ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Electric bikes quickly became popular and in an outdoor state like New Mexico that meant that people had to share trails with cyclists.

Current legislation allows Class 1 e-bikes on trails and leaves Class 2 and Class 3 bikes up to the discretion of municipalities.

However, a new ordinance could change what e-bikes are allowed on trails. The proposed ordinance by Albuquerque City Councilor Louie Sanchez would allow all three classes of e-bikes on multi-use trails but, it would impose a 20 mph speed limit across all trails.

Here is how e-bikes are classified:

• Class 1: Operates only when pedaling and under 20 mph.
• Class 2: Operates when pedaling or on throttle and under 20 mph.
• Class 3: Operates only while pedaling and traveling under 28 mph.

All e-bikes only have a max of 730 watts. One advocate says he understands the goal of the ordinance but the one for all speed limit may be troublesome for riders.

“While having a speed limit in certain restricted areas for example the Bosque trail in more congested areas would make sense. Even lower than 20 mph is certainly defensible. Having a blanket speed limit for trails like Four Hills, University outside Mesa Del Sol, Embudo east of Juan Tabo… these are areas that generally don’t have much pedestrian traffic,” said Patrick Martin, the advocacy chair with BikeABQ.

Martin said when it comes to those longer-range trails several cyclists use them to get to work.

“These longer range multi-use trails like the one behind me that connects four hills to Central we have commuters that aren’t biking for recreation they are biking to get places,” he said.

Another layer to this is safety, many cyclists prefer to use trails rather than travel alongside cars in unprotected bike lanes.

“To the city’s credit, this is a very complicated issue. BikeABQ had to have a long discussion because there are a lot of different perspectives that need to be considered here…that is really why bike ABQ has kind of settled on the idea of having speed limits in areas where it makes sense is the best option,” Martin said.

As for the ordinance, it is still being considered. The city council will revisit the matter on May 15.