Moab BLM Bans E-Bikes

I just had a divisive argument with a friend about this. She is an accomplished and passionate rider but she just doesn't have the same love of climbing that I do. I want to push my limits climbing, descending and duration. If I want to build longer rides I just get out there and force my fitness to adapt to my new plans.

She doesn't do this. She wants to climb somewhat but is mostly motivated by descending and the payoff and she doesn't savour discomfort. I hadn't really considered this demographic. She figures an ebike could double or triple her fun time without adding more long slow climbing or shuttling. It would still be quiet and it would still be primarily self-powered. I grumble something in my mind about "if you want to be fast and ride a lot you have to pay for it".

It got me thinking about the elitism and arrogance of fitness. Something something about earning and suffering and entitlement. But if I pedal up to 19th Hole or Gravitrout and encounter a truck full of shuttlers I couldn't care less - I've shuttled plenty of times and certainly wouldn't fault anyone for it. So why should I be bothered by this?

My concern is when the distinction between e-bike and e-dirtbike becomes more blurry. As battery technology improves, e-bikes will only get more powerful, faster etc.

On the thxgiving weekend while riding on the SSC I caught up with a couple on e-DH bikes. The lady was having a tough time climbing up the the rooty trails on her ebike (equipped with a Boxxer fork) and was pushing up the trail. The fellow was doing hot laps behind her, climbing up, descending, climbing back up. He was roosting the corners going up hill. I was surprised how fast he was able to climb, likely as fast as the average rider would descend this section. There was noticeable impact to the tread just from his couple laps, going uphill…. aside from trail impacts, the potential for user conflicts is huge if climbers are now traveling up as fast as descenders are traveling down the trail.

As someone who has spent years getting our local trails designated non-motorised, I would be disappointed to see e-bikes not classified as motorized vehicles. e-motorised is motorised.

Bjorn Enga now makes e-bikes. Basically they bolt a e-assist kit to the Santa Cruz model of your choice. The video certainly pitches it as brappy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO64DJA7J_c

Bjorn Enga now makes e-bikes. Basically they bolt a e-assist kit to the Santa Cruz model of your choice. The video certainly pitches it as brappy.

Yep, that was the set up I saw. Able to roost going uphill no problem.

the hilarity in selling the ebike "brap" image is that it'll would be way cheaper to go out and buy a dirt-bike or trials bike to do that type of riding. starting at $7,000 for the heckler and climbing up to $15,000 for the v10 i don't see these types of bikes becoming hugely popular on the trails. cost of entry for these things is significant and will be a barrier to most people.

the hilarity in selling the ebike "brap" image is that it'll would be way cheaper to go out and buy a dirt-bike or trials bike to do that type of riding. starting at $7,000 for the heckler and climbing up to $15,000 for the v10 i don't see these types of bikes becoming hugely popular on the trails. cost of entry for these things is significant and will be a barrier to most people.

4 to 5 grand for the kit. Speeds up to 75km/h (claimed). New technology so prices are high, what will be the cost of a kit in a few years?

4 to 5 grand for the kit. Speeds up to 75km/h (claimed). New technology so prices are high, what will be the cost of a kit in a few years?

even if of cuts by half, how many people do you see spending another $2500 on top of what they already have shelled out?

i see this as a rather small market, especially for the higher end bikes that will be used as shredders.

even if of cuts by half, how many people do you see spending another $2500 on top of what they already have shelled out?

i see this as a rather small market, especially for the higher end bikes that will be used as shredders.

No idea, as I am not the target market. A couple grand isn't all that much when you consider you can move the unit from bike to bike in the future.

A small town like Campbell River already has issues amongst trail users (thanks Strava) and mtb'ers will be losing access to some trails in the next year, adding e-dh bikes ridden by folks new to the sport (based on many pro e-bike arguments) will only fan the flames.

the way things sit now though, with the exception of one trail, all trails on the shore are considered two-way and mult-use (bikers and hikers at least).

