Apparently, there is a recent effort to allow E-bikes – motorized, electric-powered bikes – on the Animas River Trail.
Initially, this idea sounds wonderful. Durango has a vibrant biking community, and tourists come wanting to access our great trails. Bikes are ecological too, right? They replace polluting automobiles.
But I think these arguments don’t pass muster. Serious bikers regard E-bikes as a novelty, not worth the effort or money. More than twice as heavy as a decent road bike, and therefore cumbersome, they are far less nimble and harder to stop.
They offer some advantages over regular bikes for the beginning rider. On an ideal long commute, it’s possible they’d make the difference between “able” and “not able” – if the battery life fits just right, with recharging ability at the other end. But our 13-mile trail isn’t that long.
Most folks I’ve talked to who invested in an E-bike grew tired of it rather quickly. Lead feet make one dependent on battery power. Try losing battery and having a hill to scale!
Also, many beginners find that as their physical fitness improves, their range and comfort increases anyway, and they are lured back to the joy and convenience of responsive pedaling.
I biked for 30 years on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in northern Virginia. Heavily traveled by pedestrians and non-motorized bikes, and near straight for 45 miles (with great visibility), W&OD still has accidents – overwhelmingly between bikers and slower traffic. The pedestrian is often the more injured.
The Animas River Trail constantly changes course, with dips, hills, turns and intersections: well-designed for strolling and enjoying nature, but not for bikes.
The bikers I know generally stay off the trail out of respect for foot traffic. Better bike lanes on streets parallel to main arteries would make bike commuting safe and efficient.
The sparkling appeal to tourists of our winding nature trail will dramatically decrease if we turn it into a road, with commuters barreling along on hefty motorized bikes, anxious to get there. Local bike vendors may benefit, but the net effect on our local economy would be dampening.
Kirby MacLaurin
Durango
