By /

October 20, 2026 NEW YORK, NY They look like standard pedal-assist bicycles, but beneath the frame, some are ticking speed demons capable of hitting freeway velocities.

For years, unregulated, high-powered e-bikes and e-scooters have transformed New York City’s bike lanes and crosswalks into hazardous territory. Because these illegal machines physically mimic legal models, police officers have faced a persistent bottleneck: short of chasing a speeding rider down, there has been no objective way to prove a vehicle is illegal on the spot.

Now, City Council leaders are backing a tech-driven solution imported straight from Europe: the mobile dynamometer.

What Is a Dynamometer—and How Does It Work?

A dynamometer functions like a specialized treadmill for two-wheelers. By mounting an e-bike or e-scooter onto the device, law enforcement officers can instantly measure its motor output, torque, and actual top speed within seconds.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Transportation Chair Shaun Abreu (D-Manhattan) recently unveiled a demonstration video alongside Martijn Vos, owner of the manufacturing firm Dynostar. In the clip, an e-scooter is locked into a compact blue platform while an onboard digital screen calculates real-time performance data before printing out a definitive read-out.

"It’s about the size of a treadmill, but it folds up and can be used by law enforcement on our streets to determine how fast and how powerful a micromobility device really is," Speaker Menin explained. "Cities like Amsterdam already use dynamometers... It’s time for New York to catch up."

The Crackdown: Why New Legislation Targets Hidden Speed Demons

Under current local laws, legal e-bikes and e-scooters must cap motor output at 750 watts and assisted speeds at 25 mph—with all riders subject to a citywide 15 mph street speed limit.

However, black-market modifications and unregulated imports mean some devices on NYC pavement can quietly top 40 to 50 mph.

Following a series of severe and fatal collisions—including deadly crashes on the Queensboro Bridge and in Lower Manhattan—city officials are pushing Intro. 986. Sponsored by Abreu, the proposed legislation would mandate that the NYPD and the Department of Transportation (DOT) pilot dynamometer testing on city streets.

Key Mandates of Intro. 986:

  • Real-time street testing: Grants officers a quantitative method to identify illegal vehicles instantly.

  • Fair enforcement: Ensures compliant delivery workers and commuters using legal 15 mph e-bikes are not wrongly targeted or confiscated.

  • Public data transparency: Requires the city to log and report the exact speeds, wattage outputs, and total number of illegal devices seized during the pilot.

NYC’s Secret Weapon? The High-Tech Portable Treadmill Set to Trap Secretly Lethal E-Bikes Across the Big Apple
City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Transportation Chair Shaun Abreu watching a demonstration of a dynamometer.
Photo: Ian Boldiston

"Right now, there’s no definitive way to tell on the street whether a micromobility device is legal or not," Council Member Abreu stated. "Dynamometers are able to give us that answer so that enforcement is fair, and we get the dangerous, high-speed illegal devices off our streets."

Will the NYPD Roll Out the Portable Testers?

While the bill—expected to face a full Council vote in the coming months—has gathered strong legislative momentum, operational questions remain.

During a recent City Council hearing on e-micromobility, NYPD officials expressed intrigue but noted the logistical hurdles of rolling out technology never before deployed by a major U.S. police department.

"It would be new to any major American city," said Michael Gerber, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Legal Matters. "That raises a host of questions in terms of procurement and cost and operational functionality."

If passed, NYC would become the pioneer American metropolis to utilize mobile bench testing for micro-mobility safety, setting a nationwide precedent for urban traffic enforcement.

New York Craze

Sign in with Google

Select Your Borough and GO!

You must be logged in to apply, comment or inquire.

Scroll to Top

New York Craze © 2026