[tvan]

I should know better than to ask this here but legit question so here goes....
Do any of you locals see people riding ebikes on the whole enchilada or other trails where they arent yet legal. I say "yet" with fingers crossed because IMO a place like Moab with high desert conditions and long challenging rides would be the ideal place to take advantage of some pedaling assistance, especially on a weeklong trip when trying to squeeze in as many miles as possible every day.

I guess my question is, what are the penalties if caught and is there anyone actually checking?

Ive read certain trails are ok for ebikes but wondering what to do if thats the only bike I bring and want to ride other trails with a group thats on regular bikes. I know this is a touchy subject across the country but having ridden both e and standard bikes for a while now with my current group, I cant for the life of me see why they are treated differently. (other than the old, Because the sign says so, argument)

 

[charcist]

Published ebike information for Moab: https://www.discovermoab.com/ebikes/
From that page:
"E-bikes are not allowed on any non-motorized singletrack INCLUDING all singletrack that is apart of the Whole Enchilada Trail system. "

That link should answer your legit questions about e-bike access to everything around Moab.

The other statements, questions, rationalizations and opening debate arguments should best be carried out on some non-location specific forum.

 

[borisotto]

wondering what to do if thats the only bike I bring and want to ride other trails with a group thats on regular bikes.

There are plenty of MTB rental shops in Moab, you should rent regular bike for day or two. However, bikes availability gets tricky during peak season, so its better plan ahead and rent far in advance if you are planing to visit in Sept-Oct.

 

[honkinunit]

You shouldn't poach trails in Moab or anywhere else. There are a ton of places you can ride an ebike in Moab. The touchy word is "singletrack". You can't ride on any of the "new" singletrack because it was all built by a trails group that hates ebikes with a passion. You can't even ride an ebike on the PAVED bike paths in Moab, even in town, which is total bullshit, but Moab is more whack than Boulder now, so there you go.

The other ebike issue in Moab that is total bullshit is the total ban on eBikes in Arches and Canyonlands. You can take a lifted Jeep or a highly modified dirt bike on White Rim or Elephant Hill in Canyonlands,, or the Turret Arch road in Arches, but you can't ride an eBike on those same roads. The rangers claim it is a Federal ban, but you can ride on Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain NP with an eBike, so clearly they are constipated old bitches that can't figure out their own regs.

You can actually ride a couple of parts of TWE on an ebike, because those parts aren't "singletrack", but you can't ride any of the high forested parts, or UPS/LPS. The "traditional" Porcupine Rim is open to ebikes from the stock tanks to the motorized closure a few miles from the end. Not going to work with a group.

You can ride ebikes on Slickrock, Amasa Back, Klondike Bluff, Hurrah Pass, Poison Spider, Little Canyon, Bull Canyon, Moab Rim, Flat Pass, anywhere a motorcycle can go. You can ride some stuff the MTBs don't normally ride, and have a total blast, like Hell's Revenge, Fins 'N Things, Hook and Ladder, Onion Creek, Top of The World, etc.

You can't ride TWE, Mag 7, Bar-M trails, Navajo Rocks, Far North trails, Ahab, or any other recently built (last 20 years or so) singletrack. The only real singletrack open to ebikes is Sovereign, because it was built by/for motorcycles, and the trails at Dead Horse Point State Park, because all state parks in Utah are open to Class 1 ebikes. Other than that, you are limited to the trails built on old mining roads that are open to motorcycles and 4x4's. There are hundreds of miles of those.

 

[tvan]

Thanks, thats the kind of info I was looking for. Sounds like I'll be bringing my other bike. That really sucks to hear though, Moab would be amazing on an ebike. I can see hikers being anti ebike because they just want any excuse to keep us out but I really dont get other riders being against them. Ive been riding since 1990, every version of MTB there is or was and no BS, my ebike is more of a true mountain bike than anything else Ive ridden. Being lumped in with dirtbikes makes no sense, its not even close to being the same. We did a dirtbike trip out there 2 years ago and it was the best riding Ive ever done. At the time, it seemed to me like Moab was totally open to anything you wanted to ride or drive but I guess I was wrong.

 

[J.B. Weld]

Ive been riding since 1990, every version of MTB there is or was and no BS, my ebike is more of a true mountain bike than anything else Ive ridden.

?

That ain't right.

 

[twodownzero]

?

That ain't right.

Agreed. Moab has virtually endless motorcycle trails. Take your e-bike there and leave my singletrack alone.

 

[borisotto]

I really dont get other riders being against them.

Few assholes on ebikes riding way too fast and too dangerous make a lasting impression that unfortunately spreads on all e-bikers.
Just like some shitheads on bicycles make a lot of drivers hate cyclists.

 

[honkinunit]

Few assholes on ebikes riding way too fast and too dangerous make a lasting impression that unfortunately spreads on all e-bikers.
Just like some shitheads on bicycles make a lot of drivers hate cyclists.

Blah blah blah.

How many Class 1 ebikes have you seen being ridden "way too fast and too dangerous"? Please tell us exactly, because a Class 1 ebike goes no faster uphill than a fit rider, and no faster downhill than any other MTB.

Do you know the difference between a Class 1 and anything else?

 

[J.B. Weld]

Blah blah blah.

How many Class 1 ebikes have you seen being ridden "way too fast and too dangerous"? Please tell us exactly, because a Class 1 ebike goes no faster uphill than a fit rider, and no faster downhill than any other MTB.

Electric bikes are ok, no need to defend them with untruthfulness. I'm pretty fit and have had riders on e-bikes ( class 1) blow by me like I was standing still on climbs while I'm redlining.

 

[rockcrusher]

Electric bikes are ok, no need to defend them with untruthfulness. I'm pretty fit and have had riders on e-bikes ( class 1) blow by me like I was standing still on climbs while I'm redlining.

