E-bikes all the rage
The Canadian Press - Oct 21, 2019 - BC Biz

Photo: The Canadian Press

SQUAMISH, B.C. — On a sunny September weekend in Squamish, about half a dozen tourism and rental companies say they’re out of electric-assist mountain bike rentals.

The rugged and varied terrain of British Columbia’s Sea-to-Sky region north of Vancouver has long made it an international mountain biking destination, but now the trail systems are increasingly being used by cyclists riding with some extra juice.

Athletes, recreationalists and industry members say the trend is opening trails to new riders, giving established mountain bikers more freedom to spend more time outside and creating some concern about the impact on sensitive ecosystems.

“This is the first seismic shift in mountain biking. This is like, holy smokes, things are really different,” said former professional mountain biker Wade Simmons.

Widely hailed as the “Godfather” of free riding, Simmons was inducted into the Mountain Biking Hall of Fame in 2010.

He now works in sales for Rocky Mountain Bicycles and said when the company introduced its e-bike inventory to dealers in the United States this spring, it closed the gap between riders of varying abilities during a demonstration ride.

“We had road bike riders, out of shape guys, but we were all riding together for two hours, which would have never ever happened on a normal bike,” Simmons said.

In response to the growing popularity, BC Parks introduced a new e-bike policy this summer. It allows e-bikes in certain areas, depending on classifications already established by the industry and other government bodies. It aims to help protect sensitive wildlife, ecosystems and cultural values.

“Cycling in parks can have an impact on trails and wildlife. Electric bikes allow more riders to use trails and reach areas that were previously limited to a few visitors, leading to increased pressure on sensitive wildlife and ecosystems,” the government said.

Some local governments are also looking to regulate where e-bikers can roam.

Whistler council recently supported a draft policy for electric powered personal mobility devices, including e-bikes, on recreational trails in the municipality. It prohibits them from some specific high alpine environments that could be vulnerable to damage, as well as a conservation area.

Mayor Jack Crompton said it comes in response to a “dramatic increase” in the use of e-bikes in the resort municipality, adding that policies around emerging technologies like e-bikes should be flexible and responsible.

On the whole, he sees e-bikes as a positive addition to the recreation landscape.

“My hope is that we see more community members on e-bikes and more people being more active, longer,” Crompton said.


All BC Biz Stories