Central Oregon's News Leader - KTVZ NewsChannel 21, Bend, Oregon
Should e-bikes be allowed on forest trails?
KTVZ Asked by KTVZ
2194 Votes

Should e-bikes be allowed on forest trails?

Yes

16

No

18

Yes

16 Comments
MATT FALKENSTEIN DDS
2
MATT FALKENSTEIN DDS

Anyone who has pedaled a Class 1 ebike (the ONLY type in contention) quickly realizes two things: first, they don't go any faster than a meat-motor bike and second, they REQUIRE work from the rider.

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Todd Brown
2
Todd Brown

Yes,,Ebikes should be allowed on trails! Why wouldn't they be allowed? Mine has "Pedal Assist" which I am peddling at all times.

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Carl England
2
Carl England

Ya’ll need to understand. These are not the kids you see flying around town on throttle e-bikes. Mountain E bikes are quite expensive and are designed for mountain biking and for serious mountain bikers. Most of the people you will see on them initially will be people with disabilities.

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Dave Custer
2
Dave Custer

Let people ride whatever they want

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💛🖤 RAG 💛🖤
2
💛🖤 RAG 💛🖤

Class 1 electric assist bikes should not be discriminated against, they are capped at a max of 20mph, provide assistance to the people who for whatever reason need assistance to tackle parts of the trails and they won't do any damage to the trails. Other national forests provide access already!

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Linda C May
2
Linda C May

I am 66 years old. I ride a ebike so I can get out on the trails & forests I love. Otherwise I couldn't. Not everyone is a speed junkie. There are many bike riders that speed and do damage to the land. Ebikes are here to stay. Stop penalizing them.

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Loretta Ryll
1
Loretta Ryll

For many who have invisible disabilities, the Class I pedal-assisted e-mountain bikes, make it possible for these individuals to enjoy our forest single-track trails. They want to stay healthy and active. Class I ebikes are NOT the throttled ebikes we see zooming around the streets of Bend.

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Jim Petsche
0
Jim Petsche

They don't put any more damage to the trails than regular bikes and in many cases less. Generally they are ridden by older riders who go slower

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Duane Wyman
0
Duane Wyman

Not all trails are suitable or compatible for e-bikes and other users. What is next, e-bikes on the PCT or ridden to the summit Of South Sister...?

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Erik Thompson
0
Erik Thompson

I am 62 and my e mtn bike allows me to ride trails I'd otherwise never ride.

Reply

No

18 Comments
Peter McGann
4
Peter McGann

They are ridden frequently by inexperienced people. They have too much speed when approaching hikers. Many cannot stop adequately. Their silence is dangerous when approaching from behind. There should be drivers license requirements. Peter SNRA/ Ketchum pdmcgann@gmail.com

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True Omen
3
True Omen

E bike owners are mad they bought into the hype before reading the rules. If it has a motor it is a motor bike. Not my fault you are lazy. Mtb'ing is hard. It is not for everyone.

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island er
3
island er

Ebikes are motorized. They can already access forest roads and ohv trails. They are a hazard to mtbers on single track.

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Frank Dietsch
3
Frank Dietsch

They are motorized. I have been sprayed by dirt and gravel when the went flying by me at great speed and have seen them pop wheelies going up the steep trail. Motorized bikes belong on the many OHV trails.

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Dianne Price
CB
CB

Gatekeeping our public lands, eh? Pathetic.

Rick Allen
2
Rick Allen

It is a motorized Vehicle period.

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Rob Pempin
2
Rob Pempin

E-bikers need do to do their own footwork to obtain land for E-bike trails just as we have done for Mtn bikes for years now. The excessive speeds especially climbing & entitlement is out of control. Stop taking the soul out of MTB biking, do the footwork & obtain the land.

