Redondo Beach youth commission hears police briefing on e‑bike safety, asks Public Works to discuss bike lanes

Officer Kyle Lohstrom, a community‑based officer with the Redondo Beach Police Department, told the Youth Commission on Jan. 9 that e‑bikes have become “extremely popular” among students and laid out safety, theft‑prevention and legal guidance for riders.

Lohstrom emphasized protective equipment and predictable riding, saying, “It is state law for anyone under the age of 18 to wear a helmet,” and urged students to use U‑locks, document bicycle serial numbers and register bikes with the police department’s online bike‑registration system. He also described technical limits that separate e‑bikes from larger motorized vehicles, noting an e‑bike “cannot have more than a 750‑watt motor.”

The officer recommended a mix of education, enforcement and engineering to reduce injuries and thefts. He warned that some off‑road electric dirt bikes and motorized devices are not street legal, and said recent state legislation will more clearly define those conveyances and attach stiffer penalties than ordinary bicycle infractions.

Brianna Egan, a volunteer with South Bay Bicycle Coalition and South Bay Forward, urged the commission to prioritize protected and separated bike lanes for routes students use and recommended staff and the commission coordinate with Public Works on priority corridors. “Our city has also taken a really proactive approach, emphasizing, what we call the 3 e’s, which are education, enforcement, and engineering,” Egan said.

Commissioners and staff agreed to invite the city’s Public Works team to a future meeting to discuss the bicycle master plan and possible locations for protected lanes near schools and high‑traffic student routes. Staff also committed to supplying commissioners a copy of the bicycle master plan and to scheduling a Public Works presentation in an upcoming meeting, with the communications subcommittee exploring parallel education and social‑media outreach.

Procedural votes: the commission moved to receive and file the police presentation and approved the motion. The meeting also approved the consent calendar and adjourned after the remaining reports and items of business.

What’s next: Public Works will be scheduled to present on the bicycle master plan at an upcoming Youth Commission meeting; commissioners plan follow‑up through the communications subcommittee and possible youth‑led outreach. The police department encouraged riders to register serial numbers and follow state equipment rules to aid recovery and reduce injuries.