Quick Answer: An electric bike’s speed limiter is a firmware cap in the motor controller — 20 mph for Class 1 and Class 2, 28 mph for Class 3 — and removing it with an aftermarket hack typically voids the drive-unit warranty and can void your insurance coverage, while also reclassifying the bike as a moped or motorcycle in most states’ e-bike laws. The legal way to get more speed is to buy a bike with a brand-supported unlock, like the Velotric Discover 3 (Class 2 → Class 3 via the official app/display menu), or simply buy a Class 3 bike outright, like the Aventon Level 3, which ships unlocked to 28 mph with full manufacturer support.
A speed limiter isn’t a weak motor or a safety nerf — it’s the one piece of firmware standing between an e-bike being legally a bicycle and legally a motor vehicle. That distinction decides whether you need a license, registration, and insurance, and whether you’re even allowed in the bike lane you’re riding in. Here’s exactly how the limiter works, what actually happens if you remove it, and the legitimate ways to get more speed without losing any of that.
The numbers that matter
- Removing a speed limiter voids the warranty on the entire drive system, not just the motor — major mid-drive makers like Bosch, Brose, Shimano, and Yamaha won’t service or warranty a controller, motor, or battery once it’s been unrestricted, and most direct-to-consumer hub-motor brands apply the identical rule.
- In Arizona, exceeding 20 mph assisted speed forfeits the state’s e-bike exemption outright — the bike is treated as a moped, subject to citation and mandatory impound under the state’s motorized-bicycle statute, a far harsher outcome than most riders expect from a display-menu tweak.
- Velotric’s app lets owners dial assisted speed from 12 mph up to a Class 3 maximum of 28 mph, and the Discover 3 and Nomad 2X specifically support switching from Class 2 to Class 3 through the official display menu — a brand-supported unlock that doesn’t trigger the warranty or insurance problems an aftermarket hack does.
Class 1 vs Class 2 vs Class 3: where the limiter sits
| Class | Assist type | Speed cap | Typical access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Pedal-assist only | 20 mph | Bike lanes, most multi-use trails |
| Class 2 | Pedal-assist + throttle | 20 mph | Bike lanes, most multi-use trails |
| Class 3 | Pedal-assist (throttle in some states) | 28 mph | Bike lanes in most states; often excluded from natural-surface trails |
The cap in every class is enforced the same way: the controller reads wheel speed and cuts motor assist once it hits the ceiling, regardless of pedal effort or throttle input. You can still out-pedal the cap under your own power — the motor just stops helping past that point, which is the exact mechanism a derestriction hack tries to defeat. For the full breakdown of what each class legally allows, see our Class 1 vs Class 3 e-bike guide.
Legit, brand-supported ways to get more speed
| Bike | How it's unlocked | Resulting cap | Warranty affected? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Velotric Discover 3 / Nomad 2X | Official app or display menu, Class 2 → Class 3 toggle | 28 mph | No |
| Velotric Discover 1 / Nomad 1 | Official app speed slider | Up to 25 mph | No |
| Aventon Level 3 | Ships as Class 3 from the factory | 28 mph | No — never modified |
| Any Class 1/2 bike + aftermarket limiter hack | Third-party display reflash or wiring bypass | Uncapped (varies) | Yes — voids drive unit |
1. Velotric Discover 3 — Best Brand-Supported Unlock
Velotric Discover 3 Electric Bike
- Velotric's own app and display menu support switching from Class 2 (20 mph) to Class 3 (28 mph) — no third-party hack, no voided warranty.
- 750W motor, 730Wh battery, and SensorSwap torque/cadence assist carry over regardless of which class mode is active.
- Still covered by Velotric's 2-year warranty on motor, battery, electronics, and frame after unlocking, since the feature is factory-supported.
Ordering parts or planning the next ride — start a free Audible trial and queue something up for the miles you’ll rack up once you’re legally riding at the higher cap (sponsored link; we may earn a fee if you sign up, at no extra cost to you).
For riders who want to start at the standard commuter speed and decide later whether they want the extra 8 mph, the Discover 3 is the cleanest option on the market: the unlock lives in software Velotric itself built and supports, so there’s no gray area with the warranty and no third-party firmware involved. See our full Velotric electric bike guide for the rest of the lineup, including the Nomad 2X, which carries the same Class 2 → Class 3 toggle.
2. Aventon Level 3 — Best for Skipping the Unlock Entirely
Aventon Level 3 Electric Bike
- Ships unlocked to a 28 mph Class 3 cap from the factory — nothing to switch, nothing that can void the warranty.
- Aventon's MyRide app still lets owners dial the limit down (as low as 14 mph) for areas with stricter local rules, without touching the hardware.
- Backed by Aventon's full warranty and its 1,700+ dealer network for service, same as every other current Aventon model.
If the goal is simply “more speed, no hassle,” skip the unlock question altogether and buy a Class 3 bike outright. The Level 3 is already there on day one, and the MyRide app’s ability to dial the cap down for stricter areas is the inverse of a derestriction hack — a manufacturer-supported adjustment instead of a warranty-voiding workaround. See our full Aventon electric bike guide for how it stacks up against the Aventure 3 and Pace 4.
Why riders try to remove the limiter — and what actually happens
The appeal is obvious: a 20 mph cap feels slow once you’re used to car traffic, and a 28 mph Class 3 bike can feel slow on a long open stretch. But bypassing the controller’s firmware cap doesn’t just risk a warranty claim — it changes what the bike legally is. A handful of concrete consequences follow from that:
- The warranty is gone on the whole drive system, not just the piece that was modified — motor, controller, battery, and display all fall outside coverage once a limiter hack is detected.
- Insurance can deny claims entirely. Whether it’s homeowners, renters, or a dedicated e-bike policy, insurers that discover an illegal modification can deny a theft, damage, or liability claim outright, leaving the rider on the hook personally if the bike’s speed contributed to a crash.
- The bike’s legal class changes, which can mean losing access to bike lanes, multi-use paths, and state parks that are open to standard three-class e-bikes but not to mopeds or motor vehicles — and in states like Arizona, it can mean an on-the-spot citation and impound.
- Components aren’t rated for the extra speed. Factory brakes are specced to stop the bike at its legal top speed; riding meaningfully faster increases stopping distance on hardware that was never tested for it, and a hub motor pushed past its designed RPM runs hotter, which shortens battery life and can damage internal motor gearing over time.
The bottom line
If more speed is the goal, don’t start with a soldering iron or a third-party display hack — start with the bike. The Velotric Discover 3 and Nomad 2X offer a legitimate, brand-supported Class 2 → Class 3 unlock that doesn’t touch the warranty, and a bike like the Aventon Level 3 skips the question entirely by shipping unlocked to 28 mph from the factory. Both routes get you the extra speed without the warranty, insurance, and reclassification problems that come with derestricting a Class 1 or Class 2 bike the hard way. Before buying either, check your state’s law to confirm where a Class 3 bike is actually allowed to ride — see our electric bike laws guide for the age and helmet rules that typically come with Class 3 status, and our hub motor vs mid-drive guide if you’re still deciding on a motor type before picking a model.