E-bikes are here: Sioux Falls opens trail system to more motorized bicycles

Opponents say more e-bikes is safety hazard

A human-propelled bicycle rider passes a pair of e-bikes being ridden on the Sioux Falls recreation trail. (Patrick Lalley / SiouxFallsLive.com)

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

As electric-powered bicycles become more commonplace, the Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department and city police have increasingly struggled to enforce a ban on most of those machines from the city-wide trail system. That's, in part, why the City Council this week approved new rules that will allow some throttle-powered e-bikes to legally use the trail.

And though the move to allow what are considered Class 2 e-bikes — which use motors to assist a rider when pedaling or using a throttle up to 20 mph — earned unanimous support from city councilors Tuesday, the looser policy around machine-powered transportation also comes with apprehensions about safety and speeding on the city trails.

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Crafters of the ordinance change, particularly Councilor Greg Neitzert, tout the move as a benefit to public health because e-bikes offer benefits to those who might not be able to ride a self-powered bike, but still wish to be active and use the trail system. It’s also an acknowledgment of the reality that e-bikes are already common on the trails, he said.

“They’re out there already, and we’re not having all kinds of accidents,” said Neitzert, who was among councilors in 2018 who supported allowing Class 1 e-bikes on the trail system.

While that type of e-bike is entirely pedal-assisted and does not have throttle-powered motors, their allowance on the trail was the first time ever the city adopted a policy allowing any motorized vehicle on the trail.

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