Very interesting. I did not know that. I also admit it would be foolish for me to hope that common sense would apply in cases like going uphill on Expresso.

Both. For the latter, you're assuming that only average users will employ pedal assist. You might end up being right, but it's an assumption nonetheless. I also don't think you need hammer skills to climb the bulk of Expresso. Just some extra legs.

No idea, as I am not the target market. A couple grand isn't all that much when you consider you can move the unit from bike to bike in the future.

A small town like Campbell River already has issues amongst trail users (thanks Strava) and mtb'ers will be losing access to some trails in the next year, adding e-dh bikes ridden by folks new to the sport (based on many pro e-bike arguments) will only fan the flames.

can you? i'm sure you'd need to purchase additional frame mount, etc. i wouldn't think it's a simple process like swapping out a fork or shock.

sounds like rocky is developing an e-bike :devil:

I'd bet money that by 2016 Norco and Rocky and a whole host of others will have Ebikes in the catalog. In fact I'd bet that 2017 they're as much the 'new thing' as fatbikes have been.

Land access issues be damned, bike companies here to make money and we all know that fat rich guys (a key market that isn't buying 6k MTBs currently) like the easy route.

Sorry to the bike companies I've "called out" above - it's not personal. Just the way I see things going.

holy shit , that vid had everything but scratch and smell 2 stroke smoke . . . when i saw the gravel fly at the beginning i kinda knew what i was in for .

ironic term used by enga : " disruptive technology " . he's got that point right .

and seeing that guy rip uphills , plus the stories i've heard here so far only confirm my fears about user conflict .

over on ADVrider.com there is a thread ( " electric motorbikes ", many , many pages ) where they are coming at it from the other direction : way more power trending to less , and no comments about trail use , accessability , erosion , etc .

Once the technology gets worked out and it's light and durable then it could be another fancy option like adding carbon wheels. Think about the slow uptake and resistance on stuff that is now pretty much mandatory (suspension, disc brakes, dropper posts). If you could have all the goodness of your current ride but for, say, $1k and 2lb add-on you could double your climbing speed?

Increased ridership is a good thing in my opinion. More money in the cycling industry, which is never a bad thing. This goes for shop owners, shop staff, local associations, etc. I think this will predominately be new money, not just a transfer from mechanical to electrical bikes.

Reps too right? sometimes you industry people make me wanna puke, selling out everyone else for personal gain and trying to tell us it'll benefit us too. Right… nice sales pitch sales douche, but no sale.

I just had a divisive argument with a friend about this. She is an accomplished and passionate rider but she just doesn't have the same love of climbing that I do. I want to push my limits climbing, descending and duration. If I want to build longer rides I just get out there and force my fitness to adapt to my new plans.

She doesn't do this. She wants to climb somewhat but is mostly motivated by descending and the payoff and she doesn't savour discomfort. I hadn't really considered this demographic. She figures an ebike could double or triple her fun time without adding more long slow climbing or shuttling. It would still be quiet and it would still be primarily self-powered. I grumble something in my mind about "if you want to be fast and ride a lot you have to pay for it".

It got me thinking about the elitism and arrogance of fitness. Something something about earning and suffering and entitlement. But if I pedal up to 19th Hole or Gravitrout and encounter a truck full of shuttlers I couldn't care less - I've shuttled plenty of times and certainly wouldn't fault anyone for it. So why should I be bothered by this?

What's elitist about having some sort of skill, fitness, time entry barrier to the sport? So your friend doesn't like climbing. Well then she won't like trails that have lots of climbing. It's crazy to call that elitist.

If someone doesn't have the time to do a long ride. Same deal.

Imagine if the Trials user group kicked us out of Britannia, citing trail damage (true) and dangerous encounters (haven't heard of any but anything is possible, right?). I would definitely have something to say about that.

We deserve to be kicked out of Brittania for being the arrogant stravaing asswipes that we are.

Really simple. Ebikes for motorized trails. Prohibited on non-motorized trails.