Ideate
Senior Member
You might be correct but it's hard to tell as you've provided no evidence "it's happening" in Australia as a result of ebikes. I'd even assume that relationships with land owners and biking advocates are already fragile. Warburton is a prime example. Bright would also be a good example especially since Hero opened. The hospital had about 10 people visit every weekend with broken collar bones. Do you think they were like.. "Ahh fuck all those ebikes! Let's rally to shut it down!".So - here are some reasons for you that eMTBs should kept off tracks that are not designated for motorised vehicles.
[*]Because these are motorised, they are attracting attention of regulators. (Yes - its happening. Councils, National Parks bodies, State land departments ARE starting to look at this) This will lead to more regulation and potential closure of areas currently available to us. And because of this misguided approach that eMTBs are the same as mountain bikes, the regulations and closures will affect all MTB riders. Not a great outcome.
Anyway, regardless of if they are or not , I think it'd be a good thing for councils and representatives to look deeper into the ebike technology and create proper regulations that restrict equipment that may represent actual risk to the park lands and stakeholders. They'd soon realise that the current batch of legal ebikes are perfectly fine but I'm not sure how they'd go about regulating higher powered ebikes?
How do they keep actual motor bikes off their tracks now? What's the process? Do they get a complaint? And then the cops turn up? If that's how it works then why shouldn't it be the same for over powered ebikes? But you say.. People can't tell if it's an overpowered ebike because they all look the same? If they're doing the right thing then maybe it'd be hard to tell the difference but it'd be clear as day if you saw them ripping up trails like an actual motorbike with no pedalling, endangering other riders and damaging tracks? Would it not? Honest question.
Also if you want to keep harping on about vocabulary technicalities; it has a "motor" and it's on a "bike" so it's a "motor-bike". Then I'll be pedantic and reference eMTB riders the same as MTB riders as they're still on a "bike" and they're still riding on a "mountain" = MTB rider. These two stakeholders you're trying to divide are the same people.
NEXT!
That was probably your only valid point so the rest will be easy.
No.[*]Speed & skill. Human powered bikes take effort to get uphill & that tends to be a limiting factor in the down hill. As people build strength & fitness they tend to also build skills. eMTBs allow those with little skill to ride more & faster, but not safer...
No.[*]Removing the essence of mountain biking...
No.[*]Safety. We will see people with poor fitness & a very heavy machine run out of battery in wilderness areas, who will find it difficult to extricate themselves.
No.[*]Human power inherently limits current speeds for MTB activity. Motors do not.
I do.If you're not fit and want to bomb down hills, there are already options. Go to Buller or Thredbo & use the lifts. Or go somewhere with a shuttle service.
I think you're still confused about the definition of ebikes I'm advocating for. Or you're simply jelly beans and upset that now people like myself are happy to join you on rides where there wouldn't be any shuttles running.If you want to ride your motorised bike to gain longer distance, use the trails already available for motorised vehicles. But keep your motor bike off the trails designated for human powered activity.
Yes of course but doesn't that happen already? Are you now being discriminative? Why are you the only person that should be subject to high profit margins??? Why can't lazy sloths be ripped off too??? ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY DOLLAR!!Sadly though, these things will be here to stay. The manufacturers will want to sell high margin high value products, and will cater to laziness and sloth in order to attract more people to buy them. All hail the mighty dollar.
Edit: When racing, all variables other than the people should be the same.