I had a lot of concerns about ordering a eBike but bought one today from a place in WI called Small Town Bikes that builds them probably with many of the same parts as other builders but at least it’s a place where a human answers the phone. It has a 2 year warranty, free shipping, camo, saddle bags, front rear lights, disc brakes, spring front fork and seat and no tax because SD has not bought enough units to be taxed yet.

He was going to ship it on Tuesday but I said I’d pay the early pickup fee if he could get it out sooner, he emailed me back and said it’s going out today no extra charge he had the driver swinging buy to pick it up as a favor. Speedy Delivery has great service in the adjoining state areas in some of the plains states.

The cost was $2000 total shipped no tax $400 off the regular price must be an off season sale the $400 seems like a popular sale or pre build discount offer going on now.

If your thinking about buying a eBike give these guys a look nothing but good things to say about this place the guy went out of his way to meet my requests not a bad vibe during the whole transaction that’s uncommon today. Kevin Boon is his name.

Hope the Ebike doesnt have plastic gears. My son works in bike shop and he said that is one of the biggest problems. The higher end bikes have metal gears. Keep us posted on bikes performance as im looking at one for trapping. I cant afford a UTV ! LOL

How about some pictures when you get it.

I thought one of those would just be the trick for accessing those out of the way places so I started researching them and found out they were only legal if the area was open to motor vehicles in my area so that kind of killed the point of them for me. But, if one could ride them on all those closed roads around that are open to bicycles they would certainly be the trick

Nice.I no idea what one was and looked it up.Some kind of off-road electric and pedal bike.

Fat tire model

Better check again. Don't know which area you are looking at but if it is UNDER 1000 watt US forest and WMA consider it a regular bike. They are classified as electric ASSIST. Been all over Daniel boone Nat forest. But your WMA might be special.

The three classes are defined as follows:
Class 1: eBikes that are pedal-assist only, with no throttle, and have a maximum assisted speed of 20 mph.
Class 2: eBikes that also have a maximum speed of 20 mph, but are throttle-assisted.
Class 3: eBikes that are pedal-assist only, with no throttle, and a maximum assisted speed of 28 mph.
All classes limit the motor’s power to 1 horsepower (750W).

https://www.bosch-ebike.com/us/everything-about-the-ebike/stories/three-class-ebike-system#:~:text=The%20three%20classes%20are%20defined,assisted%20speed%20of%2020%20mph.


Look at this chart . UNLESS recently changed Ky considers them a regular bike

LawDog,
You will enjoy it. I hope it holds up well. I'm not familiar with that brand, but there are dozens of ebike companies now.

On state WMAs, here in Georgia, there is a 750 watt limit to use on any WMA road unless otherwise posted.

One thing I determined right from the start is I needed a step-thru frame version (a girl's bike frame, some call it). It's much easier to get on and off of...don't have to hike my leg up. Plus, with a climbing stand strapped on back or my gun in the rack on front...then I don't have to lean the bike over any and over balance it to get on it.

Mine is a HJM Toury step-thru. It can be used pedal only, pedal assist, throttle only, or any combination.

I've christened it twice with gobbler blood this season....lol.

Also, had to get a much bigger seat (than the factory seat) for my sensitive butt.

Had mine going into 6 year. No issues. Same battery. Always charge after each use

Is sensitive code for big?

If anyone is interested. MN has a ebike program starting June 5th I think. They will pay up to 1500.00 based on percentage of cost. It is based on your income. I will be getting a new one.

trapdog1,
It ain't big, but it sure was too big for than factory wedge. Wasn't too bad on pavement, but on logging roads and field edges...OMG!!!!!

I could feel that seat jarring my teeth.......along with my old, overworked prostate!

Dang! The taxpayers of MN are buying folks ebikes....sweet!

Lol

Those all look like hub driven bikes, I’m in hilly country I need a mid drive bike. Maybe Mn. Will help me out too. The mid drives cost more.

wws

Yes....mine is rear hub driven. I'm in the flat pineywoods. There is an occasional "hill", but not much of one.

I don't know about the KY state owned WMAs but they are prohibited on USFS land unless that route is open to motorized travel. I was looking at using them on the miles of gated roads on the Daniel Boone but that is not allowed according to the USFS regulations.

This is from the USFS website

Where are e-bikes currently allowed on national forests and grasslands?
Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes are allowed on motorized trails and roads on national forests and grasslands. Additionally, several year-round resorts operating under a special use permit have established e-bike use within their permit boundary.

Local Forest Service officials may consider new opportunities for e-bike use on non-motorized trails and in non-motorized areas by utilizing a designation process in accordance with the Travel Management Rule (36 CFR Part 212, Subpart B). Designations involve appropriate environmental analysis, public involvement, and local decision-making.

This is from the Daniel Boone National Forest website

Electric bikes (e-bikes) can be used on the Daniel Boone National Forest only where motor vehicles are allowed

Now obviously I don't care where you ride your ebike but I didn't want people to wind up getting in trouble thinking they were legal. It really doesn't make much sense to me as there is not a noise issue and they certainly aren't going to be traveling any faster that some of the mountain bike adventure riders ride on the gated roads and trails.

Interesting. Do you know where the money for this program comes from? Just wondering how the state is doing it.

