As Angelenos find more active ways to get around the city without a car, people show up to CicLAvia events with a wider array of vehicles. So what’s allowed?
People Powered
A general rule of thumb for any vehicle is that if it is primarily powered by a person, it's allowed at CicLAvia. If it is solely powered by a motor, it's not. For many people, CicLAvia provides an escape from motorized vehicles for the day - and an opportunity to use active mobility. We want to keep it safe for everyone who participates.
In short, any non-motorized vehicle is welcome. These are all permitted:
- Bicycles
- Rollerskates
- Rollerblades
- Scooters
- Skateboards
- Unicycles
- Tricycles
- Pedestrians
- Runners
- Motorized wheelchairs, power wheelchairs and mobility scooters (for participants with disabilities)
E-Bikes
We also allow many e-bikes, but not all. In broad terms, e-bikes are bicycles with a battery-powered “assist” that comes when you pedal or, in some cases, use a throttle. We encourage people to pedal, and to keep street speeds safe for everyone. So if you use a “class 1” e-bike, which is a low-speed (usually maxes out at ~20mph) pedal-assisted bike, you are fine to use it on the route.
If you use “class 2”, which do not require the participant to pedal (they simply turn a throttle), or “class 3” e-bikes, which go faster than other e-bikes, you can only use these on the route if the power is switched off.
So these e-bike uses are allowed:
- Common pedal-assist e-bikes (top speeds: 20mph, Class 1)
- Any e-bikes that have throttles if the power is switched off and the user is pedaling (Class 2)
- Faster e-bikes whether they have throttles or not, if the power is switched off and the user is pedaling (Class 3)
The key point to keep in mind: if you’re primarily pedaling, and keeping with the flow of traffic, you’re fine. If your e-bike cannot 'turn off' but you can exclusively use the pedal-assist without the throttle, you should be fine as well.
Not Allowed at the Event
A simple way to determine if a vehicle is not allowed on the route is whether it is motorized. CicLAvia isn’t designed for passive riders; it’s a day for healthy activity. Motor-powered vehicles are not permitted:
- Electric scooters
- E-bikes with throttles (if you're not pedaling with the power off)
- Hoverboards
- Electric skateboards
- Segways
- Electric unicycles
- Mopeds
- Motorbikes
- Motorcycles
- Cars
Some vehicles, like hoverboards and motorized scooters, aren’t necessarily fast, but they’re still disruptive to the active and people-powered spirit of CicLAvia. It’s great to find an efficient and enjoyable way to get around Los Angeles; they just aren’t allowed on the CicLAvia route.
And if your vehicle isn’t allowed (and if the electricity cannot be disabled), don’t worry! You can still enjoy CicLAvia by borrowing a Metro Bike, or even by walking and running.
Basic Guidelines
If you’re using an approved vehicle, you’ll likely stay with the flow of traffic. If you have to weave through others in order to avoid crashing, that's a sign you're going too fast or you're not on an approved vehicle.
For people who want to speed, race, and weave in and out - there are places for that, too! That’s just not CicLAvia, and this may not be the event for you. You may want to check out biking and speed racing routes throughout Los Angeles to find a better fit for your weekend.
