The first time I saw an electric bike I was struggling up a hill. Suddenly, a silver-haired man came whizzing by in regular city clothes. I felt a wave of envy as he left me in the dust.
That was probably five years ago, and since then ebike use has exploded. In 2020, ebike sales in the United States for just the month of June totaled roughly $90 million, up 190 percent from the previous June.
It’s hard to remember, but regular mountain bikes didn’t become commercially available until the 1980s, and when the early adopters hit trails previously used only by hikers and horseback riders, conflicts happened fast.
People claimed the bikes increased erosion. They worried about collisions and scaring horses. They theorized that mountain bikes would frighten wildlife. Today, those same arguments are being used against electric mountain bikes.
Once again, the controversy seems to stem from the fear of change, perhaps some arrogance and maybe a little jealousy. After all, since I suffered to get to the top of the climb on my own power, shouldn’t you?
In 2017, the International Mountain Bike Association, which had said that ebikes should be considered motorized vehicles, softened its stance. Instead, it proposed that local land managers and user groups should determine — on a case-by-case basis — whether to allow ebikes on naturally surfaced trails. Many members canceled their memberships. Some comments were harsh.
One wrote, “If you’re too old to still ride the trails you love, do as many beforehand, reminisce about the good old days and encourage the young. Don’t throw them and our public land under the bus.” That kind of attitude does not bode well for land managers to find an easy compromise.
So, what are the impacts of electric mountain bikes. Do they harm trails, or cause more accidents?
Mountain biker Celeste Young takes a break along the Big Hole Crest Trail in Idaho, Summer 2022. Photo: Molly Absolon
In 2015, the International Mountain Bike Association studied the environmental impacts of mountain bikes, both electric and self-propelled, and found no appreciable differences between the two in terms of soil displacement on trails. Overall, bike impacts were similar to the impacts of hikers.
Horses, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles do much more damage to trails.
As for problems caused by speed, traffic studies show that accidents and their severity escalate as differences in speed increase. But do electrified bikes go that much faster than traditional bikes?
To find out, Tahoe National Forest measured the top speeds reached by intermediate and advanced riders using both kinds of bikes. Differences on the downhills were small. On uphills, traditional bikers averaged 5-8 mph, while electric mountain bikes traveled 8-13 mph. This was a difference, but not enough of a difference to cause more accidents, especially if bikers alert others to their presence and ride in control.
Rachel Fussell, program manager of the nonprofit PeopleForBikes, says that more than a battery boost, speed on trails reflects rider skill as well as trail design. She believes that all users observing proper trail etiquette would avert most potential conflicts.
Celeste Young has been a biker all her life and now coaches mountain biking. Her fleet of bicycles has recently grown to include an electric mountain bike.
“The most negative thing I’ve heard is, ‘Oh, you’re cheating,’” she says. “But it’s just another way to be out there. You get an extra boost going up these really hard trails, so it makes a challenging trail fun, rather than demoralizing.”
It’s a puzzling notion that someone accused her of cheating. It would be one thing if you secretly put a motor in your bike during a race, but when it’s an amateur rider going out for fun and exercise, how is having an electronic boost cheating?
The whole thing reminds me — a skier — of the controversy that erupted after snowboards appeared at ski resorts. They were new and fast, and their rhythm on the slope was different than the rhythm of people on skis.
We didn’t like them, and I doubt they liked us. But we’ve worked it out. Now, public land managers face the knotty problem of how much access to allow ebikes, and where, or whether to segregate them to their own trails. Welcome to the crowded West.
Molly Absolon is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring discussion about Western issues. She lives in Victor, Idaho, and has worked as a wilderness educator, waiter, farmer and freelance journalist to support her outdoor recreation habit.
It’s not the ebike that I take issue with, it’s the rider on it. In my experience (n=1), those on ebikes have had a “this is my trail and everyone gets out of my way” mentality more so than other trail users.
I’ve witnessed the same! Probably a combination of inexperience and “I paid $5,000 for this machine so I’m entitled to the right-of-way”. N=2
I’ve also seen them deep in the backcountry, 25 miles from the trailhead with no gear, no water, wearing converse all-starts, jeans and a cotton sweatshirt like they are out for a ride in the neighborhood park. All machines break eventually, and they are entirely unprepared to hike out. I suspect as they grow more popular, we’ll see a rash of related Search and Rescue recoveries.
You may have experienced this but the same is said for someone on a regular bike, should they be stopped as well. Instead of searching for the less than 1 percent try to frighten out the majority, otherwise you just sound like that old hiker who says you don’t belong, and you don’t want to be that guy, or are you already that guys! Fix yourself before you try and fix outside issues, you will be happier.
Dave, the difference is that the guy in the converse and jeans wouldn’t have made it 25 miles on a regular bike.
I live in Norway an some weeks ago I went biking in Sweden (I live close to sweden). I saw a sign that said “E-bikes forbidden”. It was a mtb trail and you were allowed to ride, just not with an e-bike…
E-bikes do not have right of way there, even if tvey cost 5,000$. I never ride e-bikes so I’m good (I’m fit enough anyways)…
That’s a pretty broad generalization there Ben. I’m an e-mountain bike rider and have done several centuries with my road bike as well as a racer. I can do the 25 miles without the assist … but damn it’s fun. Until you try it you can’t understand it.
Nice the top shots! Ahahhah i take it! Cheers!
That may be true but an E Bike allows Grandpa loaded with arthritis to ride again with his grandkids! And by the way there’s A-Holes everywhere, e bikes, regular bikes, mountain bikes etc etc.!!!!
I find the rider is the issue more than ebike vs peddle. I have seen both have no respect for other riders on uphills, downhill riders, hikers and dog walkers. Yielding is common sense so everyone can enjoy the great outdoors. Strava weenies aside, I see more skids and ride arounds than ever, but I won’t ebike until I can’t peddle the trails I love and then I will ride the street and just try and maintain!
I’ve been cycling since I was 4 years old, and I started riding BMX on the trails at the age of 8, in 1991 I had my first mountain bike Bianchi and from then on I never stopped in a connection to nature for well-being and respect. In 2014 I founded an association with friends with same goals as IMBA, linked to nature and we brought together mountain bikers and nature hikers. What we are discussing is not the impact of ebikes and bikes, but education and the sense of belonging and responsibility of each one in the earth’s ecosystem. This is the social issue and it has to be taught by parents and schools from the time they start to crawl.
