An update to Solon High School’s bike policy went into effect on Aug. 21, the second day of the 2025-2026 school year, and effectively banned the usage of electric bicycles on campus. The update was reportedly inspired by a collision between an e-bike and a car in the high school parking lot, but was primarily justified by other instances of “students riding motorized bicycles, ignoring traffic laws and creating dangerous situations,” as said in an email sent from Director of Communications Tamara Strom to Solon students and parents.

The new policy has become a topic of debate throughout the Solon Community. For instance, Mike Walker, SHS parent and president of Bike Solon, made several public statements disagreeing with the ban shortly after it went into effect. Bike Solon, a branch of Bike Cleveland, is a nonprofit organization that hosts car-free events for Solon citizens. The ban, according to Walker, causes some concern among himself and fellow members of the organization.

“When a public institution like the school system bans e-bikes, even though they are bicycles under state and local law, it sends a message that they aren’t welcome,” Walker said. “That perception can spill over into the broader community. For example, after the district’s ban, the Solon Public Library posted signs discouraging student e-bikes, reinforcing the idea that these bicycles are unwelcome.”

The potentially unwelcoming nature of the ban is Walker’s biggest worry, especially when considering the amount of students who use them. E-bikes have become increasingly popular within the United States, and nearly quadrupled in sales from 2019-2022, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“My primary concern is that the policy discourages students from using a safe, legal, and sustainable way to get to school,” Walker said.

Walker also said he believes the legality of the policy is an issue.

“The City of Solon has adopted this framework, so [that] within city limits, e-bikes are recognized and treated as bicycles,” Walker said. “By banning throttle-equipped e-bikes on campus [biking spaces], the district is effectively treating them as something they are not, motor vehicles, when the law is clear that they are bicycles.”

However, the fact that Solon recognizes e-bikes as bicycles and not motor vehicles actually encouraged the updated policy, according to Solon High School Assistant Principal Louise Teringo.

“An e-bike is seen as a bike with a motor—we call it a throttle—so the rules for [regular] bikes apply,” Teringo said. “But the rules for [regular] bikes are difficult to maintain with an e-bike. They are faster, they almost have to follow the rules of a vehicle, but they don’t get the same protections. The police officer present at the accident told us you can’t even get an e-bike insured. You also can’t get ticketed on the school campus if you get in trouble on an e-bike because the school is considered private property.”

Teringo said that although Solon’s civil laws may agree that e-bikes are not motor vehicles, from the school’s perspective, the reality does not align. In Ohio, kids under 16 years old can drive Class 1 or Class 2 e-bikes. These vehicles can go up to 20 miles per hour, which is as fast as the average speed limit for cars within active school zones.

“For universities, the campuses are huge, so using an e-bike to get around makes sense,” Teringo said. “But college students are adults. These aren’t adults, these are 14-15 year olds who don’t think before they make a risky decision. That’s why we’d rather err on the side of safety.”

Teringo said that e-bikes are prohibited across all school property regardless of time, and that the school will hold any e-bicycles they find until the owners’ parents are contacted. For owners like Joss Bolden, a senior at Solon High School, this policy can become inconvenient.

“I understand where they’re coming from because it was kind of out of nowhere that everybody started getting electric bikes,” Bolden said.

At the same time, Bolden said there are several difficulties evoked by the policy.

“Once you get to high school, if you live within a certain distance of the school, you’re no longer provided with buses,” Bolden said. “So it sucks for kids who live in an awkward spot. And my parents do drive me to school, but it can get really inconvenient. [Especially] because I’m out here doing all these things to try to be part of after school stuff and Solon as a whole. I use my e-bike not just to get to and from school, but I also use it to get around our entire community. Sometimes my parents just can’t drive me to all those places.”

Bolden said she hopes that the school might consider a different policy towards e-bikes in the future–one that prioritizes both safety and inclusivity.

“I, personally, have actually taken a college level biking class,” Bolden said. “When I bike, [whether] I use my electric bike or my regular bike, I use turn signals. That way I make sure I’m not getting hit by a car.”

Bolden said she wonders if her experience learning about bike safety could be provided to other students at Solon High School. She suggested teaching bike safety similarly to how the school already teaches car safety to licensed students who want a parking pass.

“We already have passes for driving, and [we] require a video,” Bolden said. “They should do the same thing with bikes. Making them take a class to get a bike pass. I feel like if we had that option for students to be able to prove that they can be safe about it… that would be good.”

Teringo, when asked about the idea of such training and maybe a separate parking lot for e-bikes, wasn’t resistant to the idea.

“We have not discussed that,” she said. “I do see maybe having a separate place for them. I just don’t see how that could be done [right now]. That would be a lot to accomplish in such a short time.”

Walker, who is hoping the school district and Bike Solon can have a collaborative approach to the ban and its potential issues, remains optimistic about future bike policies at the high school.

“Superintendent Fred Bolden has made it clear he is not open to alternatives right now,” he said. “But Bike Solon believes that in time, the conversation will need to shift because empowering students, supporting their wellness and aligning with the law are not optional [priorities.] They are part of the values that Solon Schools… has committed to uphold. When the district is ready, Bike Solon will be ready to partner.”