Escondido city council considered enacting a citywide bicycling speed limit last night - but it's been postponed
Scott Mace
I happened to notice the following correspondence and caption on Instagram this morning.
Correspondence
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San Diego Mountain Biking Association
June 17, 2026
City of Escondido City Council
Re: Agenda Item 12 - Ordinance No. 2026-07 (Bicycles, Nonmotorized
Vehicles, and Mobility Devices)
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The San Diego Mountain Biking Association (SDMBA) respectfully submits this letter in opposition to several provisions in Ordinance No. 2026-07.
SDMBA represents approximately 1,500 members throughout San Diego County and has served as the region's leading mountain bike advocacy organization since 1994. Through our volunteers, including the Daley Ranch Trail Crew, SDMBA has contributed thousands of hours of trail stewardship and maintenance at Daley Ranch and throughout the region. We support safe, responsible, and sustainable recreation for all trail users.
We support the City's efforts to modernize its municipal code, clarify the regulation of electric bicycles and mobility devices, and improve public safety. In particular, we support clear distinctions between lawful electric bicycles and electric motorcycles that are not legal for street or trail use.
However, we urge the City Council to amend or remove the following provisions before adoption.
Section 5.4(b)(5) -- Wheelies
The prohibition on wheelies is overly specific and may be difficult to apply consistently. A broader prohibition on operating a bicycle in a reckless manner would be more practical and more consistent with regulations adopted by other jurisdictions.
Section 5.4(b)(9) -- 20 MPH Maximum Speed
This provision would prohibit operating a bicycle at speeds greater than 20 mph on any street, roadway, bicycle lane, bicycle path, or other publicly accessible area. This conflicts with normal and lawful bicycle operation. Many traditional bicycles regularly exceed 20 mph while traveling safety and legally on roadways. The proposed limit would create confusion and unnecessarily restrict lawful bicycle travel.
Section 5.4(d) -- Mandatory Dismount Requirement on Trails
This provision would require bicyclists to dismount when operating on trails less than five feet wide if a pedestrian or equestrian is within fifty feet.
While well-intentioned, the requirement is impractical and unenforceable.
Trail users would be expected to simultaneously determine trail width, estimate distances, dismount, pass on foot, and remain dismounted until fifty feet beyond the other user. This is unrealistic in actual trail conditions and would be difficult for both trail users and law enforcement to apply consistently.
The five-foot threshold is also problematic because trail widths vary substantially due to vegetation growth, erosion, and maintenance conditions. Determining compliance would require extensive trail measurements and continual reassessment.
A substantially similar provision was proposed by the City of Carlsbad in 2022 and was ultimately removed following stakeholder feedback. Such requirements do little to improve trail etiquette or reduce conflicts and instead create confusion, frustration, and selective enforcement concerns.
Sections 18-92(b)(1) and (2) -- Bicycle Parking
These sections prohibit bicycles from being leaned on trees, locked fences or street signs, or other objects within the City and its parks. While we understand the intent to maintenance safe and passable walkways for pedestrians, these restrictions should not be adopted unless sufficient bicycle parking infrastructure exists throughout the City and park system. Without adequate bicycle racks, visitors may have no reasonable means of securing their bicycles while using park facilities. Additionally, this section does not define what qualifies as an accessible bike rack -- could an available rack down the block or across the street from a rider's place of business, be deemed as accessible and available, therefore prohibiting parking closer to their destination?
SDMBA respectfully requests that the City Council amend or remove these provisions and continue engaging with cycling organizations, equestrian groups, hikers, and other stakeholders to develop regulations that are practical, enforceable, and effective at improving public safety.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Peter Hulburt
Executive Director
San Diego Mountain Biking Association
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Instagram caption from @sdbma
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A good reminder that advocacy doesn't always happen months in advance.
With less than 24 hours notice before tonight's hearing, SDMBA identified concerns within Escondido's proposed bicycle and e-bike ordinance, mobilized a response, submitted formal comments, and coordinated with @sdbikecoalition to broad awareness of the issue.
The result: the item was postponed, allowing more time for stakeholder input and review.
This was a successful advocacy sprint -- one that demonstrates the value of having a dedicated organization watching local policy, building relationships, and ready to act when access and recreation issues emerge.
The work continues, but today was a good example of the mountain biking community showing up when it matters.
If you value having a strong voice for mountain biking in San Diego County, please consider supporting SDMBA through membership. Your membership helps fund the advocacy, stewardship, and community-building work that protects and expands trail access across our region.
Jim Baross
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John Eldon
Scott Mace
Jim, to answer your question, consideration of the matter has been postponed by the Escondido City Council - it has not been enacted. And even at the statewide level, there are no such cycling-specific on-street speed limits. Let's not let that idea get a foothold anywhere!
As for SD Bike Coalition, I suspect they did object to the Council. Their Instagram account also posted copies of the SDMBA letter.
Scott Mace
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/caboforum/1020616927.15854.1781806772051%40mail.yahoo.com.
Jim Baross
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/caboforum/a4681869-1058-498c-bde0-33a6a105ed3c%40wiredmuse.com.