The BLM in North Fruita, Colorado have issued the following update for the North Fruita Desert Trails Master Plan:
This is a victory that we have been working hard towards along with other stakeholders. The Fruita area has seen a lot of proposed changes including restricting free dispersed camping as well as restricting motorized and ebike use in the North Fruita Desert area. Ebikes are gaining a lot of attention on public lands as they have grown in popularity. BRC advocated for ebikes to be permitted on trails as they do not cause anymore impact than a human powered mountain bike. Ebikes also provide valuable recreation access for those with disabilities. We want to thank everyone who has engaged on these issues. We are happy with the outcome and will continue to gain more victories like this across public lands.
I ride a full-suspension mountain bike and a full-suspension e-mountain bike. I am not a lot faster on the e-mountain bike, it just allows me to go faster for longer and farther in general.
If drill heads are acceptable, why not ebikes. Give me a break!
When I was in the North Fruita aka f18 road the no e bike signs were still up. I ride both e mountain bike( digital) and regular mountain bike(analog) . I’m happy for your success with the BLM . Some e bikers need to alter their behavior and hang back when coming upon other trail users. Unfortunately a few bad apples ruin it for the e bike community.
Agree 100% with Josh. I am no faster than when I am on my analog bike but I can ride longer distances now. I have been mountain biking for 32 years. I never understood bikes on trails until I rode one. We all ride to have fun, riding my bike enables me to have more fun than I could ever have on my analog bike. Why not be open to having more fun.
Class 1 pedal assist e-bikes represent just another technology advance along with dual suspension, disc brakes, 29 inch wheels. They have no more adverse impact than pedal bikes. I see no rational basis to exclude them from trails that allow mountain bikes. I wish the U.S. Forest Service would reevaluate their opposition. I complement the BLM for its rational decision to allow class 1 e-bikes where mountain bikes are permitted.