So few ebikers feel this way. I’m guessing you’re confusing us with the elitist single speed guys and dirt roadies lmao
Good article! As someone who has a bazillion miles on both traditional and e-mtnbikes, I can confidently say that many of the fears around e-bikes are unfounded. It all comes down to the rider, using common sense and being courteous.
that’s a hot sack of crap. its always some smug XC butthole smuggling grapes who thinks they own the trail ripping by yelling about Strava
Yes it’s the rider, the rider of an e bike or regular bike. Having knee problems from an accident I enjoy my e mountain so that I can get my dog out on the trails running which she loves. I still ride a regular road and gravel bike but went E when buying a new mountain bike during the pandemic, the choices in my size were limited and for $500 more I got the e bike, after the first month I was totally hooked because my knee was not so sore after mountain biking.
This article all based on a second year old study from 2015. In seven years ebikes have come a long way, where 1000 W+ motors are the norm.
I’m going to say what no one wants to admit. I don’t like e bikes because they make access easier. They result in more runs down the trail. My local trails are being loved to death and e bikes are just bringing more love. It’s too crowded already
At least you’re honest!
Great analogy,as a 65 yr. old biker( road and mtn.); I haven ‘t made the progression to electric bikes but have been regulated to flatter and flater terrain.I think many “boomers” would like access to the many National and state parks they have supported through past years.P.S.-still a avid skier ,just a little slower…
Open up our non-motorized trails to motorized vehicles, what could go wrong? KTM and Yamaha have already joined forces with Specialized and Giant to lobby for more motors on our trails. Stop pretending this is about jealousy, trail erosion, or snowboards. The question has only ever been about one thing, do we want to open up our trails to motorized vehicles?
My concern about ebikes isn’t the trail damage or user conflicts. Rather it is how the combination of speed and distance allow ebikes to make wildlands that aren’t Wilderness less remote, and smaller. What would be 3-day backpack can become a 5-hour ride on an ebike. Ebikes are welcome on trails were established motorized use is allowed, as well as two-track and gravel roads — so lots of places.
But we need to have some places that remain hard to get to — where you need to backpack in to hunt elk or set up a basecamp to climb a peak. These wild places are already dwindling and seeing more users. Allowing ebikes will only contribute to the erosion of wildness in these places.
In that regard, they are much different than snowboards, and really more like motorcycles or snowmobiles.
I agree with Bob E – very Abbeyesque. Accessibility is a double-edged sword. Wild places should demand sweat equity being earned and not given.
I’ve witnessed the same! Probably a combination of inexperience and “I paid $5,000 for this machine so I’m entitled to the right-of-way”. N=2
I’ve also seen them deep in the backcountry, 25 miles from the trailhead with no gear, no water, wearing converse all-starts, jeans and a cotton sweatshirt like they are out for a ride in the neighborhood park. All machines break eventually, and they are entirely unprepared to hike out. I suspect as they grow more popular, we’ll see a rash of related Search and Rescue recoveries.
TheWoodsman,
What ebike mtb can get 50miles?
If I ride 15-20 miles on the trails around LA, that’s a pretty decent 60-90 minute ride.
I feel like some of you are talking about something other than class 1 electric mountain bikes.
Following on Bob E’s point on accessibility, there are some cautionary lessons to consider from mountaineering. We are seeing the results of guide companies making climbing remote peaks vastly easier through helo flights to base camps, Sherpas to do much of the hard work, etc.
A corollary to this is increased risk taking without the accompanying skill. There are numerous examples in the outdoors, to include the above mentioned in mountaineering, of increased accidents resulting from easier access. Getting yourself up that peak, to that remote lake or up that climb trail acts as somewhat of a filter. The accident data tells the story.
Maybe we should only allow single speed bike on the trails. Guys on 12 speed carbon bikes are way faster than older alum or steel bikes
Yeah, I don’t really understand how geared bikes are considered fine but ebikes are too fast and/or cheating
If I sold a small electric winch for climbers, that only “worked when you pull” but took up 50% of the load, would that be “OK”? Maybe a surfboard with a small electric propulsion system, “Just to help, but you still have to stand up!”.
Sometimes ‘No’ is an acceptable answer. Especially when considering activity in the wildlands
Putting a motor on a bike makes it a…motor bike. They can be fun (so is a 110cc Yamaha), that does not change that these are motor bikes.
At least here in MN, the ORV/OHV groups are sitting back and letting us do their work for them. They have been pushing for motor bikes and ATVs in State Parks for years. Once we allow eMTBs, it will be ‘equivalent’ powered vehicles…
1. I’m not a climber so I don’t know
2. I’ve surfed for 30+ years and motorized surfboards have come and gone a few times. They never catch on among surfers or non-surfers just getting into it. I suppose that’s because ALL of the joy in surfing comes from being propelled only by wave energy
3. The bike world, including hardcore mtb riders, have eagerly embraced ebikes, because they don’t dramatically alter the experience of riding a bike, because you still have to pedal.
4. The word “motor” is itself not evil. The reason there are non-motorized trails is to prevent gas-powered very fast moving and large vehicles from tearing up trails and ruining the experience of trail users. Ebikes do not at all fit in this category as they don’t increase the size of a bike, and only increase speeds when moving uphill, meaning even a great climber on an ebike is moving maybe 10mph in very short bursts on single track trails.
5. This still doesn’t address my chief point — there is no meaningful philosophical difference between a bike that harnesses the power of gears to dramatically increase speed and power of pedaling and one that does the same with an electric motor.
6. Yeah, trail use management is tough. Rather than lump all things with a motor into ATV category, you simply allow two-wheeled bikes with class-1 electric propulsion systems.
When I bought my eMtnBike in July 2014 after a demo ride at the Sea Otter Classic. I got a lot of push back from other mtn bikers. My go to response was, Do you ski/snowboard? Do you walk up the hill and earn your turns or take the cushy chairlift ride to the top?
Great point!
I’m wondering if we should be careful with broad brush strokes, such as “ebikes only belong on motorized trals.” It depends on what ebikes we are discussing and the location. As an example, I live in San Diego County and one of our best mountain bike trails, Noble Canyon, is in a formal recreation area designation. The common practice is to drive 2 cars 45min east to where the trail is. One person parks at the bottom and the rest get shuttled to the top. It would be great to cut the number of cars by using ebikes to provide access to this classic point to point route. Many mountain bikers like myself see ebikes as a path for reducing cars on shuttle runs and potentially opening up new bike park options that are close to urban areas. Lots of mountain bikers like myself have to make the 2+ hour drive up to the San Bernardino mountains to access quality bike parks. With ebikes, we can open up access to similar experiences without needing chair lifts or the long drive.
I believe ebikes are next generation clean efficiency way to move around without polluting the environment.
the average class 1/2 emtb battery capacity is way too low to replace a 3 day backpack by a 5 hour ride. your concern is not about evokes in general but only class 3 e bikes with huge batteries which are not very common (never saw on my local trails).
it could be easily fixed by making class 3 ebikes illegal in such places, or by limiting battery capacity.
