E-bikes could be coming to some trails in Tahoe.
The US Forest Service is proposing that about 87 miles of trails in the area be opened up to these small electronic bicycles.
E-bikes have a motorized pedaling system that kicks in to do some of the work so that riders can get farther, faster.
“You know, done right, with the right attitude, e-bikes can work great, especially for seniors who otherwise might not be able to get out in the great outdoors,” said KCBS Radio Outdoors Editor Tom Stienstra.
He said the wrong attitude, one of owning the trail, for example, can create flashpoints of tension on the trail.
“I was on a horse once, confronted a bike and I got thrown off,” Stienstra told KCBS Radio. “So yeah, there’s a conflict between all bikes and horses. When you add in a motor, that’s when the speed quota changes. The typical rider goes about 10 to 13 miles an hour, and up to 20 miles an hour downhill. That doesn’t mix with the horseback riders or trail hikers, or people who just want to get away from it all and not have to worry about anybody else.”
And there are concerns that e-bikes will allow inexperienced riders to get far enough out on trails that they could get lost and even need rescuing.
But this makes trails more accessible to all, which is one of the goals of the US Forest Service. So, the proposal would allow the e-bikes on about a quarter of the trails around Lake Tahoe that are currently labeled as non-motorized.
If approved, it won’t go into effect until 2022 at the earliest.
It’s a battle that Stienstra said Californians will likely see a lot of in the coming years.
“In California alone, there are 100 different national forest districts,” he noted.
“Basically, each one has its own rules of how it manages outdoor activity. It’s like a big patchwork quilt out there. This is a breakthrough case though, and a lot of people are watching it very closely.”
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