To e-bike or not to e-bike, that is the question

It seems like every time you look at a bike related website or pick up a cycling magazine there is another e-bike related story and that’s particularly true with the off road world.

Hi-Torque Enterprises, who publishes Mountain Bike Action, also has a title called (imaginatively enough) Electric Bike Action.

In 2011 IMBA’s Mike Van Abel wrote a story called “Electric Mountain Bikes-Coming To A Trail Near You?” While a lot has hanged since 2011, especially since major companies like Specialized, Scott and Bultaco make one.

Van Abe’s words, however, still remain relevant, “IMBA doesn't think responsible motorized recreation is a bad thing — not at all. But it's not mountain biking, and human-powered activity should not be regulated in the same way power sports are managed.”

As a whole that’s my feeling too especially since TreeHugger published a story about this beast.

In 2015 the BLM issued the following statement and said that, “The FS (Forest Service) manages e-bikes as a motor vehicle per their Travel Management Rule”.

Just recently Colorado passed HB 17-1151,“defining a three-class system for electric-assist bikes depending on their top speed and whether the electric motor assists while pedaling.”

According to BRAIN, however, “The bill doesn't affect management of eMTBs on public mountain bike and hiking trails. It's only applicable to the road, bike lanes and bike paths.”

With e-bikes legal status in legal limbo should you buy one?

Umm… maybe.

In the interest of full disclosure I’ve never ridden an e-bike off road so I’m probably not the right guy to ask.

If you are interested in one, however, you may want to double check with your local land management officials to make sure they are permissible on your local trails first.

You may also want to keep an eye on GovTrack to see if there is any pending legislation that may affect your ability to ride an e-bike on your local trails too.

Lastly you may want to check in with your local MTB advocacy group to see if they have a finger on the pulse about any e-bike restrictions.

That said, however, I can’t say I’m interested in looking at an e-bike myself part of it is expense and the other is at my core I'm a bit of a retro grouch so unless I'm injured enough I can't pedal uphill I'm going to hold off on one of these things as long as possible.

I know a couple of old time MTB guys that love e-bikes and can't say enough positive things about them but for me I'm going to stave off the Frankenbike as long as I can.