TRAVERSE CITY — In response to the growing reputation of electrical bikes, or e-bikes, TART Trails and neighborhood partners just lately hosted a neighborhood dialog on e-bike path etiquette.
“Starting at the beginning of the pandemic, numbers shot up in terms of the number of people using the trails, and the number of people who were inquiring, ‘are e-bikes allowed,’ and in some cases complaining about the fact that they were out there,” mentioned Brian Beauchamp, communications and coverage director at TART Trails.
Beauchamp mentioned that in distinction to earlier “siloed” dialog concerning the problem, it was necessary to have a dialog about e-bike path etiquette with all kinds of stakeholders.
Local bike retailers and rental amenities, along with bike-focused neighborhood organizations similar to Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association, the League of Michigan Bicyclists, and Norte have been represented at a May 4 panel.
Matthew Hays, proprietor of e-bike rental store Riding Electric, mentioned that e-bikes have made the Leelanau Trail extra accessible to a larger quantity of folks.
“Our [rental] demographic has been mostly older folks, and folks who may not normally get out on the trail,” Hays mentioned. “People are enjoying something they wouldn’t normally go out and do, due to the fact that they can ride an electric bike.”
However, Hays mentioned that Riding Electric has acquired some adverse suggestions from customers of the Leelanau Trail.
“Being right on the TART Trail, we have had people talk to us, saying, ‘hey, the e-bikes go so fast’ — really honest complaints,” Hays added.
As a end result of this suggestions, Hays mentioned that Riding Electric plans to make an etiquette video and make it necessary to observe as half of the e-bike rental course of — demonstrating utilizing a bell, giving correct passing distance, and different courtesy measures when sharing the path.
The significance of e-bike data and etiquette will increase with the speedy development of e-bike gross sales and leases within the space.
“[The e-bike market] is not going to double in the next year or two; it is going to quadruple or more. This is what we’re seeing happen,” mentioned Shaun Quinn, proprietor of Bayfront Beach and Bike in Elk Rapids. This improve is going on throughout demographics.
“We’re seeing the demographic go from 65 (years old) to 85 down to 40,” Quinn mentioned.
Panelists hoped that the occasion inspired a commonality of focus amongst stakeholders in find out how to share the trails.
“What we really want to focus in on is fostering a culture of trail etiquette – and not just trail etiquette, but all bikeable facilities,” Beauchamp mentioned.
Beauchamp inspired people who make the most of trails to apply “the three C’s” of path etiquette, regardless of their mode of transportation: courtesy, warning, and management.
He additionally famous that TART Trails’ web site contains an choice for incident reporting, if folks have a adverse expertise on the trails.
“What it boils down to — Don’t be that guy. Don’t be the person that people shake their head at for poor behavior,” Beauchamp mentioned.