Mark Griffith on E-Bikes & Skinny Tire Events
E-Bikes at Skinny Tire Events
More and more Beth and I are fielding questions on social media, in our inboxes, and on the phone about e-bikes! With just 43 days to go until the 2019 Moab Century Tour, we wanted to provide some information on e-bikes and our events, some limitations, and some success stories.
A rainbow variety of these newborn bike family members can now be seen all over Moab, and all over the west, for that matter. If attending the Skinny Tire Festival or the Moab Century Tour, know that your e-bike is welcome!
However, due to some recent restrictions put in place in national parks and BLM land management areas, some sections of our routes do not allow them:
Arches National Park (Day 3 of Skinny Tire Festival)
The Moab Pedestrian/ Bicycle Path
Fear not! We will have alternate options available for these spots. Check out this link on our website for available options to these route sections.
Below are a few positive e-bike accounts from previous e-bike participants:
Road to Recovery
One participant explained to us she was on an e-bike because she had just finished her series of cancer treatments. It was her inspiration and goal to ride in our event and using the pedal assist of her e-bike gave her the confidence and added boost to succeed and complete the event.
Skip the Shuttle Ride
We also had a couple participants who had ridden our 4 day event, the Skinny Tire Festival, many times. They had intermittently taken advantage of our optional shuttle support vehicles to save a bit of energy so they could last the 4 days, though they much preferred to view the landscape from their bikes. Equipped with their e-bikes, they were able to ride larger chunks of the routes all 4 days and are also delighted with the extra miles they can ride back home!
Jump Start to Health
A young man told us his e-bike story revolved around the desire to be healthier and get outdoors. His current weight and state of health trapped him indoors. He discovered e-bikes. Having lost significant weight and enjoying a healthy diet, he commutes to work 2 days a week. Our event was his first cycling event which he never thought possible to ride so many miles.
Will you be bringing an e-bike to this fall’s Moab Century Tour? That’s great! Please make sure your manufacturer’s maximum assist speed must be less than 30 mph.
Questions? Feel free to email us your e-bike questions to info@skinnytireevents.com
Sincerely,
Mark Griffith
Founder, Skinny Tire Events