Have you ever even ridden an e-bike, how much battery do you think these things have, a 3 day ride into 5 hours, you’re on the crack bro.
Also as IMBA proved the real risk is when speeds become massively different an Ebike on a motorized trail is way way lighter and way way slower than a side by side, 4 wheeler or dirt bike and thus presents and is also in danger.
Summarizing Bob’s point – I am selfish and the wilderness should only be accessible to ME! If you’re old or working through a injury or have a disability that limits your ability to be a he-man like Bob that can put in the “sweat equity” then you should have the right to enjoy the wilderness on PUBLIC lands which are really Bob’s lands….
I think the most important thing is sustainability, this world is going down. Do we we ALL really need more toys who cost so much to produce and to recycle (if it is even recyclable)?
This is indeed a great point.
Chris has a very narrow view of the world.
Suggesting that a motor bike is similar to a class 1 ebike shows ignorance.
The motor only helps up hills and flats. An unfit rider on an ebike rides slower than a fit rider on an analog.
Being anti motor isn’t a good enough argument.
Why anti motor specifically?
Make a case, not an irrational, emotional response.
What kind of e-bike are we talking about?
E-bikes that offer a boost when you are pedaling are ok, IMHO. Just a few weeks ago, I had my first ebike ride when I borrowed a friend’s ebike. I got it. This makes sense. You get a boost only when you pedal. Yes, that boost can be substantial, but you still need to pedal. Honestly, I didn’t always feel this way, but I have come around.
Contrast that with some emtbs that have throttles. I consider that a motorbike and subject to the same rules as motorbikes. Some emtbs go as far as removing the pedals, or making them optional. That’s not a bicycle, it’s a motorcycle.
Now for my old man rant – kids on throttled ebikes.
Lately, I’ve seen a number of kids buzzing around campgrounds on throttled ebikes, usually fat bikes. I love seeing kids buzz around on bikes, even late into the night. They’re having a blast and meeting other kids on bikes. The kids on throttled ebikes are annoying.
End of rant.
I don’t think there’s a real debate here. Ebikes are motorized vehicles and belong on motorized use trails/routes, of which there are many and widespread.
Agreed.
You’re right it’s not debatable, pedal assisted emtbs are NOT motorcycles. Hehe
It’s definitely debatable.
Class 1 ebikes are nothing like motorbikes. Not even close.
You don’t think there is a debate, but yet there is one. Class 1 ebikes are limited to 20 MPG and a 750 watt hour battery. They are pedal bikes with varying levels of assistance. The National Forest Service and many states classify Class 1 Emtbs as bicycles. If a bicycle can go there than a Class 1 EMTB can go there. I have been riding mountain bikes since the 80s. I’m now old, fat and can’t keep up with my younger friends. When riding with the fast kids, I’ll ride one of my EMTBs and still have trouble keeping up, when riding alone I usually ride my Tallboy. I ride a LOT more because I have Emtbs now. I went from 500 miles a year back up to 2,000 a year. The ONLY place I’m faster than anyone is UP HILL. I descend at the same rate I do on my regular bike. I ride flat at the same pace. The only thing it does is allow me to get up the friggin’ hills that I would have pushed my bike without assistance. Maybe I’m “cheating” but I didn’t know it was a competition. I remember calling my friends who purchased bikes with forks and then full suspension cheaters. If you want to show me how tough you are, I’m glad to lend you my rigid fork 1990 Hoo Koo E Koo…. I still have it. Otherwise, get off my back.
It’s astounding that people try to argue otherwise. If it has a motor, which ebikes do, it doesn’t belong on a nonmotorized trail. The size of motor doesn’t matter.
The ski vs snowboard trope should be retired, it is such a dumb argument, and more akin to 26″ vs 29″ wheels, or hardtail vs full suspension.
Adventure Journal, it’s disappointing to see you publishing such crap. You’ve been above the other ‘media’ in most respects, and then you publish brain dead click bait like this. I’ll be rethinking my subscription.
You disagreeing with the author doesn’t make it brain dead or clickbait. It just means you disagree.
Bad analogy. E-bikes are more like Snowmobiles than Snowboards.
Well IMBA’s study used experienced riders and IMBA is funded by the companies who make E-Bikes. I personally have witnessed E-Bikes skidding uphill and causing plenty of damage. They tend to be less experienced riders. Plus, any mountain biker, be it an E-Biker or a fit experienced rider, who is able and willing to ride faster than your typical rider will always cause more damage – washboards….deeper ruts…more skidding….dispersing more dirt through puddles or loose climbs…I’m not sure our trails can handle an increase in this type of impact.
But the real issue that I have with E-Bikes is the disparity of speed on a non-motorized trail,and not the speed going downhill neccessarily, but on flats and uphills. Hikers have had issues with mountain bikers and our speed for years and E-Bikes are only going to make these conflicts worse.
Plus, we mountain bikers spent YEARS (80’s and 90’s) fighting for access on non-motorized trails and it was hard to achieve this and one big argument against mountain bikes was that we were too fast and dangerous.
There are plenty of motorized roads and trails for E-Bikers to enjoy.
Two points of clarification: (1) The 2015 IMBA study is not peer reviewed and is very limited. It focused on soil displacement and erosion from Class 1 eMTBs in the temperate rainforest of western Oregon, using advanced riders on purpose built trails. The study specifically noted that “more research needed to be completed before conclusions can be drawn regarding the environment impacts of Class 1 eMTB as compared to traditional mountain bicycles.” The study also includes a disclaimer about the limited study size and the importance of developing site-specific research, stating in bold that “No broad conclusions should be made from the observations presented.” It’s available online if anyone wants to review it.
(2) Any quote from PeopleForBikes should come with a caveat. PeopleForBikes is a 501(c)(6) bike industry trade group, focused on increasing market demand and protecting the interests of their member companies through lobbying and law and policy changes. They’re largely responsible for the haphazard land agency eMTB policies that were rolled out during the Trump administration and the confusion/mess that’s been created as a result.
Opening up all public lands to eMTB without doing the needed scientific research on impacts (environmental, user conflict, etc.) is irresponsible. They should be treated like the motorized vehicles that they are, and eMTB trails can then be designated through the appropriate land management processes for establishing new motorized uses.
There’s room for a con opinion on this one…especially one that takes a look at the mountain bike studies funded by advocacy groups. As Ian Thompson wrote about outdoor recreation, “hardhatlessness is no virtue.”
Many thanks Neal !!
Lots of good information.
Sorry but I can’t help but think this is just another slick propaganda piece.
Exactly. Excellent comments Neal.
