E-bike safety course for young riders set for Saturday

Pacifico hosting free class Saturday

To educate young riders, city Mayor Matt Pacifico is hosting a free e-bike safety class on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jaffa Shrine parking lot.

Taught by two League Cycling Instructors from BikePGH, 20 participants aged 12 to 17 will learn basic and advanced cycling skills as well as solo and group riding practices.

"The goal is to educate kids about the safety of e-bikes and how to properly ride them so we can prevent serious injuries or accidents from happening here," Pacifico said.

According to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a 2025 study of more than 34,000 people showed that e-bike users were "significantly more likely to be admitted to the hospital and the intensive care unit and to have a traumatic brain injury compared with people who sustained traditional cycling injuries."

Pacifico said a concerned citizen mentioned the dangers of e-bikes to him and suggested organizing an educational class for riders.

Searching for instructors to teach a class in Altoona, Pacifico reached out to BikePGH, a nonprofit organization that works to make Pittsburgh accessible to bicycle transportation. Two League Cycling Instructors from the organization were willing to travel to Altoona to teach the class this Saturday.

Pacifico said Family Pizza & Pub is sponsoring the event, "generously covering the cost for the day to teach the class."

In Pennsylvania, riders must be at least 16 years old to operate an e-bike. While Pacifico recognizes this, he said BikePGH recommends that kids under 16 should also attend this class because many underage kids ride e-bikes on the streets, regardless of age.

"They can 100% benefit from this educational component," he said.

Thinking about the contents of the upcoming class, Pacifico wants all participants to learn riding safety.

"I hope they take away the safety aspect of this," he said. "To be responsible, to be a good rider on the road or wherever they're riding, so we don't have any accidents. It's the last thing we want to see."

Participants are encouraged to bring their street-legal e-bikes, helmets, comfortable clothes and riding shoes to Saturday's event. Parents or guardians must accompany a rider under 16.

Space is limited to 20 participants. Sign-ups are available here: https://forms.gle/8mTc8MJFZXP7keS37

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.

Stay safe

E-bike safety, according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health:

-- Wear a helmet

-- Stick to familiar routes

-- Go slow and avoid heavy traffic

-- Dress for safe riding

-- Avoid distractions

-- One person per bike

-- Limit speeds

If you go

What: Free e-bike safety course

When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5

Where: Jaffa Shrine parking lot

To register: Visit https://forms.gle/8mTc8MJFZXP7keS37

Parents or guardians must accompany a rider under 16.