# The eMTB Controversy: eBikes Should Be Allowed On Mountain Bike Trails



## LTZ470 (May 5, 2013)

The eMTB Controversy: eBikes Should Be Allowed On Mountain Bike Trails - MountainZone


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## LTZ470 (May 5, 2013)

*Advocates fight for electric bike trail use Woman says restricting use to off-highway*

Advocates fight for electric bike trail use | The Columbian


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

LTZ470 said:


> The eMTB Controversy: eBikes Should Be Allowed On Mountain Bike Trails - MountainZone


Like most everyone else in the _"e-bikes are bicycles damn it"_ religion the author is a self centered hypocrite who either doesn't understand or refuses to acknowledge the real issues regarding classifying motorbikes as bicycles for multi-use trail situations.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)




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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

J.B. Weld said:


> Like most everyone else in the _"e-bikes are bicycles damn it"_ religion the author is a self centered hypocrite who either doesn't understand or refuses to acknowledge the real issues regarding classifying motorbikes as bicycles for multi-use trail situations.


or he has a commercial interest in eBikes.


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

I think these guys have so much time and money invested they'll try everything they can to try and get ebikes accepted.

I was leaning toward acceptance, but now I'm leaning the other way. Go have fun on moto trails and leave us the heck alone!


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

Ebikes allow those who can't handle the strenuous activity of mountain biking to enjoy the trails with others, but it's one heck of a workout!


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Gee! Here's a big surprise the MTBR advocates are against e-bikes, apparently now they've added a restriction for physically challenged individuals. I don't care whether they're ever permitted off road (except where ICE vehicles are allowed, that's a no-brainer) although I would rather they be accepted. However, it's egregious (IMO) to prohibit physically challenged individuals from using them; let's watch the ADA in action.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

They're not any faster than a regular bike but I can go twice as far in half the time!


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## Cornfield (Apr 15, 2012)

My posts above were base on emotion, as is this one: 

I'm getting tired of the ebike advocates coming here and blowing smoke up our arses and saying "It's cool, bro, were just gonna barge right in and use your trails." when it seems clear to me that the majority of the mtb community is against it. Am I crazy for thinking this way? Should we start a poll?


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Emotorbikes have been cloaked in deception from the beginning, with the outright lies spread by their very rabid supporters. There are few honest proponents and they are being drowned out by the more vocal, less than honest ones that seem to have some kind of vested interest in seeing these motorized bikes spread far and wide. What they don't realize is that the people that they really have to worry about aren't the mountain bikers but the hikers and equestrians who also inhabit these forums gleaning information to use against all mountain bikers. Rage on, you're your own worst enemies.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Cornfield said:


> I was leaning toward acceptance, but now I'm leaning the other way. Go have fun on moto trails and leave us the heck alone!


My sentiments exactly. Go e-bike on designated trails for motorized vehicles.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

LTZ470 said:


> The eMTB Controversy: eBikes Should Be Allowed On Mountain Bike Trails - MountainZone


That old chestnut again. I could care less about e-bikes in general, but there should be designated trails for their use. We don't want them on our trails.


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## sapva (Feb 20, 2017)

E-bikes are motorcycles. Not sure why there is any confusion about that, or why the effort to pass them off as bicycles.

I would guess that the Bella Berlly's of the world are relatively few. But it brings up some interesting questions. What if the rider, instead of the bike, is motor assisted? That isn't too far into the future. Then inevitably, there will be perfectly fit people using that technology for enhancement. I also have to wonder what the plan is for a disabled person, when the battery fails and they are miles from the nearest road with no cell service.


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## Walt (Jan 23, 2004)

Look, ebikes are probably fine on a lot of trails (basically all bike specific/no hikers terrain, all moto trails of course, and maybe other places). They're not on others, because vastly increasing the climbing speed of mountain bikes will make the experience unpleasant for lots of other users. 

And if you've got an ADA recognized disability, I think you should be able to ride a low power ebike anywhere a normal bike can go. 

I don't personally care about them much but I don't want to be lumped in with motorized users, so the biggest problem I have here is the "ebikes are just bikes" thing. Just acknowledge that they're a separate type of vehicle, and that they're not appropriate everywhere. Boom. I'm now your ally. 

-Walt


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Agree they are different and should be accepted or rejected on their merits. Have no vested interest, so it doesn't matter to me. In fact the fewer, the less chance of any over-regulation. Riding my MTB more lately even for errands, so maybe they were a novelty (time will tell). However, IMO the pedal advocates who, for instance have posted ridiculous examples of outlandish bikes that are patently illegal or made outrageous statements about safety have done much to harm MTB acceptance. Also, with rare exception, I eschew any over-populated trail, so it doesn't matter what I'm riding; anyone who doesn't have this luxury?????????


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## Picard (Apr 5, 2005)

What happened to the dead bike battery? How can it be recycle? 

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk


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## Walt (Jan 23, 2004)

fos'l said:


> Agree they are different and should be accepted or rejected on their merits. Have no vested interest, so it doesn't matter to me. In fact the fewer, the less chance of any over-regulation. Riding my MTB more lately even for errands, so maybe they were a novelty (time will tell). However, IMO the pedal advocates who, for instance have posted ridiculous examples of outlandish bikes that are patently illegal or made outrageous statements about safety have done much to harm MTB acceptance. Also, with rare exception, I eschew any over-populated trail, so it doesn't matter what I'm riding; anyone who doesn't have this luxury?????????


I don't think the heavily modified bikes will ever be popular enough to matter much either. But the grey-market Chinese stuff... I would assume you'll eventually be able to buy bikes consumer direct that are well outside of the legal specs but appear to be compliant. The aftermarket kits (Bafang, etc) are already like this.