Motorized e-bikes are, in general, a great substitute for fossil-fuel-powered motorized vehicles, and they should be welcome wherever other motorized vehicles are allowed (including the tens of thousands of miles of trails on federal land that already allow motorized travel and recreation). They could also be a great way for people suffering from chronic illness or injury, or senior citizens (65+) to enjoy mountain biking on trails designated non-motorized, but only if this can be effectively regulated.
Motorized eMTBs are currently being pushed hard by the bike industry, including the corporate lobbying arm of the bike industry “People for Bikes”; Not coincidentally, motorized eMTBs cost, on average, four times the price of wholly-human-powered mountain bikes (average cost: ~$4,000 vs ~$1,000).
eMTBs are motorized, and as such shouldn’t be allowed on non-motorized trails (unless they can be specifically permitted to chronically ill or injured persons, or senior citizens [65+] as mentioned above, and providing that trail use for these permitted groups—and only these groups—can be regulated). Equating them to wholly-human-powered mountain bikes, and riding one when you suffer from no underlying health issues and could simply improve your fitness and health via discipline, diet and exercise—as people have done for millennia, and as mountain bikers have done for decades—fundamentally changes mountain biking at its most basic level; it is no longer mountain biking as it has been legally defined for decades—“mechanized”—but a new activity unto itself: “motorized.”
At the same time, there is nothing stopping able-bodied people from enjoying nature and non-motorized trails as the laws are currently written. Americans are, in general, hardy and hard-working, and more than willing to put in the effort to explore the outdoors under the power of their own body; on non-motorized trails, wholly-muscle-powered adventure is an enormous part of what makes the experience unique and a desperately needed escape from the massively motorized world in which we live. This is the very reason that small areas of public land and public non-motorized trail systems have been preserved; to give people the opportunity to experience a “non-motorized recreational experience.”
More importantly, allowing motorized eMTBs on non-motorized trail systems fundamentally changes the nature of those trails, from “non-motorized” to “motorized.” By doing so, it sets a dangerous legal precedent that may eventually lead to any type of motorized vehicle being allowed on trails formerly designated “non-motorized”, effectively eliminating the “non-motorized” designation enjoyed by hikers, runners, equestrians, wholly human-powered mountain bikers and other non-motorized user groups, and leading to environmental degradation far worse than anything possible from wholly-human-powered or equine recreation alone.
Perhaps most concerning, mountain biking advocacy groups spent decades working with land managers to persuade them that mountain bikes are “mechanized”, not “motorized,” and that mountain bikers should consequently be treated as non-motorized trail users and be able to share non-motorized trails with wholly human-powered mountain bikers, hikers, runners, equestrians, and any and all types of non-motorized recreationalists. The introduction of motorized eMTBs completely negates the argument that mountain bikers should be designated as a non-motorized user group, and it consequently jeopardizes both mountain bike trail access that has already been awarded and any access that might be granted in the future; the attempt to change regulations to provide motorized eMTBs access to non-motorized trail systems threatens access to those same systems for wholly human-powered mountain bikers.
There already exist tens of thousands of miles of trails open to motorized recreation in our National Forest System, all of which are open to motorized eMTBs. For this reason, with the exceptions noted above—people suffering from chronic illness or injury, or senior citizens (65+)—motorized eMTBs should not be permitted on non-motorized trails.
However, acknowledging that Forest Service land is public and open for all to enjoy, a great alternative to allowing motorized eMTBs on non-motorized trails would be for eMTB users to organize, advocate for and build environmentally-conscious eMTB-specific trails, as human-powered mountain bikers have done for decades; a win for everyone.
“Rip it- Don’t strip it” was the best quote that came out of the skier-vs-snowboarder saga. What will be the one for e-bikers?
I guess my bottom line as it relates to the article is this…
This is not the same as skiers vs. snowboarders, the playing field is different and there is much more at stake.
Class 1 Ebikes belong everywhere MTB’s can go, period.
The trail damage argument is a bit of a strawman when you consider fat tire bikes or bikes vs regular mountain bikes. If that’s the concern argument then ban anything less than a fatty since sugar sand or snow are very telling guages of the impact that your having a land. When I see a rut it’s always narrow tires that cut it out.
Equestrians do more damage than full suspension bicycles, full suspension E bicycles.
Rigid mountain bikes do more damage than the bicycles.
Your point about e bicycle users organizing and building trails like mountain bikers have been doing for decades. . . . You’re missing the point. May be where you live a bike riders aren’t mountain bike riders. Where I live, everyone I know on an emtb has been an avid mountain bike Rider for years.
You are trying to make a point of “us and them”. Most of the emtb riders ARE mountain bike riders.
This is what it’s like where I live in the Rocky Mountains.
I think your arguments are well thought out. I do not currently own an ebike. However, as a 66 year old that has skied for over 60 years, snowboarded for 14 years (about 1/3 of the time), climbed and hiked, and backpacked, I now find myself facing potential hip surgery. I can currently mountain bike with my 28 yr old daughter for several hours (blue trails) on an old style mountain bike. She waits for me, even though I am in decent shape for my age other than my hips. Why should I consider an emtb when there is so much concern and even hate out there? It might help me ride the trails I like, but not if I was barred from them. I enjoy riding a regular mtb, but might enjoy a class 1 emtb more. At one local trail, mountain biking is banned on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Maybe a similar arrangement for emtbs? This would not need to include the most remote trails.
Mark, you should definitely get an eMtnBike. New technology almost always gets pushback. When chairlifts came to skiing the purists said, you need to “earn your turn”. When short skis arrived in the 70’s the purists said, “short skis suck”. When snowboards came skiers said, “knuckle draggers poise too many problems” and resorts banned them. When golf carts began to show up, golf purists said golfers using them were breaking from tradition and creating lazy golfers. I could go on but soon eMtnBikes will be as accepted as chairlifts, snowboards and golf carts are today!
Fun is fun, so let’s have more fun.
Articles on ebikes are always good click bait. IMO most of the negative comments to this article are more thoughtful than the underlying article.
The author gave away any sense of credibility when she wrote:
“Once again, the controversy seems to stem from the fear of change, perhaps some arrogance and maybe a little jealousy,”
She didn’t convert me and I im doubtful, Justin, that this is an article worth sharing.
Thanks, Molly, for your thoughtful observations about this evolving situation. Athletic 20-year olds are always going to peddle uphill somewhat faster than ‘weekend warrior’ 50-year olds. Should the ‘less-fit’ then be banned? Of course not! And what about horses, who cause much more trail damage than any kind of bike? Does the somewhat elitist ‘Mr. Bob’ want to ban horses because they are so much faster and easier than hiking on foot? And if he wants to know about places that are really hard to get to, call me, I can help him.
