E bike?

[Aces11]

Example where it works good. Spot in Idaho last year that was a motorized trail that was only wide enough to fit motorcycles. Able to go back in on that trail for 4-5 miles, park the ebike and hike from there. That saves hiking time and energy.

I have a QuietKat and tried to go back in to stuff that was rough and I had parts break on me. The bike shop I took I to replaced the parts with higher quality ones and told me the ones that came with it were junk. My buddy has the same bike and his parts didn’t break on his bike.

My thoughts on them is there is a time and place for them. Don’t plan on getting to crazy though. I only have one year of elk hunting with my ebike. There was 3 of us hunting last year together. Two of us had ebikes and one a motorcycle. If I hunted that area again I would choose a motorcycle.

 

[kcm2]

My experience with ebikes is that you need a LOT of motor. 500W with a rear hub drive will not get you started on a rocky uphill road. I'm looking at a 1000W plus with a center hub drive that I retrofit on a good mountain bike. May a 750 center hub works, and yes, I know that 750 is the max permitted on forest service roads, but I'm just telling you my experience.

 

[SHTF]

2018 Biktrix juggernaut with 1000 watt bafang Ultra Mid drive. lots of power and very reliable. its just a blast on the trails as well. I paired it with a Burley Coho single track trailer. https://www.burley.com/coho-xc-cargo-trailer/

 

[Crowmangler]

I would imagine that these would be a no go if the trails were slick/ muddy with snow/ slush/ ice?
Some trails I've been on you can hardly walk without busting your butt & no way I'd ever try it on a bike of any kind, especially carrying a bow or scoped rifle. One slip could be expensive

 

[tdot]

A different way to get into an Ebike is to take a normal mountain bike and then build it into an ebike. I used the kit from CYC Motor and while the system had some teething problems, it was 100% worth it for me.

Shop Ebike & Emtb Conversion Kits | CYCMOTOR LTD

Get your e bike or e mtb conversion kit straight from the CYCMOTOR LTD online store. Complete conversion kits, parts, & accessories are all available for the most powerful mid drive motor systems.

www.cycmotor.com

I've built a fatbike that I've had loaded w/12 days worth of gear + food and travelled 55km into the bush on old mining roads and trails (all legal) and was in a zone that only outfitters with horses venture into. Using it locally, I can cruise at 30MPH with 2 kids on it and it tops out at 45MPH solo. It is silly amount of fun and has basically become a 2nd car.

 

[JoeDirt]

I like mine 500 watts hauled a whole elk (minus head) up about 900 in elevation over one mile.

 

[horniac]

I have a rear hub fat tire e-bike. Until the western states allow them on trails open to peddle bikes I don’t see much of an advantage over a motorcycle/ATV/UTV besides noise reduction.

From what I have seen and researched, they are only allowed on trails open to motorized vehicles anyway. If utilizing a motorcycle trail why limit your range to 20 +/- miles? If on a two-track, why not use an ATV or UTV where you can carry more gear and again not limit your range? I haven’t ran into many hunting areas with signs as clear as shown in Cnelk’s post. I run into a lot of signs saying “motorized vehicles prohibited” which to me is clear as mud as to whether an e-bike is legal or not.

I am awaiting more clarification and liberalization in state and federal regulations for e-bikes before investing more Into using one for hunting. If they are ultimately allowed on peddle bike trails, I would be looking into buying another bike with mid-drive motor for early season hunts...

Horniac

 

[JoeDirt]

I have a rear hub fat tire e-bike. Until the western states allow them on trails open to peddle bikes I don’t see much of an advantage over a motorcycle/ATV/UTV besides noise reduction.

From what I have seen and researched, they are only allowed on trails open to motorized vehicles anyway. If utilizing a motorcycle trail why limit your range to 20 +/- miles? If on a two-track, why not use an ATV or UTV where you can carry more gear and again not limit your range? I haven’t ran into many hunting areas with signs as clear as shown in Cnelk’s post. I run into a lot of signs saying “motorized vehicles prohibited” which to me is clear as mud as to whether an e-bike is legal or not.

I am awaiting more clarification and liberalization in state and federal regulations for e-bikes before investing more Into using one for hunting. If they are ultimately allowed on peddle bike trails, I would be looking into buying another bike with mid-drive motor for early season hunts...

Horniac

It is pretty clear, just about every State and the Feds have came out with statements on whats legal and not. I know my bike is legal everywhere pedal bikes are legal minus private lands that say they're not. The class of the bike matters. Ive found the state of Idaho had the lowest wattage limit.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

I have a rear hub fat tire e-bike. Until the western states allow them on trails open to peddle bikes I don’t see much of an advantage over a motorcycle/ATV/UTV besides noise reduction.

