the federal “low-speed electric bicycle” definition in 15 U.S.C. § 2085. The section treats qualifying bicycles as consumer products under CPSC bicycle regulations. It does not create a universal class 1, 2, or 3 operating code. 15 U.S.C. § 2085
02 / Common state framework
What class 1, 2, and 3 usually mean
2
Throttle capable · 20 mph
The motor may propel the bicycle without pedaling and stops assistance at 20 mph. Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5
3
Pedal assist · 28 mph
The motor assists while pedaling and stops at 28 mph; California’s definition also requires a speedometer. Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5
California Vehicle Code § 312.5 is used here as a current, official example of the familiar three-class definitions. It is not presented as the law of every state. Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5
03 / State variation
A class sticker does not settle the legal answer
California
Defines all three familiar classes and caps electric-bicycle motor power at 750 watts. Cal. Veh. Code § 312.5
Massachusetts
Its current definition includes class 1 and class 2 electric bicycles, but not a class 3 electric-bicycle category. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 1
New Jersey
Removed numbered classes in 2026. A class 2 throttle bike and a class 3 pedal-assist bike generally fall into its motorized-bicycle category. P.L.2025, c.285
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