Resources

• eMTB Pilot Programs on Public Lands program guidelines
• E-bike webinar: Using pilot programs to navigate e-bike use on the trail (2020)
• Research on electric bicycle policy adoption for trails from across the country, many of which were created through pilot projects

PeopleForBikes Policy Position

We encourage state natural resource agencies to align electric bicycle regulations with that of analog bicycles and afford local land managers the authority to allow Class 1 electric mountain bikes on non-motorized natural surface trails in places where traditional mountain bikes are allowed (including single track trails). These changes would harmonize state land management policies with the actual products that people are riding, proactively manage the desired experiences of electric bicycle riders, and provide for their safe operation, consistent regulation, and reasonable use. To learn more, please see our Policy Position for State Natural Resource Agency Electric Bicycle Management, here.

Land Manager Handbook

The land manager handbook was developed in partnership with the bicycling industry and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in consultation with professional trail builders. It is intended to be a practical field resource for the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and management of electric mountain bike trails.

The above link takes the reader to a low-resolution version of the book, convenient for downloading. For a high-resolution or print version, please contact Ash Lovell (ash@peopleforbikes.org).

eMTB Loan Program

PeopleForBikes makes available Class 1 electric mountains to land management agencies who would like to borrow one for a short period of time to test out the e-bikes on their trails and bicycling facilities. PeopleForBikes arranges to ship the e-bikes to and from a bicycle retailer within close proximity of a workplace, and arranges for the e-bike to be assembled by the retailer. The land management agency is expected to pick up and drop off the e-bike from the bicycle retailer, use and share the e-bike as appropriate, and provide feedback to PeopleForBikes. This program is free of charge.

Since 2017, 25+ land managers from 15+ agencies – local, state, and federal – took advantage of this program. Contact Ash Lovell (ash@peopleforbikes.org) for more information.

Best Management Practices for eMTB Trail Design

• Climbing Grades
• Uphill Flow
• Ascending Turns
• Descending Turns
• Single Use Trails
• Managing Increased Use
• Managing Increased Speed

Some Outside Resources

• Educational resources: National Park Service Active Transportation Guidebook
• Webinars/podcasts: Podcast on e-bike use on federal lands with PeopleForBikes; Radio interview with the City of Fruita and the BLM (13 minutes) on their e-bike perspectives; Land Manager Webinar (1/24/18) on e-bike studies, e-bike share, e-bikes as ADA devices, and the e-bike loan program; Front Lines MTB Podcast: eMTB Policy and the Future
• News articles: National Ski Areas Association Journal article on eMTBs at ski areas; Girdwood Fire Department (AK) using e-bikes to increase emergency response times on trails