However, I do take a bit of exception to the snowboard comparison. We all know that all too many riders, especially beginner/intermediates, do not carve nice regular lines like skiers. And especially with a nice fresh dump, the lumps that too many riders leave, so often destroy the poetic rhythm of skiers’ lines. Whereas E-MTBs, as you mentioned, have no effect on trails that is in any way different than peddle-only MTBs.
Finally, what is wrong with older mountain-bikers, who are having more difficulty getting up single-tracks that once were easier, to be using peddle-assist bikes to continue enjoying the trails?
hey now, skiing is really great and all, but i’ve seen just as many bad skiers tear up a slope as much as new snowboarders do. Also, we can totally disagree on this, but i’d say a good snowboard turn is far more poetic and pure and soulful than a ski turn 🙂
Comments pointing out PFB and its less publicized mission are on point. They are an industry group (replacing BPSA – Bicycle Products Suppliers Association a few years back) and their mission is to advocate (read lobby) for access and sell more units.
As for IMBA… This organization has lost its way IMO (an opinion shared by many) and suffers the same issue in terms of perverse incentive (IE, financially backed by bike companies with one bottom line interest in mind). Add to that, they now find themselves trying to negotiate a semantics minefield of their own creation by trying to walk backwards some of the terminology used in the negotiation of advocacy with land managers and other user groups to allow this new group of users.
In both cases we would do well to understand and keep in mind their true motivations.
I think there is a case for use and access however I also think that we are at a time where unfettered access to all is reaching a tipping point where our public lands pay the price.
Things that might be worth discussing in terms of use and access:
• Unbiased studies that look at impact and use pattern that are not industry or user group funded – perhaps also by region as terrain and climate zones play a role here as well
• Age/disability exemption application and permit process for off road use on public land
• Registration for use, much like any trail use registration required in every state for motorized vehicles, this might also include rider training, backcountry awareness courses, etc.
• Use specific trail/area development
• Membership to an offroad ebike specific org that comes with the purchase of said bike that promotes skill training, awareness, and responsible use/right-of-way rules
• Other…?
It’s a tricky and polarizing subject. Not all (or maybe any) of the ideas above are good, however we need to start somewhere. The potential for this to progress/digress into something unhealthy for our sport as more riders adopt this technology is real and if not addressed proactively
could impact the rest of us who are still getting out and doing it the old fashion way.
“I think there is a case for use and access however I also think that we are at a time where unfettered access to all is reaching a tipping point where our public lands pay the price. ”
Exactly.
While I am sympathetic to those people with physical disabilities that prevent them from enjoying the outdoors, the simple truth as it exists today is that the last thing we need is for MORE people to be recreating.
I am patiently waiting for the pandemic created lifestyle advocates to go back to whatever they were doing before the pandemic. It is getting nigh on impossible to enjoy time outdoors now without being subjected to throngs of people. This was not the case prior to the pandemic.
hey at least you’re an honest one, most people go we need more people on bikes, until it happens then they go oh wait. never mind. At least you’re selfish upfront and I can appreciate that.
I ride both E-mtb’s and a regular mtb I am not faster on my E-Mtb it just allows me to climb steep fire roads with out over taxing my heart as I have atrial fibulation. speed and skidding is not a priority, safety is for me I truly feel I ride the same on both. Maybe more walking on my reg mtb.
It’s great to see how eBikes allow more people to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
Please think about how these trails got here, who maintains them, the work that went into fighting for their access and creation.
More people on bikes is good. Us vs. them is bad.
I encourage any eMtber and regular mtber to join and donate to their local MTB advocacy group.
If you can afford a $5000 eBike, look into how you can give back to the community in which you ride. Trails may cost $0 to access, but they take lots of resources to maintain.
Next, it will be electric BC skis. That should up the douchebag quota.
You’re leaving out two VERY important issues that make ebikes unlike snowboards.
1. Speed limiting can be disabled allowing some ebikes to ride much more like motorcycles than bicycles
2. Ebike batteries catch on fire when used incorrectly or are modified. Snowboards don’t do that. Last I checked, we don’t need more fire in the woods.
1) You can put a “Whizzer” gas powered motor on your Pivot if you want. Clearly if the rules/law allow class one bikes and you remove the limiter, you are breaking the law. As someone who has been mountain biking since the eighties and riding emtbs for the last three years, I can assure you that there really is no advantage to going faster. The thing that holds me back on the trails is NOT a lack of power, it’s a lack of ability to navigate single track trails. My experience is that, with the exception of going uphill, I ride at the same speed on my emtb as I do on my mtb.
2) That’s the stupidist thing I’ve ever heard. I have more than thirty friends with at least one EMTB and I ‘ve never heard of a mike catching fire. If you are truly concerned about fire risk you must also consider that a metal part on your drive train COULD create a spark when hitting a rock. The reality is this is an almost impossible likelyhood.
Following along the line that e bikes are motorized, therefore they should stay on paths etc for motorized transport, what about electric wheelchairs? Shall we ban them from sidewalks?
E-Bikes are here to stay so simple enjoyment is the goal. There will always be nay sayers but wait till they are in their retirement ages. They’ll own one. Sales of e-bikes are starting to out pace sales of regular bikes. E-Bikers such as myself care for the environment & are good stewards of the land. I try to be a good ambassador on the trail when I meet others. It’s about the attitude some have. It’s that simple.
Leonard G
Ebikes, pedal assisted or not, would seem to be qualitatively different from muscle/gravity/wind forced bicycles. Snowboards, like skis, are also muscle/gravity/wind forced. The immediacy of these natural propulsion systems, rather than a stored energy system, puts us closer to Nature, and that’s an ethic I’d rather see more widely embraced.
Ebikes are great to ride–so fun, so effortless, no sweat, silent, wind in your face. But I’d rather see mtn bikes in designated Wilderness areas than see ebikes on non-motorized trails. I’m with the commenter above who said ebikes::muscle bikes as snowmachines::skis.
But look, I’m an old fart, sad to see technology elbowing its way into everything, because the elbow-in is inevitable.
My 30+ years of mountain bike experience makes me question how “necessary” most mountain bike technology is. Carbon fiber, disc brakes, German engineered electronic shifting, dropper posts, and , now, ebikes sure do make the manicured machine built flow trails into a real adventure.
Roman,
I suggest you ride an emtb on trails before making assumptions.
There is nothing effortless about riding an ebike. Also consider that we coast down hills just like everyone else.
I get my heart rate upto it’s max on my ebike. Knowing that you can up the power and safely get out of the woods gives me confidence to push a little harder.
