It’s update time, to keep you in-the-know about cycling throughout Florida.
#1 - E-bike regulations are emerging across Florida.
#2 - Ten gravel ride events start this fall for a six month season.
#3 - Winter Garden region has added to its ample offerings of paved and gravel trails.
#1 - E-bike regulations are emerging across Florida communities.
Do you, or someone you know, have an e-bike?
The Florida Bicycle Association (FBA) is tracking issues related to the considerable increase of e-bikes across Florida, including safety issues and how communities are responding.
Following are highlights from an article posted on the Florida Bicycle Association Substack. Reprinted with permission.
Across Florida, communities are responding to concerns about young people riding e-bikes. Florida lawmakers have already given local governments the power to teach e-bike safety. So, why is enforcement gaining more momentum than education? Here are examples of four different approaches.
Sunny Isles Beach (Miami area) has moved to citations.
Orange County Public Schools (Orlando region) require high school riders to have a driver’s license or learner’s permit.
Nassau County schools (Jacksonville region) require proof of safety training for an e-bike permit.
St. Johns County (St. Augustine region) is bringing e-bike safety lessons into its middle schools.
These four approaches reveal a larger question: If Florida law already allows local governments to provide e-bike safety training, why does enforcement so often arrive before education?
In the FBA’s Florida Bicycling Podcast, Eugene Rider, vice president of FBA, examines how education, infrastructure, and policy can work together to produce safer behavior, not simply more rules.
Here are some of the things mentioned in the podcast:
What Florida law allows local governments to do about e-bike safety.
How four Florida communities are addressing young e-bike riders.
Why citations and permits cannot replace practical safety education.
How schools can use FDOT’s free E-Bike Safety School Campaign Toolkit.
Where upcoming transportation funding could support safer routes.
How local programs can become models for communities across Florida.
Florida does not need to wait for another legislative session in order to authorize education for e-bike safety. The authority already exists. Educational resources are available, and several communities are demonstrating what can be done. These resources provide e-bike enthusiasts with the rules-of-the-road, safety tips for places to ride, and the knowledge to do it well.
If your community has an e-bike policy, safety class, or school permit program, the Florida Bicycle Association would like to hear about it. Send a message to Eugene Rider on the Florida Bicycle Association Substack page.
© 2026 Florida Bicycle Association
#2 - Ten gravel events starting this fall
Gravel Cyclist and Gainesville Cycling Club (GCC) join forces again to bring a series of gravel events called the North Florida Freeride Gravel Series.
The series’ tagline is “The premier and longest-standing FREE gravel events in Florida!”.
Free, fun and adventurous is their focus in providing ten mixed-surface events. Riding in this series is not for beginners. Check out the series’ Facebook page and you’ll get a good feel for the type of rides they offer.
Here are the current dates of the 2026-2027 series season. GCC says occasionally a date needs to be changed. So, make sure you confirm the dates on the series Facebook page.
11/08/2026 (Sunday): La Fleche Williston (Williston)
11/15/2026 (Sunday): Veterans Poker Run (Gainesville)
11/27/2026 (Friday): Black Friday Rock (High Springs)
12/12/2026 (Saturday): Heartbreaker (Gainesville)
1/30/2027 (Saturday): Tour of the Quilt Country (Trenton)
2/14/2027 (Sunday): Super Bowl Shuffle (Gainesville)
2/27/2027 (Saturday): Faustian Bargain (Bronson)
3/14/2027 (Sunday): Hell of the NorFla (Jonesville)
3/27/2027 (Saturday): Tricoli Swamp Classic (Ft. White)
4/03/2027 (Saturday): Strada Bellamy (Alachua)
Updates are posted on the series Facebook page. However, for specifics on each event, such as meeting location, start time and route files you can find them on the GCC member’s only section on their club website.
The good news is that the GCC membership is only $30 annually for an individual, which covers all of these ten gravel events. The club membership provides insurance and the detailed info of each event. Plus, the membership also provides a discount to other GCC events.
#3 - Winter Garden area boasts paved and gravel trails galore.
The newest addition to trails in the Winter Garden region is the completion of the West Orange Trail, a 22-mile one-way, paved trail. You can ride the full 44-mile round trip or shorten your route according to the time you have and your fitness level.
West Orange Trail features scenic views of both rural and urban areas. It starts and ends in downtown Winter Garden, making it accessible for cyclists looking for a leisurely ride. There are also multiple trailheads and parking along the route, giving you plenty of options to choose from to start and finish your ride.
Take the opportunity for a nice break at the coffee shops and eateries along the route.
Our beautiful Florida fall weather is about to begin. Enjoy some great rides across our state, or wherever your ride takes you. For me, it will soon be a trip to the crisper air of the Colorado Rockies and scenic backcountry routes.
Ride often. Be safe.
Bruce