Of course the weight thing has something to do with the riders, the bikes aren't out riding around by themselves. The idea was put forth that the extra weight of an ebike increases the impact on the trails. However, the bike and rider are a system working together so you can't ignore the weight of the rider if the argument is going to be that the extra weight is a negative to the trails.
I agree with you on the point about increased riding in bad weather (and agree that it was an unintentional thing by the author), also your point about riding up the downhills. This is why I feel debates about ebike impact should be based on rider etiquette. This includes things like riding in inclement weather, being patient/kind with other trail users and the big one of giving back to the trails, whether that's through labour or cash to the local trail org. Re the marketing angle, unfortunately a mjority of what exists in the mtb world has an aggessive bias that is often opposed to good trail etiquette.
March 11, 2025, 4:23 p.m. - Mark
Of course the weight thing has something to do with the riders, the bikes aren't out riding around by themselves. The idea was put forth that the extra weight of an ebike increases the impact on the trails. However, the bike and rider are a system working together so you can't ignore the weight of the rider if the argument is going to be that the extra weight is a negative to the trails. I agree with you on the point about increased riding in bad weather (and agree that it was an unintentional thing by the author), also your point about riding up the downhills. This is why I feel debates about ebike impact should be based on rider etiquette. This includes things like riding in inclement weather, being patient/kind with other trail users and the big one of giving back to the trails, whether that's through labour or cash to the local trail org. Re the marketing angle, unfortunately a mjority of what exists in the mtb world has an aggessive bias that is often opposed to good trail etiquette.