From what I have seen and researched, they are only allowed on trails open to motorized vehicles anyway. If utilizing a motorcycle trail why limit your range to 20 +/- miles? If on a two-track, why not use an ATV or UTV where you can carry more gear and again not limit your range? I haven’t ran into many hunting areas with signs as clear as shown in Cnelk’s post. I run into a lot of signs saying “motorized vehicles prohibited” which to me is clear as mud as to whether an e-bike is legal or not.

I am awaiting more clarification and liberalization in state and federal regulations for e-bikes before investing more Into using one for hunting. If they are ultimately allowed on peddle bike trails, I would be looking into buying another bike with mid-drive motor for early season hunts...

Horniac

Unless I’m reading things wrong, USFWS made the decision to allow them anywhere mountains bikes are allowed. Again I could be reading it wrong but it looked pretty cut and dry

 

[horniac]

It is pretty clear, just about every State and the Feds have came out with statements on whats legal and not. I know my bike is legal everywhere pedal bikes are legal minus private lands that say they're not. The class of the bike matters. Ive found the state of Idaho had the lowest wattage limit.

Regardless of what the States and Feds broadly say those regulations are sometimes trumped by more stringent regulations by the Fish and Game (i.e. Idaho Motorized Hunting Rule) and the
National Forest Service (i.e. MVUM) for the actual forest you are hunting. Pretty clear in cnelk’s picture of the trail sign that your e-bike is OK. I wish all trails were posted that clearly!

Horniac

 

[Poser]

Unless I’m reading things wrong, USFWS made the decision to allow them anywhere mountains bikes are allowed. Again I could be reading it wrong but it looked pretty cut and dry

The decision is up to the area land manager, the agency simply provides a recommendation. Around here, as it stands presently, E-bikes are restricted to motorized trails on USFS lands. We do have some experimental trails on city lands, but it’s only certain trails. In fact, I have seen explicit signs on all types of public lands that read “no e or pedal assist bikes” Id say you’ll see more tolerance for them in the future but if you assume they are permitted on FS trails open to Mtn Bikes, you’ll end up with a ticket.

 

[cnelk]

Ebikes don’t require an OHV sticker so they are not classified that way.
And they aren’t classified as a Mtn bike.

Definitely a fluid situation as far as changing the regulations

 

[wapitibob]

USFS's Proposed E-bike Rules | The Smokey Wire : National Forest News and Views

USFS press release received today is shown below. The Federal Register notice says little about the proposed regs, except: The Forest Service’s proposed directive revisions align with the 27 States and DOI’s proposed e-bike rules in adopting a standard definition for an e-bike and a three-tiered...

forestpolicypub.com

 

[BCSojourner]

USFS's Proposed E-bike Rules | The Smokey Wire : National Forest News and Views

USFS press release received today is shown below. The Federal Register notice says little about the proposed regs, except: The Forest Service’s proposed directive revisions align with the 27 States and DOI’s proposed e-bike rules in adopting a standard definition for an e-bike and a three-tiered...

forestpolicypub.com

I think that the key word here is "Proposed". Nothing final and currently on most USFS and BLM lands ebikes are treated as a motorized vehicle. On single track trails they are allowed where dirt bikes are allowed, but not on non-motorized trails (i.e., hike, horse). Even if the rule was finalized (note the date was last September), the notice states that the proposed use of ebikes would still be subject to site-specific NEPA (i.e., environmental analysis) and decision to allow their use by the local land management (USFS District office). Since most USFS and BLM lands are limited to designated routes, they are also not allowed off of designated routes (i.e., cross-country). State game and fish departments have their own rules on State-managed lands, hence the discrepancies in some of these posts. State lands management does not apply on USFS and BLM lands. I had a very polite conversation with some ebike hunters last year as they were unoading their bikes to go up a gated USFS road. They said that a CO Wildlife Officer told them that it was okay to use them on Federal lands. I politely disagreed with what they had been told, citing that the State management does not apply on USFS lands. I gave them the name and number of the local USFS District Office, and I gave them my name and number. I received a call back from them about 2 days later telling me that they had checked, I was correct, and they thanked me. I thanked them as well for checking.

 

[durangobrad]

A different way to get into an Ebike is to take a normal mountain bike and then build it into an ebike. I used the kit from CYC Motor and while the system had some teething problems, it was 100% worth it for me.

Shop Ebike & Emtb Conversion Kits | CYCMOTOR LTD

Get your e bike or e mtb conversion kit straight from the CYCMOTOR LTD online store. Complete conversion kits, parts, & accessories are all available for the most powerful mid drive motor systems.

www.cycmotor.com

I've built a fatbike that I've had loaded w/12 days worth of gear + food and travelled 55km into the bush on old mining roads and trails (all legal) and was in a zone that only outfitters with horses venture into. Using it locally, I can cruise at 30MPH with 2 kids on it and it tops out at 45MPH solo. It is silly amount of fun and has basically become a 2nd car.

