Colorado eMTB scene?

[srileo]

Hi all,
I am contemplating a move to Colorado's Denver-Boulder area from Califorinia (where else?!). I'm drooling at the thought of all those thousands of miles of singletrack. But am unsure of the acceptance of eMTBs on the local trails - esp around small communities. It can be a polarizing issue. On top of being an "outsider", being an eMTB might be a bit much for some locals.

Here in Northern California, I do not see any problems at all for the usual trails i go to and the barriers are coming down generally.

However in towns like Bend, Oregon, eMTBs are still hotly derided (i am told).

Ofcourse, given the thousands of miles of singletrack in colorado, i am not going to stop riding my Levo just coz some local wagged a finger or tongue at me. But i also do not want to antagonize the small pockets of resistance there might be in the towns.

Thoughts?

 

[GL1]

To clarify, my responses are specific to Class 1 only of course.

One of the largest systems...Jefferson County Open Space has included eBikes as policy as of a few years ago and after a trial period. It's set in stone. They are also allowed in all Colorado State Parks and on Forest Service and BLM land which we have a lot of. There are caveats on the last two and currently limits them "technically" to OHV designated trails although not entirely on BLM. I say "technically" because ther are tons of rogue trails and it's not even always clear to someone who may be desiring to follow the rules. Forest Service is a bit of a mess and nationally is out of step with federal eBike laws, lumping them in with OHV. But as of now, such is the case. Enforcement is basically nil though and I think it will change officially at some point soon. Riding the OHV trails is actually a lot of fun anyway. Other areas are coming around every six months or so. Erie openspace / singletrack has been the most recent and eBikes are all now allowed there.

Now the bad news...in BOULDER proper there are no real eBike opportunities. If you are at all familiar with "the Republic" and it's history this is no surprise. There is talk of a trial period or other manner of crazy legislation to monitor them but who knows. Such a solution will probably involved a chip being inserted into your body. Even regular MTB's in Boulder have no close singletrack open to them unless they go miles up the canyon or go to Valmont (Boulder's apology to bikers for closing all the good stuff.) It is a common joke around here the biggest biking town in the country has no actual mountain bike trails. Left Hand was a good area (not close to the city though) and would have been good for eMTB's but alas Boulder used the excuse of the 2011 floods to completely shut that down as well. SO anyway...in Boulder proper it's not good but as you can tell from my native Coloradan stance...what in Boulder is? They even charge non-Boulder residents to park in their trailhead lots! Way to be inclusive and welcoming! I avoid the entire area.

You will find plenty of opinions on eBikes but they are fast becoming that of tele skiers and those of us that are enlightened just nod our heads and end with comments like, "to each his own." In over 1200 miles or riding (mostly on Jeffco trails) I can tell you that eBikes are already fairly entrenched and I honestly haven't even had one negative interaction. Many don't even know I'm on an eBike. I often see two or three on any given ride. Others just ignore it and that' fine. I think most of us try and ride respectfully. To me this means observing the yielding hierarchy and especially not racing up and riding the rear wheel of a guy working his hardest up a singletrack climb. But with the extended range eBikes offer I find I can get out away from the most populated areas anyway.

Cheers!

P.S. - Being from the larger "Republic" might be the more polarizing issue but there are plenty of us that do our best to welcome all.

 

[photodavo]

To clarify, my responses are specific to Class 1 only of course.

One of the largest systems...Jefferson County Open Space has included eBikes as policy as of a few years ago and after a trial period. It's set in stone. They are also allowed in all Colorado State Parks and on Forest Service and BLM land which we have a lot of. There are caveats on the last two and currently limits them "technically" to OHV designated trails although not entirely on BLM. I say "technically" because ther are tons of rogue trails and it's not even always clear to someone who may be desiring to follow the rules. Forest Service is a bit of a mess and nationally is out of step with federal eBike laws, lumping them in with OHV. But as of now, such is the case. Enforcement is basically nil though and I think it will change officially at some point soon. Riding the OHV trails is actually a lot of fun anyway. Other areas are coming around every six months or so. Erie openspace / singletrack has been the most recent and eBikes are all now allowed there.

Now the bad news...in BOULDER proper there are no real eBike opportunities. If you are at all familiar with "the Republic" and it's history this is no surprise. There is talk of a trial period or other manner of crazy legislation to monitor them but who knows. Such a solution will probably involved a chip being inserted into your body. Even regular MTB's in Boulder have no close singletrack open to them unless they go miles up the canyon or go to Valmont (Boulder's apology to bikers for closing all the good stuff.) It is a common joke around here the biggest biking town in the country has no actual mountain bike trails. Left Hand was a good area (not close to the city though) and would have been good for eMTB's but alas Boulder used the excuse of the 2011 floods to completely shut that down as well. SO anyway...in Boulder proper it's not good but as you can tell from my native Coloradan stance...what in Boulder is? They even charge non-Boulder residents to park in their trailhead lots! Way to be inclusive and welcoming! I avoid the entire area.

