Originally Posted by
Steve B.
I get the desire to accommodate riders whose physical limitations have them on pedal assisted motorcycles, yet it’s opening a huge can of worms to allow them off road or off pavement. Trouble is there’s a fine line between riding on a gravel rail trail that heads down a dirt double track that turns into a single track, etc..... and I really think motor assisted cycles have no place on designated mt. bike trails.
Biggest issue is it’s really hard to tell when a motor assisted is a pedal only assist or one equipped with a throttle and as far as I know, the throttle models have significantly more horse power and as result can do more damage to trails.
And I've seen this at a local park that has an extensive mt. bike trail system, having seen throttle controlled e-bikes on the trails. When I see mud racing stripes up a riders butt and back, I know they are gunning it and doing damage that a pedal only mt. bike isn’t going to do.
And who’s around to enforce it ?, nobody really. Thus it’s going to be a problem that is easily resolved in parts by adopting a rule that ANY cycle with a motor has no place on bicycle only trails.
Really... ??? I find it quite easy to tell..
If the person is not pedaling, he/she is not riding a bicycle, IMO,
it really IS that simple...
There, is the real "problem" IMO I am actually,
100% behind allowing E-Assist bicycles to be legally a bicycle... BUT,I am find it really hard to swallow that using a throttle, and just because it Looks like a bicycle is going to be considered the same as a bicycle, IT IS A FAIL,
in the end I fear all, E-Assist bicycle will become relegated to
"moped" status... and.. that is going to end up as a dis-service to all bicyclist's… IMO
At least to the one's who
want to get into cycling and
need a bit of assistance or even the ones who
want to keep on cycling but need a bit of assistance....