Posted by: Kieran
There was an older dude riding an downhill electric v10 up the new mystic trail to the alpine in whistler yesterday. Our group (including one of the trail builders on LOTS which he'd be riding down) let him know the score.
I'm not totally against them at all and maybe when I'm older they would be a good option for me. But that was taking the piss IMO.
How is that any different from all the people who have done heli-drops up there?
The heli drop uses rainbow mountain not sproat. The trail down is an old moto trail I believe. I'm not saying its right or wrong but you have to admit in the current climate its a bit cheeky. There are plenty of other ploughed trails that a V10 would be better suited (and I ride a DH bike usually). A big bike on LOTS is over kill IMO.
maybe, but without knowing the what's or why's of this dude being up there on that bike it's just speculation to say what his deal was.
Ironically, with the new ascent trail, I bet more people have descended LOTS in the last two weeks than have heli-dropped Sproatt (or Rainbow) in the last 5 years combined. Build it, and they will come.
I can see someone with an eye for business looking at the Sproatt trail system as a perfect e-bike opportunity to get people who wouldn't normally be willing/able to do a climb like that, or afford a heli-drop, up there for a nice long descent. Dunno what the permit/regulation side of that would look like.
The trail builder I was with has seen him before riding his Moto on some of the trails on that flank before. Sounds like he's taking advantage of the current loop hole.
Plus the way he approached us on the climb said a lot. He kept stopping and hanging back before he finally went passed us as we were obviously going way too slow for him. it just wreaked that he knew he shouldn't have been there and I do believe that there is a sign at the bottom that said no motorized vehicles. This was a throttle electric v10. No pedal assist. He belted up the trail after he finally passed us.
Posted by: Kieran
The trail builder I was with has seen him before riding his Moto on some of the trails on that flank before. Sounds like he's taking advantage of the current loop hole.
well that's dirty pool then.
the whole sell on ITM/LOTS was that it's not heli assist, it's self propelled, non-motorized. The hiking group was a VERY hard sell on this proposal and one of the main points we sold them on was that it was non-motorized, cross country riding. Not freeriding, not shuttling, not helis, no motors. It's designated as such by the Province and the District Rec officer supports us in this designation as the designated maintainers and signers of the partnership agreement.
^^^ As it should be, not a replication of the winter gong show up there with sleds in the watershed riding right to the summit of Sproatt.
sorry I was thinking of the Barbour heli drop as I'd just read an article about the new descent trail that was put in up there
https://www.mountainlifemedia.ca/2015/12/heli-biking-b-c-s-coast-mountains/
Posted by: FlipFantasia
the whole sell on ITM/LOTS was that it's not heli assist, it's self propelled, non-motorized. The hiking group was a VERY hard sell on this proposal and one of the main points we sold them on was that it was non-motorized, cross country riding. Not freeriding, not shuttling, not helis, no motors. It's designated as such by the Province and the District Rec officer supports us in this designation as the designated maintainers and signers of the partnership agreement.
I realized after your post that I had been thinking about a different area. This makes it doubly uncool that dude was up there on the electric V10.
Posted by: syncro
Posted by: grambo
^^^ This and bux-bux last post. Agree 100%. I was just in the Chilcotins and the guides I talked to did not seem stoked on ebikes in terms of trail impact and risk of unprepared folks getting into remote areas beyond their self rescue ability (bike battery dies, no fitness to push 50lbs up a hill... no cell coverage).
An ebike is not going to be practical for anything more than a single day ride in the Chilcotins. Someone might be able to stretch that to two days with judicious use of the system, but I don't them getting much beyond that.
For now. Battery tech will improve.
And here we already have an example of ebikes causing an issue within 2 weeks of Into the Mystic/LOTS being open... this is an actual issue and not just grumpy dudes online being mad at getting passed on climbs. Flip has just highlighted how this kind of thing threatens hard won access!
Motor+bike=motorbike, even if they are disguised/marketed/feel like a mountain bike.
If I were to judge from the little bit of riding I saw from the folks up Sproatt on them, really doubt they would be there otherwise and I bet they struggled on the DH.
Precedence set this winter? https://m.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/errant-travel-nets-fines-for-snowmobilers/Content?oid=3175587
There's the signs/maps when travelling through from Brandywine sledding
All those sledders are "old" or "have injuries/disabilities" and that's why they're sleeping up there and not self-propelled! I'm sure after a few seasons of sledding their fitness/health will improve and they'll go self-propelled.
;)
Posted by: Kevin26
Motor+bike=motorbike, even if they are disguised/marketed/feel like a mountain bike.
I've seen many people try and use that argument and line of thinking to equate a pedelec to a gas powered dirt bike. I think it's a major flaw to simply make a blanket generalization like that.
Posted by: syncro
Posted by: Kevin26
Motor+bike=motorbike, even if they are disguised/marketed/feel like a mountain bike.
I've seen many people try and use that argument and line of thinking to equate a pedelec to a gas powered dirt bike. I think it's a major flaw to simply make a blanket generalization like that.
I agree with you, the Pendelec's aren't the issue tho. It's the others like mentioned before on LOTS with the throttle. Who regulates it? Where is the line in the sand? It's a tough issue, those of us not down with the ebikes are mostly worried about trail access, having it taken away.
We will keep going around in circles on this thread. I really hope there is a solution.
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