You will find plenty of opinions on eBikes but they are fast becoming that of tele skiers and those of us that are enlightened just nod our heads and end with comments like, "to each his own." In over 1200 miles or riding (mostly on Jeffco trails) I can tell you that eBikes are already fairly entrenched and I honestly haven't even had one negative interaction. Many don't even know I'm on an eBike. I often see two or three on any given ride. Others just ignore it and that' fine. I think most of us try and ride respectfully. To me this means observing the yielding hierarchy and especially not racing up and riding the rear wheel of a guy working his hardest up a singletrack climb. But with the extended range eBikes offer I find I can get out away from the most populated areas anyway.

Cheers!

P.S. - Being from the larger "Republic" might be the more polarizing issue but there are plenty of us that do our best to welcome all.

GL1 - Regarding eMTB usage at Erie Singletrack, I am not able to find any confirmation of that on the Town of Erie website. The Singletrack Trails at Sunset Open Space page does have a section on Prohibited Items and the first thing listed is No Motorized Equipment. Do you know if this change in policy was posted anywhere? I don't see anything about it on the Facebook page for Erie Singletrack either. Trailforks does show ebikes are allowed but I can't find anything more "official". I was hoping to confirm before heading out there once the trails reopen after the recent snow.
Thanks!

 

[gbarfoot]

Erie singletrack allows them, one of the guys that helps out and rides frequently there has one, and it was posted on FB a while back. I've ridden there many times and also see other emtbs there. Super fun spot!

 

[GL1]

Erie singletrack allows them, one of the guys that helps out and rides frequently there has one, and it was posted on FB a while back. I've ridden there many times and also see other emtbs there. Super fun spot!

Yes so on trailforks it says they are allowed. I see no reason why not especially there as the "feeder" trail is double wide for easy passing and then the rest are DH specific for the most part. It's a perfect place for them. And I can tell you we have been there several times and never had a negative comment AND, the last time there were even workers there for the city and we talked to them and they said nothing.

Overall I'm pretty much an ask forgiveness guy on eBikes although it's never happened. I ride everywhere and don't worry much about it. I'm usually on my own or with one other buddy and I try not to ride like a yayhoo and hardly ever even go all turbo anyway. The biggest thing I avoid is breathing down someones neck when they are working hard up singletrack or attempting any kind of ridiculous passing that would torque a guy off. In 3k miles of ebike riding on JCOS, State Parks, BLM and yes, National Forest (OHV and otherwise) I have not had one single negative comment and maybe less than 5 people (hikers or bikers) that even recognize I'm on one. I don't have this attitude to be rebellious but I think we are in an evolution with eBikes right now. The federal government has classified Class 1 as bicycles and we can thank the biggies for getting that set down before they got big. Land managers are struggling to update policies etc. It's an evolution. Finally, given my age and health I really do ride an eBike to help me physically access my public lands and am always prepared to give that perspective should anyone have an issue with me but again, so far nobody has. Ride respectfully and go where you want. The only place I avoid entirely is Boulder because, well Boulder. And they are apparently strict there. Funny, the land where an electric car is a status symbol and they claim to champion all manner of causes but I guess not those of the disabled or health-challenged. Those folks just shouldn't use public land I guess?

Oh, and also, there are other areas here that I have found have no motorized signs but in their policies they do actually allow C1 eBikes. So the no motorized is often for dirt bikes / internal combustion I would have to surmise. So those signs truly do not always reflect the actual policy anyway I have found.

 

[Jline2020]

Yes so on trailforks it says they are allowed. I see no reason why not especially there as the "feeder" trail is double wide for easy passing and then the rest are DH specific for the most part. It's a perfect place for them. And I can tell you we have been there several times and never had a negative comment AND, the last time there were even workers there for the city and we talked to them and they said nothing.

Overall I'm pretty much an ask forgiveness guy on eBikes although it's never happened. I ride everywhere and don't worry much about it. I'm usually on my own or with one other buddy and I try not to ride like a yayhoo and hardly ever even go all turbo anyway. The biggest thing I avoid is breathing down someones neck when they are working hard up singletrack or attempting any kind of ridiculous passing that would torque a guy off. In 3k miles of ebike riding on JCOS, State Parks, BLM and yes, National Forest (OHV and otherwise) I have not had one single negative comment and maybe less than 5 people (hikers or bikers) that even recognize I'm on one. I don't have this attitude to be rebellious but I think we are in an evolution with eBikes right now. The federal government has classified Class 1 as bicycles and we can thank the biggies for getting that set down before they got big. Land managers are struggling to update policies etc. It's an evolution. Finally, given my age and health I really do ride an eBike to help me physically access my public lands and am always prepared to give that perspective should anyone have an issue with me but again, so far nobody has. Ride respectfully and go where you want. The only place I avoid entirely is Boulder because, well Boulder. And they are apparently strict there. Funny, the land where an electric car is a status symbol and they claim to champion all manner of causes but I guess not those of the disabled or health-challenged. Those folks just shouldn't use public land I guess?

Oh, and also, there are other areas here that I have found have no motorized signs but in their policies they do actually allow C1 eBikes. So the no motorized is often for dirt bikes / internal combustion I would have to surmise. So those signs truly do not always reflect the actual policy anyway I have found.

