It doesn’t factor in the cost of your dignity
Forest Service Issues ‘E-Bike’ Guidance
- Thread starter sapperJ24
- Start date
Lawnboy
Well-known member
I'm guessing there's were class 2 ebikes Class 1 can't be pedaled any faster than 20 mph and don't allow any movement unless you're pedaling. Not throttle or the like
So is it the fact that they can ride faster than you in a straight line the problem people seem to have?
I don't recall that particular fact being brought up by anyone in 283 posts as a concern. Guess you could read the thread to make sure. mtmuley
"When I have ridden my mountain bike along with them, I have no hope at all of keeping up. I’d say it takes me 3-4 times as long as them to get somewhere."
This is in the post that I quoted, so I'm wondering if that is what he is talking about, the speed to getting somewhere compared to normal mountain bike.
Maybe you can understand that before you jump on the keyboard and try to write some snide ass comment for no reason, I'm simply asking if that is why he prefers to keep ebikes off the bike paths.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
Just to clarify, class 1ebikes are assisted by the motor up to 20 mph. They can go much faster like any other bike.
Hem
Well-known member
O' the horror. I actually LIKE riding my mountain bike uphill.
Disgruntled with aging and muscle loss, and never wear a fanny pack.
theat
Well-known member
They don't have a throttle, just pedal assist. Not sure what class they would be, but it really takes very minimal effort pedaling to keep the motor running once you get it going.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
Maybe regrettably, I resurrected this thread because of HB 261.
It failed its third reading this afternoon by a vote of 48-49.
apps.montanafreepress.org
It failed its third reading this afternoon by a vote of 48-49.
HB 261: Revise e-bike laws | 2023 Montana Capitol Tracker
Bill details, sponsor, text, procedural status and more for HB 261: Revise e-bike laws.
apps.montanafreepress.org
Hem
Well-known member
Its probably too heavy to push for the puss sacks that use them....crap, there i went drawing a line in the sand.
According to Rad Power, which is what my Ebike is, this is what they say...
- Class 1: A bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 mph.
- Class 2: A bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle, and that is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 mph.
- Class 3: A bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 mph, and is equipped with a speedometer.
theat
Well-known member
Not at all. If someone rides, runs, hikes, or walks faster than me, I could care less. My main concern with e-bikes, and what I have gathered from most that oppose expanding there usage, is that it is just one more MAJOR advantage for getting more and more people further and further into the backcountry as easily as possible. The last thing our wildlife and wild areas need is more human impact. It blows my mind how many more people I encounter in the forest the past few years and how much less wildlife I see in those same areas. Many studies and my own observations have shown that more humans on the landscape=less wildlife.
I rarely use my regular mountain bike for hunting. Mostly because I primarily hunt in areas that it is not legal and not practical. Legalizing e-bikes would have almost no impact on my hunting areas, but I still don't think they should be legalized on non-motorized trails. There are way more (non-wilderness) roads and trails in my area that are open to to motorized vehicles than not so I tend to want to keep the few remaining non motorized ones the way they are.
That is a Class One e-bike. They are equipped with varying levels of assist. Power modes if you will. In the maximum assist mode, they take very little effort. In the minimal assist mode, you can get a workout on one.
Riding on a flat smooth surface is a very different game from riding on most of the trails out in the mountain west. Trails vary in steepness and technical difficulty. You aren't going to have some out of shape non-bicyclist accessing much of what I have seen for western trails. Then when it comes to hunting, getting all of the gear to those areas and an animal out is going to be nigh impossible. Class 1 E-bikes are not a panacea. I don't see them ever becoming significant game changers if they are allowed on paths that regular bicycles are allowed on.
Ya I get your point. Makes sense, I have both so I guess it doesn't matter to me either way, I think an ebike is more of a burden honestly. Insanely heavy, hard to pedal is battery dies, and especially if its a fat tire bike. Plus, these things aren't getting you up the bigger inclines like they advertise. Mountain bike is way more nimble, and easier to pedal uphill with the more gearing and lighter platform. I can see how bombing around looking for antelope could be fun though, might have to try that.
Lawnboy
Well-known member
This is the actual definitions from Bosch who make the motors for many.
The three classes are defined as follows:
- Class 1: eBikes that are pedal-assist only, with no throttle, and have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph.
- Class 2: eBikes that also have a maximum speed of 20 mph, but are throttle-assisted.
- Class 3: eBikes that are pedal-assist only, with no throttle, and a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph.
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Lasiocarpa
Active member
Access to our public lands has never been easier. Between digital mapping technology, social media, online beta, lighter gear, better 4x4 vehicles, and more people, our wild places are becoming functionally smaller.
It is not the resource damage that a single e-bike does that is a problem. It is the fact that for every person willing to put up with the bullshit that goes with keeping horses, there are 100 that are perfectly capable of shelling out $8000 for an e-bike. Easier access=more users=Shrinking wild places and more pressure on wildlife.
Look at a map of the roads in the US. Non-motorized users, wildlife, and wild ecosystems already lost that fight. I’m not about to compromise on what’s left.
It is not the resource damage that a single e-bike does that is a problem. It is the fact that for every person willing to put up with the bullshit that goes with keeping horses, there are 100 that are perfectly capable of shelling out $8000 for an e-bike. Easier access=more users=Shrinking wild places and more pressure on wildlife.
Look at a map of the roads in the US. Non-motorized users, wildlife, and wild ecosystems already lost that fight. I’m not about to compromise on what’s left.
FI460
Well-known member
Every one of those cookie cutter suburban homes can support an e-bike. Many orders of magnitude between that and available horse properties.
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