I, like many other seniors living in Summit County, have switched to an e-bike. At age 69 this spring, I may be younger than some of my friends who also ride e-bikes, but the reality is, I can’t climb Ute Pass or the Silverthorne corkscrew on a regular bike without being concerned about having a heart issue. It’s great Summit County allows class one e-bikes on the bike path. 

I also mountain bike. This is my refuge when the paved bike path is busy with our many guests. I used to climb Hay Trail in Summit Cove and stop two or three times to get my heart rate back to normal on my regular bike. With my e-bike, I still stop for the view, but not because of my heart. I’m not racing uphill in “boost mode,” nor am I speeding downhill. I am there for the exercise and enjoyment of being on the trails in the county I lived in for 42 years. 

Many of us have performed trail maintenance or built some of the new trails throughout the county. The U.S. Forest Service says because e-bikes have a motor, they cannot be on their federal trails. Pedal assist e-bikes (no throttle) are classed in the same category as dirt bikes and motorcycles, which is so wrong. Many of the trails we help build or maintain are off limits to e-bikes. It’s sad that the U.S. Forest Service accepts our labor for projects but isn’t accepting our need for an e-bike so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. 

Like the acceptance of snowboards to ski areas, now is the time for mountain e-bike to be accepted to U.S. Forest Service trails. Not every trail — some are clearly not suited for bikes —and we do not promote bad behavior.