EMTB OUTLAWED?

[Kernow]

The first time I saw an emtb was at Llandegla (trail centre in Wales). My mates and I had just toiled up the long zig-zag hill on the black section and were having a breather at the top. This guy came hurtling up the hill and we all were amazed and envious at his fitness. (You probably know what's coming). My first question once I realised it was an emtb was "Do you need a doctor's note for that?" He thought I was serious and said "No mate, anyone can buy them!"

Turns out that he'd chipped it so that he could do 30mph!

He may have chipped it but it wouldn’t have made it any faster up a steep hill There is a great misconception about chipping

 

[Welshman]

Cant ride an emtb in our parks....but you can buy a gun and shoot a sun bitch up with it.....the crazy world of the US of A

 

[melmark]

Just to chime in here about riding in and around OC...

As Al mentioned, paved pathways allow class 1 & 2 eBikes. Here's a rough map of the paved paths from the OC parks website: http://cams.ocgov.com/Web_Publisher_Sam/Agenda07_17_2018_files/images/O00118-000454A.PDF

Fire roads are also allowed, and there happen to be some excellent ones close by: https://bicyclist.xyz/regulars/electric-age/maple-springs-truck-trail/

Al also mentioned Chino Hills, which is also close by. In fact, you can park at the Santa Ana River Trail Parking and either ride the SAR trail, or take the short route over to the Scully Ridge Trailhead which is honestly one of the most amazing rides I've had on two wheels. You'll be out of battery long before you can explore all of Chino Hills.

If you're willing to make short drive to SD you can ride ANYWHERE that's considered part of the city, including Mission Trails! I confirmed this with a ranger just a few days ago. Also, I say 'short' drive here because while it is about an hour or so from OC (depending on where you live obviously), we used to drive much further to get to legal areas to ride dirt bikes.

Keep in mind that the 'paved trail' exception was just enacted last summer. From everything I have read and people I've talked to, it is still very much a work in progress. It is unfortunate to hear some incidents that have raised 'public safety concerns' but I have to wonder if the incident involving the hikers would have happened regardless if the riders had been on eBikes or regular MTBs. Whenever I see hikers I always slow down to about their walking pace and thank them for giving me room to pass. Pandering? Maybe, but if it works...

On a side note, I've never once been harassed by other MTBers but been told to 'get over' and 'slow down' by equestrians when I was already at a complete stop and literally could not move off the trail any further without stepping into the weeds. But hey let's be real, horses don't raise any public safety concerns, leave waste behind, tear up the trails, or allow you to ride long distances...

Awsome info much appreciated!

 

[melmark]

Awsome info much appreciated!

Awesome as well?

 

[steve_sordy]

He may have chipped it but it wouldn’t have made it any faster up a steep hill There is a great misconception about chipping

None of us knew that at the time. He wasn't coming up the hill at 30mph, but even if he was doing 10mph, it was still twice as fast as we'd managed! It was that speed that we were reacting to. Even then (despite my comment about needing a doctor's note) none of us thought he was cheating, until he said he'd chipped it.

 

[JimBo]

It feels like flashback to the era when snowboards were not allowed to be used on designated ski slopes.
This too shall pass, and sooner the better.
I would like to remind to all of us emtb riders - riding upward on a downward riding trail section is considered a jackass act !!! I know its fun but don't do it - it will just make us look worse.

Thanks @akarob for posting this - worth reposting here:

 

[Kernow]

It was a bit like that being a skateboarder in the 70s and a kayak surfer in the 90s Takes time to overcome ignorance

 

[Slowroller]

Cant ride an emtb in our parks....but you can buy a gun and shoot a sun bitch up with it.....the crazy world of the US of A

In your parks? I'm moving to where you are

 

[Tim29]

That law

Perhaps its time to pass legislation in CA that class 1 EMTB's are bicycles. Who wants to help?

That law is already passed in ca, but oc has national parks, national parks still catogorize it as motorized vehicle.
But i think you have local voted bans on ebikes.
Not sure how a state park can get away without following state laws??
But welcome to the land of the free!!!

 

[Tim29]

On a side note, I think anyone who uses strava has gone wrong earlier in their lives.

