Amish communities are challenging tradition by adopting e-bikes: ‘Parents do not own a horse and buggy anymore’
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With electric bicycles growing in popularity across the United States, the trend has reached some unexpected places — including Amish communities.
While many people assume the Amish reject all modern conveniences, that isn’t entirely accurate. Some communities make limited use of electricity, particularly solar power. That allows them to charge e-bike batteries without connecting to the public power grid.
David Kline explained to Forbes that the Amish are selective about the technology they adopt. “We’re fairly open to technology. We use modern medicine. We go to the dentist. We donate blood,” he said. “The car was really the first piece of technology that the Amish said: ‘Whoa. What will it do to the community?’ And as we know, Henry Ford’s Model T destroyed thousands of small communities.”
Joseph Donnermeyer, a professor at Ohio State University who has studied Amish traditions, told Forbes that the concern is not technology itself, but its impact. “So we can have a solar panel that charges a battery that runs the electric bike, but we’re not connected to the electric grid,” he said. “The Amish concern over technology — it’s not technology per se but its effect on the community.”
For many Amish riders, e-bikes offer practical advantages. Faster travel can mean more time at home with family. Abe Troyer, an Amish worker, told Ideastream Public Media that riding his e-bike to work cuts about 45 minutes off his daily commute.
Marcus Yoder, executive director of the Behalt Amish-Mennonite Heritage Center, said roughly two-thirds of the approximately 300 Amish church districts now allow e-bikes. “So it’s up to each individual district within the old order on what to do about e-bikes,” Yoder told Ideastream.
Not everyone sees the shift as positive. Mart Miller, an Amish traditionalist, told Forbes that some families no longer own a horse and buggy. “We have a lot of people out there where the parents do not own a horse and buggy anymore, so the children will not learn how to use a horse and buggy,” he said.
Beyond Amish communities, e-bikes continue to gain traction nationwide. For many commuters, they provide a more affordable alternative to driving while also offering an opportunity for regular exercise and reduced transportation costs.
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