Boulderites Tackle Prickly Subject of E-Bikes on Boulder County Open Space Trails

Boulder resident Carolyn Hales takes a test ride on an electric bicycle during a demonstration event Tuesday at the Gerald Stazio Softball Fields in Boulder. Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer

Yesterday The Boulder City Council held the first of three open events regarding allowing electric bikes access on Boulder Open Space trails.

The Daily Camera reports in “County considers e-bike potential

Some worry about damage to trails; others say they’re an alterative to vehicles

The first of three open house-style events meant to educate the public on and collect information regarding e-bikes and their place in Boulder County open space kicked off Tuesday afternoon as residents took free spins around the Gerald Stazio Softball Fields.

Read the full article

Recent Articles

Comments

2 Comments

  1. Keith Kolb

    A Class1 e-bike and the word e-bike should also be dropped and called a Class 1 assist bike. A true class 1 bike I find does less trail wear then a peddle bike and I am typing this from first hand experience. The computer software on properly built assist bike (as in my Haibike XDURO ALLMNT) takes the riders peddle input and adds slightly to it on a true class 1 bike. I have peddled bikes all my life and now in me 60s and have over 100,000 miles ridden and knees have now given me problems and I wish to remain 100% OEM with what the Lord gave me. What these assist bikes give me and anyone that want ti ride a option to continue riding when the body has become worn out but our brains still with to do what we have done all our lives.

  2. Stanley Sunderwirth

    The article (which is on 7 February – the link takes you instead to the current issue of the Daily Camera) has at least two inaccurate statements about class 2 e-bikes. The article states that the electric assist operates continuously for a class 2 e-bike. This is not true. The motor only operates when the cyclist holds the throttle down. The motor stops whenever the throttle is released or the cyclist brakes.

    The second incorrect statement is that class 2 are more powerful than class 1. This is not true. They have exactly the same power and speed limitations. (750w and 20 mph). It’s worthwhile to note that most e-bikes are in the 250-350 watt range and that the 20 mph limit is only achieved on the flat or downhill. Going uphill, the speed is much lower. In fact, if you are not pedaling, our class 2 e-bikes will stall out going up even a moderate hill.

    I attended the first session in Boulder and the participants were OVERWHELMINGLY in favor of permitting e-bikes on Boulder Open Spaces, as Jefferson County does. There were only a small handful of opponents. (In fact, during the two hours I was at the demo and open house, only one person was opposed. I was told that a few opponents had shown up and left earlier.) Another important point was that the people there in favor were almost all in their 60’s and 70’s who just wanted to be able to continue riding while their bodies were beginning to fail. They were not hot dogs tearing up trails.

    Many of these trails are flat, wide trails in the plains. I met one woman who merely wanted to ride her e-bike from her home to her work on a trail without having to ride on the highway.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY EMAIL
LET’S STAY CONNECTED!
303 SEARCH
WATCH NOW – 303TV

Random Posts You might like

Pin It on Pinterest