E-bikes on Public Lands
Looming safety and trail etiquette concerns
The debate of allowing e-bikes on our public land system is a challenging and hot debate recently. I have come to the conclusion it is a “us vs. them” mentality when discussing this issue. E-bike users advocate for more access to the trails and the added benefit that riding an e-bike can assist people with disabilities or other health issues. On the other side are the purists and human powered recreationists that believe e-bikes should not be on any kind of traditional non-motorized trail.
After living in Moab, Utah which is a prominent mountain bike community with hundreds of miles of hiking, biking, and motorized trails, the consensus I’ve personally come to is that “e-bikes are OK on paved roads, but not multi use trails.”
The challenge of our public land system is that it is so diverse, and e-bikes might be good in one place but not another. Some National Parks or urban parks have paved pathways where e-bikes would be ideal or can reduce cars on the road and provide an alternative for commuter traffic. However, visitor use conflicts will be common on a paved pathway that has multi-use recreation traffic. People may be walking, jogging, pushing a baby stroller, biking, etc. Then, along comes an e-bike that can travel up to 30 mph. The potential for conflict is high.
E-bikes on paved roads within our national parks is also a big concern for safety matters. Many national parks are crowded with vehicle traffic and adding more bicycle users on these roadways is problematic. Many national park roads are narrow, curvy, consist of steep drop offs, and have hidden corners. More bicycle vs. car accidents are likely to occur.
Trail etiquette is critical and even before e-bikes came to the market, this has always been a problem. E-bikes will not make for an easy visitor experience. Many public land users enjoy the “quiet” recreation experience on the trail and a slower pace to enjoy the area. Nobody wants to be hiking or horseback riding, immersed in their moment, to have an e-bike whizzing by, blowing dust and dirt into their eyes. The hiker doesn’t have time to dodge the bicycle and feels displaced.
A big concern of allowing e-bikes on our public lands is the potential increase in e-bike related injuries and accidents. This will most likely result in a strain in emergency personnel and search and rescue teams. Not to mention the already over stressed and understaffed public land rangers. E-bikes allow the user to go faster and farther.
In the case of the iconic White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park in Utah, disaster is looming. A 110 mile dirt road that is popular among current mountain bikers and 4x4 users has the potential for user conflicts and under prepared e-bike users. E-bikes use an electric motor to power them. In today’s society where recreational user’s mentality of “to recreate fast and hard” this is bad news for public land managers where e-bikes are allowed. Imagine a under prepared, unfit e-bike user thinking they can do a 110 mile loop in half a day, with little food and water, and then their e-bike motor catches on fire or worse, just dies. Now what does this biker do? They will need multiple resources to assist them and take up valuable emergency and ranger personnel.
The other big question that arises, is how are e-biker users going to be enforced? Is there going to a be a ranger who makes sure the right type of e-bike class is correct for that trail? Who is going to monitor to make sure the e-bikes actually stay on the trail and are using pedal assist? Who is going to deal with recreational user conflicts?
If e-bikes get popular enough, the trails will be crowded, noisier, and the “quiet” human powered recreational users are going to feel pushed out and seek other places to enjoy their trails.
E-bikes are heavier and likely to cause an increase in trail damage and have a greater capacity to disturb wildlife and negatively affect the trail experience for others.
Simply put, e-bikes do not belong on non-motorized trails. Technically, e-bikes use a motor and considered “motorized” vehicle. There are millions of miles of roads and motorized trails on public lands that are open to e-bikes. This new precedent is a dangerous one and opens the door for more motorized recreation that is set aside for non-motorized use. The user experience will never be the same again. Next we might see electric scooters, electric mopeds, or electric motorcycles on our trails. Is this what we in-vision? Is that the future of the best way to protect the resources and values of our public lands? A free for all for every motorized machine out there?
*Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.”