The PeopleForBikes e-bikes team testified in support of Colorado's e-bike bill. Governor John Hickenlooper signed HB 17-1151 into law on April 3, 2017, defining a three-class system for electric-assist bikes based on their top speed. Bicycle Colorado, the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association, local retailers and e-bike manufacturer Haibike all testified in support of the bill. Colorado became the fifth state to adopt the three-class system.
A UCI-sanctioned competition, the Colorado Classic featured four days of men’s races and two days of women’s races and attracted some of the best riders in the world. Setting up as a spectator along the route was free to all comers in Colorado Springs and Breckenridge, and for much of the route into Denver, where ticketed admission opened up the festival for those who wanted prime homestretch views near the finish line. Velorama, an expo and big-time music festival, gave the Denver finish area extra appeal. Headliners included Wilco and Death Cab for Cutie, with great supporting bands hitting the main stages throughout the weekend. The festival marketplace also included hundreds of local vendors.
We partnered with the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association to take a small team of people to Fruita, Colorado to ask trail users about their perceptions of electric mountain bikes (eMTBs.) We collected survey responses at both non-motorized and motorized trails. Results suggested that misconceptions about eMTBs are pervasive and that people who have ridden e-bikes off road develop more positive impressions of eMTBs. The biggest concerns about eMTBs focus on trail crowding and user conflicts, which occur with or without eMTBs.
In June, 11 representatives from Coalition member companies converged on PeopleForBikes headquarters in Boulder, Colorado for our third annual industry leaders gathering. Attendees spent two days generating new and innovative ideas to better connect our work with bike businesses, partner organizations, city leaders, and local advocacy groups.