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Dennis Bennett
2
Dennis Bennett

There are many ways to hack these ebikes and make them go over 20mph. https://www.ebicycles.com/how-to-make-your-ebike-faster/ Also, there will be no one to police the trails to make sure that on class 1 bikes are out there. For example, people illegally riding the trails with ebikes now.

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Mark Davis
2
Mark Davis

More power and speed will cause greater damage to the trails and create a dangerous situation for all users.

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Loretta Ryll
Loretta Ryll

I encourage you and many others to rent a Class I pedal-assist emountain bike and then form an informed opinion. These bikes are not throttled, can't go above 20 mph, are not noisy and provide those with invisible handicaps some assistance so they can enjoy the thrill of biking our forested trails.

Todd Miller
2
Todd Miller

It's a motorcycle with peddles. Internal combustion engine motorcycles aren't allowed either for the same good reason, erosion and safety of the mixed speed of riders and hikers.

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Loretta Ryll
Loretta Ryll

Class I pedal-assist emountain bikes are not throttled so no internal combustion, they are capped at 20 mph. No pedaling =equals NO power. I encourage you to Google the descriptions of the various classes of ebikes.

💛🖤 RAG 💛🖤
💛🖤 RAG 💛🖤

That's a lie, they have no throttle and are capped at a 20 mph no matter how hard you peddle! BTW damage to the trails is done by the speed demons on mountain bikes!!

Kimmy Wasatch
1
Kimmy Wasatch

There are more than enough parks and trails in and around Bend for ebikes. We do not need them in our forests. Forests are abused enough already and need to be reserved as forests.

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James Rosser
1
James Rosser

Because mountain biking is for exercise not tourism. There are plenty of other places to ride e-bikes.

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Geoff Freeland
1
Geoff Freeland

As ebikes get more powerful, they create trail damage. Might as well allow motorcycles if you're gonna allow ebikes.

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CB
CB

You obviously know nothing about class 1 ebikes and are just regurgitating nonsense you heard from an unreliable source.

Judith Van Gilder
1
Judith Van Gilder

These trails are mean for people who are out EXERCISING. There are plenty of FS roads where people with e-bikes can ride. Also available are plenty of dirt bike trails. Please leave these trails to those of us who are enjoying the peace and quiet.

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CB
CB

Judith, please educate yourself before commenting. Class 1 ebikes are pedal assist, they aren't tearing up the trails any more than a regular mountain bike. They help people with disabilities and the older generation enjoy the great outdoors. Stop gatekeeping our public lands.

James Rosser
0
James Rosser

This misses the point of physical training which is to start exercising on easier trails and slowly build up to more challenging trails as one gets stronger. E-bikes are just a shortcut allowing one to jump to the more challenging trails without the proper training. People just want a magic pill.

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Gary Kayser
0
Gary Kayser

E-bike are indeed motorized. Cause more erosion to the trials. E-bikes are a death sentence to horseback riders.

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Jo Kendrick
0
Jo Kendrick

They run over people and scare pets.

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Gerald Smith
0
Gerald Smith

They are wrecks waiting to happen with no enforcement of any of the rules. They should be required to follow the same rules as motorcycles. That's what they are.

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Did you do anything special for Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?

Did you do anything special for Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?

Yes

2

No

1

Yes

2 Comments
MaryLou R Haffner
0
MaryLou R Haffner

I was a five year old and I will always remember this day. My parents came into my bedroom and told me not to worry about anything I might hear at school the next day about a war as they would always take good care of me. I always felt very secure... Also, our youngest son was born on this day.

Reply
Marcus Ainsworth
0
Marcus Ainsworth

I remember Kamala Harris said January 6 was as bad as Pearl Harbor

Reply

No

1 Comment
Latterdaysaint
0
Latterdaysaint

I think Roosevelt was earned about the attack and did nothing

Reply
Should more penalties be added to the 14 day rule?
KTVZ Asked by KTVZ
934 Votes

Should more penalties be added to the 14 day rule?

