Electric bikes are no longer motorized vehicles

[Angry Perch]

At first blush, I'm not a big fan of this decision.

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/apnewsbreak-coming-to-national-park-trails-electric-bikes/

[WapitiTalk1]

Interesting.... Ya, not sure how I feel about this either.

[KFhunter]

dang, might have to get an e bike now, wasted money on the expensive regular bike.


imagine there'll be a lot of regular used bikes on the market soon. 

they do make e bike kits to convert your bike though

[ThurstonCokid]

My dad recently purchased an E bike. I was not for it at all.. used it once and it is handy.. totally not sure how i feel about it at this point.


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[jeffro]

Bonus!
I just bought 2 peddle assist bikes. I won’t be using them for hunting, but maybe some backcountry riding.
Sounds like federal land only, as I read it

[HntnFsh]

Still won't be allowed on most private timberlands I'm betting

[opdinkslayer]

Should be a waiver for us old guys that our azzes & legs can’t take a regular bike all day anymore!

[Angry Perch]

Bonus!
I just bought 2 peddle assist bikes. I won’t be using them for hunting, but maybe some backcountry riding.
Sounds like federal land only, as I read it

Yes, and federal land makes up 28.5% of Washington state.

[WildlifeAssassin]

I am opposed to this. They have a motor and should be classified as a motorized vehicle. In the article they mention how the roads are too crowded, well give it 5-10 years and now the trails will be too crowded with every Tom Dick & Harry cruising ebikes. The amount of places you can go to get away from the crowds seems to shrink every year and as populations increase it’ll only get worse.

On the hunting front, where are we going to draw the line on fair chase? Get a text message from your cell phone trail cam, hop on your ebike cruise into the backcountry, and blast away from 1200 yards with your laser rangefinder and sniper rifle. I’m getting a little sick of all the tech in hunting. 

[Skillet]

This is bad. It is the 209 primer, the lighted nock, the electronic decoy, of trail riding.

 

[pd]

This decision is a good one--I have to disagree with many of you.

You all know the paved trails at Sunrise and Paradise, right?  Asphalt through flowered meadows.  Few of us on this forum would consider them "hiking trails," but for the old lady with a cane, or the disabled in a wheelchair these paths are the only way to experience the beauty of the national parks.  I see e-bikes in the same way--they are essentially aids for those who no longer can ride on their own.

National parks are PARKS.  Meaning, they are set aside for all of the public to enjoy.  Why not let the handicapped (and, less-than-fit) to also enjoy them??

I was at the Wonderland Trail in Rainier this morning.  It is already illegal to ride a bicycle on that trail.  E-bikes will not be allowed, either.

I applaud the Trump administration to opening more lands to the public.  Not for me, but good for Grandma.

[dscubame]

Better than horses / mules.  Good decision.

[baldopepper]

Pretty sure some of the usual suspects (Can Am, kawaski, Yamaha, Bass pro, etc) will be coming out soon with specialzed off road E-bikes. I think it would have been better to come out with a permit system allowing the elderly or disabled to apply for permission to use. I can see more bad coming from this than good.

[slavenoid]

This decision is a good one--I have to disagree with many of you.

You all know the paved trails at Sunrise and Paradise, right?  Asphalt through flowered meadows.  Few of us on this forum would consider them "hiking trails," but for the old lady with a cane, or the disabled in a wheelchair these paths are the only way to experience the beauty of the national parks.  I see e-bikes in the same way--they are essentially aids for those who no longer can ride on their own.

National parks are PARKS.  Meaning, they are set aside for all of the public to enjoy.  Why not let the handicapped (and, less-than-fit) to also enjoy them??

I was at the Wonderland Trail in Rainier this morning.  It is already illegal to ride a bicycle on that trail.  E-bikes will not be allowed, either.

I applaud the Trump administration to opening more lands to the public.  Not for me, but good for Grandma.

I might agree if it was limited to parks, but it's doesn't appear that it is. I'm cool with Granny's on paved trails not cool with them ripping it up in the backcountry.

[Bango skank]

Better than horses / mules.  Good decision.

The folks with horses and mules will still be there.  This just adds a lot more people, as most folks dont have the land, time and money to have livestock, while getting an e bike and throwing it in your garage is within the means of anybody with a little disposable income.