Posted by: PembyRocks
Given the current climate in the S2S with potential access issues in Pemberton, Squamish and the constant battle in West and North Van, do we need to introduce another reason for the naysayers to strengthen their arguments?
Also, what about increased erosion on trails? The use of e-bikes allows many more laps of trails in the same riding session. What if we all do that? Trails get hammered. It's not the bike park. There's not a dedicated paid trail crew fixing up the trails after hundreds of riders shred them multiple times a day.
And the issue with e-bikes flying past other riders and hikers on the trails. I've had my bars clipped from these things passing me, ignorantly, on climb trails. What about public perception and acceptance on multi use climb trails? These incidents do not help us at all. Sure, some fly downhill just as ignorantly, but ripping past people legitimately climbing their pedal bikes, and those hiking on the same access trails is bullshit.
Regardless of access issues, people just need to man up and pedal their bikes. The bicycle is a very efficient machine. Like I said, unless there is a physical disability, there is no reason to need an assist bike. Ride more, get stronger, suck it up.
I can't speak to the access issues in Pemby, but Squamish seems to be doing okay and I am aware they have trails where pedelec access is legitimate.
Re erosion, I do agree that the potential for increased erosion is there. However if erosion from increased trail use is to be considered a legitimate argument against pedelecs then one also has to look at the total number of bikes on the trails as well. More riders = more erosion, so does that mean there is going to be a limit on the number of people allowed on the trails, including pedal only bikes?
I also agree with you about the bad behaviour aspect but as you say you get ignorant people on pedal bikes as well as pedelecs. I question whether it's fair to ban all people from a certain form of recreation based on the notion that some people are going to act irresponsibly.
Finally I agree about the physical aspect and part of why I love mtb'ing is for the physical challenge. However I've worked in the health and fitness industry long enough to know full well that a lot of people are not interested in pushing their limits or riding more, getting stronger and sucking it up. Many people are happy doing just enough to get by or to be able to do something in a manner they enjoy. This kinda comes back to one of my first points about who gets to decide how people choose to recreate?
I think that there is some sort of middle ground or compromise that can be achieved where a lot of people will be happy. Not everyone is going to be completely happy and we're going to have to deal with some asshats, but I think that's a better approach that just outright banning pedelecs. I definitely think that it's better for the mtb community to have this discussion in a balanced and reasonable manner than to scream and yell about it online. Either way, I will be happy to grind up a difficult or technical climb and I won't mind who's riding next to me as long as they're showing good trail etiquette and being respectful and responsible. After that I am with you in that I don't want to see trail access damaged, but I haven't seen any evidence yet to support that happening simply due to the use of pedelecs.
I will say that the best reason I have seen so far for limiting pedelec access is a story related by Grant Lamont where a Whistler trail was getting hit because people were doing a ton of laps on a trail that was easily accessed via pedaling up a road. There may be a number of different ways to solve that and I get that banning pedelecs from all trails represents the easiest solution, but unless there is a provincial ban on the sale of pedelecs the same type of nitwit that's riding a trail into the ground now is going to be doing it anyway even if there is a ban. I think the chances of the province banning the sale of pedelecs altogether is zero as is people not using them even if there is a ban, so it seems to make sense to look for alternative solutions.
Also, just wanted to say thanks for the good discussion as I recognize it's a contentious topic to deal with.