TRAVERSE CITY – At the Michigan Natural Resources Commission’s May meeting in Traverse City, the Commission will announce its decision on whether e-bikes will be allowed on 3,000 miles of non-motorized trails managed by the state park .
“With the rapid growth of interest in e-bikes, many states allow their use, even on natural surface trails, thus expanding recreational access, and benefiting individuals who may have age limitations , health or other issues,” said Gregory Kinser. DNR Lower Peninsula Trails Coordinator.
Under current Michigan law, Class 1 pedal-assisted electric bicycles (e-bikes) with speeds up to 20 miles per hour are permitted on paved, gravel or asphalt surfaces. The proposal extends the use of Class 1 e-bikes to the natural surface of the land managed by the non-motorized state park open to bicycles.
The DNR’s proposal would also expand the operation of Class 2 e-bikes for persons permitted to access linear paved trails and natural surface trails managed by the state park for mobility purposes.
Kinser said data from states that allow access to e-bikes show no safety or environmental problems resulting from their use.
State statutes enacted previously granted regulatory authority for the use of e-bikes to local entities, such as townships. The rules supported e-bike use along the non-motorized TART Trails network in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.
“Electric bikes are the fastest growing sector of the cycling industry,” said TART spokesman Brian Beauchamp. “We see a lot more outside.”
According to the US Department of Energy, 1.1 million e-bikes will be sold in the country in 2022, almost four times as many as were sold in 2019. The use is expected to continue to grow.
Brick Wheels bike sales and service specialist Joe Robb explained who is adopting the trend and how e-bikes are helping cyclists.
“It reads the amount of power a pedaling person puts out and amplifies it by 50 to 200 percent,” he said.
Greater power can help a slower rider keep pace with stronger riders, or help those with disabilities. While e-bike sales span the age spectrum, Robb sees the greatest demand among older adults and those who bike long distances.
Manufacturers are responding to the growing e-bike market with measures to tune their models.
“The trend is not more power, but more efficiency,” Robb said.
Robb added that today’s high-end e-bike models are whisper-quiet, but not cheap. E-bike costs range from $500 to $6,000 or more for high-end bikes, according to Consumer Reports.
Whether the proposed rule changes receive a thumbs up, Class 3 e-bikes, those that are assisted by pedals with a maximum speed of 28 kilometers per hour, will remain prohibited on any land managed by the state.
If sharing state roads with e-bikes becomes a bigger part of the Michigan experience, TART’s promotion of the three Cs, courtesy, caution and control, can go a long way to avoid user conflict, Beauchamp said. .
Public comments regarding the proposed e-bike policies can be offered until March 31 at research.net/r/DNR-E-BIKE.
