john peck
Well-Known Member
¨Laws that cannot be enforced are useless.¨ Machiavelli
Be aware, pedal-assisted bikes are NOT ebikes
- Thread starter Joezheng
- Start date
john peck
Well-Known Member
It´s hard sometimes; being responsible just feels so unnatural. It diminishes the thrill of riding especially if you´re are into
participating in things like the Red Bull Rampage or enjoy playing Russian roulette. Still, it is only fair to show some token
consideration for those who foolishly cling to life.
There are a lot of park rangers that issue citations
john peck
Well-Known Member
I´ve no problem with that when they cite dangerous behavior that threatens others.
Hectors Ghost
Active Member
The original definition of a Low-Speed Electric Bike (LSEB) (California definition is Class-1 ebike) is what I always revert to. Comply with its definition and you can ride anywhere in America that bicycles are allowed. An LSEB is not considered a motorized-vehicle and has all the same rights afforded bicycles. I ride past, around, under, by, and once over signs stating no motor(ized) vehicles, motorcycles, etc. That said... local municipalities can do any strange s*it they want. I ride where I want and have never been questioned, stopped, or told to leave an area, and that's in several national parks too. Everybody ride safe.
Hectors Ghost
Active Member
I have had 3 rangers in Mount Rainier National Forrest stop me to ask about my bike, take pics, and discuss the solar system. Not one of them questioned my right to be riding in the park. The only signs I comply with are "No bicycles allowed", everything else I ride around.
FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
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- Silicon Valley
Good to know... thanks for the update.
john peck
Well-Known Member
Yeah that´s bin working so well lately, huh.
what needs to be banned are the tools who dont pedal, but just straight throttle and cruise control at 25mph on these paths
i don’t understand the difference in pedaling and not. I hit you while pedaling or throttle hurts the same. I scare the pedestrians the same . I am over the speed limit by 10 mph the same . My point is why does a throttle matter...I don’t have one on my bikes wish I did but it wasn’t a deal breaker and IMHO it doesn’t matter
i don’t understand the difference in pedaling and not. I hit you while pedaling or throttle hurts the same. I scare the pedestrians the same . I am over the speed limit by 10 mph the same . My point is why does a throttle matter...I don’t have one on my bikes wish I did but it wasn’t a deal breaker and IMHO it doesn’t matter
FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
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- Silicon Valley
Hectors Ghost
Active Member
Yes, I see that's true.
John peck, don’t understand the thumbs up to both me and Hector, he is trying to be be an ass I am serious. I beieve he percieves a difference in being hit at 25mph with a bike being pedaled and a bike moving at 25mph using a throttle, not sure which one hurts more for him , I am guessing the throttle....
There is no Mt. Rainier National Forest. There is Mt. Rainier National Park. Nearby are the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, Wenatchee Okanogan or Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest, and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Beware of where you ride. Unless things have changed in a year, the USFS considers all ebikes to be motorized. I questioned the local FS rec person about this. Non motorized bike trails are not open to ebikes on Forest Service land. I think your chances of getting caught are slim though.
Hectors Ghost
Active Member
I guess that's different in different locations.
25 Jul 20 - Mowich Lake
https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qkd2LGdKv
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hRSTYZ8UjzdpuQ7n8
26 Jul 20 - Rain Forest Trail
https://www.relive.cc/view/vQvyDGe2W4q - https://prnt.sc/tsxt5p
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WcoVAreB4TUdAiPF7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwwdaVg4Y5M
On this overnighter, I rode past 4 different Rangers in various vehicles and on foot riding up and down the mountain, another while setting up camp at Mowich Lake, and then stopped at the Carbon River Ranger Station for a couple of hours the next day to recharge one of the batteries. They treated me to all the courtesies they had and in the time of Covid. Class-1 ebikes (LSEB) can ride anywhere bicycles are allowed.
"Federal Law Governing Low-Speed Electric Bicycles: Electric-assisted bicycles have been defined and regulated at the federal level since 2002. Public Law 107-319 established that electric bicycles are regulated as consumer products under the Consumer Product Safety Act, and more specifically, subject to the same regulations that govern traditional, human-powered bicycles. Thus, electric bicycles are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and must comply with the bicycle safety standards at 16 C.F.R. Part 1512. In addition, electric bicycles are explicitly not “motor vehicles” for the purposes of federal law, and are not subject to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vehicle standards."
" Under federal law, an electric bicycle is referred to as a “low-speed electric bicycle,” which is defined as “a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 20 mph.” Significantly, this definition provides a maximum assisted speed that an electric bicycle can travel when being powered only by the motor, but does not provide a maximum assisted speed for when an electric bicycle is being powered by a combination of human and motor power. " - https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/static.peopleforbikes.org/uploads/E-Bike Law Primer v3 (1).pdf
Stick with the federal definition and you can ride a Class-1 ebike anywhere in America that bicycles are allowed with all the rights and priveledges afforded cyclists in America. That doesn't mean that physics isn't still on the side of the larger mass so ride safe.
Hectors Ghost
Active Member
Oh, you Google Searching fool you! My bad, big bong hit. Feel better?
john peck
Well-Known Member
Not really an issue given a plethora of past injuries. I ride only very improved trails anymore or old logging roads. Worse come to worse,
I´ll plead personal mobility device. Very unlikely I´ll ever see a ranger, even so, bet I see him 1st.
Hectors Ghost
Active Member
Ya gotta love logging roads.
Or her. Got a lot of hers out there.
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