I agree. I am also fit and have had ladies on class 1 ebikes blow by me (comparatively) on Seattle streets while I commute home. I ride a lot and fit and feel fast pedalwise on hills but when a 60 year old lady on a class 1 ebike can pass me in sandals and with her yoga mat in a basket on the back of her bike, I know that they can go faster than a bike uphill. I can easily catch a class 1 on the flats and can hang with a class 2 in the draft if I can catch them from a light (which I usually can't due to their much greater acceleration abilities). I can catch all of them on descents. Class 3 is a whole other thing though. They regularly throttle past me with traffic up the same hills.

It is delusional to say that a reasonably fit rider can match a class one up hill unless that rather fit person is a CAT-1 rider, which I wouldn't call a fit rider, because this category rider can pass me on the hills here too like a Class 1 bike can.

 

[borisotto]

Blah blah blah.

I don't give a flying toss about ebikes classes, but I did see ebike going over 40kmh on shared bike trail with my own eyes. Could be hacked, self-made or <insert_your_suggestion_here> - I don't really care.

Asshole is an asshole, nothing to do with equipment he/she is using.

 

[MSU Alum]

"...legit question so here goes..."
"Do any of you locals see people riding ebikes on [ ] trails where they aren't yet legal."
"what are the penalties if caught and is there anyone actually checking?"

So, you want to go to Moab, where there are hundreds of miles of riding open to eBikes and poach illegal riding where it's not allowed?

"...I really don't get other riders being against them..."

I'm not against eBikes at all, just some of the riders!

"...no BS, my ebike is more of a true mountain bike than anything else Ive ridden."

WHAAAAT?

 

[SAM313]

Please don't come here and deliberately break the rules just because you want to. The single track trails would be great on a motorcycle too, but certain uses need to be separated. I ride here several times a week and have NEVER seen anyone riding an e-bike on a closed trail. As previously stated there are plenty of motorized trails for e-bikes if that's what you choose to ride.
If I saw someone? I'd stop them and send them back to the parking lot to meet with the BLM ranger who is on my speed dial.
Am I an A-Hole? Maybe, but I prefer to cycle in peace and appreciate the effort put into our trails by Trailmix and don't want to lose the working relationship we have with BLM that allows us to have the abundance of great trails we have.
A little respect goes a long way.

 

[honkinunit]

I don't give a flying toss about ebikes classes, but I did see ebike going over 40kmh on shared bike trail with my own eyes. Could be hacked, self-made or <insert_your_suggestion_here> - I don't really care.

Asshole is an asshole, nothing to do with equipment he/she is using.

I see non-ebikes going over 25MPH on shared paths every_single_day in Boulder. Ban non-ebikes?

It ain't the bike, its the rider.

 

[honkinunit]

Electric bikes are ok, no need to defend them with untruthfulness. I'm pretty fit and have had riders on e-bikes ( class 1) blow by me like I was standing still on climbs while I'm redlining.

I'm pretty fit, and I've had women riders blow by me like I was standing still on climbs while I'm redlining. Of course, this is Boulder, so they aren't average riders.

Still, I'd like to ban them. It hurts my feelings, which I suspect is the same reason many people don't like ebikes.

 

[rockcrusher]

I'm pretty fit, and I've had women riders blow by me like I was standing still on climbs while I'm redlining. Of course, this is Boulder, so they aren't average riders.

Still, I'd like to ban them.

your kinda making a point against ebikes on non ebike trails. Banning the faster things would mean banning bikes and ebikes from the trails, something many trail users are pointing out as one of the reasons that when a trail is noted as no ebikes then it is no ebikes. Not ebikes at one's discretion just none. if you want to use the trails you are currently banned from using then go through the process of getting the trails released for your use type. Riding in on the coat tails of another user ain't going to serve any group well.

I think SAM313 point is very valid. The trails were built by trail builders with the express support of the BLM and within their rules which means no ebikes. If you feel this is unfair then the BLM is the people you need to convince. Bitching about how it is unfair to other cyclists isn't going to turn them to your cause any more than us bitching to hikers or horse riders will get us on wilderness trails or back into Marin without speed limits.

 

[borisotto]

I see non-ebikes going over 25MPH on shared paths every_single_day in Boulder. Ban non-ebikes?

I trust folks that are in a very good shape and could push their bikes that fast way more then any selfish ass on ebike going with the same high speed just because there is a motor inside. Skill's level most likely will be quite different just as the risk for the people around.

It ain't the bike, its the rider.

Exactly my point.

 

[honkinunit]

I trust folks that are in a very good shape and could push their bikes that fast way more then any selfish ass on ebike going with the same high speed just because there is a motor inside. Skill's level most likely will be quite different just as the risk for the people around.

Exactly my point.

No skill required to ride dangerously at over 25 mph. We have things called hills. The US-36 path between Boulder and Louisville has a mile long grade that tops out at 6%. I've seen people going 25 mph+ on wobbly old Huffys, on cargo bikes, on bikes pulling trailers, I saw a guy looking at his phone while riding 25 mph+ no handed, I've seen riders on longboards and one guy crouched down with his arms wrapped around his knees going at least 30 MPH on inline skates, passing riders going the same direction while barely missing riders going uphill in the opposite direction.

 

[honkinunit]

You have just touched on one of the reasons that it is a terrible idea for bike organizations to advocate ebike bans. Since study after study shows ebikes cause no more trail erosion than other MTBs, and it can be conclusively proven that an average rider on a Class 1 ebike can go no faster up or down than many non-ebike riders, arguing against eMTBs on trails is essentially arguing against *any* MTB use. I'm sure this will be used against MTBs soon.