Please Share Your Thoughts on Electric Mountain Bikes
Photo courtesy of IMBA.
The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) is currently conducting a study on the impacts of electric mountain bikes.
They have been looking at the physical impacts of electric mountain bikes on the terrain compared to traditional mountain bikes and the results from that study should be published later this year.
IMBA is also studying the social impacts of electric mountain bikes and that is where we would really like your input.
The results from this IMBA study will impact where electric mountain bikes are allowed to be ridden.
Please take a minute to provide your thoughts on electric mountain bikes in this survey at the IMBA website.
Also, please share this with your family and friends that would interested in providing their thoughts on e-mtbs.
Thanks!
-Pete
It’s about time this excellent idea took off. With the recent widespread availability of sprung weight motor systems they now make much more sense for off road apps.
Ultramotor, of Colorado, is the pioneer and leader in high performance electric bikes. I’ve tried them and if I had the money I would have invested in their superb product design.
There are no downsides in the widespread use of these advanced rides. However, if I was walking on a trail, with my grand daughters and one or more riders blasted by with or without a motor, I’d be upset. If we were on a known mtbk trail, and it was clearly marked as to its purpose, the I’d STFU and apologize if necessary.
Anything that can help grow the use of ebikes, anywhere in the world, is positive. Ebikes are NOT guns or weapons, and not the weapon of choice to attack anything but a trail or street for pleasure. Oh, the pain can be plenty, but always aimed inward to gain better personal performance.
The only mental illness bikers might have is OCD, obsessive cycling disorder.
Bring it on, it opens up a whole new world of creative fun, the possibilities are unlimited.
Unfortunately, the link to the emtb survey does not work. Even after creating an account, I can’t access it.
As an avid cyclist for 30 yrs both on and off road my first reaction to ebikes on mt. bike trails is no. I am a huge proponent of ebikes and of the mind that any opportunity to get more people on bikes is a great thing.
I live in an area with many great/infamous trails of which I ride often. There is an inherent multiuse conflict on just about all trails and an increase in users daily.
Knowing that I can easily pedal speeds to 20mph and more unassisted on trails that were not necessarily designed for that speed makes me wonder what these ebikes will do to the trails at greater speeds. It is inevitable that people will tweak the limits on all classes of ebikes.
How can enforcement possibly be achieved when most trails are remote.
I feel now that ebikes should remain on the road, greenways or NFS roads.