The U.S. Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit allows certain classes of e-bikes on 25 of its 385 miles of trails. Under the management unit’s proposed plan, an additional 120 miles of new and existing trails would open to e-bikes, bringing the total number of e-bike accessible miles to 145, not counting dirt roads.
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But Collins said the forest service is a little behind the ball and keeping e-bikes off non-designated trails will be a challenge.

“The train left the station a couple years ago. You have to get ahead of this,” he said. “They are making moves to accommodate e-bikes, but they are on trails everywhere right now. They don’t have a way to enforce it.

“I don’t think it will make much difference because people are using them now. But from a legal standpoint, it’s a great move forward.”

Motor Assisted Bicycles/eBikes: The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) has determined that motor assisted bicycles (electric, gas or diesel) are motorized vehicles. Use of motor assisted bicycles is only allowed on motorized trails. Please take a look at the LTBMU Motor Vehicle Use Maps for information on where motorized vehicles are allowed.

Electric bikes or ebikes are evolving with more power, less weight and in more configurations each year. New ebikes are closing the gap between electric bicycle and electric motorcycle. Current regulations restrict ebikes to the motorized trails shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map above.

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Regulations regarding consumer safety do not classify ebikes as motor vehicles. However Title 36 Part 212 Subpart A, defines a motor vehicle as such:

Motor Vehicle - Any vehicle which is self-propelled, other than:

(1) A vehicle operated on rails; and

(2) Any wheelchair or mobility device, including one that is battery-powered, that is designed solely for use by a mobility-impaired person for locomotion, and that is suitable for use in an indoor pedestrian area

Subpart B of this rule requires designation of motorized trails, those trails are shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map (link above).