Hi GL, great info on the Boulder eMTB scene. A few things I would like to point out. 1. Left Hand OHV is unofficially open to eBikes. I have ridden there many times on my Levo and see lots of eMTB's and regular bikes. No one seems to care and it is steep challenging terrain. 2. I am working to try and change the eBike policy in Boulder. Yes it is an uphill climb, but I created a petition on Change.org asking Boulder to do a study. I don't think another study is really needed, but Boulder would never approve Class 1 pedal assist bikes without doing their own study. As of this writing, I have over 760 signatures. Here is the petition: Boulder eMTB Petition 3. Boulder allows eBikes on trails if the user has a mobility disability. This is a federal law under the ADA. EBikes are considered "Other Powered Mobility Devices" just like a Segway or a powered wheelchair. If a Boulder ranger caught you riding on a non-eBike trail, they could ask if you have "Credible Assurance" that shows you have a disability, for example a handicapped parking pass or letter from a doctor saying you are disabled or in chronic pain in some way. But here is the kicker, you don't actually have to provide physical proof of your disability, you can simply say I have a mobility disability and I am using my eMTB under the ADA ruling. The ranger must take your statement as fact unless you are doing something that obviously demonstrates you do not have a disability. For example, if you were doing wheelie's and getting big air off of jumps, this is probably something a person with a disability would not do. But if you are simply riding your eMTB in a respectful manner, I don't think you would have any problems.

 

[GL1]

Hi GL, great info on the Boulder eMTB scene. A few things I would like to point out. 1. Left Hand OHV is unofficially open to eBikes. I have ridden there many times on my Levo and see lots of eMTB's and regular bikes. No one seems to care and it is steep challenging terrain. 2. I am working to try and change the eBike policy in Boulder. Yes it is an uphill climb, but I created a petition on Change.org asking Boulder to do a study. I don't think another study is really needed, but Boulder would never approve Class 1 pedal assist bikes without doing their own study. As of this writing, I have over 760 signatures. Here is the petition: Boulder eMTB Petition 3. Boulder allows eBikes on trails if the user has a mobility disability. This is a federal law under the ADA. EBikes are considered "Other Powered Mobility Devices" just like a Segway or a powered wheelchair. If a Boulder ranger caught you riding on a non-eBike trail, they could ask if you have "Credible Assurance" that shows you have a disability, for example a handicapped parking pass or letter from a doctor saying you are disabled or in chronic pain in some way. But here is the kicker, you don't actually have to provide physical proof of your disability, you can simply say I have a mobility disability and I am using my eMTB under the ADA ruling. The ranger must take your statement as fact unless you are doing something that obviously demonstrates you do not have a disability. For example, if you were doing wheelie's and getting big air off of jumps, this is probably something a person with a disability would not do. But if you are simply riding your eMTB in a respectful manner, I don't think you would have any problems.

Thanks for the info!

Good to know about LHC and I have heard a lot of eBikers are going there and the terrain is good for eMTB's! It should be, it was good for motos a decade ago. It's on my list! I miss 4wheeling / moto there (although less since I'm all in with eBikes now; I'll never buy a moto again as I love eBiking so much more!) But, it was a pretty lame play of the Boulder FS to use the floods as an excuse to shut LHC down to OHV completely, especially considering their history in the area, their own involvement and upkeep of the trails, etc. Many off-road clubs were very active there. They even had those winch points / anchors put in for them at one point so it was a very established OHV area and Boulder FS was just looking for an excuse. I could go on and on about the "creative" ways that they have slowly taken trails away from so many users. BUT...all that to say that if eMTB's are free to roam there then I can be happy with that for sure. And, to be fair, the shooting was at times out of control. I'm a gun guy so it's not the shooting in general but the trash left and all. I do get that, it had been a problem. Still, shutting it all down cold like that was overreach and the kind of thing the different land managers in Boulder have pulled on the public for a long time.

I love that you did a petition! Great work man! Just signed. Also, myself and some friends filled out the BCOS eBike survey a few years ago. I have seen that our comments were officially recorded so that's good. We discussed all the talking points in our responses. I have been wondering what the latest was on this.

It's good to know that some ebikers are just riding the trails. Betasso etc. I presume? And, happier even to hear they are not getting hassled. I admit I've been skittish to do it. I keep a low profile and ride a lot of other areas regardless of the "official policy" without any issues but you know...Boulder. Wasn't sure how fervent some would be against the eMTB's so this is good to hear.

Finally, I REALLY like hearing this news about the ADA. Maybe for myself with some of my history, but for my buddy who had heart surgery for sure. So I wonder where you go to get a "Credible Assurance?" I am indeed interested in this so let me know. I'd like to know the process. This is new news to me. I have heard of some areas in AZ etc. that will allow a person to go down to the local land management office and ask for a special sticker etc. and I think it's pretty much just honor system but I was glad to see they had a process. But this is even better because I've always wondered about this and how they could deny someone that really did have a disability from using their public lands with something as innocuous as an eBike. Very cool.

So great info and PLEASE keep me and us updated on eBike legalization efforts in Boulder for sure!