Interesting article http://news360.com/digestarticle/bGeHLoCByEuX1kCHrI88Ug, our American friends really don't want EBikes on their trails
Should EBikes be allowed on MTB trails?
- Thread starter kinega
- Start date
Interesting read _ With a couple of caveats:
It was written by an Interesting sort of bloke with a well-known hatred of ebikes; and it relates to mtb in the good ol' US of A, where offroad ebikes tend to be monsters.
My twopenn'orth _ I ride regularly at 2 trail centres, without attracting any disparaging comments whatever - apart from the good-natured banter & insults a 65-year-old adrenaline junkie expects (hopes for?).
My offroad ebike attracts attention because it's noisy, so there's a bpm2 on it's way from BmsB:
The new motor will be run at a maximum of 22 amps (36v) so definitely will not be fantailing dust & rubble or damaging trails in any way. In fact, I was thinking recently that the 4kg in the back wheel (the battery's in a backpack) will actually reduce the amount of skiddin; thereby should prove kinder to the trail surface than my vanilla bouncer, which slides & hops about all over the shop on the twisty downhills; me not being terribly skilful, relying on faith & decent brakes to get me down in 1 piece.
If "they" decide to ban ebikes, I'll be forced into a diminishing enjoyment of the trails as the years continue to take their toll _ At the moment I enjoy a half-day chucking my unpowered bouncer round the trails, followed by the rest of the day on the ebike...
Long may it continue.
It was written by an Interesting sort of bloke with a well-known hatred of ebikes; and it relates to mtb in the good ol' US of A, where offroad ebikes tend to be monsters.
My twopenn'orth _ I ride regularly at 2 trail centres, without attracting any disparaging comments whatever - apart from the good-natured banter & insults a 65-year-old adrenaline junkie expects (hopes for?).
My offroad ebike attracts attention because it's noisy, so there's a bpm2 on it's way from BmsB:
The new motor will be run at a maximum of 22 amps (36v) so definitely will not be fantailing dust & rubble or damaging trails in any way. In fact, I was thinking recently that the 4kg in the back wheel (the battery's in a backpack) will actually reduce the amount of skiddin; thereby should prove kinder to the trail surface than my vanilla bouncer, which slides & hops about all over the shop on the twisty downhills; me not being terribly skilful, relying on faith & decent brakes to get me down in 1 piece.
If "they" decide to ban ebikes, I'll be forced into a diminishing enjoyment of the trails as the years continue to take their toll _ At the moment I enjoy a half-day chucking my unpowered bouncer round the trails, followed by the rest of the day on the ebike...
Long may it continue.
In sporting events no, potentially unfair competition.
For leisure riding, so long as it's a road legal e-bike I see no reason why not since legally it's just a bicycle. Such a ban on legal e-bikes on any publically owned land would be easily challenged as having no possible legal basis.
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For leisure riding, so long as it's a road legal e-bike I see no reason why not since legally it's just a bicycle. Such a ban on legal e-bikes on any publically owned land would be easily challenged as having no possible legal basis.
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Forestry Commission yes, National Truss I'm not too sure, sounds low down to me.
The National Trust land is publically owned though.
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Already discussed here: http://pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/e-mtbs-are-now-in-the-spotlight-as-well.18893/
If it's a "legal" ebike, then you can go anywhere a normal bike or horse can. If it's a private "trail center", i.e. Bike Park Wales then it's up to the cener owner, although BPW certainly aren't stopping ebikers using the park currently - one of the chief trail designers had a go on mine when I was there!
Forestry Comission is ok with ebikes - for example at Gisburn they have occasionally rented out ebikes for people to explore the center. It's one of my regular haunts. Grizedale and Whinlatter also have ebikes for hir e- the latter has a few BH 650b's I think. National Trust are ok as well - if it's classified as a bike then they are happy.
If it's a "legal" ebike, then you can go anywhere a normal bike or horse can. If it's a private "trail center", i.e. Bike Park Wales then it's up to the cener owner, although BPW certainly aren't stopping ebikers using the park currently - one of the chief trail designers had a go on mine when I was there!
Forestry Comission is ok with ebikes - for example at Gisburn they have occasionally rented out ebikes for people to explore the center. It's one of my regular haunts. Grizedale and Whinlatter also have ebikes for hir e- the latter has a few BH 650b's I think. National Trust are ok as well - if it's classified as a bike then they are happy.