Yes

18

No

2

Yes

18 Comments
Mark Mueller
1
Mark Mueller

Of course. If you or I created a freaking mess, dumped garbage, etc. on public property we would be fined and/or jailed and be responsible for the cleanup. Too bad nobody in govt has the will or the b___s to do anything about it so it will only become a larger festering cancer on our society.

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Thomas Barrier
1
Thomas Barrier

Because living this why and allowing this kind of behavior is unacceptable in our community and anywhere there needs to be stricter laws and rules and regulations to get either these people out of here or get them help one or the other I've lived here my whole life and I've never seen anything like

Reply
Heather Chapman
1
Heather Chapman

We work hard to live here . We should be able to use our forest lands and feel safe doing so , Have our families safe , our animals safe . They must be held accountable for wrong actions . We would be

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Teresa Rodriguez
1
Teresa Rodriguez

We were cited for the 14 day rule because we stayed from 1st elk season thru 2nd elk season. Our camp was clean and we didn't leave any garbage or damage. All we were doing was hunting. Guess we should have said we were homeless.

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Steve Bernhardt
1
Steve Bernhardt

"No Camping" means no camping. Period. China Hat is not a campground. Period. So remove these transients. Holly Jewkes of the Forest Service has blood on her hands for the death of Courtney Carrol due to fire. Holly Jewkes did not enforce the no camping law. Now we have lost a life.

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Lindsey Broderick
1
Lindsey Broderick

Public lands are just that, public. There's no right to buy them and the people living there aren't even buying them. They're squatting. And squatting is theft

Reply
Robert Woodworth
1
Robert Woodworth

They are destroying the forest for everyone

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Steven Huillet
1
Steven Huillet

We need to do much more to protect the innocent people being threatened by dangerous homeless people who have no respect for land owners and visitors to central oregon.

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Your Face
1
Your Face

Yes, but it won't be invoked.

Reply
Louis Vaday
1
Louis Vaday

People will push the limits cause they know they can. Homeless can get away with ALOT more than people who try. Just one example is litter! I throw litter out the truck window I will get fined. Go figure!!!!

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Jeff Sanders
1
Jeff Sanders

China Hat is no longer an option.

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Brian Carpenter
1
Brian Carpenter

I pay taxes to live here. Can I go out into the national forrest and build a 3600sqf foot house anywhere I choose and live for free? The USFS would kick me out immediately without any of the excuses they use for the homeless issue.

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Linda C Thornton
1
Linda C Thornton

SO Many streets in Bend have become permanent parking places for homeless people! Check over be COSTCO....horrible, messy, unsightly!!!! Not to mention a driving hazard!!!! Linda Thornton Desalibo@aol.com

Reply
Dave Leverick
1
Dave Leverick

I shouldn't be surprised it's more of the same government bull How come our Congress person help out

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Kathi McDonald
1
Kathi McDonald

This is the most silly question ever! If they are breaking the rule they should be fined like everyone else! To have the local residents that pay taxes and have their residence set up there put up with this is off the chart! Is so wrong! Something needs to be done! Very sad, very wrong!!! Wake UP!

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Joe Ottlinger
1
Joe Ottlinger

Absolutely yes. No real punishment is the same as encouragement. These folks need to have a reason to change their situation.

Reply
Kathi McDonald
Kathi McDonald

Absolutely right!!!! To put up with years of this is WRONG!!!!!

Heather Chapman
0
Heather Chapman

We work hard to live here . We should be able to use our forest lands and feel safe doing so , Have our families safe , our animals safe . They must be held accountable for wrong actions . We would be

Reply

No

2 Comments
Central Oregonians: consistently ranked among the nation's most ignorant news viewers.
2
Central Oregonians: consistently ranked among the nation's most ignorant news viewers.

35 years? He says he moved here in 2009. I guess 14 years doesn't make it as easy to sensationalize a non-story.

Reply
Guy Brooke
2
Guy Brooke

Penalties for the homeless, how does that work ?

Reply

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