Boulder gets serious about regulating e-bikes

Niwotian Hans "Sparky" Wheeler normally has a calm ride into Boulder in the morning on his e-bike. Wheeler's usual route is to take Niwot Road to CO 119 (the Diagonal) and "ride to Boulder on the shoulder," as he puts it. But construction on the Möbius Hyperloop under Niwot Road began at that intersection April 1, so Wheeler decided to take the Longmont-Boulder (LoBo) trail instead.

But just as he was crossing through the underpass at Highway 52, he encountered trouble. The e-bike assist mechanism suddenly quit, but when Wheeler stopped to inspect the motor, he could not find any sign of a problem. The motor was warm to the touch and there was a whiff of burning plastic, but Wheeler decided to continue. He did notice large electromagnetic coils mounted to the sides of the tunnel, but thought they looked harmless.

He pushed onward, uphill both ways, to continue on the dirt portion of the trail beside the Boulder and Left Hand Ditch. But Wheeler didn't get far before both tires suddenly went flat.

"Just as I noticed a spike strip across the trail, armed police in tactical body armor on horseback came out of the bushes," Wheeler said.

"I heard the officer in front yell, 'Police! Drop your e-bike and put your hands up Hans!' They looked serious and their rifles were pointed at my e-bike motor.

"He said, 'You are in violation of Boulder Open Space Board of Trustees Penal Code Section 11.09.22 minus one. You have the right to remain silent but are encouraged to speak at the next board meeting.'"

Wheeler said he slowly laid his e-bike down. "I told them I thought the OSBT decided to be consistent with county regulations allowing ebikes on the LoBo trail. That's when a person in street clothes stepped out from behind the phalanx of SWAT team officers, clipboard in hand. He said, 'My name is Ian Dignant and I'm an open space trustee. We will never submit to the oppressive power of electric motors on our trails. Your very existence is a threat to all Boulderites!"

One of the police officers wrote a citation for "Operating a Fast Heavy Vehicle on Boulder Open Space Trails" and handed it to Wheeler. "I got in the last word, though. I told them, 'Horse manure! You'll be hearing from my bike mechanic!'"

Boulder OSMP spokesman Phil Dirt said, "We have had trouble enforcing our rules regarding e-bikes in the past. But we have found the resources to correct the problem by deputizing the Rocky Mountain Mounted Police (RMMP)."

"We can't have e-bikes affecting the safety of real bikers, joggers and strollers," Dirt said. "If the trustees think certain areas are not safe for e-bikes, well, we intend to enforce that."

Joy Windfarm, a Gunbarrel resident who heard about the incident, said, "I had a severe back injury and rely on my e-bike to get me outdoors for exercise. They say e-bikes are a hazard. If they are a hazard, just wait to see who trips on all that horse manure. And you know, horse manure may introduce non-native grasses to the trail ecosystem."

Clera Pathway, spokesperson for Boulder County's Mobility for Most Program said, "Well, we tried to provide mobility for all but we will compromise with mobility for most, or at least for some."