Some Nice Rides above^^^

I read that the decision is up to the district manager in the USFS area it’s tough finding a clear answer in print that clears it up for a guy. The roads I hunt are not gated but blocked by fallen trees naturally. I will use it on private ground also to avoid rutting up the roads if it works for that. A lot of areas in the Black Hills are blocked from truck traffic but have ATV gates so motorized vehicles are allowed just not full sized ones the bike should shine there.

During the spring break up the roads in places become impassable so there could be an advantage with the bike getting around those messes. Will look into a handicapped permit if the knees keep acting up my preference is to walk but the last trip was not a good knee experience worse I ever had pain wise.

Spent so much time walking the Hills and river breaks over the years I’ve wore out many pairs of boots and my knees some. The old Rocky boots I wore the soles of the boots would shift to one side from walking the side hills. Even deer hunting a lot of guys hunt from the trucks me I walk and sit as my preferred method.

Burn down 3 buildings you get a free bike? J/K Things are getting that crazy. LOL

I have seen a few people around here install those small gas engines on bikes. They seem to really work well for them and is way cheaper and will just fly if you need too. I know the electric are quite but still game can hear you regardless of what you use. Even just walking big game know you are there.

Hunted elk with a friend last fall that had a ebike it was very quite he’d take off and I did not hear it while standing nearby that was impressive. Should work well before sunup listening for gobbles I’m hoping.

It does!

jbyrd,
Gotta read them regs!

You need to apply and if you are selected you can get up to $1500 back. I think only about $2 million in the pot, so about 13-1400 folks will get bikes.

Happy trapping! ScottW

For the USFS each forest will have a motorized vehicle use map, whether a road is open or closed to motorized vehicles is initially determined by this map, then it will tell you weather is a year-round road or a seasonally opened road and provide the dates for those seasons. Now regardless of whether a gate is present or a sign is posted those USFS roads that are not on the map are closed. Where it gets confusing is that a lot of roads on USFS lands are not USFS roads but rather a county or state road and those may or may not show up on the map. Now if a road shows up as open on the map but is signed as closed or is gated then that road is also closed to motorized use during the period of the special closure.

Now for clarification on the status of e-bikes each forest should have the restrictions posted on their website particularly if they deviate from the national standard of being closed. If additional information is not posted then the default position is the national standard which restricts them to routes open to motorized vehicles. However if they jump through the hoops individual forests can develop their own policy on e-bikes but that must be posted.

The Government is very good at taking something that is about as simple as breathing and making it complicated.

I often hear that if the watts is 750 or under that can be ridden on National Forest.
Not here is WV. Nothing but pedal power bikes are allowed behind locked gates. Nothing motorized. Went to the Forest Service office and they were very clear that it's a no.
That said the change to allow them is under consideration.

From what I have seen if it’s gated and closed to motorized vehicles it’s closed to e-bikes also, We have enough unmaintained roads that are not gated or blocked to ride on that are not posted. Many natural barriers in the springtime in the upper elevations from downed trees and washed out roads that most folks won’t travel.

You about need a lawyer to go in the forest now it also stated the eBike is not consider to be a recognized disability type transport. Many roads are not officially open in the National Forest in the spring but maybe a handful of folks know what roads are closed. Its ironic the you can’t run a eBike in some places but ATVs get a whole system of roads to run on. I guess the eBike could run those trails but that still sucks.

A couple articles from the web notice dates.

As of August 1, 2023 all three classes of e-bike may be used on national park lands wherever non-motorized bicycles are allowed. The National Park Service indicates park superintendents may choose to permit some, but not all, classes of e-bikes to use park lands. A specific park may allow class I and II e-bikes, but prohibit class III e-bikes.


Washington,March 31, 2022 -
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is announcing that internal guidance on how future e-bike use is managed on national forests and grasslands has been finalized. The updated guidance clarifies existing policy and provides guidelines to local Forest Service employees that may be considering expanding e-bike access at site-specific locations.

The Forest Service currently allows e-bikes on all Forest Service roads that are already open to motorized vehicles, as well on 60,000 miles of motorized trails, which represent 38% of all trails the agency manages. Today’s finalized guidance allows e-bikes to continue to operate on currently-authorized roads and trails, and lays out a process to evaluate future requests for expanded access. The updated guidance also outlines the required environmental analysis and public input required before making future decisions to expand local e-bike access.

“National forests and grasslands are a place for all people to recreate, relax and refresh,” said Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. “The additional guidance will help our district rangers and forest supervisors better serve their communities with a policy that allows managers to make locally based decisions to address e-bike use. This growing recreational activity is another opportunity to responsibly share the experience of the outdoors with other recreationists.”

The Forest Service manages nearly 160,000 miles of trails in 42 states and Puerto Rico for a variety of activities. E-biking is one of many legitimate recreational activities, such as horseback riding, snowmobiling, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, hiking and backpacking, that the agency manages under its multiple use mission. The clarified guidance will support local Forest Service decision-makers as they consider opportunities to expand access for this emerging user group.

Other land management agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service, allow for e-bike use on 18,000 miles and 16,000 miles of trails, respectively.

For more information on recreational activities, contact your local national forest or grassland.