When U.S. Forest Service managers tried to open trails near Lake Tahoe to e-bikes three years ago, the agency wound up in court – sued by the National Horsemen’s Association. Over the past five years, smaller and stronger batteries have powered a booming market for electric bikes of all kinds. And, especially since COVID-19 lockdowns, America’s backcountry trails have seen a proliferation of the dirt-ready variety. The onslaught of motor-assisted cyclists has generated a surge of traffic on trails revered for serenity, prompting turf wars over where eMTBs should be allowed or outlawed. Those who oppose e-bike access to single-track trails include not just environmentalists and hikers, but equestrians and others who argue that eMTBs are faster, heavier, more dangerous and more destructive than regular mountain bikes. The motor also allows transports cyclists deeper into the outback, with increased impact on nature. “It’s alarming people because it goes against why some of these places were set aside and protected,” noted the late John Freemuth, a Boise State University land policy expert. Click the link our bio to read more about the debater over eMTBs.