In an early move that could influence trail use rules across the country, the Moab-area office of the Bureau of Land Management says that mountain bikes with electric motors are not allowed on non-motorized trails.

The agency quietly updated its trail use regulations earlier this fall, but did not issue any news releases to accompany the decision. The new rules were first reported last week by MTBr.com. The new rules say that the Moab BLM “has determined that motor assisted bicycles (electric, gas or diesel) are motorized vehicles. Use of motor assisted bicycles is only allowed on motorized trails.”

While there are thousands of miles of trails that are open to motorized vehicles, the decision means that iconic mountain bike routes like Porcupine Rim, Amasa Back, and Kokopelli, among others, will remain accessible by human power only.

The Moab office is one of the first BLM offices to issue new rules on e-bikes. The question of how to manage e-bikes is becoming more pressing now that several manufacturers are importing high-end, trail-capable mountain bikes with disc brakes, full suspension and electronic motors capable of adding several hundred watts of power to the rider’s own output.

Complicating matters, many of the new systems are pedal-assist, so there is no throttle; battery-powered electric motors also have zero point-source emissions. Proponents of e-bike use say the pedal-assist systems are closer to bicycles than motorcycles, and that e-bikes might help more people enjoy the outdoors. Critics say that the higher speeds possible with motors will increase user conflicts and that even a quiet, non-polluting electric motor is still a motor.

Ultimately, the Moab office decided to draw a line at motors of any kind. The BLM offers its regional offices wide latitude to set their own trail use regulations. The United States Forest Service offers its regional districts similar discretion.

The International Mountain Bicycling Association has similarly wrestled with how to categorize e-bikes, devoting a study session to the topic at its recent IMBA World Summit meeting in August. The advocacy group has a nuanced position statement that supports e-bike access, but only on trails currently open to motorized use. It supports e-bike use but strongly advocates managing motorized and non-motorized use separately.

Joe Lindsey Joe Lindsey is a longtime freelance journalist who writes about sports and outdoors, health and fitness, and science and tech, especially where the three elements in that Venn diagram overlap.

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