CABDA West 2023: E-Bike Safety at the Forefront

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by Clint Sandusky, former PCI #849/EMSCI #159
Riverside Community College District (CA) Police Department (ret.)

At the 2023 CABDA West Expo, held in Ontario (CA) this past January, there were various important and informative sessions pertaining to safety of e-Bikes. Topics included cheap and possibly dangerous e-Bikes, the importance of the UL 2849 Standard (which provides fire safety certification by examining the electrical drive train, battery, and charger system combination), and the shipping, storage, assembly, service, and proper recycling of e-Bike batteries (https://www.call2recycle.org/). You can read many articles addressing these topics and more at https://www.bicycleretailer.com/.

Of equal importance – in my view and that of my fellow cycling educators – is the need for high-quality, relevant, safety education and training for people who ride these faster, heavier, and less nimble e-Bikes, especially our youth! From what I have seen so far, IPMBA is way ahead of the cycling industry in this area due to our e-Bike resources, e-Bike Training Module, and the e-Bike unit of instruction in the updated curricula.

Through my presentation, E-Bike Safety: How Retailers are the “First Line of Defense,” and the California Association of Bicycle Organizations (CABO) booth, I addressed the topic of safety education and training for e-Bike riders. To learn more about this topic, go to: https://www.bicycleretailer.com/opinion-analysis/2021/02/26/e-bike-safety-how-ibds-are-first-line-defense.

But don’t just take my word for it. E-Bike manufacturer Pedego, which offers a range of models, including one for public safety use, has partnered with American Bicycling Education Association (https://abea.bike) to make e-Bike training available to customers through Pedego dealers (https://www.bicycleretailer.com/announcements/2023/01/11/american-bicycling-education-association-abea-and-pedego-electric-bikes). This is part of an effort to enhance their dealers’ and customers’ safety. In the 1970s, the motorcycle industry saw the need for safety education and training; now it is the cycling industry’s turn!

As my fellow CABO/CyclingSavvy (CS) representatives observed, our booth was well received by expo attendees – especially Pedego retailers who are excited about the collaboration with ABEA/CyclingSavvy. Based on my past experience, bicycle safety education booths are often passed by, so the interest was heartening.

We provided attendees with resources to teach and encourage safe, legal, and successful cycling in traffic. This included CyclingSavvy’s “10 Tips for Safe & Easy Bicycling Around Town” and an e-Bike flyer which is part of CyclingSavvy’s “PowerSavvy” e-Bike content This flyer is a MUST for everyone riding and/or selling e-Bikes! As CyclingSavvy says, “With Great Speed Comes Great Responsibility”; the faster you go, the faster you can get into trouble!

I am optimistic that a real shift is taking place in the cycling industry and community – driven by the explosion (no pun intended) of e-Bike acceptance and use – in recognizing the importance of e-Bike safety education and training, especially for cycling in traffic.

I continue to believe that it is going to take all of us working together (public safety personnel, especially public safety cyclists; retailers, manufacturers, and distributors; cycling educators, advocates, clubs, and organizations; parents, teachers, and other educators; the cycling and mainstream media; and beyond) to ensure e-Bike use becomes increasingly safe, legal, responsible, and subsequently more enjoyable. As public safety cyclists and instructors, be prepared to aid in this effort within the communities you serve!

To learn more about Cycling Savvy training and gain access to their e-Bike and other resources, visit https://cyclingsavvy.org/.

Clint joined IPMBA in 1994. He has conducted various workshops at the 2006, 2007, 2018, 2019, and 2022 IPMBA Conferences. He serves as a member of IPMBA’s E-Bike Task Force and assisted PCI Erik Pearce with instructing the E-Bike Training Module Course at the 2022 Conference. Clint remains an active CA POST Bike Patrol Instructor, 28 years and counting. He has taught, presented, authored, and consulted on e-Bike content and training to law enforcement and governmental officials, and the cycling community and industry both in California and nationally. He runs errands, trains, instructs, patrols, and races on e-Bikes (e-MTBs). He can be reached at clint.sandusky@gmail.com.

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