Massachusetts DCR set to ban "pedal assist ebikes" from ALL state park/forest "natural surface" trails

[HikerDave]

The first hearing about MA DCR's draconian anti-ebike stance was held in Holyoke tonight and went well. Eight of the nine people who spoke supported pedal assist trail use! The one who spoke against it was from the local chapter of NEMBA, but he actually was more neutral than against. He just wanted DCR to conduct its own studies, which was one of my suggestions too.

This is Western MA, though, and we probably have less than half the population density of Eastern MA. There might well be more opposition at next week's hearing, which will be held near Boston. I guess I'll just have to go and see for myself!

Thanks for the support and inspiration ?

A talking point might be that Western Massachusetts is different from Eastern Massachusetts so one rule for the entire state is inappropriate.

 

[JimBo]

A talking point might be that Western Massachusetts is different from Eastern Massachusetts so one rule for the entire state is inappropriate.

Agreed! Even better, they could look at each situation, maybe some conduct pilot studies... Many Eastern MA trails are overcrowded, whereas here in the western half I just did a two hour Saturday romp on arguably the best singletrack in the region, and encountered ONE other person on the trails!

One of the most sensible statements made at the hearing on Thursday was that, rather than an outright total ban (or allowance), they look at each and every Park situation, and let the DCR rangers and other trail users decide whether to allow pedal assist. The overwhelming majority of other trailers I've spoken with feel indifferent or supportive of allowing pedal assist bicycles on trails.

 

[daju]

Chris Cocalis of Pivot and the owner of the shop where I bought my bike, Global Bikes, stepped up to get our Arizona eBike law passed. (Pivot is based here in Tempe, Arizona)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/electricbikeaction.com/amp/arizona-passes-e-bike-bill/

Does that mean we will be allowed to E bike on Sedona trails???

 

[HikerDave]

Does that mean we will be allowed to E bike on Sedona trails???

Unfortunately, no. Those trails are on the Coconino National Forest.

 

[daju]

Unfortunately, no. Those trails are on the Coconino National Forest.

Dang Thanks

 

[RickBullotta]

Chris Cocalis of Pivot and the owner of the shop where I bought my bike, Global Bikes, stepped up to get our Arizona eBike law passed. (Pivot is based here in Tempe, Arizona)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/electricbikeaction.com/amp/arizona-passes-e-bike-bill/

Chris is a good dude. Chatted with him over email a couple times. Always receptive and helpful!

 

[fos'l]

Neither the dealers in Orange County nor the manufacturers appear to be involved in any activities to promote e-MTB.

 

[Wachusett 27]

JimBo, thanks for posting this article. I live by Mt Wachusett but work down near Boston so after work on Tuesday, I went listen and voice my support. It seems that most of the small group of people (some bike shop owners) were supporting the EMTB.

 

[JimBo]

JimBo, thanks for posting this article. I live by Mt Wachusett but work down near Boston so after work on Tuesday, I went listen and voice my support. It seems that most of the small group of people (some bike shop owners) were supporting the EMTB.

Thanks for attending; I couldn't make that one but made it to Holyoke the week prior, and the same happened there.

My local Ranger seems to think that Class 1 eMTBs will be permitted on MA DCR trails, but I'm not counting any chickens just yet. NEMBA is pretty tight with DCR, and it seems that they were quite sure that other trail users would be up in arms about "motorized" ebikes on trails. Apparently not, however, because hardly anyone that showed up at either public hearing spoke against them so they were wrong!

Still, I can only be cautiously optimistic because public opinion doesn't always matter in our increasingly political world.

 

[Wachusett 27]

So at the meeting, Galen Mook (Executive Director) from Massachusetts Bicycle Colation was there and he was not against e-bikes but is trying to get the state to categorize the bikes. Problem is the DCR is just generalizing and calling them (electric bicycles) in their proposed rules and regulations. There are all types of electric bicycles and ones we pointed out at the meeting were ones with a throttle.
Galen Mook suggested that the DCR should hold off until the state passes in legislation detailed categorization of the various types of (electric bicycles).

 

[daju]

Thx for update

 

[RickBullotta]

Thanks for attending; I couldn't make that one but made it to Holyoke the week prior, and the same happened there.

My local Ranger seems to think that Class 1 eMTBs will be permitted on MA DCR trails, but I'm not counting any chickens just yet. NEMBA is pretty tight with DCR, and it seems that they were quite sure that other trail users would be up in arms about "motorized" ebikes on trails. Apparently not, however, because hardly anyone that showed up at either public hearing spoke against them so they were wrong!

Still, I can only be cautiously optimistic because public opinion doesn't always matter in our increasingly political world.

