By Sarah Horbacewicz
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DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — As e-bikes are seen more often on Boulder’s bike paths, doctors say they’re also seeing a growing number of serious injuries tied to e-bike crashes, while states across the country weigh new regulations.
For lifelong cyclist Jaclyn Orent, that trend became personal last month.
“I saw the other bike in my lane swerve, and then I just remember getting hit, and then off I went,” Orent said.
Orent was riding her road bike along the Boulder Creek Path when she collided with an electric bike. Even though she says she was wearing a helmet, the crash sent her to the hospital.
“I have a separated shoulder. I don’t know if you can see it, but there’s now a bump there that I’m gonna have for the rest of my life. And now all my backpacking trips are canceled for the summer,” Orent said.
Doctors at Boulder Community Health Foothills Hospital say crashes involving e-bikes and electric scooters are becoming more common.
Foothills Hospital emergency physician Dr. Shannon Sovndal estimates that e-bike-related injuries now arrive in the emergency department every shift. A new report from Boulder Community Health shows the hospital most commonly treats e-bike-related patients between the ages of 18 and 24 and pediatric cases have doubled.
Beyond Boulder, Children’s Hospital Colorado reported a 184% increase in traumatic injuries related to e-bikes treated at its Anschutz campus between 2024 and 2025. Hospital leaders say the rapid growth mirrors the increasing popularity of electric bicycles among both adults and children.
The American College of Surgeons also says e-bike injuries are becoming a growing public health concern. According to the organization, more than 20,000 people are injured while riding electric bicycles each year, with approximately 3,000 requiring hospitalization. The group notes that those figures are likely underreported.
“The asphalt doesn’t care whether you’re on the motorcycle or the bicycle, and if you’re going at a high speed and you hit the ground, you know you have significant injuries, just like a motorcycle accident,” Sovndal said.
Under Colorado law, an electric bicycle is generally defined as a bicycle with a motor of less than 750 watts and a top assisted speed of up to 28 mph, depending on its class. Vehicles that exceed those limits are legally treated as a low-powered scooter or a type of motorcycle.
In Orent’s crash, the police report did not specify how fast the electric bike was traveling or how powerful its motor was. Orent says she wants to see more detailed reporting on e-bike crashes, along with regulations that improve safety.
“Let’s start classifying these things based off of actually the weight of them too, because it might go 15 mph, but this thing with 100 pounds, right? What happens when someone riding a 15-pound bike hits a 100-pound bike? That’s a fundamental problem,” Orent said.
Orent also noted that because the bike crash was not classified as a motor vehicle crash, she has limited options for insurance claims.
As e-bikes become more common, lawmakers and transportation officials in multiple states are reviewing regulations surrounding their use, including questions about speed, vehicle classifications, rider age requirements, and where higher-powered models should be allowed to operate.
The issue has also drawn attention in Colorado. In previous reporting by CBS Colorado, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office also reported concerns with modified e-bikes that essentially become e-motorcycles.
“We actually pulled over an electric motorcycle the other day, and it was 59 mph on an electric motorcycle, and it was a 14-year-old riding it,” a Boulder County Sheriff’s Office deputy told CBS Colorado.
Despite the increase in injuries, Sovndal says he supports the use of e-bikes and scooters, provided riders use them responsibly.
“I utilize e-bikes as well, and scooters; they’re a great way to get around,” Sovndal said. “I do think that a little more, kind of regulation to make sure that people aren’t riding these things in a crazy way… You just need to use them safely.”
For Orent, the conversation extends beyond her own injuries, but she believes in a holistic approach from the community to bring down crashes.
“This isn’t just a me problem, this isn’t just a bike problem, can we all come together around a shared vision of creating a safe Boulder?” Orent said.
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