eMTB's on mountains

[Wheeze]

I celebrated midsummer with 3 like minded pals by eMTBing up Cadair Idris....well we got 100ft from summit and scrambled the rest of the way up.
This was great for me because I can no longer run. But I did think what kind of impact we had on other mountain users at the time. We took time to be friendly and chatty to walkers as we came across them and did not meet with hostility. More luck than judgement??

Anyway, I loved being back up so high again with that feeling of having really worked for it that you somehow dont get when you walk. OK, so I had motorised help but let me tell you, eMTBing up that high is still a work-out! But is this just another example of abuse of high places? I'm conflicted!

[PeteS]

It's a tough one. My instant reaction would be to rail against it but to be fair that's my reaction to most things these days!
There's a local chap I bump into occasionally when I'm out on my road bike. He must be well into his seventies if not older and still out riding up our local hills on his e-bike. I'm sure I would consider the same if I couldn't climb under my own steam anymore.
So really it boils down to place rather than mode of transport unless you want to look at the wider aspect of environmental consequences of e-biking.
So if you have a legal right to cycle, then I don't have a problem and especially as you say, you are considerate to other users of that path. So go ride that mountain!

[Wheeze]

I try to put myself in the place of a walker. Like you, my first reaction would be to rail against it especially if I was enjoying a nice quiet walk. I live in hope that a friendly exchange would smooth the way, but if that person was implacably anti for some reason, than that spoil it for both parties. At 65, I was the youngest of the "senior" group, ignoring a 38 year old along for the ride (bit like taking a Labrador for a walk...he did 20 miles to our 10!). As ex-mountain runners, we found the e-bike alternative a good substitute challenge.

I was musing on this as we had our snack on the summit when a gaggle of yougsters turned up, one with music blaring from a boom-box in a rucksac........my questioning guilt was immediately assuaged!

[MattPo]

It’s a really tricky question, but I understand your delight at being on top of Cadair.
If conditions are dry or frozen, and you’re not cutting up the path too much and you’re considerate to other users then ok. However I see too much mtb damage to paths, but not nearly as bad as wankers on motorbikes.
I remember sleeping on top of Cadair with my family and 3 young weed smokers turned up and asked if we knew how to put a tent up!

[PeteS]

I see a lot of destruction by the MTB fraternity in our local woods and hills. This is certainly more of a problem than e-bikes on cadair

[Chris K]

Bikes of any sort were a bugbear when I was involved in lobbying for the FRA to maintain free access on foot over the uplands when the CRoW Act 2000 was being put together. In theory, bikes and horses are still restricted to bridleways, not allowed on footpaths, but in practice there is no check and many routes are standing up to the pressure. Lots of anecdotal notes of increased erosion on mountain paths where water follows the neat lines of bike tyres, often countered with the paths were already eroded by hordes of walkers and runners. A question of balance and if it feels wrong....it probably is.

[bigfella]

On many of the gritstone edges around our way the paths are getting noticeably wider where cyclists try to find a smoother path off to the side. They are MTBs I thought part of the attraction was the rough stuff.

[Wheeze]

Thanks for your input Chris.
Two thirds of our way up the mountain was on farm tracks and quad bike trails. These were easy to follow and very cycleable. It was not until we met the Pony track that we hit rough conditions under tyre and severe erosion....and of course walkers. I lacked the talent to ride up really rocky parts and used walk mode. The final 100 feet was purely on foot with the bikes left on a grassy step.
We saw one other rider all day.
I get the point about track damage but we were nothing compared to the cumulative effect of thousands of boots.
Of course, lower down, trails in woods and the like do get a bashing through significantly higher usage.
Anyway, I hope to stick to courteous sharing on such exploits and stay away from walker honey pots like yr wyddfa!