# E-bikes banned on Colorado trails



## Streetdoctor (Oct 14, 2011)

https://www.bikelaw.com/2017/08/col...on_type_map=["og.comments"]&action_ref_map=[]


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

From the article:


"Local cities and towns have the last word and control on where electric bikes can be ridden".


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Ya I don't see any blanket trail ban in that article.


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## bplaizier (Feb 1, 2011)

vikb said:


> Ya I don't see any blanket trail ban in that article.


I think I see just the opposite, legal unless individual cities decide other wise? Is that correct?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N915A using Tapatalk


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

bplaizier said:


> I think I see just the opposite, legal unless individual cities decide other wise? Is that correct?


If by trail we are talking singletrack vs. bikepath I don't really see the article talk about that either way. Saying land managers can specify access to singletrack is not news.


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## watermonkey (Jun 21, 2011)

bplaizier said:


> I think I see just the opposite, legal unless individual cities decide other wise? Is that correct?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N915A using Tapatalk


Correct. As of today, unless the governing body that oversees use on a multi-use bike path deliberately decides to ban e-bikes with new regs, class 1-2 e-bikes are legal...even if yesterday the governing body had explicit rules in place banning e-bikes. Nothing in the new Colorado bill impacts dirt trail access. This is supposed to apply ONLY to certain classes of paved, designated bike paths and bike lanes.

Today, Roaring Fork Transit Authority (RFTA) that manages part of the Rio Grande Trail from Glenwood to the Pitkin County line, voted to allow class 1-2 e-bikes from Glenwood to Carbondale during a major construction project that will have significant impacts on commuters, but not on the trail past the Catherine Store Bridge. Aspen, Snowmass, and the remainder of the Rio Grande Trail managed by Pitkin County Open Space and Trails have voted on a blanket ban on e-bikes until next spring, for more time to evaluate their (e-bikes) impact on trails.

Non motorized Forest Service and BLM trails are still off limits to any class of e-bike, as well as singletrack trails governed by the town of Snowmass.

edit for incorrect info - the RFTA board failed to pass the restriction banning e-bikes for a trial period from Catherine Store to the Pitkin County line, so the default state rule allowing class 1-2 bikes on this section applies, and they are good to go. So now half of a trail is open to ebikes, and the upper half isn't.


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## Streetdoctor (Oct 14, 2011)

life behind bars said:


> From the article:
> 
> "Local cities and towns have the last word and control on where electric bikes can be ridden".


From the next paragraph. 
"Many cities and towns have yet to have a specific rule for e-bikes, so then the State Law controls the use of electric bikes."

You can't pick and chose what you want to quote.

To be honest I was trolling when I left work and didnt even read the article. Figured it would fire you guys up but it backfired a bit haha.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Streetdoctor said:


> You can't pick and chose what you want to quote.


You did.


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## JACKL (Sep 18, 2011)

"(4) No person riding upon any bicycle or electrical assisted bicycle shall attach the same or
himself or herself to any motor vehicle upon a roadway."

What a bunch of buzzkills!!


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

Yep, old news. The only places that have policies in place that I know of allowing e-MTB's on single track in Colorado is in the state park system. There's a few state parks that allow mtbs and e-MTB's on trails.


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## rider95 (Mar 30, 2016)

I can only shake my head you can buy pot, hash, hash oil ,and all kinds of stuff but cant ride your e bike on the bike path to get some ice cream lol .


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## watermonkey (Jun 21, 2011)

rider95 said:


> I can only shake my head you can buy pot, hash, hash oil ,and all kinds of stuff but cant ride your e bike on the bike path to get some ice cream lol .


That's because its obvious that e-bikes are a much greater risk to society than the rampant use of recreational pharmaceuticals.  
You can ride a normal bike to buy weed, though...and then after you get your weed, you'll totally need an ice cream. See normal bikes make everything better.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

watermonkey said:


> That's because its obvious that e-bikes are a much greater risk to society than the rampant use of recreational pharmaceuticals.
> You can ride a normal bike to buy weed, though...and then after you get your weed, you'll totally need an ice cream. See normal bikes make everything better.


No, I get it with the "no e-bike to the ice cream shop." 
Pedal power is what works off that ice cream and speeds of e-bikes piloted by a one-handed user as he/she is lapping up ice cream sounds hideously dangerous.

We haven't even started on the side effects of brain freeze.


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