Aspen looks to curb electric bike speeders with new education initiative — and possibly citations

Electric bikes being ridden at excessive speeds is becoming a growing concern in Aspen, according to numerous comments submitted to the city.

With the help of its Parks and Open Space department, the city has responded by beginning a new initiative aimed at educating the public about e-bikes speeding through town.

“This is concerning from a safety perspective,” Parks and Open Space Director Matt Kuhn said. “Our staff have begun to monitor speeds, and we are finding that the posted speeds are being exceeded regularly.”

Over the past three to five years, there has been a notable increase in e-bike usage on Aspen’s hard-surface trails.

“It goes without saying, but the percentage of cyclists using e-bikes has changed dramatically in this community,” he said.

Aspen updated its municipal code last year, mandating that trail users travel at safe speeds and adhere to posted speed limits. Speed limit signs now mark the 10- to 15-mph zones, while the parks department has launched an outreach campaign. 

Park rangers are actively engaging with trail users about speed limits, safety, and trail courtesy. 

“Our initial push is to strive for compliance through education,” Kuhn said. He noted, however, some trail users have been unsafe or used bikes exceeding the 750-watt limit. “We intend to use a range of enforcement tools to curtail that behavior — up to issuing citations.”

He outlined essential safety measures for all riders. These include significantly reducing speed in high-traffic areas, such as Marolt Bridge, Cemetery Lane, and crossing Bugsy Barnard Park. Riders are also encouraged to use a bell when passing walkers or other cyclists. 

“Our parks department hands out free bells all summer long from our office,” he said.

He concluded by celebrating the trail system’s role in providing a safe, car-free network for navigating Aspen. 

“The beauty of our trail system is that it provides a network of connections to get around Aspen safely and without a car,” he said. “Please take a few extra minutes to slow down, pass other trail users slowly and with courtesy, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of our trail network.”