The NJ E-Bike Law: Day 2 – What We’re Seeing One Day Later

January 21 marks the first full day after Governor Murphy signed the New Jersey e-bike law, and I wanted to share a real-time update from the field. While much is still unclear, early signs are already beginning to surface.

Today, I’m in the shop myself. Frank took the day off, and so far, it’s been unusually quiet.

Early Activity in the Shop

As of today:

• We’ve had no service customers
• We’ve had no walk-in customers

While slower days are not uncommon in January, today feels different. Instead of working with customers, much of my time has been spent trying to understand what this new law will mean in practice.

Conversations Behind the Scenes

Throughout the day, I’ve been speaking with key stakeholders across the industry, including:

• The CEO of Velo Insurance
• Two of our suppliers, Velotric and Aventon
• A call scheduled with Lectric tomorrow
• Ongoing conversations with overseas manufacturers

The consistent message has been this: there is still a great deal of uncertainty. No one has definitive answers yet on how enforcement will unfold or how quickly adjustments may be made.

A Measured Response Amid Uncertainty

At Jesse’s E-Rides, we’re not panicking. While this law introduces real challenges, we believe there will be changes and carve-outs as its implications become clearer. Another bill has already been introduced to address gaps in the current legislation, and we will continue monitoring that closely.

For now, however, things remain quiet.

Inventory, Value, and Customer Confidence

I’ve spent time today looking at our inventory, which is fully stocked and ready for customers, and asking an important question: has it lost value?

At this point, I don’t believe it has. Many of our customers already hold driver’s licenses and may not be as directly impacted by these changes. Still, it’s fair to say that no one is happy about the uncertainty this law has introduced.

The First Impacted Customer

Today, we received our first call from a customer who purchased a bike just weeks ago. They are visually disabled and will not be able to obtain a driver’s license under the new requirements.

They called to ask about returning their bike.

This is where policy meets reality. The effects of this law are no longer theoretical. They are already impacting real people who rely on these bikes for mobility and independence.

Looking Ahead

At this stage, it’s still too early to know exactly where this will lead. What I can commit to is continuing to share honest, real-world updates as we navigate this together.

Interestingly, amid all of this, we did receive a call from someone on their way in to purchase a Tudio Soleil 1, an electric mini bike. So while uncertainty remains, life and business do continue.

We’ll keep watching, learning, and sharing what we find.

📂 This video is part of our ongoing NJ E-Bike Law update series.
Watch all updates here:
NJ E-Bike Law Playlist on YouTube

📺 Watch the full Day 2 update here: