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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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More power and speed will cause greater damage to the trails and create a dangerous situation for all users.
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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.
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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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.
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!!
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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Because mountain biking is for exercise not tourism. There are plenty of other places to ride e-bikes.
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As ebikes get more powerful, they create trail damage. Might as well allow motorcycles if you're gonna allow ebikes.
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You obviously know nothing about class 1 ebikes and are just regurgitating nonsense you heard from an unreliable source.
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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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.
E-bike are indeed motorized. Cause more erosion to the trials. E-bikes are a death sentence to horseback riders.
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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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