The Prescott Mountain Bike Alliance (PMBA) is your local mountain bike and trail advocacy group providing a unified voice for Prescott’s robust mountain-biking community. Our mission is to preserve, protect, and promote mountain biking, trail access, and diverse riding opportunities for mountain bikers of all ages and skill levels spanning all riding categories on Prescott-area public lands, via community education, advocacy, tourism and unified action.
Electric mountain bikes, or eMTBs, are an exciting new technology and Class 1 eMTBs can be a great way for people to share and enjoy trail-based recreation. It is also the fastest growing segment of the mountain bike industry.
A Class 1 eMTB is defined as a mountain bike equipped with a motor that provides assistance ONLY when the rider is pedaling within a normal rpm range (50-80 rpm), and that ceases to provide assistance when the eMTB reaches 20 mph.
For many of Prescott’s aging and/or physically challenged mountain bikers, Class 1 eMTBs represent the only viable option to be able to ride Prescott’s trails.
At this time, eMTBs access to trails on Forest Service (USFS) land is limited to motorized trails only as outlined in USFS National Policy related to the Travel Management Rule (TMR). This policy does allow for the local forest units to engage in planning that could result in providing Class 1 eMTB access to traditionally non-motorized trails after public comment and resource analysis.
Refer to Electronic Bicycle Use | US Forest Service (usda.gov).
PMBA’s view is that decisions at the local level are the best way to examine the unique characteristics eMTBs possess compared to traditional mountain bikes and determine appropriate shared access for Class 1 eMTBs.
PMBA supports trail access for Class 1 eMTBs and supports facilitating shared use on designated trails, as long as such decisions do not cause, or lead to, lost or impeded access for traditional mountain bikes.
It is important for current Class 1 eMTB users to understand that many trail users (including mountain bikers) have limited experience and knowledge about Class 1 eMTBs and although they still operate like a traditional bicycle they do have a motor and this is contrary to the traditional separation of motorized and non-motorized trail uses.
PMBA will continue to engage all stakeholders (USFS, hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers etc.) on this issue in an effort to reach outcomes that best suit all trail users.
We ask for your patience as we navigate this process. It will take time. Meanwhile, please be polite, respect the rules of the trail and follow proper trail etiquette. Confrontations, complaints and bad behavior will jeopardize our efforts towards trail usage, access, trail funding and new trail building.
If you are a current Class 1 eMTB owner this link provides a map of some of the E-bike routes currently available in the Prescott area.
Please send your questions and comments to [email protected]. We want to hear from you.
Thank you!
PMBA Board
– Additional information about eMTBs can be found here: https://www.imba.com/education/emtb
– Article in Singletrack Magazine about USFS guidelines regarding Class 1 eMTBs: https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-trails/the-forest-services-new-e-bike-rule-is-clear-wait-and-see-what-happens/
– A recent USFS approval of a 72 mile Truckee to Nevada City trail system for eMTB use:
https://peopleforbikes.cdn.prismic.io/peopleforbikes/ZjUTHUMTzAJOChnv_PinestoMines_USEDESIGNATIONOFCLASS1E-BIKESIMPACTSinTahoeNationalForest.docx.pdf