dear znarf,
I‘ve been travelling the world within for the bike industry for about 15 years (events, worldcup, product launches), and have seen a lot of countries and trails, yes. 10 years alone frequently to the US.
now outside the industry, but I still enjoy wonderful trails and ride them responsible. I do care for trails as well in our Dolomite region, I‘ve moved to the Brenta region many years ago.
what trouble are you talking of?
more people riding bikes and getting healthy? great. our public health system will be fine.
more people riding trails? so what. we have so many trails and 10-20% of eMTB riders actually ride trails (optimistic version).
eMTBs destroying trails? just two interesting numbers:
a rear wheel skidding impacts a trail with around 5000W energy.
a eMTB rider riding upwards, impacts a trail with around 1000W.
I feel we have mouch more trouble with the current generation of Single Trail riders (grown up in bikeparks) that shred alpine trails, destroying them. instead of riding them carefully and with good braking skills.
I am in the Tourism sector since years, and I talk to a LOT of landowners here, and am well connected with tourism and trail network clusters in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany.
Yes, we will see more people riding bikes trough eMTB (if it works for a person, for others it works not), and that‘s a good thing.
How in the world could we MTB people be so arrogant to think we decide where eMTB riders are „allowed“ to ride and which trails. that is BS.
I am riding trails since the 80ies, and I‘ve seen a few trails and countries, and met so many wonderful people on 2 knobby tires.
I strongly believe we, the riders will get trough all this drama, and MTB and eMTB will finally coexist peacefully.
As for the Dolomites: I know a few epic rides there I have not seen elsewhere.
Cheers to Bavaria
March 9, 2018, 10:26 a.m. - dolomite
dear znarf, I‘ve been travelling the world within for the bike industry for about 15 years (events, worldcup, product launches), and have seen a lot of countries and trails, yes. 10 years alone frequently to the US. now outside the industry, but I still enjoy wonderful trails and ride them responsible. I do care for trails as well in our Dolomite region, I‘ve moved to the Brenta region many years ago. what trouble are you talking of? more people riding bikes and getting healthy? great. our public health system will be fine. more people riding trails? so what. we have so many trails and 10-20% of eMTB riders actually ride trails (optimistic version). eMTBs destroying trails? just two interesting numbers: a rear wheel skidding impacts a trail with around 5000W energy. a eMTB rider riding upwards, impacts a trail with around 1000W. I feel we have mouch more trouble with the current generation of Single Trail riders (grown up in bikeparks) that shred alpine trails, destroying them. instead of riding them carefully and with good braking skills. I am in the Tourism sector since years, and I talk to a LOT of landowners here, and am well connected with tourism and trail network clusters in Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany. Yes, we will see more people riding bikes trough eMTB (if it works for a person, for others it works not), and that‘s a good thing. How in the world could we MTB people be so arrogant to think we decide where eMTB riders are „allowed“ to ride and which trails. that is BS. I am riding trails since the 80ies, and I‘ve seen a few trails and countries, and met so many wonderful people on 2 knobby tires. I strongly believe we, the riders will get trough all this drama, and MTB and eMTB will finally coexist peacefully. As for the Dolomites: I know a few epic rides there I have not seen elsewhere. Cheers to Bavaria