Adria Iraheta joined the Denver7 news team in January 2024. After spending the past decade making her way across the country, the Los Angeles native is thrilled to be back out west!
Aurora police and local bike shops are warning parents about the dangers of high-speed electric bikes and motorcycles marketed to teens online — a growing problem across the Denver metro area.About five months ago, Aurora city leaders passed an ordinance that fines parents if their child is caught riding one of these off-highway bikes on the road.
However, the Aurora Police Department says the measure is not helping.Kevin Barnes, deputy chief of the special operations division for the Aurora Police Department, said the bikes are leading to dangerous situations.'This is new technology, obviously, and there are a lot of hidden dangers and hazards that comes with them,' Barnes said.Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are typically treated as standard bicycles. Class 3 e-bikes, which reach higher speeds, have age restrictions and are not allowed on trails.Class 3 e-bikes and electric motorcycles are often marketed to teens online at much lower prices.'Most certainly, you know what's trending nationwide, some of the takeovers and things of that nature, whether it's roadways, intersections and the like,' Barnes said.Mackenzie Hardt, owner of Hardt Family Cyclery in Aurora, prides himself on good service, offering bike sales, repairs, and now — e-bike classification education.'We're very committed to this neighborhood and to Aurora,' Hardt said.Hardt recently began partnering with the City of Aurora to help educate families on local e-bike laws and age restrictions. This includes distributing flyers that explain the difference between e-bikes.Hardt said his shop frequently encounters vehicles that do not meet standard bicycle classifications.'On a busy week, we're probably seeing about 20 to 100 per week of bikes that are not actual bicycles and don't fall into an e-bike or bicycle category and fall into an off-highway vehicle category,' Hardt said. 'These vehicles aren't being sold in our local stores. We're not allowed to. So we're obeying our laws, but it's mostly things being bought online.'The issue extends beyond Aurora. Speed limit signs along the High Line Canal trail indicate it is a growing problem all over the Denver metro area.In Denver, the use of motocross bikes/dirt bikes is illegal in the city and county. Anyone using those on roads, sidewalks, or parks could be cited and fined.Jefferson and Arapahoe counties are also seeing an increase in teens riding these bikes.Police say enforcement can be difficult because of how quickly the bikes move.'I will implore upon the parents to do the research, you know, before they make the purchase,' Barnes said.While the staff at Hardt Family Cyclery are doing everything they can to spread the word, they say it might be time for more solutions to keep kids safe.'We need to figure out better education. I think schools are a way to do that for being preemptive and getting ahead of the injuries,' Hardt said.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Aurora Aurora Dirt Bikes Aurora E-Bikes Aurora Police Class 3 E-Bike Dirt Bikes E-Bike Classifications E-Bike Ratings Electric Motorcycles
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