Well written article, I think you are spot on. E bikes are amazing. I ride more consistently, ride bigger loops, ride more often and most importantly have more fun. Most people never even notice I am on an E bike. While pedal bikes are floundering up technical sections, I clear them. Overall, E bikes have a lessor impact on trails. I would also conclude after 4 years of riding class 1 E mountain bikes that pedals bikes are faster on the downhills.
I suspect many, if not all, of the naysayers of eMTBs have never had a proper ride on one. BTW, I’m talking about the Class 1 ebikes which is pedal assist only up to 20 mph meaning there is not a throttle. If you’re not pedaling you’re not moving. Even while pedaling the assist cuts off above 20 mph. Here’s is what I wrote about my eMTB after a couple of rides on it that counters many assumptions from those who have never tried it.
“After a couple of rides on my eMTB here are my brief thoughts and observations (some I suspected but now confirmed). Yup, it is fun. Getting assistance going up a hill or obstacle is obviously great and is the main purpose of the motor. You pick a line, point your bike, pedal and up you go. You still have to work for that climb though not as hard depending what mode or assist level you’re in but you’re still pedaling and keeping your cadence up so your heart is still pumping but your legs aren’t as sore. That’s where the advantage of having a motor assisting you ends from what I can see and for me that is all that I expect. It doesn’t replace your riding skills (braking, leaning, turning, jumping, hopping, etc.). Just because you can go up a hill faster doesn’t mean you’ll be able to go down a hill or negotiate around berms any faster. In addition you have to deal with a heavier bike than what you’re used to in some situations it may even slow you down. A motor will allow you to ride longer (2 laps around your favorite trail instead of just once) because your legs still feel good but the rest of your body is still taking the same amount of beating. Your arms, back, hands, and ass don’t get any relief from the motor. A 20-mile ride on an ebike will feel like a 20-mile ride on a regular mountain bike everywhere on your body but your legs. As for those who claim ebike will erode the trails more due to excessive weight and speed, I don’t see how that is true. If weight is the issue then are they suggesting heavier people or Clydesdales aren’t allowed to ride? Total weight of me on my analog bike is around 230 pounds. On my ebike that bumps me up to 240. That’s lighter than many riders on their analog bikes. If speed is the issue then what I said before goes against that theory. You may go up a hill faster but you’re not all of a sudden bombing down the trails any faster. If you weren’t bombing down the trails on your analog bike before you’re not going to on an ebike. Even going up hill you’re not going to be rooster tailing up the hill. Without traction you’re not going anywhere and that’s not fun. So although you’re not getting the same level of workout as you did on your analog bike, on an ebike you’re still getting a workout, you’re still getting your heart pumping and breathing heavy but you’re having more fun doing it.”
E bikes have a motor.
Not much more to say.
My new ebike is what I have always dreamed of. Fun riding with that boost that makes riding uphill fun instead of suck. Will ride it where I have always ridden. I will be the one with a smile on my face while riding up that 5 mile climb.
“It’s hard to remember, but regular mountain bikes didn’t become commercially available until the 1980s, and when the early adopters hit trails previously used only by hikers and horseback riders, conflicts happened fast.
People claimed the bikes increased erosion. They worried about collisions and scaring horses. They theorized that mountain bikes would frighten wildlife.”
Still true. Keep ALL bicycles off of nature trails.
I disagree completely.
Snowboards were the anti-skiing, wherein it was against the established sport. It was punk rock.
Who rides Ebikes? Older, whiter, richer folks. This is not punk rock, this is Margaritaville. The cycling industry is looking to lower the physical bar to enable a wider, more affluent market share.
Jun, that’s me…. but don’t forget, we are the guys that cut the trails thirty five years ago, broke parts on almost every ride, had NO suspension and have the scars and bruises to show for it. I’m old (63) relatively affluent, and I LOVE to ride. However the fun was leaving mountain biking. I was always the guy everyone was waiting for at the top of the hill. Now I’m waiting with them for someone else. The funniest thing is that my route times at 63 are now comparable to what they were when I was thirty. I’m simply able to have a LOT more fun and cover a lot more ground. Someday you may be old too…
Americans have this odd obsession with equal suffering. If they go the difficult route, everyone else should. It is apparent in American politics and in the ebike conversation. I ride my primitive bike 5 days a week and enjoy sharing the trails with folks to whom this new world opened up because they got a little boost.
I don’t know if this is an American thing or not, but one thing that baffles me about the ebike debate is the fun part. Why else do you ride a mountain bike? Fun! That’s the only reason. And ebikes are super fun. Simple as that.
Throttled emtbs are super fun!
Throttled motorcycles are super fun!
Still not a good reason to allow on non-motorized trails.
Think it has to do with the “non-motorized” part 😉
It should really go without saying that throttled, class III bikes don’t belong on trails.
That is quite a logical leap to conclude that one form of motor is permissible on a nonmotorized trail but another isn’t.
People are getting way too hung up on the word “motor” here. The ebikes under discussion just help you pedal easier, are quiet, and don’t emit exhaust.
What you’re talking about is a Class 3 ebike which has a throttle. What we and this article is talking about is a Class 1 ebike that is pedal assist only, no throttle. If you’re not pedaling you’re not moving.
Molly, thanks for the article, but I think there are a few missing pieces here. You dismiss multi-user conflict as if it is a thing of the past- that 40s years later we are over the novelty shock of mountain bikes, and all trails are at rest. Anyone working in the multi-user recreation space knows can attest that this is not true. Comparing e-bike accident statistics on a dedicated MTB area does not mean that everything is well on every trail.
I’d like to follow the speed difference more universally. What does it do to the experience of hiking when you are constantly on alert of a collision? In every other public space, motorize vehicles get supremacy over pedestrians. I don’t live in a place where I see them getting heavy use, but any analysis of e-bikes needs to take into account how they displace, threaten, or harm human-powered travel.
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the technology, and it has the ability to do a lot of good in the world by allowing people to scale down their commuter vehicle footprint. However, let’s not dismiss the potential negative impact of fast hunks of metal moving in the same space as walkers. Some amount of segregation of activities in different spaces will need to happen to make sure everyone can get the most enjoyment with the least risk.
I dont come out for or against E-bikes, but it does strike me as a uniquely human thing to take a something as perfect as a bicycle and think they can improve it by adding a motor and battery.
Ebikes star trek next generation. Soon machines will take over humans. This evolution is happening. Any one remember TRON. This kind of bikes are super cool. A disk that coverts into an motorcycle how about that. Ain’t it. Well soon technology will reach its final destination.
I’m surprised to see so little talk about people with disabilities and how ebikes can allow them to still get out on the trails they used to ride when they were fully able bodied. But I guess we all seem to talk from our own experiences. I don’t have an ebike (yet) but I’ve been looking. As I developed one autoimmune disease after another (up to 5 now) I still pedaled up every hill knowing that there are some trails I’ll never get to ride as I just don’t have the stamina anymore no matter how hard I try. Now that I’ve been diagnosed with cancer I’ve finally decided that it’s time to buy an ebike.
