So what about electronic shifting. The rear derailleur has a little motor in it. So if a trail specifies no motorized transportation. Then it must apply to all motors

IntheBush wrote on 08/03/17 at 3:32pm:



I know you have thick skin and can take rash of **** from someone else so I'm glad you are not perceiving the roasting with contempt.

Ha!  They'd have to come down eventually though.  It's not super technical but I wouldn't call it family friendly either.

Impaler 58 wrote on 08/03/17 at 3:13pm:


I had the same thought. I am about the same size as you, so I don't think many people will get in my face even if they think it in their head.... dirty looks and a possible nasty comment is about all I likely would ever get, and that's when they are biking away from me thinking I can't catch them....but I will have an electric mountain bike, so jokes on them.

chickenwyre wrote on 08/03/17 at 4:30pm:


Have been here for 20 years.. don't go back much except on business, but if I do I will bring some back. LOL...

PS - If I do end up with one, I will be glad to let people try it out... 

Bush, you sound a lot like I did before I ever experienced an e-bike firsthand.

Again, they are lame, but they're not really any more dangerous or damaging.  When I rode one I essentially achieved the speed of a good, fast day on my normal bike, but with the effort of just cruising around.  At no point did I feel like the bike was pushing me faster than I would have ridden on my own bike.  They make riding a LOT easier, but not really in a way that does damage or makes people significantly more dangerous than they already are.   

I am no longer associated with usnwc, but I was for a long time, and I was there for the e-bike discussion.  I was also the person responsible for the health of the trails, and I never saw any damage attributable to e-bikes.

The decision not to have a policy allows the ability to prohibit them later if issues arise.  At this point, that's not my responsibility anymore, so whatever happens in the future with e-bikes and usnwc will be for someone else to decide.  One thing for sure though, they're already riding local trails.  Cyclofest might as well have been E-bikefest, but I was seeing random e-bikes out there pretty frequently outside of cyclofest.

Just sharing the experience of a former trail manager who happens to have seen more e-bikes in action that most anyone else in town.   I hated the thought of them too until I rode one.  I don't hate them anymore, but I am also not a proponent of them.  I guess I'm just indifferent, but I've had enough experience to know the typical arguments don't stand up.

Just was doing more research on different models and found this video... really shows that its not a motorcycle and that its still a lot of work... and the guy didn't kill a single person... 

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ChosenOne wrote on 08/04/17 at 3:39am:

Trolls are people too....

TitanFlyer wrote on 08/04/17 at 11:43am:


Not sure what that guys problem is!  I agree his response is out of line and as you've seen there are some very different personalities on here.  A lot of the threads tend to turn into a train wreck    I've met some of the coolest most down to earth people mountain biking and also some of the most abrasive dck bags ever.  I'd like to meet you for a lap or two if you ever get that thing.  You can follow my wheel on some of downhills and I can chase an eBike uphill.  Win-Win.

The weight factor is a deal breaker for me when it comes to e-bikes.  Also, for someone just getting into mtn biking, it seems that starting off with an e-bike will only prevent the newbie from graduating to a traditional mtn bike in that they will grow accustomed to having the electric motor to get them up the hills & thru the trail & the end result will be that they get stuck in a rut when it comes to building up their fitness level.  Traditional pedal-only bikes will require more effort than if they didn't start off e-biking which is self-defeating.   

Off the topic...anybody here ever listen to Buckethead?  I just discovered his genius & am no longer interested in mainstream music.