It takes no power of observation to notice the recent proliferation of electric bikes (e-bikes) on the region’s roads and trails. This mode of transportation has become so prevalent, I decided to purchase one about a month ago. While exact numbers are difficult to come by, e-bikes sales in the US have increased by between 50 and 100% per year over each of the last several years. The onslaught of electronically powered bikes will soon cause conflicts among outdoor enthusiast not imagined a few years ago.

Part of the issue will be due to how these bikes are categorized. E-bikes are similar in they all have usable pedals and batteries that don’t exceed 750-watts (1 horse power). Beyond this, e-bikes are divided into three groups labeled as class I, II, and III. Class I e-bikes provide pedal assist up to 20 miles per hour. Class II provide pedal assist up to 20 mph but have throttle control. Class III e-bikes provide electronic assist up to 28 mph through pedaling or by throttle. This classification system is already antiquated as many current and most future e-bikes will be programmable. Another issue became apparent after a couple weeks of riding my e-bike: that 20 mph is way too fast in areas where you might encounter pedestrians or other bicyclists.

For the most part, public land management agencies such as the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) treat e-bikes as motorized vehicles. On Forest Service managed lands e-bikes of any class are not allowed on the vast majority of non-motorized trails. Despite this, I encounter such bikes on these trails all the time. This lack of understanding could get Idaho hunters into trouble as e-bikes are considered motorized vehicles which must stay on the primary roads during the big game season in many hunt units. There are still plenty of places to ride, as all roads and trails open to motorized travel on Forest Service and BLM lands are open to e-bikes.

So why aren’t e-bikes allowed on most trails? Because their use is cheating compared to people who walk or ride regular bikes. You would come to the same conclusion if you spent a couple minutes riding one up a steep hill. It is my opinion that in most wildland settings the use of e-bikes should remain illegal on non-motorized trails and closed roads.

Some may question this opinion as it reduces opportunities, especially for the older generation. It does, but I tend to agree with the nature writer Edward Abbey who thought my generation had plenty of outdoor opportunities at a time when there were fewer people and less regulations.

That said, I do think there are times and places where e-bikes could be allowed on public lands. Trails open to such bikes should reflect local decisions and their management should be based on safety, not bike class. On crowded trails near towns, it may be necessary to keep speeds below 10 mph. In contrast, if e-bikes were allowed on roads during times of the year when they are closed to cars and trucks, they should be allowed to travel at higher speeds.

One approved use of class I e-bikes in Utah is on closed dikes of state waterfowl production areas during the hunting season. From a safety perspective I think it would be better to limit speeds to 10 mph on these dikes rather than managing by bike class. Speed limits are easy to enforce, reduce accidents and allow access to all hunters who own pedal assist e-bikes.

Similar questions are concurrently being considered relative to e-bike use in cities and on university campuses. On roads it’s pretty simple; e-bikes should follow the same rules as cars. On sidewalks the goal should be the safety of the pedestrian and bike rider; this will require people on e-bikes to slow down. With gas prices hovering around $5 a gallon, more people will switch to e-bikes or other micro-mobility devices such as e-scooters and e-skateboards for short distance travel. Commuting to work without sweating and still getting a little exercise was the primary reason I bought an e-bike.

This isn’t the first time it’s been necessary to evaluate the effects of new modes of travel across public lands. In the seventies, it was motorcycles. In the eighties it was three-wheelers. At the turn of the millennia, it was quad runners. Now it’s side-by-sides and e-bikes.

What is important to remember is improved access across public lands almost always reduces hunter and angler success on these lands. While the broader society and local communities may drive changes in where e-bikes are allowed, hunters and anglers must pay attention to how these additional travel opportunities affect the populations and distributions of the fish and wildlife they pursue.

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