I love mountain biking and have loved it for the last 25 years. It’s truly my happy place. If I have to ride an ebike to still get this feeling then that’s what I’m going to do. When people say ebikes are cheating, it sounds like a joke. No one knows what the other guy is dealing with. Sure there are assholes in every sport but the majority of people are just trying to get out and have a good time.
I share this not to bring attention to myself but point out there are many people in a similar position. Yes we have chronic conditions but we still work our asses off and don’t want to have to prove we have disabilities to get someone’s approval to ride certain trails. We just need people to be less judgmental and more accepting. We could all use a little bit more of that these days.
Amen Brother. The first time I saw an eMTB on the trails it was ridden by a young man in his 20’s. I politely asked him how he liked his bike and what made him decide to get one. He explained that he always loved bikes since he was a kid. Anything on 2 wheels he’s on it but mountain biking was his passion. He mountain biked all over the country and also rides a dirt bike. He had an accident on his dirt bike that did some serious damage to his leg where it tore up a good chunk of his muscles and his knee needed to be reconstructed. After that his leg just didn’t have the strength like before and he couldn’t mountain bike anymore. As a young 20-something person this is devastating but an eMTB allows him to keep riding. For him and I’m sure many others an eMTB is a necessity to maintain quality of life.
I don’t hate on E-Bikes. I just wish they weren’t classified as bicycles. They are by definition motorized vehicles and should be called motorcycles – they are a cycle and they have a motor. They have their place, let’s just call them what they are.
What’s the difference between a pedal assist ebike and a bike with gears?
In many cases, no difference. The Class 1 ebikes this article is talking about which are pedal assist only have both a motor and gears. It doesn’t have a throttle meaning if you’re not pedaling, you’re not moving.
Right – that’s my point. There’s no real justification for being fine with the amplification power of gearing but demanding the amplification power of an electric motor be kept off trails, and/or makes you lazy.
In one situation, you can walk uphill and not fear getting demolished from behind, and in the other you can’t.
In both situations, you can’t walk downhill without the fear of being demolished from behind, which the author suggests is a problem of the past, but it isn’t. Multi-use is complicated. Many people aren’t trying to be aggressive, just like most motorists aren’t trying to be aggressive on the road, but THE MERE PRESENCE OF MOTORIZED VEHICLES CHANGES THE NATURE OF THE EXPERIENCE. Without active management, that change is always in detriment of pedestrians, and in favor of motors/equipment.
This isn’t an argument for or against the technology, or ad hominem against the users. Those are both unproductive. We need to recognize clearly that bikes and e-bikes are not the same thing, and have characteristics that simply need to be managed differently so that we can discuss what we are trading off and where we want those trade-offs to happen.
Also, since eMTBs increase the kind of terrain that users find desirable than other use cases (even than MTB or ATVs), we need to be really careful how new user trails are going to affect possible future roadless designations, and thus future wilderness areas. I could see 20-30 years in the future, wilderness designations getting tanked because of more/longer user trails being considered “roads” because they are made by “motorized use”.
Let’s get off this binary “is it good or bad” trope and just talk about what it is and where we do or don’t want it.
Thanks for the reply, and I completely agree about carefully thinking through trail access and management. I ride both ebikes and traditional, and yes you can go faster uphill, but not so fast you’re gonna barrel into a hiker because of it, and, like you said, it’s the downhill that’s the issue and a motor isn’t involved there. I’m certainly concerned with land management, etc., and fear that ebikes will lead to managers closing trails to ALL bikes, simply because they, nor hikers, really understand the limitations of ebikes. But that’s a separate issue from my main point which is trying to get people to unpack why they think a bike with gears amplifying power is fine, but a motor doing that isn’t.
There’s a vast difference between “mechanized” — gears that enhance your own body’s power — and “motorized” — power from a source wholly removed from your own body.
There’s a difference in how the two systems work, but pedal assist bikes are still just enhancing your own body’s power. They don’t pedal themselves, and the amount of power you put into them is what the electric motor amplifies. It matters how hard you crank the pedals, in other words. I’m not trying to argue with you, I’m just not sure there’s really a significant philosophical difference here.
One of them can be modified to go 45mph and might catch on fire…I’ll let you figure out which one I’m talking go about
Since you can modify any bike to do that whether it came with a motor originally or not, may as well ban all bikes from trails
Waaaaaaaahhhhh-
Waaaaaaaahhhhh-
Waaaaaaaahhhhh. . .
Boo-hoo.
Huh?! They both have multiple speed cassettes and derailleurs if that’s what you mean, only one has an ELECTRIC MOTOR.
Having ridden analog MTB’s, class 1 eMTB and motorcycles I know for a fact from experience that other than having two wheels the eMTB is nothing like a motorcycle and exactly like a bicycle…because it IS a bicycle. You use your legs to make it move. The assist merely helps those with weaker natural motors, aka leg muscles, get up a hill.
The impact on trails from a class 1 ebike is no more and often less than an analog bike that tend to be more nimble catching air and skidding around turns where the ebike stays planted.
After 30 years off bikes I got an eMTB that allowed me enthusiastically get back into riding. When I ride I tend to avoid places where I might encounter other riders because when I read so many anti-ebike arguments it really give me the impression that the MTB community is made up of unfriendly, unwelcoming, confrontational and selfish people that want to claim ownership of the outdoors for their exclusive use.
I’m just out to ride, enjoy the outdoors and get a healthy amount of exercise while doing it.
I’m 71 and ride both my Specialized Epic and a Aventon Aventure, depending on what my purpose is for a ride. E-bikes are a great way to get into shape following a long Montana Winter, especialiy when dealing with osteoarthritis in one’s knees. I personally only use pedal assist 1 or 2 and go only slightly faster than I do on my Epic.
As an Army veteran with 70% service connected physical disability, I greatly appreciate the additional mobility provided by an e-bike and am sure that I speak for many others in that context. I can also attest to the lack of trail etiquette by many traditional mountain bikers on trails used by both hikers and bicyclists in the Butte area.
Behavior is primarily tied to the individual, not their mode of transportation.
E bikes have no place on non motorized trails period . Non motorized means just that. I will turn you on if I see you riding a E bike on a non motorized trail in Montana .
The author of this makes it abundantly clear that his only association with the severely-hyped “conflicts” of the 1980s snowboard world are all second-person exaggerations.
