With a push of a button, e-bikes can quickly get up to 20 miles per hour, regardless of how fast the rider peddles.

"If you're commuting to work and you don't want to sweat in a suit, you can still ride and not sweat," Pedego Store Manager John Capriotto said.

Pedego in Orchard Park has been selling and renting e-bikes since 2016. Its California-based parent company was founded in 2008 with the technology becoming more mainstream over the years.

"Sales have been good," Capriotto said. "They get better and better every year but we still have issues when it comes to laws."

He said he didn't even know e-bikes were not street legal himself when he got into the business. As a result, he's kind of unexpectedly been thrust into the role of lobbyist.

"We've sent some messages and letters, yes we have," Capriotto said. "There's not really much a little tiny store like us can do.  Pedego corporate, they have got lawyers together and gone around the country, petitioned for all the states that still have some issues with the laws."

The opponents to legalizing e-bikes cite safety concern, particularly in crowded New York City where people could be in danger of getting hit on the street or the sidewalks. Capriotto said that's less of an issue in Buffalo or Orchard Park.

"It's a completely different city. Completely different atmosphere. The population's different. Everything's different," he said.

If and when e-bikes are legalized, it looks like some of Pedego's bikes, the ones with throttles, still won't be allowed on the road. However, Capriotto said it's still a good start.

"It would be huge," he said. "We'd be able to advertise more, get more people out on the bikes, get more people out on the road."