Did you just keep your stock rear derailer and hub setup?

I imagine this much power would just tear up regular sram and Shimano mountain bike drivetrains.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

 

[tdot]

Did you just keep your stock rear derailer and hub setup?

I imagine this much power would just tear up regular sram and Shimano mountain bike drivetrains.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

You're right, if you were to use the full 5000watts of the motor it would consume drivetrains pretty quick. I can't imagine that amount of power being useful though, for a hunting bike application. I can use the throttle to lift my front tire with a front rack and 30lbs of gear on it. The combination of throttle and Peddle Assist is extremely helpful on technical trails. I've limited my bike to supply about 2500 watts of power. It has more perceived torque then my brother's 450 4 stroke.

I personally use a Box 9spd drivetrain as they have the widest range 9spd available and its 1/2 the price of shimano/sram. I've put a little over 2000km on the bike, most of those are with a heavily loaded bike and often in steep terrain. I'm just now starting to see some chain stretch and skipping in the smallest cogs, under full power acceleration. I would typically see this type of wear/damage at about 3000km on my mountain bikes. But I don't typically ride 5" sticky tires, with 2 kids and 50lbs of gear either, so some additional wear would have come from that too. I have a shite hub and it's still ticking along fine.


The longevity of the system all depends on how you apply power and ride the bike. 7/8/9 spd systems, steel cogs, etc are certainly going to supply longer life. Poor chainline, 12spd, tiny cogs, uber light components will all lead to quick death for the drivetrain.

 

[G8ters]

I ordered a sondors lx recently that will be delivered in August. I’ve been around bikes my whole life and was a mechanic at one time. Both mountain and road. Looks like Sondors LX has the best components and value. Some bike companies skimp on components to meet a price point. You are paying 2k for components on a $300 or less bike. That would not last in the mountains.

I’m from Florida and drew a big game combo in Montana. Going DIY. Will use the bike where I can to help with terrain because I don’t like sucking wind. I did an elk guided hunt in Idaho on horseback and I was telling myself I could use a ebike to get around in the train so much quieter and faster.

Hopefully I’ll have success this year.

 

[durangobrad]

You're right, if you were to use the full 5000watts of the motor it would consume drivetrains pretty quick. I can't imagine that amount of power being useful though, for a hunting bike application. I can use the throttle to lift my front tire with a front rack and 30lbs of gear on it. The combination of throttle and Peddle Assist is extremely helpful on technical trails. I've limited my bike to supply about 2500 watts of power. It has more perceived torque then my brother's 450 4 stroke.

I personally use a Box 9spd drivetrain as they have the widest range 9spd available and its 1/2 the price of shimano/sram. I've put a little over 2000km on the bike, most of those are with a heavily loaded bike and often in steep terrain. I'm just now starting to see some chain stretch and skipping in the smallest cogs, under full power acceleration. I would typically see this type of wear/damage at about 3000km on my mountain bikes. But I don't typically ride 5" sticky tires, with 2 kids and 50lbs of gear either, so some additional wear would have come from that too. I have a shite hub and it's still ticking along fine.


The longevity of the system all depends on how you apply power and ride the bike. 7/8/9 spd systems, steel cogs, etc are certainly going to supply longer life. Poor chainline, 12spd, tiny cogs, uber light components will all lead to quick death for the drivetrain.

Interesting about the Box drivetrains ill check them out, hadn't heard of them before. Ive got a framed fatbike that Im considering converting over to E.

Ive been on some of the the E mtn bikes and they are awesome fun!

Hard to imagine those motors putting out the full 5000 watts or even 2500 you've got yours turned down too. The Trek and Specialized bikes I've been on were rated at 250W and that was plenty.

 

[tdot]

Interesting about the Box drivetrains ill check them out, hadn't heard of them before. Ive got a framed fatbike that Im considering converting over to E.

Ive been on some of the the E mtn bikes and they are awesome fun!

Hard to imagine those motors putting out the full 5000 watts or even 2500 you've got yours turned down too. The Trek and Specialized bikes I've been on were rated at 250W and that was plenty.

The power of these aftermarket kits is addictive. Having a throttle along with the Peddle assist is a game changer IMO for off road riding. It allows for body positioning and control that simply isn't possible with a pedal bike. Combine that with the traction of a fatbike tire and the climbing ability starts to approach that of a moto trials bike.

2nd day of using it for Hunting I went up a logging road that I've driven 100 times and occasionally see a single bear, but always just see tons of scat, saw 13 bears in 10 minutes. It was awesome, they'd sit and watch me w/out any concern. I radioed my Father In Law to follow in his truck and he didn't see a single bear, they all cleared out before he was with in visual range.

 

[tuk]

A friend of mine has one. I took my regular bike he had his e bike. By the time we got back I was ready to buy my own