Nope. In MD 500 watts is the limit, in VA it's 750 watts. If you are being passed at 40mph on the C&O or Mt Vernon Trail you should chase them down and get their license number and report to the Park Police. A license plate would be required in MD at a speed faster than 20 or in VA at a speed faster than 25. Tourist in MSN, in WI it's 750 watts and 20mph. E-bikes are permitted on trails but motor has to be shut off.

I've been on a 3 year hiatus from cycling due to my leg injury. Being the town "bike guy" I am congratulated daily by neighbors for being seen back out on my "bicycle". Not once have I been congratulated for being back out on my "electric vehicle".

Yes... 350htrr, Robert C and I are regulars at the electric bike sub-forum. Unfortunately that group doesn't have much expertise in loaded touring. They chat mostly about motors, batteries and electrical/mechanical minutia. [MENTION=154351]imi[/MENTION] started this thread 2 years ago to get some opinions on how an e-bike could be used for loaded touring. We're just chiming in to offer suggestions to our colleague on this touring forum. When and if the moderators move the discussion to the e-bike sub-forum we're glad to continue there.

I do. The only bike path nearby doesn't go anywhere and I don't use it. If I ever took a tour on something like the C&O, GAP or Katy the assist would be unnecesssary and turned off. The motor and battery would just be dead weight along for the ride until the challenging road terrain returns. On more remote, less popular routes I would follow the local ordinance as suggested by Robert C.

The last time I used the C&O canal before I had an assist I was almost blasted off the trail by the lycra clad DC commuters on their unassisted fast bikes. That spot where the paved Capital Crescent bike route merges with the C&O is like a ramp onto the Beltway! Once while paralelling the VA Creeper trail on the road a motorist rolled down the window and shouted, "Get onto the Creeper!". Had I been on an e-bike the cyclists would have then yelled, "Get onto the road!"

Yes, but that can change overnight with an accident, stroke or any other disability. You'll do anything to continue your bike hobby.