E-mountain bike trail access - WSJ article

[2old]

Sorry, didn't realize that I already said it.

 

[gogo]

Well funded equestrian groups and hikers in socal have continuously tried to group MTBs with ICE dirt bikes. Whatever access we have is the result of extensive trail work and kissing lots of asses. Off road ebike activity could eliminate any progress we have made.

Because ebikes make it easier to get to where the trail work needs to be done, could it not be that ebikers might be more likely to be beneficial to all users?

I could easily see it get to a point where hikers and pedal-only users might be considered free-riders on the efforts of ebikers.

 

[dogman dan]

The solution will happen as the trail riders age out. The entire bike riding segment of the population is getting older, and the bike business shrinking. Younger folks are on the X-box.

Some never will age out, the lucky bastards.

But many of us get ill, and riding an ebike is a great way to combat the depression that comes from the new you, that cant' do shit anymore. When I got sick, the only thing left I could do was ride the ebike. I'd say almost half the people I talk to at work used to ride a lot, and now they are sick and just want to keep riding.

So I think lots of places will have to allow 1 hp ebikes eventually. But don't hold your breath waiting for a change out of the BLM, NPS. USFS etc. Best thing is figure out where you can ride roads, or trails on private land you can ride. Don't set your heart on Moab by ebike.

The horse people will always hate all the wheeled vehicles on the trail though. They will always see anything able to go fast as a hazard, blasting the trail on the downhill leg. So mixing horses with bikes and motorcycles is a poor idea.

 

[rider95]

The old retired and handicap will win the fight for some kind of E bike access to bike paths the old and retired have money and one of the things you see in a retirement community is bike paths . Try and tell grandpa he cant ride his new E bike to the beach or ice cream stand this will happen as more and more E-bikes like Pedico and others become more common , I was just in Crystal river FL lots of bike paths and a new bike shop just opened called Sparkys Electric bikes they rent Electric bikes and most of there customers are elderly riders using the paved bike paths .

 

[Ch00paKabrA]

... plus ebikers don't randomly take a crap in the middle of the trails either.

Speak for yourself - sometimes you just gotta go JK :wink:

I ride an ebike on the trails at the local state park but I try to stay away from people period. I also keep the bikes real Stealthy. If I see someone, then the throttle goes off and I just pedal or I pull over to the side of the trail and wait for them to pass. Another thing is that there are a few Parks around here but one of them is poorly maintained so it is not popular with the hikers, bikers or horse riders - that is the one that I tend to go to. Plus it is only 3 miles from the house so there is no need to use the truck to get there. My brother and I have been bush-wacking a few more trails that we are trying to keep hidden as well.

 

[rider95]

Yup your doing it right I park off to my self never leave my bike sitting out ride the less popular spots for now its best

 

[LockH]

And now after months of... wattEVer... "Early Data Released on Impacts of eMTB Use on Trails"
https://www.imba.com/news/eMTB-early-study-results

In part:

Last week, during the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas, IMBA presented initial data from an ongoing study of the impacts caused by electric mountain bikes (eMTBs). IMBA’s current board-considered position paper on motorized/nonmotorized recreation states that eMTBs should be considered to be a form of motorized recreation and managed separately from traditional mountain bikes.

See below for two attachments: a summary of the eMTB impacts findings (similar to the information presented in this release), and a guide to trail etiquette for eMTB consumers.

The initial data from IMBA’s study, conducted in partnership with the Bicycle Products Suppliers Association(BPSA) and PeopleForBikes (PFB), and with counsel from a field of recreation management experts, suggests that some of the physical impacts of low-powered, pedal-assist (Type 1) eMTBs may be similar to traditional mountain bikes. However, more study and further consideration by IMBA’s staff and board is needed before IMBA would consider changing its current recommendations.

"Type 1"??? Found "their" definition in their "Fact Sheet" below:
Manufacturers of electric bicycles *suggest* the following classifications:
Type 1: pedal assist with a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph;
Type 2: throttle assist with a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph;
Type 3: pedal assist with a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph.

IMBA recommends more hmmming and hawing...

Link to "Study" "Fact" sheet:
https://www.imba.com/sites/default/files/eMTB Study Fact Sheet .pdf

Final sentence:

The results of the land manager survey and social impacts analysis are still being compiled; full study results will be released in early 2016.

 

[efMX Trials Electric Freeride]

IMBA Electric Mountain Biking (eMTB) Survey :

"Electric mountain bikes, also called eMTBs, are a rapidly growing component of the bicycle market in the United States and around the globe. As they become more popular, and more capable of taking on singletrack trails, IMBA has responded to calls from our members (as well as our partners in the land managing realm) to study the possible outcomes of the increased use of eMTBs on natural-surface trails.

In order to guide our research into the potential social and environmental impacts related to eMTBs we would like to receive your input.."

https://www.imba.com/electric-mountain-biking-emtb-survey

 

[rider95]

I have already introduced my shelf to our local IMBA chapter HMBA that builds the local trails I have been riding local trails for 2 yrs now on my Elec Bike . I ride with a handicap sticker and always stop and talk with other riders and I can say that all most all of them are quite supporting in fact I wrote to the local chapter and wasn't sure of what would happen , I got a nice reply said something like yes we are aware of you riding town run and Elc bikes are being discussed by the IMBA and that the IMBA is wanting feed back . they went on to say the local chapter HMBA does not have a issue with me riding the trails with my Elec bike . Its the parks dept that has the real say in trail access since the trail is on parks dept land (in this case the land on which this trail is built was donated to the parks by the company that I retired from and I have been Mt biking on these trails since the 80s ) so the fight for trail access goes on being handicap gives me a some help it makes it hard for the few hard ass Mt bikes to give me shit for riding a E bike .