The Abridged version:
- Sacramento County made ordinance changes to increase penalties for speeding and operating prohibited e-bikes on the American River Bike Trail.
- According to Ken Casparis, Sacramento County spokesperson, the changes have led to increased enforcement action and a decrease in speeding and vandalism on the trail.
- Some e-bike riders who follow the rules welcome the additional enforcement efforts.
The American River Bike Trail is one of the Sacramento region’s most beloved areas for outdoor recreation and appreciation of natural beauty. The 32-mile parkway stretches across Sacramento County from Old Sacramento to Folsom and offers a variety of recreational opportunities such as walking, running, cycling, kayaking, fishing, bird watching and picnicking.
But growing concerns over public safety and environmental destruction from e-bike and e-moto usage on the trail have led to heightened enforcement by Sacramento County Regional Parks rangers and ordinance changes in Sacramento County.
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The ordinance changes, which went into effect on June 19, increase penalties for violations such as speeding, operating prohibited Class 3 e-bikes and e-motorcycles, and unauthorized trail construction. While rangers will continue to educate park visitors on the rules to promote safety for all, riders should be aware that violations may not only result in warnings — they may lead to fines as well.
“There has been an overall increase,” in enforcement actions by rangers, as well as a reduction in both observed and reported cases of speeding and vandalism on the parkway since the ordinance changes went into effect, said Ken Casparis, a Sacramento County spokesperson, in an email.
Parkway visitors can check the Sacramento County Regional Parks website for a list of multi-use trail rules and regulations.
Though e-bikes and e-motos are the primary target of the enhanced penalties, many e-bikers accessing the parkway share these concerns and make a conscious effort to enjoy the area’s trails responsibly. What do these e-bikers, who follow the rules, have to say about illegal e-bike and e-moto usage on the parkway and the enforcement response?
Robert Newton moved to Woodland a couple of months ago and uses his e-bike to familiarize himself with the parkway and the greater Sacramento region he now calls home. “I drive out here on my days off and then ride around Old Town [Sacramento],” Newton said.
On the day of this interview, Newton planned to ride all the way from Old Sacramento to Rainbow Bridge in Folsom with the help of his pedal-assist e-bike. “I’ve been able to explore Sacramento a lot with the e-bike and ride around and see where everything’s at,” Newton said.
Asked about the growing concerns over speeding on the trail, Newton made a distinction between the e-bike he rides as opposed to the high-speed e-motos which are prohibited on the trail. “It’s a problem. You know, a lot of those bikes are not technically e-bikes. They’re electronic motorcycles, they don’t have pedals, and I think they kind of ruin it for everybody,” Newton said.
When Newton rides his e-bike on the parkway, he’s mindful of his surroundings and rides at speeds of other non-motorized cyclists. “I feel like right now we’re kind of in a golden age of regulation for e-bikes, because there’s not a whole lot [of regulation]. So let’s keep it that way, and the way we keep it that way is by not pissing people off,” Newton added.
Some e-bikers utilize the pedal-assist function of their vehicle in less conventional ways. David Banner, a frequent trail user who lives near Sacramento State, often deactivates the electrical motor of the bike to get a more intense workout than he would on a traditional road bike or mountain bike. “It becomes almost like weightlifting. And then after I totally kill myself with using no electricity, I’ll coast home,” Banner explained.
Banner has concerns with unauthorized use of e-motos on the trail, which he views as “a completely different animal” as compared to authorized e-bikes. Banner can tell the difference between an e-bike and an e-moto coming up behind him on the trail because, Banner explains, e-motos “make a noise when they come by, whereas e-bikes are silent. And [e-motos] come by a lot faster too, some 40 mph, 50 mph, and I’ve thought to myself, ‘This just can’t continue.’ Somebody’s going to get hurt.”
Banner questioned whether more signage about the parkway rules may be needed and made a request of other riders. “Please don’t ruin it for all of us. We shouldn’t get this regulated if we can avoid it.”
Banner cherishes his time on the parkway and worries that reckless riding may ruin the experience for everyone. “I just love the fact that I can be out here doing this at all. This is such an American freedom to be out here and to be able to express yourself in the open,” he added.
Some members of the American River Bike Patrol, a volunteer group established in 2020 to promote trail safety along the parkway and other multi-use trails throughout the greater Sacramento region, utilize e-bikes while patrolling their routes. Kathie Mahdavi, who has been a member of the ARBP since its inception, uses her e-bike to cover more ground and more easily ride over hills. Recently, Mahdavi’s noticed a growing number of e-bikes on the parkway and more issues with young riders violating the 15 mph speed limit. In the earlier years of the ARBP, Mahdavi would notice that e-bike riders who were speeding would slow down when they saw the patrol group. “Now I think it makes no difference,” observed Mahdavi, as most e-bike riders speed past her patrol group without hesitation.
ARBP member Vic Massenkoff, who also rides an e-bike, has noticed an improvement in public awareness of e-bike and e-moto safety issues since the ordinance changes in Sacramento County went into effect. “It’s riding the wave of public agencies, state legislation, local legislation, the school districts, the parent groups, the media, starting to get on the same page about what is the problem,” Massenkoff said.
In tandem with enforcement, Massenkoff stresses that educating riders and the parents of young riders about the rules and dangers associated with unauthorized e-bikes and e-motos should be the greater focus in addressing safety concerns on the trails.
Casparis concurred. “The attention these issues are receiving locally and on a national level has also resulted in expanded information sharing with parks users, parents and owners of e-bike and motos.”
Andrew Spittler is a member of the Abridged Community Reporters program. Born and raised in the Sacramento region, Andrew enjoys riding his bike on local trails and hiking in the Sierra.
