As an avid PC year-round biker, I’ve been closely following the community discussion on e-bikes, trails, and speeding. I wanted to share my thoughts on this matter.
I ride both regular and e-bikes, and I cherish our paved and gravel transportation trails, and summer/winter single track. Living in this place with such incredible biking opportunities is a privilege that I don’t take for granted.
I understand the concerns about rider etiquette and the challenges brought by e-bikes. However, having lived and biked here for 26 years, I see this as another chapter in the history of people adapting to new things in outdoor recreation. We’ve seen similar situations with skiers vs. snowboarders and hikers vs. bikers during the early days of mountain biking. Over time, we’ve mostly figured out how to coexist.
In my observation, rider behavior isn’t determined by the type of equipment under their saddle. There are kind and courteous riders on all types of bikes, and there are also clueless and rude ones. Singling out e-bikes for special rules and treatment is not the way to go.
Instead, I propose that any new rules should apply to all bikes equally. For instance, instead of banning e-bikes from transportation trails, we should establish and enforce a speed limit for all users. Pushing e-bikes from trails and onto streets doesn’t enhance overall community safety. It just puts the e-biker at greater risk. I don’t think we want all of today’s e-bikers on the shoulder of S.R. 224 tomorrow.
E-bikes are undoubtedly the future and are here to stay. I’ve experienced the benefits firsthand, using my e-bike for errands, socializing and entertainment. Imagine if half of the car trips in Park City were replaced by e-bike rides (dream big!). The positive impacts on air quality, traffic, parking, noise, and public health would be substantial.
As a community, we should embrace and enable this transition, and harness the potential of e-bikes to improve our lives.
This is an opportunity for city and county officials to show some real vision and leadership. A combination of infrastructure, education, public relations, and yes, new rules, can lead to a shared future that benefits all of us. Let’s create that future, where e-bikes play a significant role in our transportation choices.
I wish everyone happy trails and safe riding. Remember to ding your bell!
Ted Palomaki
Silver Springs