Please, posers, let these idiotic tropes die on their own
She
Good luck with turning someone in for trail violations in Montana. I tried the Montana TIPS line for turning in poachers twice. The result: nada. There is only USFS law enforcement officer between Helena and Dillon as of last Fall. Same for Fish and Game. You will better off channeling your anger at politicians in both parties who under-fund our forests and parks. Besides, an aggressive mtb rider who locks up his/her back wheel on steep downhill sections does a lot more damage to trails than either e-mtb or traditional mtb riders who are respectful of trails. Just trying to save you some unnecessary frustration.
Yes unless that Non-Motorized trail legally allows class 1 ebikes then we will turn you on, wait what did you just say?
There are good comments from both sides of the argument. My two cents though…if you show up to a MTB trail I will think of you just as the guy who glides out to the lineup on a “jet” powered surfboard. Sure you can buy and enjoy yourself, and it is debatable the place or time for using such a device, but in the end….you are a kook!
MoPeds might not create more trail damage in a mile-for-mile comparison, but they cover two or three times the distance of a regular mtb in the same time, no? And Justin, I love ya, but you don’t see the difference between a motor and no motor?! Come on, man.
I don’t see an ontological difference between gears amplifying human power and an electric pedal assist motor doing the same, no. Of course an ebike *can* go faster, easier, but both amplify human power to create greater speed or force or both. To me it seems like watching two cyclists argue whether or not it’s cheating to have gears versus a single speed. Frankly, I don’t care what people ride. I have a single speed, plenty of geared bikes, and two ebikes. They all have their place.
Fair enough, but to me that’s like saying, “everything else being equal, one has a motor, but it’s still equal.” Look, I get it, e-bikes are here to stay, and I love the idea of taking cars off the road and allowing the elderly/ infirm to ride. At the end of the day, anything with two wheels is fine with me;)
Electric motors add a bit more muscle. Some people do squats. Some add a motor.
A weak person on an ebike may produce less torque then on an analogue bike.
You could just ask easily suggest no gears as they achieve the same thing.
All the single gear purists may agree.
Arbitrary rules about motors make no sense. There has to be a logical “why”.
You can ride further on an analog bike… No range anxiety.
I have read the article and the comments, and I have ridden ebikes. As a trail advocate for the past 24 years I have worked with many people in several states toward opening up lands owned by local municipalities, on state and federal land. I have worked within trail organizations to fundraise and purchase land, and I have worked to gain private landowner’s trust to allow mountain biking on their land. Here is my point…if trails are open for legal use of ebikes, well, be safe and have fun. But where I live there are many trail networks that are not open for ebikes for various reasons. So, if trail networks are not open to ebikes, stay the hell off the trails.
The bike industry has really created this problem. Advocates (meaning the people who have worked hard to gain access to land and the trails) and the advocacy organizations were basically left out of the conversation. And then the manufacturers pumped ebikes into the shops and made demands that dealers sell these bikes whether they want to or not.
If the manufactures had come to the advocacy groups and worked with them instead of just seeing $$$$, much of this friction could have been eliminated. It also would be great if the manufactures showed up with some cash for the advocacy groups to build trails that are more suited to ebikes, like one-directional trails so someone going down a hill doesn’t run into someone climbing on an ebike going faster than they are descending. Yeah, this happens.
Ebikes aren’t going away, but for those of you who have them and ride them, please verify that the trails you take your ebike to are legal to ride on. It is really about respecting the landowners and ensuring that we don’t lose trail access because someone was too lazy to verify whether the local trails are open to ebikes. And, if trails are closed to ebikes, learn why. Talk to the local trail organization, hell, join the local trail organization and if you want to make ebikes legal, get involved and advocate.
I feel like we have all this new energy in outdoor activities and it is still the same 15 people working with land managers and getting approval to build trails and then building them. Well, it takes effort to ride whatever kind of bike you have, and it takes effort to pay for, build and keep trails open. Get involved and learn about the politics of mountain biking rather than just posting nonsense to a poorly written article.
I agree that people should follow the current rules. I commend your passion in advocating for mountain bikes. Most of us with less passion, but still a desire to mountain bike may often rely on individuals such as yourself to pave the way for our activities. For some of us, that might include some access to single track trails on an emtb.
Here are a couple thoughts for y’all to consider:
1) MOST emtb owners are ALSO regular mountain bikers. I have three mountain bikes; a 2020 Sworks (full fat) Levo, a 2020 Levo SL Expert Carbon (super light very low power), and a 2022 Santa Cruz Tallboy. I tend to divide most of my time between the SL and the Tallboy. However there are places with big hills and fun descents that warrant the Levo. Almost all of my riding buddies have and ride both. Most are incredibly skilled and fit riders.
2) If you haven’t ridden and emtb (class 1) you have NO idea what you are talking about. Until you have taken one for a 15 mile loop you are familiar with, your opinion is invalid and uninformed. As I have stated above, I ONLY ride faster UP HILL. That doesn’t mean I’m riding at dangerous speeds, it means I’m riding 8-10mph instead of 3-6 mph. Downhill and flat I ride at exactly the same pace if not slower on an emtb. I’m not really “cheating” because I’m riding uphill as hard as I can and I’m still gassed when I get to the top of the hill, it just doesn’t take as long.
When my friends started getting emtbs I was ardently opposed. And then I rode one…. and I bought one the next day. If you are going to have an opinion about something make sure it’s an INFORMED opinion.
My sentiments exactly. All of this is 100% accurate. Especially the downhill part. My ebike has way more travel than my standard mtb, so I could ride it faster on downhills, but for whatever reason, weight, probably, I don’t.
Who cares abt trail erosion or the feeling of pedal bikers. FIRE is the issue.
Ya’ll are so damn blind and selfish…
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/09/e-bike-battery-fires-pushing-nyc-toward-a-ban-in-public-housing/?amp=1
Is it too much to ask that a place exists that I can go out in the woods under my own power and not have to get out of the way of a motorized vehicle?
There isn’t a wilderness area in the USA, over 100 million acres, that allow bikes of any kind, motorized or not.
Matt,
Getting out of the way of a pedal assisted bike, is the same as getting out of the way of a stronger rider on a regular bike.
I’m not necessarily against pedal assist bikes. There are two trails I ride regularly, one allows class 1 ebikes, one doesn’t. There is a push to have both open to ebikes. Why is your opinion more valid than mine? If you want to ebike the open trail, go ahead, if I’m there, I expect to see them. If I want to ride a non-motorized trail, I’ll go to the other.
I also canoe. There are lakes in my area where motors are not allowed, and that’s where I tend to go. If you don’t understand the attraction of a non-motorized area, that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t exist.
Just because it’s not your thing, doesn’t mean it isn’t valid.
I don’t propose an end to all mountain ebike use, but you all tend to propose an end to all places where motors are not allowed.
I do not live in an area with designated wilderness areas.