Class 1 E-Bikes are now permitted at the Trails at Jakes Rocks.

“Today I signed the decision to authorize Class 1 E-bikes on the Jakes Rocks Trail System,” Bradford District Ranger Rich Hatfield said in an email.

“That means that starting today Class 1 E-Bikes are allowed on the Trails at Jakes Rocks,” he added.

The request for the change was presented by several local organizations including the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry, Warren Cycle Shop, Northern Allegheny Mountain Bike Association, Loud Performance Products, and the Western New York Mountain Bike Association.

It came after a change in federal policy that allowed officials to consider such requests.

The decision document states that class 2 and class 3 e-bikes remain prohibited.

Class 1 e-bikes provide assistance only when the rider pedals and the assistance stops when the bike reaches 20 mph.

According to the decision document, class 2 e-bikes include a throttle and do not require pedaling while class 3 are similar to class 1 but with a higher maximum speed (28 mph).

“In closing this decision rationale, I want to highlight a recurrent theme in many of the comments that we received: e-bikes allow some mountain bikers and outdoor recreationists to start the sport or continue enjoying an outdoor pursuit as they get older,” Hatfield wrote.

“The health benefits of exercise are strongly supported by research and numerous studies. Utilizing an e-bike only includes a pedal ‘assist;’ there is still an exercise component related to the use of an e-bike. As a public land manager, I want to encourage the public to get out and exercise and enjoy our public lands. This project allows me to support that objective.”

Over 30 comments were received when the proposal was first announced. A five-day objection period followed a draft decision in July approving the proposal. No objections were received.

Signage will be updated “as soon as possible” reflecting the change, Hatfield said.