That's a separate issue, though. Even the compliant bikes, when ridden hard by a fast rider, will be unsafe on 2-way MUTs in some cases (worst cases would be twisty/vegetated/bad sight lines but high speed stuff, best case would be either super tight/slow tech or trails designed for higher speeds with good sight lines and chokes/chicanes to slow folks down in danger spots). This just means using good judgement and only granting access to trails where there's no 2-way traffic or the system is designed/able to handle higher closing speeds. It can be done (there are plenty of 2-way moto singletracks in the world) but a lot of the legacy trails we use right now probably aren't going to work super well.

Now, you could look at this as an *opportunity*, if you wanted to. Let's get out and build/better maintain trails to handle this new vehicle without upsetting other users! Yet I hear little/nothing about trail design or advocacy here (or from companies selling e-bikes). Lots of legacy trails don't handle *normal* mountain bikes all that well and access is always tenuous because of it. Specialized, how about a BIG grant program to improve/design/build trails? You can win me, and others over by coming to the table with positive contributions.

But I get sick of hearing "they are just bikes" or "they aren't any faster" followed by "I can go twice as far in the same time". Stop it. Adding 250-400W of power and 10kg of weight puts even a fat slob normal joe who isn't trying very hard into similar W/kg range as a top tour pro. You will go much, much faster if you want to.

Let's all agree: adding power adds speed. They have a motor, but they're nowhere near the speed and power of ICE motos and shouldn't be managed like those either. Now, what trails are appropriate and what trails aren't? How can we build and manage trails better to allow more people to enjoy them?

-Walt


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## zorg (Jul 1, 2004)

Crankout said:


> That old chestnut again. I could care less about e-bikes in general, but there should be designated trails for their use. We don't want them on our trails.


Replace ebike by bike and you sound like a HOHA.

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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

What is a HOHA?


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## sapva (Feb 20, 2017)

Hateful Old Hikers Association?


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

zorg said:


> Replace ebike by bike and you sound like a HOHA.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


So you're fine with motorized bikes on the trails?


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## Rolo F (Mar 1, 2017)

My opinion:

-motorbikes are banned from bike trails because they run at a much higher speed, noise, smoke and destroy the trail, they are dangerous for the others that go at a much slower speed..and thats why bikes dont get into motorbikes trails and circuits

-ebikes (until now) like the spz just give a "help" while you are peddling, it gives you more speed but also not that much..you can go faster and you can climb higher ..less effort 

So:
If the ebike is bot dangerous for.the rest of us, they dont destroy the trail and the dont make noise or that disgusting smoke, why prohibit them?

In the future, as always, the fatties are going to be electric, then tey will become bigger, more powerful and then they are going to be a huge problem..

I think they should be distinguished by their impact in the trail, if its to big or if it is much faster than the others without an electric motor attached.

Personally I dont like them...but until now nobody in a ebike has cause me any problems and bother me while riding

Its not a big problem right now...but in the future it will be....the principal issue here is RESPECT for others in the trail.




Enviado desde mi SM-G920I mediante Tapatalk


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## zorg (Jul 1, 2004)

Crankout said:


> So you're fine with motorized bikes on the trails?


I could not care less.

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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

zorg said:


> I could not care less.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


E-bikers love you sig, by the way!


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## zorg (Jul 1, 2004)

Crankout said:


> E-bikers love you sig, by the way!


I am impressed by your debating skills. 

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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Crankout said:


> E-bikers love you sig, by the way!


The HOHA's do too.


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## zorg (Jul 1, 2004)

tiretracks said:


> The HOHA's do too.


Apparently, so do HOBAs!

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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

zorg said:


> I am impressed by your debating skills.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


E-bikes are like politics and religion; there is no debate. You are either for or against, and never the twain shall meet.


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## zorg (Jul 1, 2004)

Crankout said:


> E-bikes are like politics and religion; there is no debate. You are either for or against, and never the twain shall meet.


I had no idea that MTB had become a religion.

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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

zorg said:


> I had no idea that MTB had become a religion.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


Happened right after Emotorbiking did.


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## marco_g (Sep 4, 2013)

https://www.pinkbike.com/video/468472/


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

marco_g said:


> https://www.pinkbike.com/video/468472/


lol

I see those under hobos every once in a while on the bike paths around here.


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## deuxdiesel (Jan 14, 2007)

marco_g said:


> https://www.pinkbike.com/video/468472/


This is why I brought up the "G-bike" question a while back. Why not? It's still a bicycle in the strictest sense of e-bikers (has pedals).


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## Mookie (Feb 28, 2008)

deuxdiesel said:


> This is why I brought up the "G-bike" question a while back. Why not? It's still a bicycle in the strictest sense of e-bikers (has pedals).


Could you throw up a link to your earlier comment. I can't quite put this in any meaningful context. Thanks.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

zorg said:


> I had no idea that MTB had become a religion.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


It's the only church I attend on Sundays.


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## zorg (Jul 1, 2004)

chuckha62 said:


> It's the only church I attend on Sundays.


So do I. I just don't like fanatics

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## BumpityBump (Mar 9, 2008)

Walt said:


> And if you've got an ADA recognized disability, I think you should be able to ride a low power ebike anywhere a normal bike can go.


Have you ever seen how many fat people in the southern U.S. sport ADA stickers so they can get front row parking at KFC? It's pathetic.

It is also a damn shame for those that are truly handicapped and deserve assisted access. Unfortunately, as with other welfare options in the U.S., it is greatly abused and clouds the issue of those that are deserving and those that are not.


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## buell (Oct 15, 2015)

deuxdiesel said:


> This is why I brought up the "G-bike" question a while back. Why not? It's still a bicycle in the strictest sense of e-bikers (has pedals).


that link is an april fool's joke.


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