E-Bikes, electricity-powered

bicycles, have been approved for use on Peachtree City's cart paths.

Although the police department

had recommended that the E-Bike should not be allowed on the paths, the

City Council unanimously decided to allow the motorized bikes on the path

system. Council also adopted new ordinances which restrict the use of

the E-Bike to riders ages 16 and over.

Barbara Evans, the owner of

an E-Bike dealership in Peachtree City, said E-Bikes are used in other

cities which have path trails such as Sun City, Ariz.

Councilman Dan Tennant said

he was in favor of allowing the E-Bike on the paths.

"I've gotten on one of

these things," he said. "It went downhill and straight."

Evans said the E-Bikes are

wonderful for persons with injuries who otherwise might not be able to

ride a regular bike. But banning the E-Bikes from cart paths would hurt

her business, she added.

Evans said seniors are showing

the most interest in E-Bikes, which start out at $1,000 and run up to

$2,000. The low-end model has a top speed of 10 mph while the high-end

model has a maximum speed of 18 mph.

The E-Bikes are equipped with

a bell or a horn to warn oncoming traffic of their presence, Evans told

council.

An initial suggestion was to

require all E-Bikes for use in Peachtree City be registered. But City

Attorney Rick Lindsey said a state law prevents electric-powered bicycles

from being registered.

Mayor Bob Lenox said he appreciated

the police department's thorough evaluation of the E-Bike. The department

suggested that the bike's slick tires and braking system were not "amenable"

to usage on the cart path, particularly in areas where there are bumps

and pinestraw hazards on the paths.

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