Always follow the posted speed limits when riding, staying within your abilities. Electric bikes are heavier than traditional bicycles and can travel much faster in certain conditions, so they require a bit more control. Take it easy to keep yourself and others safe.
What's the Fastest (Legal) E-Bike You Can Buy?
Written by: Rémy Rossi | August 8, 2025 | Time to read 4 min
A Class 3 e-Bike is your ticket to going as fast as possible, without getting a speeding ticket.
More about the Author: Remy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
So you wanna go fast, huh? I don’t blame you— zooming around on an electric bike is a total blast. But with such great speed comes great responsibility, and e-Bike safety is priority number one both for you and the people around you. I’ll let you in on the fastest e-Bikes you can buy that still follow the rules.
Three-class e-Bike system
Electric bikes are categorized into three classes based on their top speed and assistance type. Pretty much every US state and bike manufacturer follows this system, so there’s an easy-to-understand standard when it comes to e-Bike rules. This also ensures that customers can quickly tell the characteristics of the e-Bike and know that they’re getting a legal e-Bike.
Class 3 e-Bikes are the fastest
Class 3 electric bikes take the cake when it comes to top speed, maxing out at 28 mph. While they don’t have a throttle like Class 2 e-Bikes, they can travel the fastest via pedal-assist. This quicker pace is often useful if you ride on the street with fast-moving cars and want to keep up— riding a similar speed to cars is generally safer and avoids cars from constantly overtaking you on narrow roads.
Electric bike top speed is limited according to the designated class, even if the motor is technically capable of providing more pace. But keep in mind that “unlocking” your e-Bike’s motor can be illegal— California just passed a bill prohibiting this, for example. There’s also been a crackdown on hybrid Class 2/3 electric bikes, ones that combine the 20 mph throttle and 28 mph pedal-assist modes in a single bike. Fewer states allow them, and fewer brands now make e-Bikes with those characteristics. If I remember correctly, Aventon used to sell bikes like that, but now most models are designated as Class 2.
Simply put, 28 mph is the fastest you can go on a standard electric bike in the US. But I better not hear you complaining about Class 3 e-Bikes— these bad boys aren’t even legal in Europe!
There are plenty of illegal e-Bikes out there
In the land of the free, there are still a healthy number of “e-Bikes” that skirt the rules and exceed the speed and power limits of allowed electric bicycles. There are electric dirt e-Bikes or Surron e-Bikes that blur the lines between motorcycles and motorized “bikes”, as well as e-Bikes shipped directly from overseas that can travel faster than 28 mph from sketchy, lesser-known brands.
While they may be legal vehicles in the general sense, they are not legally considered electric bicycles, meaning they and their riders are subject to different requirements— things like licenses, registration, and safety equipment— and may not be allowed in certain areas such as multi-use paths or trails. I’m not advocating for banning these two-wheelers completely, but when people confuse them with permitted e-Bikes, it can get messy and skew the public’s perception of electric bike use.
While they may be legal vehicles in the general sense, they are not legally considered electric bicycles, meaning they and their riders are subject to different requirements— things like licenses, registration, and safety equipment— and may not be allowed in certain areas such as multi-use paths or trails. I’m not advocating for banning these two-wheelers completely, but when people confuse them with permitted e-Bikes, it can get messy and skew the public’s perception of electric bike use.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a safe speed for electric bikes?
Do you need a license for an electric bike?
In nearly all states, riders do not need a license to operate an electric bike. However, riders of Class 3 e-Bikes in New Jersey need a license, and e-Bike users in Hawaii will need to pay a $30 registration fee.
Key Takeaways
- Class 3 e-Bikes are the fastest legal option in the U.S., offering pedal-assisted speeds up to 28 mph, ideal for street commuting.
- Modifying or "unlocking" your e-Bike’s motor to go faster is often illegal and could reclassify your bike as a motor vehicle.
- Not all fast e-Bikes are street-legal—many high-speed models fall outside legal definitions, requiring licenses and limiting where you can ride.