I use strava on almost every ride, it send a safety beacon to my wife and son so they can follow me. I ride in no cell service areas solo90% of the time and it’s a great safety feature that if something should happen they can track me and find me.
We have lost 5 people in last 4 years on our trails, 3 of which took 5+ days to find.
They had a 30 man search and rescue crew as well as planes and choppers.
But i do try to keep all mybrodes only visible to followers.

 

[motmcd]

I did a group mtb ride over the holidays with a demo of the exact Levo I recently purchased. I was the only guy with a motor between my feet, and all the other guys in the group were top-notch cyclists. There wasn't one cyclist in the group that I could ever drop - ever! They buried me on the flats because: 1. speed limited 2. out geared 3. me. When we got back into the climbs I made it a point to be last up the hills. Why? Because I recognize I have a part - a responsibility - in helping non-e-bike cyclists appreciate and accept e-bikes and their owners. At least for the time being, emtb owners must be hyper-aware of how our behavior is setting the stage for the acceptance and integration of emtbs with the traditional cycling community.

 

[Al Boneta]

I did a group mtb ride over the holidays with a demo of the exact Levo I recently purchased. I was the only guy with a motor between my feet, and all the other guys in the group were top-notch cyclists. There wasn't one cyclist in the group that I could ever drop - ever! They buried me on the flats because: 1. speed limited 2. out geared 3. me. When we got back into the climbs I made it a point to be last up the hills. Why? Because I recognize I have a part - a responsibility in helping non-e-bike cyclists appreciate and accept e-bikes and their owners. At least for the time being, emtb owners must be hyper-aware of how our behavior is setting the stage for the acceptance and integration of emtbs with the traditional cycling community.

Well done

 

[Taff]

I suppose it's a bit like Nazi bailiffs in the UK who won't let you do a spot of peaceful fishing without pointing to a no fishing sign. But here they don't have guns so you can just tell them to fuck off and throw them in the lake.

Problem is that some of us fish and ride MTB. I ride my bike for free but pay £100's to fish on rivers and hate robbing prats who think they are able to fish for free. Most fish are reared and stocked in waters if a bailiff patrols them.
Maybe we could just walk into your gaff and nick the fish fingers out of your freezer - they are just fish, you paid for them but its not theft is it? ????

 

[Albez]

Problem is that some of us fish and ride MTB. I ride my bike for free but pay £100's to fish on rivers and hate robbing prats who think they are able to fish for free. Most fish are reared and stocked in waters if a bailiff patrols them.
Maybe we could just walk into your gaff and nick the fish fingers out of your freezer - they are just fish, you paid for them but its not theft is it? ????

I'm not stealing fish though, so how is it robbing?

 

[Taff]

I'm not stealing fish though, so how is it robbing?[/QUOTE

What you fishing for then ???? Shopping trolleys??

 

[Albez]

Maybe I just go fishing to escape the missus and don't catch any fish eh. ?

 

[Yroc]

I use strava on almost every ride, it send a safety beacon to my wife and son so they can follow me. I ride in no cell service areas solo90% of the time and it’s a great safety feature that if something should happen they can track me and find me.
We have lost 5 people in last 4 years on our trails, 3 of which took 5+ days to find.
They had a 30 man search and rescue crew as well as planes and choppers.
But i do try to keep all mybrodes only visible to followers.

Confused...Isn't Strava an App? How can it send your location without service?

I use an InReach device by Garmin to send my location via satellite when I'm solo and out of cell service.

 

[Yroc]

I also saw on Trailforks, trails that go into wilderness areas and the notes said to 'carry your bike through the wilderness area' That made me immediately realize that I can turn my Levo off and ride any downhill mtn bike trail legally?

Not that I have to worry, not a SINGLE hiker or mtn biker has even realized I'm on an ebike so far....I also don't ride typical, smooth groomed mtn bike trails.....full of bikers that could probably spot me.

I also don't understand that any mtn biker can complain about having some assistance on steep uphills...considering that there are probably hundreds of miles of uphill trails that were built specifically for making uphill easier by going back and forth never exceeding a gentle grade....

