I disagree that there are vastly more trail users because of ebikes.
Sorry, this in not what I meant.
what I was trying to get across is that the bike industry has hit hyper drive with the options available to the masses in getting people out on trails.
Ebikes just offer extra options for the likes of those that are carrying injuries and permanent ailments that restrict their riding habits, partners of dedicated mountain bikers the would have never gone out with them previously as they would have struggled to keep up causing angst for both parties, elderly members of the sport that still want to get out but no longer have the stamina or strength to ride modern trails.
all of these parties add to widening the spectrum of mountain biking, which has contributed to the numbers of people out on the trails, but Ebikes are not the sole cause of all this extra traffic and trail damage...
its all a numbers game, take a look at any trail head these days, getting a park is not as easy as it once was..look at the bike shops, they are just getting bigger with much more stock, there just has to be more riders out there.