Hopefully New England eMTBers will speak LOUDLY to NEMBA as well - both with their wallets (threaten to hold back support until NEMBA creates a rational and modern eMTB policy embracing Class 1 eMTBs) and their voices (email them your position).

Also, the industry itself has already created a clear segmentation of eMTB classes, and it would be foolish for any individual states to adopt their own.

 

[JimBo]

Click the button below to submit a comment to DCR before July 24 (PFB has written a sample email ). PeopleForBikes will send in formal comments and every comment received from the public will reinforce sensible eMTB access.

Fight for eMTB access in Massachusetts!

 

[RickBullotta]

Click the button below to submit a comment to DCR before July 24 (PFB has written a sample email ). PeopleForBikes will send in formal comments and every comment received from the public will reinforce sensible eMTB access.

Fight for eMTB access in Massachusetts!

Done.

 

[DrStupid]

I am always shocked after reading the propaganda of the ebike haters. Not at what is said... after all its rhetoric and is designed to solicit a response... but at the sheer stupidity of what they are doing. They have not truly identified an enemy, so they poke at the nearest thing that confuses them, high end retailers selling boutique ebikes, and the wealthy baby boomers/generation-xers who buy them. This is likened to poking at a caged bear while the plague is coming, or the little boy with his finger in the dam.


Meanwhile, how many ebikes do you think walmart will sell this year? How about the year after that? What will economy of scale do to the price of an ebike over the next 3 years, and who will become interested in a $500 ebike with fake shocks and noddle forks?

 

[Pukmeister]

In my humble opinion, this problem is simply caused through fear. The MTB riders can see a future when E-bike popularity means that the trails they enjoy will be way busier, and they are fighting it. Unlike here in the UK, you guys have plenty of land to go play on so in reality its probably a lot of unnecessary hatred towards E-bikes.

 

[HikerDave]

In my humble opinion, this problem is simply caused through fear. The MTB riders can see a future when E-bike popularity means that the trails they enjoy will be way busier, and they are fighting it. Unlike here in the UK, you guys have plenty of land to go play on so in reality its probably a lot of unnecessary hatred towards E-bikes.

Mountain bikers here in the US view their activity as a sport; every ride is a Cat 6 measuring contest. The idea that an old guy with 250 watts of assist can keep up or even overtake them causes significant shrinkage.

There are many complaints of unsafe passes by eBikers made by our detractors coupled with the insistance that eBiking not be considered as part of the “sport” of mountain biking.

It’s all about the preservation of the fragile egos of people who never learned that life is to be enjoyed.

 

[R120]

I would just build the most bad ass bike park and make it EMTB only!

 

[Pukmeister]

I would just build the most bad ass bike park and make it EMTB only!

I understand your frustrations but thats not really going to win hearts and minds or endear ourselves if we become secular and excluding though, it just reinforces their prejudice against us as a group.

I guess if they are trying to ban ebikes, the best thing is to be a perfect ambassador for our sport and give them no excuses or ammunition to turn against you in their argument against e-mtb.

 

[fos'l]

Not to derail the thread, but the Orange County, CA superintendent of parks ruled that eMTB are prohibited from all trails in all parks. Only one state park in the area specifically permits them. Kind of moot since there are so many areas that are basically uninhabited during the week and some uninhabited on weekends too.

 

[R120]

I understand your frustrations but thats not really going to win hearts and minds or endear ourselves if we become secular and excluding though, it just reinforces their prejudice against us as a group.

I guess if they are trying to ban ebikes, the best thing is to be a perfect ambassador for our sport and give them no excuses or ammunition to turn against you in their argument against e-mtb.

I know, I meant it light heartedly- I sympathise with your situation. When I have spent time in the US it has always amazed me the access that is given to motocross bike and 4x4’s, sonit seems absurd to ban ebikes

 

[JimBo]

I know, I meant it light heartedly- I sympathise with your situation. When I have spent time in the US it has always amazed me the access that is given to motocross bike and 4x4’s, sonit seems absurd to ban ebikes

In Massachusetts, there's actually very little access for off-road motor vehicles on state-owned land, except for snowmobiles. When there's at least 4" of snowcover, they have access to over 2000 miles of trails, much of which is on state land. I actually enjoy riding snowmobile-packed trails on my studded eMTB, just not when they're around... the exhaust is nasty ?

 

[elyhim]

Ebikes are about to explode. Everyone - EVERYONE wants one but they DON'T want to be SEEN on one. As motors get smaller more people will be riding them. More people riding them means more people viewing these groups having a ball. This will cause more people to want them. The elitists have only a few years of social morality and they are flexing but it won't last long.

It's already fading in the West.