 

[HORSPWR]

What OC park were you riding in?
Ebikes are not permitted on any unpaved surface in any OC park.
You’re also not allowed to ride any bike on any natural trails in any OC park within 48 hours of rainfall. So if you were riding today in the morning on an Emtb, you might as well worn a sign that said “I am riding an Ebike”
Also if you blow past regular mountain bikers on a climb, they will often report you to the rangers.
The best time to ride is a few days after it rains within the last three hours before sunset. The rangers are usually gone by then.
They were all set to open a few trails to Emtbs, but a couple of guys with derestricted bikes decided to be jackasses. If you derestrict be subtle about it and not go for Strava KOMs
Also just don’t post Strava times, it pisses off all of the fragile ego trail queens that don’t use motors. Also the rangers watch the top tens and pick off the guys setting new KOMs with Emtbs.
Welcome to the United Socialist Orange County Parks

Fuck I'm glad I live in Australia away from the oppressive neo nazi fun police!

 

[Tim29]

Confused...Isn't Strava an App? How can it send your location without service?

I use an InReach device by Garmin to send my location via satellite when I'm solo and out of cell service.

Both strava and garmin both have live tracking via sat.

 

[Tim29]

Tha

Perhaps its time to pass legislation in CA that class 1 EMTB's are bicycles. Who wants to help?[/Q
That was done last year, it’s federal land that needs the laws changed

 

[Rusty]

Welcome to the United Socialist Orange County Parks

Nothing new - the OC turned solcialist in the 70's ... most of SoCal sadly. Used to be able to ride trail or MX bikes anywhere if you had a sticker and a spark arrestor - then they shut up shop. Packed my ass up and headed back to NZ.

 

[Rusty]

Jesus, you guys must be so fucking fast uphill.

Today I did 3 loops while a group of fit looking, 20 something year olds managed one loop.

There is no way in hell you'd be quicker than me, not close by any stretch.

I used to run across guys like you quite often - and jump OVER them going down.

Also found that I lapped lots of whippets when I was doing 24hr solo racing. On a bike, conventional MTB, eMTB or MX bike it is all about the grin factor at the end of the ride.

 

[Trout74]

The solution is simple. Leave Comifornia! You couldn’t pay me enough money to live in that hell hole. Full of liberal, brain dead, snow flakes.

 

[paquo]

The solution is simple. Leave Comifornia! You couldn’t pay me enough money to live in that hell hole. Full of liberal, brain dead, snow flakes.

northern ca is beautiful, mendocino and north you can ride wherever and no one cares and you never see other trail users, even in the bay area you can ride emtbs most places

 

[Trout74]

northern ca is beautiful, mendocino and north you can ride wherever and no one cares and you never see other trail users, even in the bay area you can ride emtbs most places

I’ve been to all those places. California is absolutely beautiful. It’s amazing! That’s why there are so many people there. It’s just changed. It’s not America anymore, it’s a pseudo country with a socialists minority pushing their idiotic values on the rest of its good citizens. It’s sad actually. Now back to the bikes!!

 

[Mabman]

The solution is simple. Leave Comifornia! You couldn’t pay me enough money to live in that hell hole. Full of liberal, brain dead, snow flakes.

That's ok, although I don't live in CA I wouldn't live in Iowa either if that is the prevailing attitude.

 

[Doomanic]

Fuck I'm glad I live in Australia away from the oppressive neo nazi fun police!

I echo this feeling, but from the UK; I popped onto the MBR forum last night, wow, there's still a lot of bile and prejudice against eBikes in the states.

 

[skyfree]

For people on here that aren't from the USA (most of you), just know that every state in the union is different with their own politics and prejudices. I've lived in 5 of them and there's an adjustment period no matter which one you choose. One of the fun sports here is bashing people from other states and being smug about the one you live in.

Back to bikes (and maybe a bit of smug), California may be communist and all, but for eMTB it's not that bad, really. There are hundreds of miles of eMTB legal trails in the SF Bay Area where I live part time. The Tahoe National Forest just opened up some single track non-motorized trails to Class 1 eBikes, in spite of a clarification written by the USFS supervisor that classifies all eBikes as motorized vehicles. Progress is slow, but it's happening and California laws and land management practices will likely influence what happens nationally in a positive way.

 

[Trout74]

That's ok, although I don't live in CA I wouldn't live in Iowa either if that is the prevailing attitude.

It absolutely is, and glad your not here then. Don’t want the heartland ruined like the coasts.