[Lazyhiker]

State lands shouldn’t be any different than federal lands when it comes to access. We will all get old and our strength diminish, the rules shouldn’t change for us older folks

[Malachai Constant]

I’m old, but I bike for exercise and for fun. Mostly all MTB not technical so much now. Do not really see the point of anE- bike at this point maybe in 5-10 years. I find then irritating on paved urban trails with 15 mph limits. If I want to do fast downhill I do lift red iced or dedicated MTB trails, do not want to kill someone with my slower reflexes. If I wanted to do steep dirt trails I would get a trials motorcycle, but that has never been my gig. I have hiked mixed trails in Eastern WA and the motor bikers I have ran into have all been considerate and nice folk. Snowmobiles not so much. As a curmudgeon I have always liked motorcycles, just not on hiking trails. E bikes do not seem that different.

[Lazyhiker]

[Tom]

[treeswarper]

It is my actual experience, and I've read the same of others, that a class 1 ebike will increase one's riding speed by 2 miles. That means I am going 14mph average on flat, paved road. I hardly think that mayhem will occur due to that increase in speed. The trail around Wenatchee had a 10mph speed on it. I kept to that except couldn't do it in the more crowded areas. Was passed by a large group of spandex clad roadies--not ebikes. I have been ebiking since the fall of 2017, so I have a bit of experience at it. You? Comparing them to motorcycles is absurd and shows a lack of knowledge. I've ridden motorcycles also. Dirt bikes to be exact. I can't really think of any similarities other than both have two wheels and handlebars. I enjoy the quiet of my Gazelle.

Yup, sure does look like a motorcycle. Remember, the faster you ride (not counting downhills) the quicker the battery drains.

[Ski]

[neek]

[Tom]

[Malachai Constant]

I do not like road bikes on urban trails either which have low speed limits either. This is especially true of the yo-yos in pacelines practicing for stop at 25 or so. I have tried riding on trails like the Sammamish trail with a road bike on a weekend also and would rather eat glass. BTW I am not saying they should be banned just I find them irritating, like I said I’m old.

[Ski]

^ Being old is only an excuse for being old. Nothing more, nothing less.

[treeswarper]

[treeswarper]

[Ski]

^ I don't know anything about Burke-Gilman. I do know that the pedal-powered road bikes on "Five Mile Drive" travel at much higher rates of speed than do the "e bikes" on that same pavement. For that matter, most of the ebikes down there aren't travelling much faster than someone jogging. So am I to believe that these "e bikes" will be moving at freeway speeds if they're allowed to travel on unpaved trail surfaces (that are no doubt not quite as flat and level as "Five Mile Drive") that have been designated "multi use"? What part of this am I missing?

[neek]

[Ski]

Mr. Davenport: I've re-read through most all of this thread, as well as the WTA page which was the subject of the original post, and respectfully, I am not finding a cogent argument for not allowing the "ebikes" on DNR and WDFW trails that have already been designated "multi-use". As you noted, on those trails on which they would be allowed, I fail to see how there would be any real difference on the ground in respect to the "Class 1", "Class 2", "Class 3" thing if these are unpaved ("natural surface") trails and they are not on level ground. In respect to "speed limits" - they are pointless if there is no enforcement of such, and should most likely not be part of the discussion. (Are there "speed limits" in place on any multi-use rural trails?) If there's some part of this I've overlooked, please let me know. While the deadline has passed for the survey, I'm sure comments can be passed along to Mr. Susewind and Ms. Franz.