 

[JimBo]

Ebikes are about to explode. Everyone - EVERYONE wants one but they DON'T want to be SEEN on one. As motors get smaller more people will be riding them. More people riding them means more people viewing these groups having a ball. This will cause more people to want them. The elitists have only a few years of social morality and they are flexing but it won't last long.

It's already fading in the West.

It does seem inevitable that eMTBs will become more popular and accepted here as they have in much of the EU, especially as older riders figure out that they can ride like a kid again.

I also agree that many hard core MTBers are open to others riding with assistance, but are reticent to be seen on one (O, the SHAME). A couple of my buddies that have ridden my "extra" eMTBs with me wanted to steer clear of the more popular trails, which I have no doubt was because they were afraid someone would recognize them ? One even said he was waiting for a model that looked the same as a push bike...too bad the eZesty isn't available in the US!

NEMBA does all it can to stave off the eMTB Revolution hereabouts, but they must realize by now that it's coming nevertheless ?

 

[HikerDave]

It does seem inevitable that eMTBs will become more popular and accepted here as they have in much of the EU, especially as older riders figure out that they can ride like a kid again.

I also agree that many hard core MTBers are open to others riding with assistance, but are reticent to be seen on one (O, the SHAME). A couple of my buddies that have ridden my "extra" eMTBs with me wanted to steer clear of the more popular trails, which I have no doubt was because they were afraid someone would recognize them ? One even said he was waiting for a model that looked the same as a push bike...too bad the eZesty isn't available in the US!

NEMBA does all it can to stave off the eMTB Revolution hereabouts, but they must realize by now that it's coming nevertheless ?

We older folks are the avante guard. I expect that I’ll see a ton of snowbirds riding eBikes in Arizona’s McDowell mountain park next winter and spring; the campgrounds there are mostly populated in winter by mountain-biking retirees and they’ll be switching to eBikes as they age.

I got the idea to switch when I was taking a break and a couple of middle-aged women in normal clothes on eBikes rolled by having a casual conversation and realized that could be me; riding for enjoyment and not just for fitness.

The battle will be over when the NEMBAs figure out that they too will benefit from the revolution.

 

[Rusty]

The main eMTB oppo here has come from New England Mtn Bike Assn (NEMBA), and most of the objectors won't even try riding one. For the past five years, NEMBA has been on an all-out anti-eMTB campaign, culminating in April '18 with a BS-filled letter to New England bike dealers. The gist of it was that, if you sell eMTBs, you must tell buyers that they can only ride them on motorized (ATV/dirtbike) trails.

This is something that really annoys me. Being a trail builder & the track manager for my club for 10 years of so I found a small vocal percentage wanting trails built a certain way - to suit their supposedly superior skills and when something was deemed too easy they were rarking up non members to help get support. I walked away from the club and let them do their own thing - as the track became difficult the numbers of people riding it dropped - as well as the number of paid club members. With less members the trails deteriorated and became overgrown so those 'elite' riders stopped using them. Council wanted to close the track due to lack of use. We went back in and opened everything up with a wide blade and suddenly 100s or family riders were back.
It is the same thing with mountainbikes - you do things for the 'purists' and numbers go down - with lower numbers you end up with less voice for when you need it and end up getting kicked from areas.
I was one of the first locally to go to wagon wheels (29er) and got a lot of crap for it - was told long and loud how I was cheating. That my 29er was a SingleSpeed and fully rigid was irrelevant to those drones. Same thing with eMTB - they think it is cheating.
The funny thing is that every time I get someone on to my eMTB and put them on a loop with a long gnarly climb and a fun, flowing downhill they come back grinning ans say they want one.

 

[RickBullotta]

The reality is that eMTBs are just a different "thing", and they aren't any more of a threat to trail access than a yahoo on a regular MTB (or an elite racer) going briskly. For those who think they're only for older riders or for people with limitations (which is a perfectly legit reason to go with an eMTB), I show them this:

 

[rsilvers]

I just ordered a Turbo Levo and am bummed to only be finding out about this now. I wrote a letter to the DCR this week, which may be officially too late, but could still influence them.

See it in my newly-created Massachusetts eMTB group.
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[rsilvers]

History repeats itself. People who want to ban eMTB sound like old skiers wanting to ban snowboards:

 

[rsilvers]

Hopefully the clowns running NEMBA don't cause to much irreversible harm, because they're on the wrong side of history. Eventually ebikes are going to big in the US and dominate sales IMO and they will do more good then bad by bringing people who otherwise wouldn't mountain bike, into the sport

Yes, just as CA in Tahoe has allowed them, MA is doing the opposite. But I am afraid that due to timing, they did slip in the ban, and it will do harm that is not reversible for a few decades. Once something is banned, it is almost impossible to unban it. Look how long it took for Marijuana. About 90 years to unban.